MacKaye describes the different choices heâs made across the different areas of his life, you can see these three principles resurface to varying degrees. As a result, MacKaye found himself repeatedly in circumstances in which he was pushing the envelope and forging his own path rather than simply accepting the road presented to him.
When MacKaye came into the punk rock scene, âsex, drugs and rock and rollâ was the norm. However, MacKaye decided that he did not want to numb himself out. And with the song, âStraight Edge,â he inspired others to take on a drug- and alcohol-free lifestyle, giving birth to the Straight Edge punk rock sub-culture.
Prior to MacKaye co-founding the record label, Dischord Records in 1979, most bands sought only to play music while leaving the âbusinessâ of the band to labels, managers and other handlers. Bands typically had very little interest or say in things such as ticket and album prices or whether showswere accessible to kids.
But rather than work within that model, MacKaye, along with other hardcore artists such as Greg Ginn of Black Flag and Jello Biafra of Alternative Tentacles, decided to take a Do-It-Yourself approach. MacKaye recorded and distributed his bandsâ music, as well as the music of other bands in his hometown of Washington D.C., such as Government Issue, Scream, Marginal Man and Jawbox. And he insisted that shows be all ages and that ticket and album prices be affordable so that his music and performances would be accessible to the kids who made up the hardcore scene. While MacKaye was lauded for his ethical approach, some questioned its economic viability.
But now we know that MacKayeâs instincts were right; 37 years later, Dischord Records is still thriving and is considered the pinnacle of ethical independent label success. –
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