RIP - Steve Albini

[JerGoertz]

The kind of opinionated asshole you loved if he was on your side and detested if he wasn't.

There was a story doing the rounds of when paul smith (I think) of Blast First went to meet him in Chicago, as they walked around people were constantly coming up to him telling him what an asshole he was for various reasons. The real deal.

He certainly never shied away from being himself, I'll grant you

[machinesworking]

I think it's important to address the elephant in the room. His best accomplishment was playing in bands. His production chops were mostly mediocre. Listen to In Utero's muddy drums compared to Nevermind. It's a common problem on most of his earlier productions. I'm a huge fan of Tad the band, and he really screwed the record he produced of theirs up badly, it's tinny, no bass, and really muddy drums. Great Alternative/Indie guitar player, commenter on society, completely overrated producer.

[slackhead]

.... completely overrated producer.

He was certainly a bit hit or miss production wise (he really messed up the first Slint album), but Low's Things We Lost in the Fire is one of the best sounding records of all time.

[Bunny_boy]

It feels to me like he really learned on the job. One of the main criticisms of Rid of Me wasn't the songwriting or the performances, but the production - "punishes" the music was a term from one-end-of-year review iirc.
And of course In Utero was remixed. I think I've heard what is the original version and it sounds quite demo-like.
But then again Surfa Rosa sounds excellent, and the first Slint album is a bit of a mess song-wise.
His later recordings, however, I think sound great. Yanxi UXO really works in that sense, for example.
This is a good excuse to have a listen to Pod for the first time in yonks

[machinesworking]

I'm not trying to drag him he did get better over the years, but there are plenty of great producers out there, he really wasn't that great at it, his drums almost always suck. I wouldn't have noticed it if it hadn't been pointed out to me, because mostly he was great at guitar, and being a guitar player when I first heard his mixes I thought it wasn't bad, but great drummers I know pointed it out. The difference is most noticeable with Tad since with his first three records you have three distinct flavors, Jack Endino did Gods Balls, Albini did Salt Lick and Butch Vig did 8 Way Santa. The Albini record is just terrible, sandwiched by two producers who know what they're doing.

I just think it sucks more people haven't heard Racer X, Atomizer and Songs about f**king, because those three recordings by Big Black are a force of their own. Yet he's remembered as a curmudgeon producer who muddied drums and buried bass on multiple records.

[machinesworking]

And of course In Utero was remixed. I think I've heard what is the original version and it sounds quite demo-like.

Two songs on In Utero are remixed. The drum sound on Nevermind is grand, In Utero is just so so.

[whyterabbyt]

Yet he's remembered as a curmudgeon producer who muddied drums and buried bass on multiple records.

I dont know where you're seeing him being 'remembered' but no, that's not representative of what Im seeing. Especially not in obituaries etc aimed at the more general public.

[machinesworking]

Yet he's remembered as a curmudgeon producer who muddied drums and buried bass on multiple records.

I dont know where you're seeing him being 'remembered' but no, that's not representative of what Im seeing. Especially not in obituaries etc aimed at the more general public.

I'm mixing my personal opinion on his production skills here, but all initial obits on sites etc. talked mostly about his producing In Utero, his sarcasm, and maybe the "What's wrong with the music industry" article. Most never mention Big Black and few mention Shellac the band he fronted for 20 odd years. I get it, the Nirvana record is low hangin fruit, it just sucks that Big Black aren't mentioned more. I saw one article today that talked about how important etc. Big Black were, so it's moving a bit.

[Bunny_boy]

his drums almost always suck.

I'm going to have to go ahead and disagree with you, as I've always liked his drum sound (as it were). I think for me it's one of the things you can tell about his recording.

As with In Utero, it was an additional version on some anniversary edition - the instrument levels all sounded different, but then again it's been 25+ years since I've listened to the released version.

[whyterabbyt]

Yet he's remembered as a curmudgeon producer who muddied drums and buried bass on multiple records.

I dont know where you're seeing him being 'remembered' but no, that's not representative of what Im seeing. Especially not in obituaries etc aimed at the more general public.

I'm mixing my personal opinion on his production skills here, but all initial obits on sites etc. talked mostly about his producing In Utero, his sarcasm, and maybe the "What's wrong with the music industry" article.

Yup. Which is a long way from what you said.

Most never mention Big Black and few mention Shellac the band he fronted for 20 odd years. I get it, the Nirvana record is low hangin fruit, it just sucks that Big Black aren't mentioned more. I saw one article today that talked about how important etc. Big Black were, so it's moving a bit.

Well, yes. But obituaries are generally prewritten so they can be published as quickly as possible. Anywhere doing deeper 'entertainment' news is likely to have done/be doing other articles. Grauniad is on its third by now, including a 'best 10' of production which rates Joanna Newsome's Ys, and Sunn O))) 's Life Metal highest, two albums that most folk talking about his output would probably entirely overlook.

[Bunny_boy]

Here's another list from Spin
https://www.spin.com/2024/05/steve-albi ... st-albums/

[machinesworking]

Well, yes. But obituaries are generally prewritten so they can be published as quickly as possible. Anywhere doing deeper 'entertainment' news is likely to have done/be doing other articles. Grauniad is on its third by now, including a 'best 10' of production which rates Joanna Newsome's Ys, and Sunn O))) 's Life Metal highest, two albums that most folk talking about his output would probably entirely overlook.

Yep, but that's my point. He was a mediocre producer at best who got to work with artists who pretty much you could make a tin can recording of and it still would be worth a few plays. His bands were great though, and IMO it's a shame that people are lauding his productions when he mostly was in the right place at the right time. Yes, he got better, but any drummer that really cares about drums is going to agree with me. That's the thing though, drums are among the hardest instrument to get really right, and he wasn't that fond of drummers early on. He used a drum machine in Big Black because he liked the fact he could control how much it "overplayed".

Anyway that's my point, Big Black were a force, and his opinions could be entertaining, but his productions were mediocre, and they take up most of the air.

[whyterabbyt]

any drummer that really cares about drums is going to agree with me.

how convenient.

[revvy]

Steve hated bassists

But I forgive him.

[GaryG]

.... completely overrated producer.

He was certainly a bit hit or miss production wise (he really messed up the first Slint album), but Low's Things We Lost in the Fire is one of the best sounding records of all time.

For sure, and going back to Secret Names 'Two Step', I can't think of Al and Mimis vocals ever being recorded better.

But, yes, love Surfer Rosa but a very lofi sounding record (all the better for it maybe) but not what I'd consider a great recording.

I guess my take is his riff when asked by bands how things sounded, what they should do "you tell me what to do, I'm your whore". He'd make drums sound like a punch to the gut if he wanted (Shellacs stuff). If they wanted things different or maybe they just weren't a great sounding live band then he'd oblige and just capture that. That's not blindly defending him, more musing on why he could be so variable.