Legendary producer Steve Albini, best known for producing Nirvana’s final studio album “In Utero,” passed away this week after suffering a heart attack at the age of 61.
The news of Albini’s passing was confirmed by Taylor Hayes, who serves as the manager at Albini’s studio, Electrical Audio Recording.
In addition to his well-known work with the legendary band Nirvana, Albini has also collaborated with other popular groups such as the Pixies, Chevelle, and Superchunk. Albini was not only recognized for his work as a producer and engineer but also as a prominent figure for providing commentary on the state of the music industry.
Steve was born on July 22, 1962, in Pasadena, California. When he was 15, Steve was shown “The Ramones” by a friend, quickly, Steve began collecting Ramones records and exploring further into the genre. After graduating from Hellgate High School, Steve moved to Illinois to attend high school. He enrolled at the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and majored in journalism. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Albini began performing and engineering albums for various bands.
Later in his career, aside from performing and creating music, Steve became a vocal critic of record companies forfinancially exploiting and deceiving their artists. Albini became well-known in the Chicago area for his coverage of the local punk rock scene. It was around this time that Steve started recording with musicians and producing his first albums.
Throughout his career, Steve formed several bands, such as “Big Black” (1982-1987) and “Shellac” (1992-present).
Ablini formed the group “Shellac” in 1992 with bandmates Bob Weston and Todd Trainer. Initially, the group released three EPs titled “The Rude Gesture: A Pictorial History” (1993), “Uranus” (1993), and “The Bird Is the Most Popular Finger” (1994). The first two were released on Touch and Go, while the third was released by Drag City.
Rest in peace!
