Music

Read Henry Rollins' account of "one of the best days of the year," a trip to the Library of Congress with Ian MacKaye

by Nicole Villeneuve

This is sort of the best: Henry Rollins and Ian MacKaye went to the National Archives and the Library of Congress in D.C. together to dork out over historical U.S. documents and archived old punk records (stored alongside a record player once owned my Thomas Edison, natch).

From the diary-entry blog:

“I met up with Ian MacKaye at the intersection of Pennsylvania and Seventh Street in downtown D.C. at 11 a.m. Our first stop was at the National Archives. We have a friend there who allows us to come in and view some of the rarer documents the massive building holds … What became the Second Amendment had several more words to it, while the last words of what became the 10th Amendment—” … or to the people.”—were a handwritten addition. Wow! I can’t tell you how awesome it was to see that. The other high point was reading the words of Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln out loud with Ian. Perfection.”

And later, at the Library of Congress:

“it was off to the audio department. They were waiting for us. They had laid out a few of the millions of pieces of vinyl in their care. Stooges, first album, white label promo, date-stamped August 1969. I pulled out the LP. Unplayed. The superwide band holding the song “We Will Fall” reflected back at me, screaming, “I am pristine! Worship me!” Stooges and MC5 singles, unplayed, looking as new as the day they were pressed … Fanatic overload!”

Read the full nerdy and fantastic thing over at Rollins’ regular space at L.A. Weekly.

From ther

http://blogs.laweekly.com/westcoastsound/2011/09/henry_rollins_the_column_heave.php