BLOG | MAY. 8, 2024

Steve Albini 1962-2024


Steve Albini
Remembered by Larry Crane

albinimain

On Jan 19, 1987, I clambered aboard a yacht in Emeryville, CA, to interview Steve Albini and the band Big Black for

BravEar Magazine
, a conversation that unfortunately was never published due to the mag folding soon after. Even though it didn’t make it to the page, that conversation began a connection between us that lasted decades.

Big Black was Steve Albini's band, beginning with an EP (

Lungs
) he recorded on his own. I followed his career as he began tracking bands in his home and at other studios, many of which Iwas a fan of (The Pixies, Scrawl, Nirvana, Jesus Lizard). When
Tape Op Magazine
began, Steve was a likely choice for an article. My pal, John Chandler, had interviewed him for an online bookseller that was just starting to sell CDs, and we used some of that conversation for issue , even though Steve later complained to me that he had no idea it'd be for
Tape Op
. Oops, neither did I! Along the way, Steve popped up as a part of interviews with The Ex ( ) and Neurosis ( ), with some interesting thoughts about the bands he was recording.

We invited Steve to be the keynote speaker at the first TapeOpCon in 2002, and he graciously agreed, bringing with him some overall-clad staff and a hilarious "I thought I was at a

Star Trek
convention" meets Laffer Curve career/economics speech. Steve and his crew became regulars at our conventions through 2007, and in 2005, I remember his band Shellac blowing the doors off the Howlin' Wolf in New Orleans. It was an honor to have him there, and his support of
Tape Op
always made me feel validated in a very special way.

albiniblur

In 2011, I went to visit Steve's amazing Electrical Audio studio in Chicago, and we conducted the first proper, full-on interview with him for the magazine. It was inspiring to see the depths in which he and his friends, such as Bob Weston (

, ) and Greg Norman ( ), had gone to in order to build one of the best recording palaces in the country.

As I watched Steve over the decades, I saw an incredibly hard-working guy with a well-defined set of ethics. Artists should be treated fairly in studio settings, and Steve would make sure of that every time. He knew what it was like to be on both sides of the glass. I witnessed a person who dove into recording technology headfirst, learning how all the best analog gear and mics worked and deciding what he wanted to use. Underneath an exterior that may have seemed sarcastic and confrontational to the uninformed, was a person who cared immensely about humanity and art. He also had one of the best senses of humor I've ever come across. (And he could cook a mean dinner!) And his compassion and volunteerism is well known in his hometown of Chicago – actions over just words.

Words like legendary and iconic are tossed around like cheap candy these days, but Steve Albini truly earned and deserves to be described in those terms. When he wrote the foreword to our second

Tape Op
book in 2007, he honestly stated, "We all know that another take is seldom the answer, but sure, it might be, so what the heck?" I wish there were more takes. I'll miss you, Steve.

MORE ENTRIES

New Episode of Creative Recording with Tape Op: Drum Panning

December 26, 2024

New Episode of Creative Recording with Tape Op: Drum Panning

BY Geoff Stanfield

Check out the latest episode of ourCreative Recording with Tape Opvideo series.Tape Op's editor, Larry Crane, and our online publisher, Geoff Stanfiel...

The Go-Betweens box set G Stands for Go-Betweens, Vol. 3 (2000-2006) out now

December 17, 2024

The Go-Betweens box set G Stands for Go-Betweens, Vol. 3 (2000-2006) out now

BY Geoff Stanfield

In February 2000, I was lucky enough to record the legendary Australian group,The Go-Betweens, for their "comeback" album,The Friends of Rachel Worth....

Tape Op Staff Favorites 2024

December 16, 2024

Tape Op Staff Favorites 2024

BY Geoff Stanfield

Larry Crane

Juana Molina: EXHALO

December 13, 2024

Juana Molina: EXHALO

BY Geoff Stanfield

Sometimes when artists release compilations of "bonus" tracks, or songs that were recorded for an album but were left off, it is quite obvious why. Wi...

New Live Album From Nils Frahm: Paris

December 9, 2024

New Live Album From Nils Frahm: Paris

BY Geoff Stanfield

I’m normally not that into live albums, butNils Frahmis not a normal musician. I saw him play live in 2018 when I interviewed him forTape Op, and it w...

New Music From Sunroof: Electronic Music Improvisations, Vol.3

December 4, 2024

New Music From Sunroof: Electronic Music Improvisations, Vol.3

BY Geoff Stanfield

We interviewed bothGareth Jones(Depeche Mode, Erasure) andDaniel Miller(Mute Records, The Normal) inTape Op#110. Collectively they are Sunroof, and ha...

Miles '54: The Prestige Recordings

November 23, 2024

Miles '54: The Prestige Recordings

BY Geoff Stanfield

Craft Recordings has just released a select compilation of Miles Davis' recordings from 1954 for the Prestige label. I just got theMiles '54: The Pres...

New album and video, The Way Out of Easy, from Jeff Parker ETA IVtet

November 22, 2024

New album and video, The Way Out of Easy, from Jeff Parker ETA IVtet

BY Geoff Stanfield

The Way Out of Easyis the second album Jeff Parker (Tortoise) has released that was recorded live by Bryce Gonzales at The Enfield Tennis Academy to a...

New Video Series Episode: Best Place to Spend Money When Starting a Studio

November 22, 2024

New Video Series Episode: Best Place to Spend Money When Starting a Studio

BY Geoff Stanfield

Check out the new episode from ourCreative Recording With Tape Opseries!