Following the tragic news of Steve Albini’s passing on Wednesday, May 8, figures in the music world and beyond have been paying tribute to the underground rock icon.
Michael Azerrad, who wrote the 1993 Nirvana biography Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana, wrote of the In Utero engineer on X: “He had a brilliant mind, was a great artist and underwent the most remarkable and inspiring personal transformation.”
Cloud Nothings worked with Albini on their celebrated 2012 LP Attack on Memory. “steve touched countless lives and changed mine and many others for the better,” frontman Dylan Baldi wrote. “a genuine, singular, principled person. spent the last 40 years helping people make art. there’s no reason for him to be gone and the world is less interesting without him. just a really sad day.”
Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker, who worked with Albini on his 2009 solo album Further Complications, shared: “Working with Steve Albini was an education in many ways: the technical aspects of recording sound, for sure – but also lessons in how to live & work at making music without being destroyed by the Music Business. Listen to the music he was involved in & read what he wrote about it. It’s worth it.”
“grateful to have seen steve albini play, to have my taste in music shaped by the incredible records he performed & engineered, & for his thoughts on recording and its business, which changed my worldview,” Speedy Ortiz and Sad13’s Sadie Dupuis wrote. “getting to meet him & check out electrical was a top 10 moment for me. RIP.”
Drew Daniel, of the Soft Pink Truth and Matmos, wrote: “I’m saddened to learn of the death of Steve Albini. Like so many, I loved his firebreathing Big Black records as a teenager. I met him briefly at Jason Noble’s memorial service and found him to be a kind and thoughtful person. My thoughts go out to his friends and family.”
“I love Steve so much,” comedian and musician Fred Armisen shared. “We said it more often to each other in recent years. I’m so glad I got to tell him. He was so funny, all the time. He sent me this text a few days ago: ‘I shouldn’t admit this but I don’t get cymbals. Like I can tell the difference between this one and that one but if I’m honest they both sound like cymbals and I don’t care.” I always loved hearing him say ‘I don’t care.’ He was such a good friend to me, endlessly. I admired his work ethic and his warmth. And his opinions on national flags. On everything.”
Jon Wurster of Superchunk shared: “Steve was such a good, caring, and funny guy. I will always treasure the night in ‘99 when he took me to Second City to see a show. I walked into the Electrical kitchen at the agreed upon departure time and he looked at my head, smiled and said, ‘Your hair is peak Mellencamp.’ ❤️.”
“Ugh man, a heartbreaking loss of a legend. Love to his family and innumerable colleagues,” the actor Ejiah Wood posted. “Farewell, Steve Albini.”
“No singular artist’s body of work has had an impact on me more than that of Steve Albini,” the band Chat Pile wrote. “Incredibly thankful that the world had him while it did, we’re all better off because of it. RIP.”
“RIP to our friend Steve Albin,” Slint posted. “Steve was, in his own way, unfailingly magnanimous and kind. His humility was a constant. He was a leader, in many ways, and he was an all-around nice guy. He will be deeply missed. We are infinitely fortunate for having known him culturally and, amazingly, in person. Slint would not be the same without him.”
“I so much enjoyed his trail-blazing bands & talent, and recording songs at his great studio,” experimental guitarist Bill MacKay remembered. “I admired his fierce fight for justice and fairness, and had one unforgettable & hilarious Ramen dinner together. He’ll never be forgotten.”
Mission of Burma posted, “People come and go, but there was no one quite like Steve Albini. I keep hoping the news is false. I just thought he would always be there, keeping us wised up ‘n pissed off. A fucking giant.”
Primavera Sound, where Albini performed regularly with his band Shellac, wrote: “We have lost a legend, a friend, a member of our family. What are we going to do without you, Steve? After having welcomed them at 15 editions of the festival, it is impossible for us to imagine a Primavera Sound without him, because no band explains us better than Shellac.”
Below, read tributes from Pixies, the Breeders, Jack White, Jeff Rosenstock, Low, illuminati hotties, Fucked Up, Chris Walla of Death Cab For Cutie, Brad Wilk of Rage Against the Machine, Ratboys, the Cribs, Ted Leo, Lee Spielman (of Trash Talk), Liturgy, Ian Williams (of Battles), HEALTH, Sleaford Mods, the Ataris, David Grubbs, Amanda Palmer, Dave Bazan (of Pedro the Lion), Laura Jane Grace, Lawrence Rothman, Teen Suicide, and more.
Steve Albini. pic.twitter.com/DzYjvJykdx
— Nirvana (@Nirvana) May 9, 2024
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steve touched countless lives and changed mine and many others for the better. a genuine, singular, principled person. spent the last 40 years helping people make art. there's no reason for him to be gone and the world is less interesting without him. just a really sad day.
— Cloud Nothings (@cloudnothings) May 8, 2024
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grateful to have seen steve albini play, to have my taste in music shaped by the incredible records he performed & engineered, & for his thoughts on recording and its business, which changed my worldview. getting to meet him & check out electrical was a top 10 moment for me. RIP
— speedy ortiz ÷ sad13 ÷ sadie dupuis ÷ haunted guy (@sad13) May 8, 2024
gutted…
rock was changed forever
the way we record was changed forever https://t.co/GCQpvPnPj0— illuminati hotties (@illuminatihotts) May 8, 2024
steve was so generous and good to me when i was young and new. i have so much to say but it’s gonna take a sec, i’m just tremendously sad. gawd i loved that guy.
— chris walla (@calculizer) May 8, 2024
Don’t even know what to say about Albini. Wrote some of the most grueling stuff ever recorded (Jordan, Minnesota), disorienting cinema verite recordings that pulled focus from small/dry to huge/cavernous, volleyball hitting a chain link fence guitar burned in my brain since youth
— Boeckner (@d_boeckner) May 8, 2024
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He INCLUDED us/you in his brilliance. What a gift. So grateful for him.
— LOW (@lowtheband) May 8, 2024
In 2018, Burn The Priest covered Big Black’s Kerosene.
RIP to a legend, Steve Albini. https://t.co/96VKOTJoey
— Lamb Of God (@lambofgod) May 8, 2024
rip steve
you hated our band and made fun of us while we were recording at your studio but you stood for something honest and fair in music and tried to make it a better place in everything you did and there will never be another one like you
— Fucked Up (@FUCKEDUP) May 8, 2024
oh gosh, steve albini. i have gotten so much out of so many records he made. another person i admire who i'll never get to work with. here's to all the recording engineers and mixers and producers, making the sounds that so enrich our lives, you are wizards ✨💙✨
— matthew caws (@nadasurf) May 8, 2024
There’s a very specific lyrical tribute to Steve Albini on CLPPNG that I don’t think anyone has ever noticed. Always hoped I’d get to tell him about it one day. RIP
— Clipping (@clppng) May 8, 2024
Cannot believe Albini is gone
— Continuity Ted Leo Account (@tedleo) May 8, 2024
RIP Steve Albini. The Trash Talk S/T LP was a very raw time for us as a band. You welcomed us in with open arms for that session. I’ll never forget that week. 👑🔊
— Lee Spielman (@LeeSpielman) May 8, 2024
Extremely saddened to hear of Steve Albini’s death 💔
— Litvrgy (@LITVRGY) May 8, 2024
Can’t believe this. Steve Albini was one of our heroes and one of the reasons we feel so proud of be a part of the Chicago music community.. sending love to his family and friends and holding his records close forever. Can’t believe it https://t.co/NbtpNhjX6a
— Ratboys (@Ratboysband) May 8, 2024
Man, what awful news.
Love this man’s recording and all of his bands.
Sonically his drum sound was one of a kind.
Grew up on those Big Black albums and seeing Shellac play the tri-state area.R.I.P. Steve Albini
Thank you for your undeniable mark on music and recording. pic.twitter.com/zCXIKUJUC0— The Ataris (@theataris) May 8, 2024
In shock at Steve Albini's sudden passing. Such a brilliant, infinitely generous person, absolutely one-of-a-kind, and so inspiring to see him change over time and own up to things he outgrew. I met Steve when I was a junior in high school, and not only did Big Black slay me 1/x pic.twitter.com/Dl7iEss3I2
— David Grubbs (@blackfaurest) May 8, 2024
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r.i.p. Steve Albini
— badbadnotgood (@badbadnotgood) May 8, 2024
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I'm saddened to learn of the death of Steve Albini. Like so many, I loved his firebreathing Big Black records as a teenager. I met him briefly at Jason Noble's memorial service and found him to be a kind and thoughtful person. My thoughts go out to his friends and family.
— DREW DANIEL (@DDDrewDaniel) May 8, 2024
albini’s realness, wisdom, and wicked wit will continue to guide me for the rest of my life
— Dave Bazan (@davidbazan) May 8, 2024
I so much enjoyed his trail-blazing bands & talent, and recording songs at his great studio. I admired his fierce fight for justice and fairness, and had one unforgettable & hilarious Ramen dinner together. He'll never be forgotten.
Rest in Power, Steve Albini pic.twitter.com/EXaoCcFCGM
— Bill MacKay (@BillMacKay68) May 8, 2024
i once snuck into First Avenue to borrow a keyboard stand, only to stumble on a Shellac soundcheck. Watched Albini, Bob Weston & Todd Trainer rip it. Last year we got to do a bunch of Primavera Fest shows w them & spend some time. Sending love and prayers to Albini Fam & Friends https://t.co/nUqzunsVvF
— STARCHILD (@thisisbryndon) May 8, 2024
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Ugh man, a heartbreaking loss of a legend. Love to his family and innumerable colleagues.
Farewell, Steve Albini. pic.twitter.com/xVY27cmdbU— Elijah Wood (@elijahwood) May 8, 2024
Steve Albini was the last person in the music industry that actually mattered while maintaining a code of ethics around their work.
You were so generous with your time Steve and I am going to miss you so much. Thank you for everything. 🎈
— Don Giovanni Records (@DonGiovanniRecs) May 8, 2024
An unfathomable loss, impossible to fully trace the profound impact he made on all of us, on the sound of music itself.
Thank you, Steve
— Polyvinyl Record Co. (@Polyvinyl) May 8, 2024
RIP to Steve Albini, a wizard who would hate being called a wizard, but who surely made magic.
Here's the Electric Audio layout for 'Magnolia Electric Co', just sketched out simply, on paper, like it's not poised to shift time and space and all our hearts. pic.twitter.com/u1PRGrpi2M
— Secretly Canadian (@secretlycndian) May 8, 2024
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He favoured the title of ‘recording engineer’, but Steve Albini always brought an intangible brilliance to the studio, as the records he made for us with Jarvis, Low and black midi attest.
Like all music fans, everyone at Rough Trade will miss his sound, his ideas and, most of… pic.twitter.com/gMKiI1Id2W
— Rough Trade Records (@RoughTradeRecs) May 8, 2024
https://twitter.com/RoughTradeRecs/status/1788268990088798269https://twitter.com/Primavera_Sound/status/1788255516080107797
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Rest easy Steve Albini. A nice man, a good punk rocker and poker face eternal. Rest up geezer. Sleafords ❤️
— Sleaford Mods (@sleafordmods) May 8, 2024
This thread has the kind of humility that makes me go “damn, I’m tryna to be like that.” Grateful for how this guy shaped my sensibilities and made music. May we all live with the non-grace of being a continually evolving human being . https://t.co/3WzLBdEqTY
— Katie Alice Greer (@K_ALICEGREER) May 8, 2024
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We are devastated at the news of Steve Albini’s passing. We just recorded with him at Electrical Audio less than a month ago (a lifelong dream come true). Still in shock. RIP Steve. pic.twitter.com/TaLSUZ4bRu
— Toadies (Official) (@thetoadies) May 8, 2024
We are devastated at the news of Steve Albini’s passing. We just recorded with him at Electrical Audio less than a month ago (a lifelong dream come true). Still in shock. RIP Steve. pic.twitter.com/TaLSUZ4bRu
— Toadies (Official) (@thetoadies) May 8, 2024
We are devastated at the news of Steve Albini’s passing. We just recorded with him at Electrical Audio less than a month ago (a lifelong dream come true). Still in shock. RIP Steve. pic.twitter.com/TaLSUZ4bRu
— Toadies (Official) (@thetoadies) May 8, 2024
Steve was such a good, caring, and funny guy. I will always treasure the night in ‘99 when he took me to Second City to see a show. I walked into the Electrical kitchen at the agreed upon departure time and he looked at my head, smiled and said, “Your hair is peak Mellencamp.” ❤️
— Jon Wurster (@jonwurster) May 8, 2024
This news. Has fucked me up. Huge loss https://t.co/xB2u1PuRue
— Laura Jane Grace (@LauraJaneGrace) May 8, 2024
RIP steve albini, thank you for some of my favorite records of all time <3
— Told Slant (@Felixixix666) May 8, 2024
man oh man
rest in peace steve albini
but i still love steely dan— jenny lewis (@jennylewis) May 9, 2024
THE BEST EVER pic.twitter.com/pfR5zIAUZS
— The Cribs (@thecribs) May 8, 2024
