Steve Albini
July 22, 1962 – May 7, 2024
As reported by Nina Corcoran and Jazz Monroe in Pitchfork, Steve Albini, a true rock legend, passed away from a heart attack at 61.
Born in Pasadena, California, Albini’s musical journey began in high school when he learned to play bass, inspired by bands like the Ramones, Pere Ubu, and Devo. In 1981, he co-founded the influential band Big Black, followed by Shellac, both leaving an indelible mark on the underground rock scene.
Transitioning from performer to renowned recording engineer – a title he preferred over producer – Albini amassed an impressive portfolio of over 1500 albums. He famously recorded seminal works including Nirvana’s In Utero, Pixies’ Surfer Rosa, PJ Harvey’s Rid of Me, among others.
Outside of music, Albini pursued diverse interests. He maintained a cooking and food blog and was a skilled and highly ranked competitive poker player.
Steve Albini’s impact on the music industry was profound, not only through his groundbreaking recordings but also as a vocal critic of exploitative industry practices. His untimely passing comes as Shellac was preparing to tour their first album in a decade, To All Trains.
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