[Bicorn Halfelven]

Originally Posted by LittlePuppetBoy

I was at the show with Inhuman. Ian seemed a really nice guy.

But here is a question for Bicorn. Let's say that your a person like Ian Mackaye who chooses not to drink at shows. How would you feel if you went to a show to see a band you really liked at a club, but for a lot of the show a bunch of obnoxious drunks constantly bump into you, never shut up and won't go away?

Not everyone likes to be in the presence of people who smoke and drink. When he puts on shows, Mackaye wants EVERYONE to have a good time.

If I were THAT person, I'd fuckin' LOVE Fugazi shows.

But I'm not. The "Drunk Guy" is a fixture of music that will never go away. He'll just drink outside if he has to. Get used to it.

I'm not advocating getting totally fucked up and ruining things for somebody else, but jeezus, sometimes all I want when I'm at a packed and sweaty show is a giant ice cold bottle of beer.

SO: I guess my point is, if you've got a band that doesn't want to play to a crowd of drinking smokers, don't book yourself in venues that allow smoking and serve alchohol.

Makes sense, right?

[Norma J]

Originally Posted by Bicorn Halfelven

Ok, let's say you have a band. You/your band stands for a movement that is against drinking alcohol, and smoking cigarettes, etc. Why book shows in places that make their money serving alchohol? And then demand that they stop doing just that? What the fuck is that? Play a goddamned VFW hall, play a community center or somebody's basement... I hate preachy straight edgers almost as much as I hate preachy christians.

The Evens played libraries, movie theatres, halls, car parks, and a bunch of unconventional places for live music. This was to dissociate rock and roll from booze. I read an interesting piece around the time I saw the Evens where Mackaye stated he wanted to do something different because everyone unintentionally considers rock and roll and alcohol as going hand in hand without even questioning the concept.

He doesn't drink, so why should he play a venue that are going to profit off alcohol sales merely because Ian Mackaye is on stage?

[mikec]

I just missed out on Fugazi so I have no idea what types of venues they played and whether or not they served alcohol. But I have seen the Evens a bunch of times and they've been at churches, community centers, and parks. So yea, it looks like Ian is staying true to his word and beliefs.

[SonicSam]

Originally Posted by Trasher02

Straight edge people are annoying.

thats a bit of a sweeping statement. How many straight edge people have you actually taken the time to get to know or have spoken to?

[atsonicpark]

I've gotten to know about 8 straight edge people.

The only ones who didn't annoy me eventually realized straight edge was a joke.. and are now no longer straight edge. And there was actually 1 cool straight edger but even he says he's going to try drinking soon. So, yeah..

Anyone who imposes a lifestyle through their music or attempts doing so through their gigs, has to be mentally retarded. I admire people who have no vices, but I hate those who continuously preach.

[Bicorn Halfelven]

Originally Posted by Norma J

The Evens played libraries, movie theatres, halls, car parks, and a bunch of unconventional places for live music. This was to dissociate rock and roll from booze. I read an interesting piece around the time I saw the Evens where Mackaye stated he wanted to do something different because everyone unintentionally considers rock and roll and alcohol as going hand in hand without even questioning the concept.

He doesn't drink, so why should he play a venue that are going to profit off alcohol sales merely because Ian Mackaye is on stage?

This I respect. He's got his guns, and he's sticking to them. He's working outside an established system for touring and booking, which is an incredible challenge (working through normal channels is hard enough). I respect him as a musician, artist, whatever, but, like I said in my previous post, what he did at that Fugazi show REALLY pissed me off.

[_slavo_]

Originally Posted by sarramkrop

Anyone who imposes a lifestyle through their music or attempts doing so through their gigs, has to be mentally retarded. I admire people who have no vices, but I hate those who continuously preach.

exactly. That applies to most black metal as well as christian bands for me.

[LittlePuppetBoy]

I thought Mackaye hated the idea that straight edge became this doctrine-like thing.

[Pax Americana]

Originally Posted by LittlePuppetBoy

I thought Mackaye hated the idea that straight edge became this doctrine-like thing.

He does.

Ian (as far as I know) never told anyone they couldn't drink, smoke, fuck each other, whatever. I'm pretty sure all he was trying to get across was that a lot of those things don't really interest him. A big reason he didn't drink or do drugs was that a lot of people he knew in the DC scene became junkies and ended up ruining their lives, and I think his stance was at least partly a reaction to that. A lot of people hated Minor Threat (and many other so-called political hardcore bands, DKs, MDC, etc...) because they were thought of as preachy.

Personally, I've never really thought of Ian Mackaye as being preachy. He was simply making a personal statement, in fact, in the one recording of "Out of Step" there's a little break down part where he even says "I'm not trying to tell people what to do... etc...". The problem with "straight edge" is that certain people were militant about it, and thought that because they didn't drink or whatever it somehow made them better than everyone else. Like LittlePuppetBoy pointed out, Ian Mackaye never wanted to start some kind of movement, and he was actually really dissapointed by the fact that people were such fucking zealots as soon as they decided to be "straight edge".

That said, I've got a lot of respect for the guy. Everything I know about him suggests that he's a very genuine person. Hey, he's stuck to his ideals this far, that's gotta count for something. Plus he's made some great music.

[!@#$%!]

WELL....?

you functionally illiterate pizza brains...

did any of you enjoy the article i went through the trouble of hunting down and posting?

no?

are you more interested in your own unrethorical musings than in that humorous little gem?

ok then... your loss.

[atsonicpark]

I've Realized That I Hate The Sound Of Guitars

[floatingslowly]

Originally Posted by !@#$%!

did any of you enjoy the article i went through the trouble of hunting down and posting?

I read it all! I had a response typed out about how he failed to include Bad Brains....but then realized that they left DC for New York after being banned from playing at a lot of clubs.

that guy seemed pretty much dead on. I DO love Fugazi, but the preachy shit really chaps my ass.

the last thing I need is music to make me feel morally superior.

KEEP MUSIC EVIL.

[Everyneurotic]

yeah, good article, aside from the minor threat confusion.

[!@#$%!]

oh im glad you guys liked it. i laughed and laughed when i first read it. what he says about the dc music scene is quite true... for the most part anyway. or it was, 4 years ago.

[Bicorn Halfelven]

is it Ian "Mick-kay" or Ian "Ma-Kai"?

I've heard both.

[Pax Americana]

Originally Posted by Bicorn Halfelven

is it Ian "Mick-kay" or Ian "Ma-Kai"?

I've heard both.

Ma-Kai

[Androol]

Originally Posted by Bicorn Halfelven

Last time I saw Fugazi, the stopped playing and asked that alcohol service be shut off for the show, as well as for people to stop smoking, or else they wouldn't continue the show.

So you can ask him why he's such an asshole.

wow and i thought he was an asshole for stopping the show to wave five bucks in the air and tell someone to get out for "moshing"

[Norma J]

Moshing sucks... unless you're 15.

[Androol]

well i guess he couldve been 15. are you trying to get all ageist on me in an ian mackaye thread?!?!?!?!