"We have no general conceptual thrust for the band, other than trying to make music that keeps our interest. When things are novel, they are probably things we have discovered by accident or investigation rather than by design."
Steven Frank Albini (; July 22, 1962 – May 7, 2024) was an American musician and audio engineer who was a member of the influential post-hardcore and noise rock bands Big Black (1981–1987), Rapeman (1987–1989) and Shellac (1992–2024). He was the founder, owner, and principal engineer of the Chicago recording studio Electrical Audio. He recorded thousands of records, collaborating with acts including Nirvana, Pixies, the Breeders, PJ Harvey, the Jesus Lizard and Page and Plant.
Albini was born in...
Steven Frank Albini (; July 22, 1962 – May 7, 2024) was an American musician and audio engineer who was a member of the influential post-hardcore and noise rock bands Big Black (1981–1987), Rapeman (1987–1989) and Shellac (1992–2024). He was the founder, owner, and principal engineer of the Chicago recording studio Electrical Audio. He recorded thousands of records, collaborating with acts including Nirvana, Pixies, the Breeders, PJ Harvey, the Jesus Lizard and Page and Plant.
Albini was born in Pasadena, California, and raised in Missoula, Montana. After discovering the Ramones as a teenager, he played in a number of punk bands. He earned a degree in journalism at Northwestern University, Illinois, and he wrote for local zines before moving to Chicago, where he immersed himself in the punk scene. He formed Big Black in 1981, with whom he released two albums: Atomizer (1986) and Songs About Fucking (1987).
Following the dissolution of Big Black, Albini opened Electrical Audio and focused on engineering. He briefly played in Rapeman with David Wm. Sims and Rey Washam, releasing their only album, Two Nuns and a Pack Mule (1988). In 1992, he formed Shellac with Bob Weston and Todd Trainer, with whom he released several albums, including At Action Park (1994) and 1000 Hurts (2000).
Noted for his outspoken and blunt opinions, Albini was critical of local punk scenes and the music industry, which he saw as exploitative. He refused to take royalties on albums he worked on, operating on a fee-only basis. Albini died of a heart attack on May 7, 2024.
