RIP Steve Albini

Steve Albini

One of the lesser known musicians/producers to many. However, forthose of us in the know, he was a breath of fresh (or other) air depending on your point of view.

Uncompromising in nature and somewhat abrasive at times, many know his name from trying to (un)produce Nirvana's In Utero - he claimed to want to be known as an unproducer rather than a producer if memory serves me well. The fact that Geffen, the record label of Nirvana at the time got Scott Litt in to make the LP sound more palatable says it all.

He was a musician in his own right and had links to the 'straight edge scene in the US. I first came across him following his departure from Big Black when he started the uncompromising and unfortunately named Rapeman.

However, I know him best for his Nirvana connection but mainly for his time as leader of Shellac, named after the type of material that made 78rpm records - sums his attitude up really. Got to see Shellac at All Tomorrow's Parties at Camber Sands in the late 1990's - 98 I think and what was memorable was his joke 'what is yellow and looks good on a hippie' to which the answer was 'fire'.

However, this abruptness was undermined completely arounf 6.30 the following morning when I followed Albini to the checkout of the parks supermarket where he purchased a slice white loaf of bread!!!! Nevermind, as we could say.