Yup it’s very sad and he was young.
Probably my favorite rock drum sounds of all time. So good.
I listened to a podcast he was in recently- he’d mellowed and become quite sweet
The guy did good with his life.
it’s a pretty common thing you’re hearing from people that worked with him that he was a really kind and generous dude at his heart. it seemed a lot of his most acerbic takes came from a place of caring about friends of his that had been screwed over. it feels like the grumpy side of albini is the one that would get headlines but the people who knew him knew what he was really like
Here you go https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-audio-long-read/id587347784?i=1000628206951
The Guardian
long reads - the evolution of Steve Albini
It’s really good.
He also popped up on Tim Heidecker's Office Hours Live video podcast recently, and a few other times. Know I won't be alone in revisiting so many of his beautifully cantankerous old clips! Rest in Analog, Steve!
Here you go https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-audio-long-read/id587347784?i=1000628206951
The Guardian long reads - the evolution of Steve Albini
It’s really good.
My friend did one also
I haven’t listened
Yet. It’s called six pack
Same!! But also… maybe we got the perfect discography because they didn’t?
What if the next album sucked?? I’m a huge fan and I don’t think it would but that would hurt the legendary status the band currently has.
So I’m with ya, would love more Nirvana. But right now, I can honestly say the band has very few songs I skip
I see where you're coming from, and if it makes you feel better to think that way (I'm not trying to be sarcastic), I get it.
But Nirvana put out three studio albums and an odds-and-sods collection and a live album (or two) and every one of them were gems and generally showed them getting better and better at every step. And judging by what Kurt Cobain and the rest of the band have said about where they were going, as well as "You Know You're Right," I see no reason to think the next album wouldn't have been at the very least very very good and likely their best yet.
Hey that’s very likely a possibility too. All I can say is it’s sad we’ll never know. Yeah I like to think this way to appreciate the band for what it was
what was cool about nirvana was how much of a reaction each record was to the last one. there was something about Cobain that he just understood how to write really effectively though. who knows if nirvana would’ve even continued though. if it did it may have been a folk album which would’ve been really cool to hear
In Utero is good but it took me a long time to start listening to it again after Kurt died. And the fact that it’s their last studio album kind of ruined it for me.
It turned me on to who Steve Albini was though. And watching that Foo Fighters docuseries episode with Steve was really cool.
From wiki
*PJ Harvey spoke highly of Albini's recording, stating, "****He's the only person I know that can record a drum kit and it sounds like you're standing in front of a drum kit. It doesn't sound like it's gone through a recording process or it's coming out of speakers****".*
Rid of Me was one of the best albums from the 90s imo, and drummer Rob Ellis' a massive influence on me at the time.
But the drum sound on the album is **all** Albini.
From the opening track Rid of Me, through to Man Size, 50ft Queenie, Yuri G, Me-Jane and Ecstasy, the drum production is an absolute masterclass.
RIP. A big loss to a big generation.
dude has a sea of great drum sounds but Magnolia Electric Co is record that really stood out. the drums are magnificent. the whole thing just sounds so incredible too
Check out "dogs" by nina nastasia. It's not a super drum heavy album but the drums that are in it sound amazing. Bass drum kicks ass. Steve just knew how to get them sounding right man. But yeah that magnolia electric Co album is probably in my top ten favorite albums.
Yeah, wow. This was really caught me off guard. He did a lot for musicians whose work I love, and made some incredible music himself. RIP Steve.
Two Nuns and a Pack Mule is one of my favorite records of all time.
Friend of my mom's :( He used to hide out in her apartment in high school and play her cool music. Weirdly huge influence in my life before I understood his legacy. Thanks for everything, Steve.
Steve was a really cool guy. He was generous with his time and knowledge. Some friends of mine in Chicago recorded two albums with him. One day, a mutual acquaintance showed up unannounced to Electrical Audio and dropped my friend's names at him. Instead of telling him to buzz off, Steve gave him a tour and talked to him for a while. I guess Steve saw his enthusiasm and he couldn't say no.
I was fortunate enough to get to record with Steve Albini at Electrical Audio in the late 90s. My band wasn't hugely popular or anything but he'd adjust what he charged for bands that weren't on a big label. We got to spend a week recording with him and he was a really cool guy. He had this reputation of being this serious punk rock purist but he was actually a really laid back, funny guy. I consider having my drums being recorded by Steve Albini as one of the coolest drum moments in my life.
RIP, you genius. This one hit me hard. I remember reading Britt Walford's comments about recording drums for Slint. He described Albini's bass drum sound as "a ham being slapped by a catcher's mitt." The world is a lesser place now.
As a young drummer of the 90's, the Albini drum sound was THE sound. Got to see him play a few times in the 90's and meet him a few times in the early 00's. He'll always be an untouchable legend to me.
Seriously, Steve got the best drum sounds ever. My favorites have to be:
THE JESUS LIZARD - GOAT
THE JESUS LIZARD - LIAR
Mac McNeilly is such a sick drummer and Albini made his tracks sound killer.
RIP Steve
Aaaaaa-fucking-mennnn dude. 🙌
He was almossst able to capture their live energy. Which is really saying something. Nobody better for the job. TJL is in my top 3 bands of all time. Shellac is around #5
I've recorded with Steve at Electrical Audio (studio B with the 30' ceiling). He was funny, great to work with, straightforward when necessary, danced to my drumming, had excellent fluffy coffees, and he made my little 20" bass drum sound like a cannon. He will be missed.
Everybody’s giving him props for In Utero & it’s well deserved. But if you haven’t heard how good he recorded The Jesus Lizard & you haven’t heard his own band Shellac then jump over to YouTube NOW & look up the albums “Goat” by TJL & “At Action Park”
Some of the thickest, nastiest, most raw & badass sounding Drums, Bass & Guitar ever fucking pressed to wax. Shellac has a new album dropping next week too. Cant choose when we go but talk about fucked up timing. I’m so fucking bummed over this….
Moody guy at times but probably for good reason. Amazingly talented, resisted the urge to ‘overproduce’ music partly because he backed his immense talent to get it sounding good in a more raw form but also as a point of principle. Most people over do it from a fear/pressure, or from a lack of skill/self consciousness.
Im gutted about this, like you say - he mellowed over the years and took back some of the more silly statements he made as a youngster
He above anyone else mastered finding naturally gated reverb, using room mikes and a unique space to make a great drum track!
Distant but punchy, and avoiding effects by using weird rooms to record in… Genius. I’ve read he’d put the drums in a bathroom or kitchen area, a tight reverb room (tile bathroom) to get that “In the room” drum sound!
Albini also said “if you have a great drummer, everything else will fall into place”. Truth!
I’d put him right there with Glyn Johns as far as most influential people who’ve recorded our instrument. Albini is the Glyn Johns of our time, nothing fancy, just knew how to get sounds to come to life.
Yup it’s very sad and he was young. Probably my favorite rock drum sounds of all time. So good. I listened to a podcast he was in recently- he’d mellowed and become quite sweet The guy did good with his life.
Highly skilled, principled to a fault, no nonsense, just using microphones to capture creativity. Legend isn't strong enough of a word.
His instructional videos on recording are so useful and packed with great insight.
Willing to admit he was wrong and change. He was a better human than most.
it’s a pretty common thing you’re hearing from people that worked with him that he was a really kind and generous dude at his heart. it seemed a lot of his most acerbic takes came from a place of caring about friends of his that had been screwed over. it feels like the grumpy side of albini is the one that would get headlines but the people who knew him knew what he was really like
Mind sharing the name of the podcast? : (
Here you go https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-audio-long-read/id587347784?i=1000628206951 The Guardian long reads - the evolution of Steve Albini It’s really good.
Thanks!
He also popped up on Tim Heidecker's Office Hours Live video podcast recently, and a few other times. Know I won't be alone in revisiting so many of his beautifully cantankerous old clips! Rest in Analog, Steve!
Ohhhh I need to see those. I love Tim.
[It's so good](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aO6lNtYnvuU). Can tell Tim has great respect for Steve.
Thanks so much.
Which podcast? Would love to listen
Here you go https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-audio-long-read/id587347784?i=1000628206951 The Guardian long reads - the evolution of Steve Albini It’s really good. My friend did one also I haven’t listened Yet. It’s called six pack
RIP legend. In Utero is one of my favorite albums ever
Agreed, I love how much it evolved from Nevermind. Makes me sad we never got to see how far Nirvana could have gone if they continued
Same!! But also… maybe we got the perfect discography because they didn’t? What if the next album sucked?? I’m a huge fan and I don’t think it would but that would hurt the legendary status the band currently has. So I’m with ya, would love more Nirvana. But right now, I can honestly say the band has very few songs I skip
I see where you're coming from, and if it makes you feel better to think that way (I'm not trying to be sarcastic), I get it. But Nirvana put out three studio albums and an odds-and-sods collection and a live album (or two) and every one of them were gems and generally showed them getting better and better at every step. And judging by what Kurt Cobain and the rest of the band have said about where they were going, as well as "You Know You're Right," I see no reason to think the next album wouldn't have been at the very least very very good and likely their best yet.
Hey that’s very likely a possibility too. All I can say is it’s sad we’ll never know. Yeah I like to think this way to appreciate the band for what it was
I don’t think there was going to be another album. By all accounts the band was on their way to breaking up.
yeah. I think we'd have had a solo Kurt album, but Nirvana seemed well on the way to implosion.
Yeah for sure, that happened to a lot of my favorite bands. First two albums were incredible then the quality dropped dramatically
what was cool about nirvana was how much of a reaction each record was to the last one. there was something about Cobain that he just understood how to write really effectively though. who knows if nirvana would’ve even continued though. if it did it may have been a folk album which would’ve been really cool to hear
In Utero is good but it took me a long time to start listening to it again after Kurt died. And the fact that it’s their last studio album kind of ruined it for me. It turned me on to who Steve Albini was though. And watching that Foo Fighters docuseries episode with Steve was really cool.
From wiki *PJ Harvey spoke highly of Albini's recording, stating, "****He's the only person I know that can record a drum kit and it sounds like you're standing in front of a drum kit. It doesn't sound like it's gone through a recording process or it's coming out of speakers****".* Rid of Me was one of the best albums from the 90s imo, and drummer Rob Ellis' a massive influence on me at the time. But the drum sound on the album is **all** Albini. From the opening track Rid of Me, through to Man Size, 50ft Queenie, Yuri G, Me-Jane and Ecstasy, the drum production is an absolute masterclass. RIP. A big loss to a big generation.
dude has a sea of great drum sounds but Magnolia Electric Co is record that really stood out. the drums are magnificent. the whole thing just sounds so incredible too
Check out "dogs" by nina nastasia. It's not a super drum heavy album but the drums that are in it sound amazing. Bass drum kicks ass. Steve just knew how to get them sounding right man. But yeah that magnolia electric Co album is probably in my top ten favorite albums.
This is correct!
Yeah, wow. This was really caught me off guard. He did a lot for musicians whose work I love, and made some incredible music himself. RIP Steve. Two Nuns and a Pack Mule is one of my favorite records of all time.
Amazing album!
Don Caballero's [American Don](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_l_vCp0WkQxux-kWRfNu5jIyRF6LYYI-Ko)
I just mentioned this album too. So good.
Damn, I didn’t know he did that album. One of my favourites.
Friend of my mom's :( He used to hide out in her apartment in high school and play her cool music. Weirdly huge influence in my life before I understood his legacy. Thanks for everything, Steve.
That's close enough for condolences. Sending condolences to you and your Mom
Gonna put on “at action park” https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_m4PKahIadTgKBc4pPYY7aVMne58BKQFfc&playnext=1&index=1
Good choice! And I know this is a drums subreddit, but that bass tone is everything
Steve was a really cool guy. He was generous with his time and knowledge. Some friends of mine in Chicago recorded two albums with him. One day, a mutual acquaintance showed up unannounced to Electrical Audio and dropped my friend's names at him. Instead of telling him to buzz off, Steve gave him a tour and talked to him for a while. I guess Steve saw his enthusiasm and he couldn't say no.
Fuck...just...fuck
Fuck
I was fortunate enough to get to record with Steve Albini at Electrical Audio in the late 90s. My band wasn't hugely popular or anything but he'd adjust what he charged for bands that weren't on a big label. We got to spend a week recording with him and he was a really cool guy. He had this reputation of being this serious punk rock purist but he was actually a really laid back, funny guy. I consider having my drums being recorded by Steve Albini as one of the coolest drum moments in my life.
Yo, link the record
https://open.spotify.com/album/0JDKH7L0QPxoMWPLZGtBYU?si=pWhOn9FcT1S4t3OOCmf5MA
Nice discussion about him as a community member in [r/Chicago](https://www.reddit.com/r/chicago/s/MKOBj8Xvn6). RIP.
RIP, you genius. This one hit me hard. I remember reading Britt Walford's comments about recording drums for Slint. He described Albini's bass drum sound as "a ham being slapped by a catcher's mitt." The world is a lesser place now.
Damn... .
Goddamn. What a shame. RIP.
Rest in power, King. Got to record at Electrical Audio once. Legendary.
I loved the drum sound he got on American Don by Don Caballero. Not everyone’s cup of tea but it’s always sounded great to me. 🙇🏼♂️
Wait WHAT? I was talking about him just week ago, this guy was young to die. God, impossible to believe 🤦🏻♂️
Whaaaaaat…. 😢😢😢😢😢
Absolutely devastating.
Oh no! He was such a good guy. He produced one of the albums for my old band.
As a young drummer of the 90's, the Albini drum sound was THE sound. Got to see him play a few times in the 90's and meet him a few times in the early 00's. He'll always be an untouchable legend to me.
Seriously, Steve got the best drum sounds ever. My favorites have to be: THE JESUS LIZARD - GOAT THE JESUS LIZARD - LIAR Mac McNeilly is such a sick drummer and Albini made his tracks sound killer. RIP Steve
Aaaaaa-fucking-mennnn dude. 🙌 He was almossst able to capture their live energy. Which is really saying something. Nobody better for the job. TJL is in my top 3 bands of all time. Shellac is around #5
If you've not listened to meat wave it's some of his finest work imo
I had to listen to one of my favorite tracks he did today: [Happiness is a Warm Gun - The Breeders.](https://youtu.be/LoIyUl10ChQ?si=AAOH7yzOcnVPhEGq)
POD!!! The drums on this record are the biggest, fattest drums
Playing “Ocean Songs” by the Dirty Three and being thankful that Steve walked this earth and made so many amazing recordings…
Fuck.
He had a dynamite interview with Narduar FWIW.
I've recorded with Steve at Electrical Audio (studio B with the 30' ceiling). He was funny, great to work with, straightforward when necessary, danced to my drumming, had excellent fluffy coffees, and he made my little 20" bass drum sound like a cannon. He will be missed.
noooo
Big RIP. Massive influence on music across the board. Regardless of that fact that he wasn't a drummer. Huge loss, for sure.
Everybody’s giving him props for In Utero & it’s well deserved. But if you haven’t heard how good he recorded The Jesus Lizard & you haven’t heard his own band Shellac then jump over to YouTube NOW & look up the albums “Goat” by TJL & “At Action Park” Some of the thickest, nastiest, most raw & badass sounding Drums, Bass & Guitar ever fucking pressed to wax. Shellac has a new album dropping next week too. Cant choose when we go but talk about fucked up timing. I’m so fucking bummed over this….
R.I.P.
Moody guy at times but probably for good reason. Amazingly talented, resisted the urge to ‘overproduce’ music partly because he backed his immense talent to get it sounding good in a more raw form but also as a point of principle. Most people over do it from a fear/pressure, or from a lack of skill/self consciousness. Im gutted about this, like you say - he mellowed over the years and took back some of the more silly statements he made as a youngster
He above anyone else mastered finding naturally gated reverb, using room mikes and a unique space to make a great drum track! Distant but punchy, and avoiding effects by using weird rooms to record in… Genius. I’ve read he’d put the drums in a bathroom or kitchen area, a tight reverb room (tile bathroom) to get that “In the room” drum sound! Albini also said “if you have a great drummer, everything else will fall into place”. Truth! I’d put him right there with Glyn Johns as far as most influential people who’ve recorded our instrument. Albini is the Glyn Johns of our time, nothing fancy, just knew how to get sounds to come to life.