The guitarist and sound engineer, who worked on albums that marked alternative rock, has died of a heart attack
Steve Albini, who made his mark as an influential producer and engineer, as well as guitarist and singer for indie rock bands Shellac and Big Black, has died at the age of 61. According to an employee at his studio, Electric Audio Recordings in Chicago, Albini suffered a heart attack Tuesday evening (7/5). While he rejected the term “producer”, preferring to be called “engineer”, Albini left a profound legacy, having worked on more than 2,000 albums, ranging from indie bands to big names in music.
Career marked by important collaborations
Born in Pasadena, California on July 22, 1962, Albini was known for his critical stance towards the mainstream music industry, which he considered commercial. He refused to accept traditional producers’ royalties for the albums he recorded.
Albini was responsible for recording some of alternative music’s most iconic albums, including “In Utero” (1993), Nirvana’s final studio album, and “Surfer Rosa” (1988) by Pixies, a favorite band by Kurt Cobain, singer of Nirvana. . Additionally, he has worked with a variety of notable artists, such as the Breeders, former Pixies bassist Kim Deal’s band, PJ Harvey on his album “Rid of Me” (1993), and indie bands from his hometown of Chicago, like Urge Overkill and The Jesus Lizard.
Influence as a musician
His work wasn’t just limited to productions, he himself was a prolific musician in noise punk bands like Big Black, Rapeman and Shellac. These are bands that are obscure to the general public, but Big Black, active between 1981 and 1987, were considered the main influence on the noise sound of the following years, from Sonic Youth to, yes, Pixies and Nirvana.
Latest works
Albini has maintained a busy work pace, collaborating with folk singer Nina Nastasia in 2022, as well as working on albums by Black Midi, Spare Snare, Liturgy and Code Orange over the past two years.
Additionally, his ’90s band Shellac had recently reformed and was about to release its first album in a decade, “To All Trains,” with a series of shows scheduled in England in June and the U.S. in July, passing through Chicago, New York and Los Angeles.
Source: Terra
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
