Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2024/05/08/rip-steve-albini-influential-producer-and-musician-1962-2024.html
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A great artist, and also a generous and dedicated professional to other artists. In particular I appreciate his principled stand against the expected music industry practice of producers receiving percentages on the albums they record – because he felt that was bad for the bands.
He will be missed, and I’m glad we got to have him while he was here.
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I never grokked Big Black as much as I’d hoped, but had a couple albums with good songs like “Kerosene.”
Forgot all about him until this popped up with this a while back.
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This brings me some sadness. I am a fan of Big Black, but don’t know his later music as well.
His classic essay, “The Problem with Music” from The Baffler (and included in the anthology, “Commodify Your Dissent”), although dated in the internet age with new music distribution systems, is still somehow relevant today. Bands still are getting screwed.
His cooking videos were fun.
At any rate, I think this guy did a lot of good in the world.
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Not familiar with his name, but evidently familiar with some of his work! Man, that’s way too young.
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This essay by Albini is a must-read for any professional musician, or anyone interested in how sleazy the music industry continues to be.
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Well, it’s hard to overstate his influence on alternative music as a producer, and how he contributed to our overall understanding of the recording industry as an exploitative industry (see @gracchus’ link). Although, frankly, he was pulling on about a decade or so of discourse from the punk underground, sort of without attributing his understanding to that. And he certainly benefited from the mainstream recording industry feeding frenzy on the underground scenes post-Nirvana. He could also be something of an edgelord asshole, which hardcore in general had a real problem with in the 80s and 90s… (especially with his second project, whose name I won’t say)… So… RIP, asshole? 
Thanks for the great production work and music?
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Oh shit. That makes me sad.
Oddly enough his angry hyper-masculine music helped me deal with my own feelings sometimes for better or worse.
But… I don’t know… really the end of an era I guess.
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Lovely piece, Mark. This is just stunning news.
I couldn’t afford a ticket to get into a fest called More Than Music that was really hot shit back in the day. But I begged one of the organizers to let me stage hand and carry amps so that’s how I got in.
I ended up seeing Jets to Brazil, The Locust, Bratmobile, Melt Banana, Mastodon, High on Fire and Shellac.
Steve Albini had pulled up their van out back so I walked over to help.
“If you touch any of this equipment, I’ll break your arm.” He was smiling when he said it; so, mostly joking? But also not joking.
It was an eclectic festival. It took place in the Ohio fairgrounds gym, which felt like an old high school. There were many, many people with tight pants who were there to look good and have a hip time, a lot of brass and sass to go round. But I can tell you with absolute certainty that when Shellac took the stage, they were all quiet. Everyone just stopped to watch the master. I’ll always remember that.
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terrible video of that show, but at least it’s out there: https://youtu.be/CTreV0H9gj4?si=jvx3j3bp5QhbZnn4
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I’ve never really listened to the music he made directly with his bands, but the music he made as a producer has been extremely important and influential to me. We have lost him far too soon. RIP.
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I very much like a lot of the albums he recorded and his methods in doing so but he was quite wrong in his opinion of Tom Waits.
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Which was?
Also, obligatory…
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He no likey.
I can’t locate the video where I discovered this but IIRC it was along the lines of, “Hipster, jive boho” type blather. He lost many points in my book that day.
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Well, Albini was never shy about his opinions… or that his opinions were the correct opinions, either.
Oh, that reminds me that something like half of the documentary about the Chicago punk scene, You Weren’t There, is just some of the dudes dunking on Albini and him dunking back.
If I’m remembering correctly, Vic Bondi particularly hated him. But he came off as a dick, too.
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Violent music helping you deal. Just saw this artist’s statement today:
I love it.
Rosalyn Dexler. Somewhat forgotten pioneer of pop art.
Also a novelist among many other things.
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He didn’t just produce the big names either, his prices were set so that anyone could call up and book some time at Electrical Audio. A band who are friends of friends of mine made a great album with him, just booked a week in the studio and bought transatlantic flights with their guitars.
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Heart disease can be managed. Please don’t ignore symptoms. Having had four incidents I got better and better at not ignoring them. My #1 symptom isn’t talked about much so may I present:
And for good measure:
Not victim blaming here. Just an opportunity to do a PSA.
I suggest everyone, especially with a family history, take charge and go see your doctor. Do as much as you can of eat better, sleep well, cut out smoking, exercise more and my personal non-favourite, drink far less. Do a stress test. Get an angiogram. Get a bypass! All of these are a bit scary but best done in controlled circumstances and not an emergency. Also, way better than dying. There’s other things I know less about: valve replacement, transplants, vascular grafts - do whatever it takes.
If anyone wants to talk about this further, DM me or we can start a thread.
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Shellac wasn’t totally my thing but this track fuckin kills
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Seeing that reminded me that Steve Albini produced Journal for Plague Lovers
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