Steve Albini, a rock musician and revered audio engineer who played a singular role in the development of the sound of alternative rock music in the 1980s, the ’90s and beyond — recording acclaimed albums by Nirvana, PJ Harvey, Pixies and hundreds of others — while becoming an outspoken critic of the music industry, died on Tuesday at his home in Chicago. He was 61.
The cause was a heart attack, according to Taylor Hales of Electrical Audio, the studio in Chicago that Mr. Albini founded in 1997.
With a sharp vision for how a band should be recorded, and an even sharper tongue for anything he deemed mediocre or compromised, Mr. Albini was one of rock’s most acerbic wits. He was also a withering critic of the exploitive extremes of the major-label music business, describing in a widely-quoted 1993 article, “The Problem With Music,” the ways that naïve bands are lured into major deals with labels that, in most cases, leave them broke and in debt.
Oh man, he worked with the Pixies. I knew his name but not much else. Anyone associated with the Pixies is cool in my book. And the Lemur tshirt cements his place in history.
It’s why Nirvana wanted him so badly (and eventually got him for In Utero)
Woah
I bet the RIAA had him whacked. He knew too much.
Rumor has it he knew something from Boeing
When I was about to go into high school I wanted to learn about cool music that wasn’t just the classic rock my dad was into or top 40 pop music. I knew Pixies were cool because Kurt Cobain said they were cool and I liked Fight Club so I downloaded a copy of Surfer Rosa. That shit changed my life. It was so foundational to my tastes and opened up a whole world of independent music to me. Cloud Nothing’s Attack on Memory was a big deal for me too… I’m gonna miss the dude. Thanks Albini, you made some cool music.
Damn. This one hurts. 1000 times.
Aside from everything else, he knew how to record a drum kit which is more than several “big name” producers can muster.
This makes me sad, so here is a Shellac track that always makes me happy. Squirrel Song
So many good memories of his music. It introduced me to industrial in the early 90’s. This just means that the artists of my generation are starting to pass. I’m sad.
There is nothing wrong with sticking to one’s convictions.
in the early '90s*
I’m sure my roommate and I wore out his copy of Songs About Fucking when it came out.
He was my friend. He was a mensch.
I loved him and I’m so happy you folks here on Lemmy loved him too. I love you.
Get out and do something. Stay in and do something. Do something.
Sad day. He was amazing - look at the artists he’s worked with and produced albums for. Everyone from Sun O))) to Nirvana to Neurosis. He shaped a generation of album sound.
Wow, never actually knew he worked with Sunn O)))
