American singer, songwriter, Ian MacKaye is best known for being the epically cool frontman of this amazing list of influential hardcore punk bands – ‘Minor Threat,’ ‘The Teen Idles,’ ‘Embrace,’ ‘Fugazi’ and ‘The Evens.’

On top of all that he is also co-founder and owner of Dischord Records an independent record label based in Washington and producer responsible for releases by the likes of Q and Not U, John Frusciante, 7 Seconds, Nation of Ulysses, Bikini Kill, Rites of Spring, Dag Nasty, and Rollins Band among others.

Quite a list but perhaps the most impressive part? He did it all without being off his face on smack, crack and dope. In fact the man coined the term ‘straight edge’ by promoting independent thinking and rejecting the stereotype so many of his contemporaries had fit (being found dead at 21, drugged up to their eyeballs, in a messed up hotel room in NYC).

Despite never intending to start a movement in quite the way he did, he showed upcoming musicians who idoloised his work that getting off their head was not the only way to get their kicks.

 

Gallows - Death Is Birth

Gallows released their new EP titled, ‘Death Is Birth’ on December 5th. The EP will also see a limited vinyl put out on December 13th. Mondo Chaos is the first proper release from the band since vocalist Wade MacNeil – formerly of Alexisonfire joined. This song is schweet, have a listen.

Theoretical Girl

Theoretical Girl is not a band. It is Amy Frolic. She writes, records, performs and tours her stark, spiralling, no wave electro-punk poetry music with a singular vision that sounds a step apart. Despite featuring on the Digital-Penetration compilation, that the NME claimed “defined a genre”, and having a song on the upcoming Future Love Songs compilation put out by the equally influential Angular Records Amy remains determined to maintain her vision.

So, your stuff doesn’t sound like that much else at the moment.
Well, I’ve been doing this now for about a year and a half but I’ve always been tinkering away, making some kind of music. Before Theoretical Girl though the only major other thing I’d done was an all-girl three piece called Weare6. It was fun at the time but when I stood back it just sounded so derivative. You could hear Erase Erata and The Fire Engines in the songs. I love those bands but I just wanted to do something different, that sounded more unique.

So, how did you go about chasing something unique?
Well, the first thing I did was stop listening to other peoples music. I haven’t really listened to anything else for about a year and a half.

Seriously?
Yep. I live alone, in a draughty loft apartment in Muswell Hill, it’s pretty desolate and helps me focus on writing. Just me and Polly, she’s my partner in crime [pulls CD player that is falling apart out of bag].

What does Polly do?
Well I come up with bass lines and drum parts and any other noises and programme them into an old 8-Track then burn them down onto CD and Polly plays them out for me. I sing and play guitar over them. I’m not really into technology, keeping it simple helps me focus on the song.

It all works really well live, do you enjoying playing out?
I used to get really nervous but lately I’ve played some shows I’ve really enjoyed. To be honest I’m far more into writing, just being alone creating. I find it really exciting that I don’t know where the song will go. I’ve got complete control so I can take things apart, change them, put them back together, it’s the biggest thrill, more than playing out I think.

What about the future? Any plans to get any real humans to keep Polly company?
Theoretical Girl: Well, there’s a girl called Sam who’s a friend who may play some bass and another girl called Anna who used to play in The Ivories who may play some live drums, we’ll see. I’ve also got a single out on Half Machine Records and I’m in the studio soon to put down the next one. I’m also going to Germany in the New Year to tour which is exciting.

www.myspace.com/iamtheoreticalgirl