Steve Albini has died at 61, after a legendary career in music production
The American musician and producer was renowned as a studio wizard for his work on Nirvana’s In Utero and thousands of other records.
Steve Albini in his Chicago studio, 2014. Image: Getty
Steve Albini, the revered producer behind iconic records by Nirvana, PJ Harvey, Pixies and more, has passed away at age 61.
The rock producer, vocalist and guitarist died of a heart attack at his Chicago recording studio, Electrical Audio. His death has been confirmed by his studio staff, Pitchfork reports.
Known for championing lesser-known talent and his extensive discography as a producer and engineer, Albini was often referred to as an “audio mastermind” for his work on Nirvana’s In Utero and PJ Harvey’s Rid Of Me. Though he is credited as a producer, he always preferred to be known as the recording engineer instead. His prolific work rate saw him work on “a couple thousand” records, most of which are by underground artists.
He was also the frontman of bands Big Black, Rapeman and Shellac. This year, Albini was preparing to tour Shellac’s first album in a decade, To All Trains, which will be released next week.
Outside of the studio, Albini was a staunch critic of the music industry. Refusing to accept royalties on his recordings, as he deemed it unethical for other stakeholders to make money off an artist’s work indefinitely, Albini opted instead for a flat fee when working on a record.
