https://pitchfork.com/news/steve-albini-storied-producer-and-icon-of-the-rock-underground-dies-at-61/

Only 61.

Nirvana - In Utero
Pixies - Surfer Rosa
PJ Harvery
Braniac
The Jesus Lizard
Hum
The Breeders
and on and on

Also was just working on the new Toadies album.

https://instagr.am/p/C6t32UUuWPH

https://instagr.am/p/C6ty7XToXDc

Not 5 minutes ago - his name came across my TL because he was mocking Steely Dan (tweet ~early 2023).

I thought to myself - "who the **** is this guy?"

Damn. He was a good to great twitter follow and one of the architects of the 90s sound.

In reply to superunknown

superunknown said:

---

Damn. He was a good to great twitter follow and one of the architects of the 90s sound.

---

Can't argue with his success. But his detractors will say he didn't shape the sound because he used very little intervention and effects and recorded the music as it was played live. Kept it raw. Which really suited bands like Nirvana and Pixies. I actually like his music. Shellac specifically has some great material. Either way, he was a legend in the scene and sure will be missed. RIP.

A legend, if also kind of a jerk. He didn't shape sound he just wanted to capture the essence of what was already there

From his letter to Nirvana:

Quote:

---

#5: Dough. I explained this to Kurt but I thought I'd better reiterate it here. I do not want and will not take a royalty on any record I record. No points. Period. I think paying a royalty to a producer or engineer is ethically indefensible. The band write the songs. The band play the music. It's the band's fans who buy the records. The band is responsible for whether it's a great record or a horrible record. Royalties belong to the band.

I would like to be paid like a plumber: I do the job and you pay me what it's worth. The record company will expect me to ask for a point or a point and a half. If we assume three million sales, that works out to 400,000 dollars or so. There's no ****ing way I would ever take that much money. I wouldn't be able to sleep.

---

eta: i forgot he also works with Swans, Nuerosis and GY!BE. But had no idea he produced Chevelle's Point No. 1 and Mclusky's Mclusky Do Dallas. 'To Hell with Good Intentions' might be one of my favorite songs of all time

In reply to NoahAg

NoahAg said:

---

tysker said:

---

A legend, if also kind of a jerk. He didn't shape sound he just wanted to capture the essence of what was already there

From his letter to Nirvana:

Quote:

---

#5: Dough. I explained this to Kurt but I thought I'd better reiterate it here. I do not want and will not take a royalty on any record I record. No points. Period. I think paying a royalty to a producer or engineer is ethically indefensible. The band write the songs. The band play the music. It's the band's fans who buy the records. The band is responsible for whether it's a great record or a horrible record. Royalties belong to the band.

I would like to be paid like a plumber: I do the job and you pay me what it's worth. The record company will expect me to ask for a point or a point and a half. If we assume three million sales, that works out to 400,000 dollars or so. There's no ****ing way I would ever take that much money. I wouldn't be able to sleep.

---

---

The quote above doesn't sound like a jerk.

---

He was known to be difficult to work with. He did things his own way, and he was a very take-it-or-leave sort of guy

Saw an interview recently with him, Krist, and Dave. Seemed very much not like a jerk and a pretty good guy.

lets just say he was opinionated and not afraid to call people/critics/musicians as he saw them.

https://chicagoreader.com/news-politics/three-pandering-****s-and-their-music-press-stooge/
(crud language filter, in honor of Albini, the filtered word in the link and excerpt is not Slint)

Quote:

---

In your rush to pat these three pandering ****s on the heinie, you miss what has been obvious to the "bull****" crowd all along: These are not "alternative" artists any more than their historical precursors. They are by, of and for the mainstream. Liz Phair is Rickie Lee Jones (more talked about than heard, a persona completely unrooted in substance, and a ****ing chore to listen to), Smashing Pumpkins are REO Speedwagon (stylistically appropriate for the current college party scene, but ultimately insignificant) and Urge Overkill are Oingo Boingo (Weiners in suits playing frat party rock, trying to tap a goofy trend that doesn't even exist). You only think they are noteworthy now because some paid publicist has told you they are, and you, fulfilling your obligation as part of the publicity engine that drives the music industry, spurt about them on cue.

---

In reply to StinkyPinky

StinkyPinky said:

---

superunknown said:

---

Damn. He was a good to great twitter follow and one of the architects of the 90s sound.

---

Can't argue with his success. But his detractors will say he didn't shape the sound because he used very little intervention and effects and recorded the music as it was played live. Kept it raw. Which really suited bands like Nirvana and Pixies. I actually like his music. Shellac specifically has some great material. Either way, he was a legend in the scene and sure will be missed. RIP.

---

Yeah I think by trying to capture the band's raw intended sound...that was a lot for its time. And it became a 90s trait to have that garage sound. That 4 page letter to Cobain...its a doozy. And it's awesome. One of the last lines in it was something like "if it takes longer than a week to record the album someone's fcking up."

Also I loved the idea that he preferred to be called a record engineer rather than producer.