I know that recently you have been recording new material for the upcoming Evens release. How is that going?
It’s great, we finished it and the artwork is done. I think it will be out November 6.

What can people expect with the new CD? Do you want to share anything? (laughter)
I mean there is nothing to share. I mean ultimately if I could describe it in words then I wouldn’t have to play it.

(laughter) Ah, well that’s true.
Well, yeah, they can expect the Evens.

(laughter) Ok, so you are known as someone that has always been serious in their beliefs. But is there something you regret doing or representing in your youth?
I gotta say I don’t really regret anything. I don’t really believe in regret. I think I accept things, I know I make mistakes but regrets..its weird. Well, I’ve had one thing I regret, it was one time some years ago where I was just goofing around on a skateboard with my friend’s six year old daughter and we crashed!

Oh man!
And I really regret that. Like it just didn’t occur to me, I was just having a good time I didn’t think about like the ramifications of that. That was not a good idea. That was the first time I ever really felt responsible for the injury of someone that was completely dependent upon me. You know?

Yeah. Did she break a leg or anything?
Yes, yes she did, she broke a leg. It was terrible.

Wow, that sucks.
But I mean I was great friends with her. I mean right now its like family lure, the whole story. But she’s thirteen now. Um but in terms of regret like I mean sure, there are things that I think back like “God, I would have rather did it this way or that way” but…

Nothing specifically with music?
( Shakes his head no) Um, nothing that I can think of. Do you have any regrets?

Ah (laughter) I don’t know, I guess not speaking to people when I wanted to speak to them because I was too shy?
Ah I see, well I can tell you in 1981, no 1979, this band called DOA played at Madame’s Organ and I just finished doing this play at this high school actually (points to the high school behind him)

Oh, really? What high school is that?
Wilson High School. It’s a DC public school and I was sick and I decided not to go to that show and I regret not going to that show. I mean of course I have tons of little things like that. But in terms of regrets like “Oh I really wish like gone through with this deal or played that..” You know, its irrelevant really.

So, this is more of a question I’ve always wanted to ask you.
Sure.

I’m interested in being an entrepreneur and many of the advice and information I came across has been concerning entrepreneurship has seemed to utilize kind of conventional,“business man” ethics. But Dischord Records has handled it in a completely opposite manner. So how important is it to you to inform people of alternatives in running a business?

I think that operating your business and yourself in a way you believe correct is penultimate and I think there is a lot of pressure for people to accept this idea of the way American business is supposed to work or whatever and I just think its ridiculous.

Its always based on profit and I actually don’t put profit above other things and I know people can say well you’re not realistic in your business plan but December was our 25th anniversary so I think we must be real, you know, but in terms of how I treat the people that work for Dischord or being concerned about them or bands well of course its everything because without them, I’d be nothing. So I think I approach business pretty much the way I approach family. I don’t think business itself is evil but I think people are very shortsighted that they think that the idea of work is to make money and I don’t think that.

Yeah, I don’t think that either.
You know, I think work is there to have something to do, to make something.

And you know, to look forward to something, to be proud of it.
Or, I guess if you’re a situation where your passion isn’t something you can generate money from then work is the thing you do to make it possible for you to follow your passion. And if you’re unhappy then you shouldn’t do it.

So are there any type of people you look towards or certain businesses you modeled Dischord after?
I can’t say I really had any model.

Really? So it all just came from within?
Its just the way I’d like to be treated. (laughter) Its just so simple you know? There was no one that taught us to do anything. Well there were people there that said “ Hey, call these people up or go here” but in general in the way we operate is the way we just imagined a good label would operate. We had no idea how bad labels were because we are from Washington, DC., there is no record business in this town.

Photos of The Evens performance at Fort Reno 7/31/06 (click to enlarge):

Tags: Ian Mackaye, Interview, The Evens //