A studio session with Ian MacKaye was for archiving a piece of music history, not making it.
Henry Rollins has clarified the true nature of his recent studio session with iconic friend Ian MacKaye.
The project, initially teased on his radio show, sent ripples of excitement through the music world, suggesting a new collaboration decades in the making.
However, the truth is a time capsule, not a comeback. The pair recently convened at the hallowed Inner Ear Studios, not to lay down new tracks, but to resurrect a ghost.
With Don Zientara at the board, they meticulously mixed a long-lost 1979 demo from a legendary, unnamed punk band that had fallen into Rollins’ possession. “I am not on the tape. Ian is not on the tape,” Rollins stated, demystifying the session.
After having the fragile tape professionally baked and transferred, he and MacKaye acted as archival custodians, preparing the “fantastic” performances for a posthumous release, preserving a raw piece of history they helped create.
