OT-Steve Albini RIP

[its_the_sauce]

One of NU's finest, while he did have health issues wasn't expecting this.

Steve Albini, Storied Producer and Icon of the Rock Underground, Dies at 61

The Shellac and Big Black frontman, who recorded classic albums by Nirvana, Pixies, PJ Harvey, and more, has died of a heart attack

pitchfork.com

 

[NUCat320]

Go Cats. Shocking and sad.

Shellac played a WNUR live set at Annie Mae Swift when I was there. The Rock Show kids were so worried about overfilling the venue (“we’ll have lines past The Arch”) that they didn’t promote it.

Maybe a dozen saw the show, including me for 15 minutes.

“A Prayer to God” by Shellac is perfect, though many who listen to it will judge me for this opinion.

 

[techtim72]

Just another reminder of the diverse backgrounds, perspectives and definitely musical tastes of the members here. May Mr Albini RIP.

 

[its_the_sauce]

Go Cats. Shocking and sad.

Shellac played a WNUR live set at Annie Mae Swift when I was there. The Rock Show kids were so worried about overfilling the venue (“we’ll have lines past The Arch”) that they didn’t promote it.

Maybe a dozen saw the show, including me for 15 minutes.

“A Prayer to God” by Shellac is perfect, though many who listen to it will judge me for this opinion.

He was in my class (84) and saw him quite a bit. I think back now to my sophomore year and my dorm (North Allison) was quite amazing. While Albini didn't live there, Nathan Kaatrud (AKA Nash Kato) who went on to Urge Overkill and Lyle Preslar of Minor Threat both did so Albini was around quite a bit. I think Preslar was involved in early versions of Big Black with Albini.

In a way not totally shocking as I believed he had health issues. Even back then he was one of the thinnest people you'll ever see.

 

[KramerCat91]

I am going to have to play Big Black's The Rich Man's Eight Track Tape. when I get home. There's kerosene around!

 

[MickeyCat]

Along with his many musical accomplishments, he was also a World Series of Poker tournament winner.

Steve Albini wins World Series of Poker event

Legendary record producer took home with $105,000 in prize money.

www.yahoo.com

Rest In Peace.

 

[IGNORE2]

Ok - again - no NUFB connection here. The NU prez talking to congress has a much closer relevance to this page… where’s the cap?

 

[NUCat320]

@IGNORE2 I was so hoping that you were in this thread posting about how Mogwai and Don Caballero and especially The Wedding Present’s Seamonsters album changed your life.

Alas, just here to bitch.

This thread don’t get capped because it’s a non-controversial thread that’ll be read by the <20 people on the board who know Steve Albini. And the one guy here to bitch.


Do yourself a favor and dig this amazing Steve Albini-engineered production.



That hardass Albini made those foppish Brits come to Minnesota in January to make this beautiful bit of magic.

 

[its_the_sauce]

@IGNORE2 I was so hoping that you were in this thread posting about how Mogwai and Don Caballero and especially The Wedding Present’s Seamonsters album changed your life.

Alas, just here to bitch.

This thread don’t get capped because it’s a non-controversial thread that’ll be ready by the <20 people on the board who know Steve Albini. And the one guy here to bitch.


Do yourself a favor and dig this amazing Steve Albini-engineered production.

View embedded media

That hardass Albini made those foppish Brits come to Minnesota in January to make this beautiful bit of magic.

Such an amazing album. A WP show I saw at Lounge Ax sticks out as really the only show I saw where my ears were still ringing three days later lol.

 

[IGNORE2]

Such an amazing album. A WP show I saw at Lounge Ax sticks out as really the only show I saw where my ears were still ringing three days later lol.

Used to love the lounge ax. Also, @CappyNU has said nothing about controversial. He says unrelated = a capping. I just want him to admit he subjectively caps posts he is afraid of.

 

[Jonny2TheP]

@IGNORE2 I was so hoping that you were in this thread posting about how Mogwai and Don Caballero and especially The Wedding Present’s Seamonsters album changed your life.

Alas, just here to bitch.

This thread don’t get capped because it’s a non-controversial thread that’ll be ready by the <20 people on the board who know Steve Albini. And the one guy here to bitch.


Do yourself a favor and dig this amazing Steve Albini-engineered production.

View embedded media

That hardass Albini made those foppish Brits come to Minnesota in January to make this beautiful bit of magic.

A Don Caballero reference! You don’t see those every day…especially on an NU message board.

 

[KramerCat91]

He was in my class (84) and saw him quite a bit. I think back now to my sophomore year and my dorm (North Allison) was quite amazing. While Albini didn't live there, Nathan Kaatrud (AKA Nash Kato) who went on to Urge Overkill and Lyle Preslar of Minor Threat both did so Albini was around quite a bit. I think Preslar was involved in early versions of Big Black with Albini.

In a way not totally shocking as I believed he had health issues. Even back then he was one of the thinnest people you'll ever see.

Didn't know Nash Kato was a NU alum. The first time I saw Urge was at the DePaul Blue Demon room courtesy of free tix from WNUR.

 

[MotownMedilldo]

Didn't know Nash Kato was a NU alum. The first time I saw Urge was at the DePaul Blue Demon room courtesy of free tix from WNUR.

Yep. We discussed it last year when UO's drummer passed away.

OT: Urge Overkill

Saw this article after learning that drummer Blackie Onassis died earlier this week. I knew legendary producer Steve Albini attended NU, but had no idea Nash and Eddie did. Saturation takes me back to the still-seedy Wicker Park of my undergrad years in the early 90s. “He overdosed and was...

northwestern.forums.rivals.com

 

[pnt16]

My favorite Albini recording. Recorded in the first take.

 

[NUCat320]

Gosh this is great.





From the “wait, how’d he even work on that one?” department, Albini *also* engineered should-be-a-Wildcat-anthem “Start Wearing Purple”, by Gogol Bordello.

 

[PurpleWhiteBoy]

Looks like my old Bobb Hall "friend of a friend" was cremated.

Really bright guy, had a different view of the world. I respected him for that, we had some interesting conversations.

Lots of NU kids disliked him, especially the preppy kids. Gaunt guy in a beat-up leather jacket with punk rock buttons on it. His death hit harder than I expected.

I'm glad he was able to channel his passions, energy (and rage) into something he loved.

Obituary information for Steven Frank Albini

View Steven Frank Albini's obituary, contribute to their memorial, see their funeral service details, and more.

www.caringcremations.com

 

[Jonny2TheP]

Looks like my old Bobb Hall "friend of a friend" was cremated.

Really bright guy, had a different view of the world. I respected him for that, we had some interesting conversations.

Lots of NU kids disliked him, especially the preppy kids. Gaunt guy in a beat-up leather jacket with punk rock buttons on it. His death hit harder than I expected.

I'm glad he was able to channel his passions, energy (and rage) into something he loved.

Obituary information for Steven Frank Albini

View Steven Frank Albini's obituary, contribute to their memorial, see their funeral service details, and more.

www.caringcremations.com

I actually listened to Veruca Salt's "Blow it Out Your Ass" EP this morning - an album that Albini produced as kind of a "holdover EP" between their first album "American Thighs" and their first major label album, "Eight Arms to Hold You" (produced by Bob Rock). The rawness of the records he produced can be a little hit or miss for me, but when paired correctly with music I enjoy, man, it's a fun listen.

 

[NUCat320]

Not really even tangentially related, but I just wanted to share.

David C. Berman, leader of Silver Jews and then Purple Mountains, will have been gone five years come August. Dude’s melancholy would have been really turnt had he made it to COVID.

Five years younger than Albini, and the two probably could have made their own Magnolia Electric Company if they had ever chosen to work together. Given Berman’s longtime relationship with Chicago’s Drag City Records, I’m surprised they didn’t.

That said, the latter day Berman work is lush, beautiful, and appropriately foregrounds that baritone and especially those lyrics. Earlier Berman is lower-fidelity but just as powerful.

I wish Silver Jews had a better band name. Maybe the stuff can all be remembered under the name Purple Mountains, because both were all just DCB (who, incidentally, was a proud silver-bearded Jew at the time of his suicide).

My 15-year-old son mostly listens to SoundCloud rap, but he and his friends have recently discovered Nick Drake. (I remember first hearing Joni Mitchell’s Blue, between Pavement and Guided by Voices and Built to Spill listens, and just being completely floored.) At some point I think a whole bunch of kids from GenZ/Alpha generation will discover DCB.

I’ve been on a weeklong DCB kick. (I thought I’d resurrect a post-suicide thread, but that must’ve been Rant Board material.) It’s always one of the best weeks of the year.


He had so many fine moments, so many beautiful lyrical turns, but the most famous is “In 1984, I was hospitalized for approaching perfection.”
I’m pretty sure I played both “Buckingham Rabbit” and “Smith and Jones Forever” while taking summer Rock Show slots.

But this is “Random Rules”, DCB’s most iconic moment.




It’s a great song.

Take care of your friends. Be kind to your neighbors. Smile at strangers. The world is a scary place for a whole lot of people.

(The DCB thread from the time of his death has been lost with the Rant Board archives.)