Ian MacKaye

If Iggy Pop is the godfather of punk, then the godfather of hardcore would have to be Ian Mackaye. Few other musicians have stuck to their guns for as long as Mackaye has -- most obviously with his refusal to sign with a major record label, as well as living a clean and sober (aka "straight-edge") lifestyle. Born on April 16, 1962, and raised in Washington, D.C., Mackaye discovered his love of music via multiple screenings of the popular movie documentary Woodstock. But it was a stint in Palo Alto, CA, that would indirectly change the course of Mackaye's life. Mackaye's father had won a fellowship at Stanford University, so the family packed up for California, staying for nine months in 1974.



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