Henry Rollins has set the record straight over a new album he has worked on with former Minor Threat vocalist Ian MacKaye.
Late last year, Rollins explained why he would never make music again since venturing into activism, radio hosting, acting, presenting and spoken word projects. The punk icon had previously fronted State Of Alert and Black Flag, and formed the Rollins Band.
However, during a recent episode of his radio show, Rollins revealed that he had just recorded some new material with his friend MacKaye.
“Weeks ago, I journeyed 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,” he said.
But now Rollins has posted a lengthy statement on his website clarifying that neither him nor MacKaye actually feature on the record.
“Before anything else, I think I need to clear something up,” he said before adding: “Last week I told you that I went up to DC and mixed some tracks with Ian MacKaye at Inner Ear Studios in beautiful Arlington, VA. The tracks we mixed were not a collaborative effort, besides the mixing itself. I am not on the tape. Ian is not on the tape. Neither of us are on the tape.”
He continued: “What we were working on was a demo, recorded in 1979, by a legendary punk band that recently came into my possession. I had the tape baked and transferred by the very capable Pete Lyman at Infrasonic Sound in Nashville and had him send the tracks to Ian so he could take them to Inner Ear and get them loaded in.
“The mix came together quite quickly because it was only eight tracks on one inch tape and the quality of the sounds were so good out of the gate, very little had to be done. The performances are fantastic.”
Rollins went on to say he “contacted a member of the band” he was working with although he didn’t reveal their identity, and asked if he “could release the tracks” before he “got permission and started preparing the tracks for release”.
He previously fronted the Washington, D.C.-based hardcore punk band State Of Alert in the early 1980s, pre-Black Flag.
Ian MacKaye fronted D.C. hardcore punk outfit Minor Threat from 1980 to 1983. He was also a member of Fugazi, The Teen Idles and more. The musician is also the co-founder and owner of D.C. indie label Dischord Records.
Over the summer, Foo Fighters released a cover of Minor Threat’s ‘I Don’t Wanna Hear It’ from their 1981 self-titled debut album.
