Hardcore icons Henry Rollins and Ian MacKaye have joined forces for a new music project, recently hitting the studio to record four songs.
Rollins, who fronted BLACK FLAG in the ’80s and then ROLLINS BAND for a couple of decades, revealed that he and MacKaye, of MINOR THREAT and FUGAZI fame, came together at Inner Ear Studios in Washington, D.C., a few weeks ago. In a Halloween update on his website, Rollins wrote the following:
“Weeks ago, I journeyed it to DC in order to work on a great project. Ian MacKaye and I went to Inner Ear Studios, where we made our first records decades ago and mixed a four song session with the great Don Zientara at the board.
This is the same studio, where the Teen Idles, Minor Threat, Bad Brains, and many others recorded. It was amazing to be back there with Ian and Don. Part way through the mix, none other than Eddie Janney, he of the Untouchables, Rights Of Spring [sic], One Last Wish, Happy Go Licky, Skewbald and other great bands joined us. The session benefited greatly by his presence.
As to the tracks, I had them mastered several days ago, and I’m now working on the layout and design for the record. When it’s ready, I’ll let you know. We are extremely excited by this one.”
While the nature of the project is unknown, it’s interesting to note that Rollins pretty much stopped making music about 20 years ago. In a 2021 appearance on Rick Rubin’s podcast, Rollins explained, “The smart thing I did as a younger man was one day I woke up in my bed and I went, ‘I’m done with music. I don’t hate it. I just have no more lyrics. There’s no more toothpaste in the tube.’”
He added, “Luckily, I had enough movies, voiceover, documentary work, writing, talking, where that just filled in, and now I’m busier than ever. But I walked away before I had to start saying, ‘Hey, kids, remember this one?’ So I didn’t have to put it on and go up there and put on the dog and yelp for my dinner.”
MacKaye, meanwhile, has kept relatively busy on the music front since FUGAZI went on an indefinite hiatus in 2003, although not so much in recent years. He’s released albums with his bands THE EVENS and CORIKY in the past couple of decades.