I was fairly shocked and very much saddened when I read about the untimely death of Steve Albini this afternoon. He has been a hero of mine since I heard 'bad penny' by Big Black on a mix tape when I was about 13. That tape also contained my first fugazi, minor threat, black flag, butthole surfers, sonic youth and many other life changing bits of music. I was a fan of the dead kennedys but I didn't know all this other music was out there.
Albini was among the best. I was a bit surprised when a couple of years later he produced a Nirvana album. It's not my favourite Nirvana album and it's not my favourite Albini record but I suspect he will mainly be remembered for 'in utero'. It was nowhere near his best work. The Jesus Lizard 'pure' and 'goat' spring to mind. People will point to 'surfer rosa' or the Breeders or 'songs about fucking' or something else and they will all be decent choices.
When I was 16 I travelled down tot he phoenix festival in stratford upon avon to see shellac with a couple of friends from school. it was great. it was well over a decade before I had a chance to see them again and I can't be sure how many times I saw them after that - maybe another 4 or 5 times - but they were always good.
He was a great thinker and a great speaker. He talked sense about music and other things in a calm and logical way. He was 61 when he died which is far too young for this world.
RIP
'I'M A PLANE. I'M A PLANE'
'...and the plane becomes a metaphor for my life...'
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