Steve Albini RIP

Big Black frontman, legendary producer Steve Albini passes at age 61

 

I saw that. Dude made some bangers.

 

Songs about fucking!!!!

 

One of the nicest guys you could ever meet - also incredibly smart (& opinionated!) on all things audio. Had the pleasure of mastering a few smaller projects he recorded at Electrical Audio over the years.

RIP Steve.

 

hey Trevor, what does it mean to master and audio recording? I’m vaguely familiar with primitive recording… like a 4 track garage setting in the 90s but you read about recording and mastering but I’ve never known what that step is… thanks

 

still need to explore some of his music… but I read that article and am now rocking PJ Harvey’s Rid of Me that he did as it kicks ass! Thanks man…

 

Damn, was just watching an interview with him a week or two back.

 

Incredibly influential in the Chicago music scene in the 90’s. A great advocate for bands who were making music that was and continues to be important. Made his own effects pedals making a sound that never left a doubt who was playing.
Worked with so many bands for pennies. Was an accomplished poker player that often used winnings to help keep his studio afloat. Always opinionated but man enough to say when he was in the wrong. Specifically about his Rapeman project that in recent years publicly apologized for going too far. I am gutted by this news.
Godspeed Steve.

 

Opinionated?!?! You ever deal with him? Opinionated is an understatement!
He could be a complete asshole but he was also fair while helping you out if you could get past the opinion.

 

So this thread enlightened me to look into the “Chicago guitar sound” as knowing that’s a big pull of some of my attractions to 90s music from there… someone mentioned Albini made his own pedals and such and UO uses some crazy pedal effects on their crunchy guitar sounds… sure enough it was Albini that did all that as he roomed with Kato in the beginning…

Neat connections and an impactful dude that I didn’t know anything about…

 

His name rang a bell and after reading the article and being a huge Zeppelin fan I remembered why. I remember his name credited on the album Walking into Clarksdale done by Jimmy and Robert in the late 90’s

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walking_into_Clarksdale

 

Historically, audio mastering was the process of preparing and transferring the stereo mix from the recording studio to vinyl. The adjustments the mastering engineer would make would be to try to get the vinyl to sound exactly like the master tape when played back. Moving forward, it developed into a further step of post productions on the mixes from the studio, a step of "enhancing" the mixes as much as possible. Also a step of bringing continuity to a project if it was recorded in different studios by different engineers. Sometimes I do very little processing to a song in mastering, sometimes a shit-ton.... just depends.

Back on topic...... a good listing of Steve's discography: https://www.allmusic.com/artist/steve-albini-mn0000023358#credits

 

lol.... yes, delt with him on a few occasions. He was always very nice to me.

t

 

A fun pic of Steve in a poker match... reaching across the table. Also pictured are Ross Hogarth and Ed Cherney... Eveanna Manley is standing over in the corner with the hat... she makes ok-ish audio gear and is also an avid motorcyclist.

 

thank you, very informative.

where do you work out of? You have a special genre or work on all music?

 

Those early Jesus Lizard albums are still in my listening rotation. I think Goat may be in my top ten albums of all time.

 

Currently in Charlotte, NC. Couldn't handle the cold in Milwaukee anymore.... been here since late 2009.

Current studio is above the garage:

 

Steve in a bearsuit......

 

Yeah, I go back and forth if Goat or Liar are my favorite Jesus Lizard albums. They never disappointed live. My youth in Chicago gave me what I feel was some of the most exciting music you could ever ask for. I realize it is the same for other towns and time periods but there were so many bands that never compromised their positions.