Ian Thomas Garner MacKaye is a musician who redefined the musical genre of hardcore punk—his fans call him the unofficial Godfather of hardcore. In addition to being a singer of immense talent, he is a highly creative songwriter and guitarist too. He has played a prominent role in the development of hardcore punk and punk ethics. In order to maintain the high standard of his music and to ensure his creative freedom, he has over the years refused to sign with any major label. Even as a child he loved music and learned to play the piano and the guitar. However, he quit his music lessons when he was unable to find any correlation between the two instruments. He was brought up in an intellectually stimulating and open-minded environment. He was also a rebel of sorts as a teenager—while the other youngsters of his age were dabbling in drugs and street crimes, the young Ian was immersing himself in hardcore music. He is one of the co-founders of the iconic band Minor Threat, which though short-lived, is credited to have revolutionized hardcore music. He also pioneered the ‘straight edge’ philosophy which advocates abstinence from drug use and alcohol. The unconventional musician is the co-founder of the independent record label, Dischord Records.