Steve Albini, iconic producer and sound engineer, died at age 61 after a heart attack. The news was reported by Pitchfork , citing information from Albini's Chicago studio team, Electronic Audio.
The producer worked on albums such as Nirvana 's In Utero and Pixies ' Surfer Rosa . In addition, he pioneered the underground rock scene with the bands Shellac and Big Black . The former is set to release its first album in 10 years next week, titled To All Trains .
More recently, he worked on albums such as The Above by Code Orange , and on projects by bands like Sunn O))) and Mono .
Albini was always a critic of the music industry, highlighting its tendency to squeeze money out of artists while stifling their creativity. His minimalist production methods, often characterized by his clients as merely pushing "record" while the tapes spun, were seen as controversial by some and invigorating by others.
While Nirvana was preparing to make the follow-up to their groundbreaking Nevermind In Utero . "I consider the band the most important thing," he wrote.
“I think the best thing you could do right now is exactly what you're saying: release a high-quality album in a few days, but with minimal 'production' and without interference from the front office. That's really what you want to do, and I'd love to be involved.”
This represented Albini's style, which made him a favorite among independent artists such as PJ Harvey, The Stooges , and Cheap Trick Robert Plant and Jimmy Page 's 1998 album , Walking Into Clarksdale.
