Steve Albini was a Menace to Society
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Steve Albini was a Menace to Society
Since so many here seem to be affected by his passing, I thought I’d drop this here. Written by Brian Beattie, an old Austin friend about how his band Glass Eye spent a few days recording with him.
Steve Albini was a menace to society
At the end there’s a list of studio tricks that Steve provided. I played briefly in a band with Scott Marcus, the drummer from Glass Eye, and remember trying out a few of these with Craig Ross and Frenchie Smith.
If you want to dig further, there’s also stories of him recording Daniel Johnston, Okkervil River and a few others.
Steve Albini was a menace to society
At the end there’s a list of studio tricks that Steve provided. I played briefly in a band with Scott Marcus, the drummer from Glass Eye, and remember trying out a few of these with Craig Ross and Frenchie Smith.
If you want to dig further, there’s also stories of him recording Daniel Johnston, Okkervil River and a few others.
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Re: Steve Albini was a Menace to Society
Reading now. Thanks for sharing.
Det er mig der holder traeerne sammen.
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Re: Steve Albini was a Menace to Society
I'm sure there's been discussion about it all over in the Misc section (I'm blocked from it so wouldn't know) but Steves sudden passing has been a weird thing for me and so many others. I spoke to him a few times on the old PRF forum and he was super helpful and supportive, but also expertly concise and brutally honest.
His fingerprints reach much further than he probably ever realised. Every single DIY band, scene, engineer, alternative music listener etc has more than likely had SA affect them in some way wether or not they know it. We lost a fucking real one and it sucks.
Rest In Phase, Steve.
His fingerprints reach much further than he probably ever realised. Every single DIY band, scene, engineer, alternative music listener etc has more than likely had SA affect them in some way wether or not they know it. We lost a fucking real one and it sucks.
Rest In Phase, Steve.
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Re: Steve Albini was a Menace to Society
Cracked me up with laughter. He was always really good at capturing spatial depth especially on drums so it figures he'd know a cool trick like the spinning mic. Good write up by Brian and testament to Steve's character. His abrasiveness was more of an asset than a problem, and tended to scare away fakers and morons so it worked out pretty well for him, I'm sure. He's said a lot of interesting/entertaining things over the years. He didn't suffer fools gladly or take/deal in bullshit, and I can respect that.Steve Albini wrote:In stereo, this can make you come in your pants.
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Re: Steve Albini was a Menace to Society
The spinning mic trick was something we tried. I thought it came from the Beatles though when we did it? I remember a story of them swinging a microphone around John or something like that. Albini’s method is slightly different from that story though. I think?.
We also put ambient mics up near the corners of the room. I’m not sure if it’s based off Albini’s suggestion or not? Another time I remember my AC-30 being out in the stairwell with a mic in front, another behind and a third at the top of the stairs on a boom pointing down. In some of those cases a sub mix (side-chain?) would run through a Distressor on the “all buttons mashed” setting. So much for “compression is for pussies!”
The one thing that he recommended in an old Tape Op article that I always wanted to try and never did, was ribbon microphones. I remember suggesting that once and was shot down as they were “too delicate.”
We also put ambient mics up near the corners of the room. I’m not sure if it’s based off Albini’s suggestion or not? Another time I remember my AC-30 being out in the stairwell with a mic in front, another behind and a third at the top of the stairs on a boom pointing down. In some of those cases a sub mix (side-chain?) would run through a Distressor on the “all buttons mashed” setting. So much for “compression is for pussies!”
The one thing that he recommended in an old Tape Op article that I always wanted to try and never did, was ribbon microphones. I remember suggesting that once and was shot down as they were “too delicate.”
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Re: Steve Albini was a Menace to Society
Thanks to the OP for sharing that.
I suspect most folks who drop by this thread will already be familiar with Albini's The Problem With Music article, but if not, it's worth a read or three. Sure, the business model has changed a lot since that time, but the gist of the argument is still powerful.
All my observations of his work are from afar as a music fan, but in his work as an engineer Steve struck me as a person who may not have personally cared much for a lot of the music he recorded, but he cared very deeply that the music got recorded, and that the final "product" of the art was ultimately up to the artists.
I suspect most folks who drop by this thread will already be familiar with Albini's The Problem With Music article, but if not, it's worth a read or three. Sure, the business model has changed a lot since that time, but the gist of the argument is still powerful.
All my observations of his work are from afar as a music fan, but in his work as an engineer Steve struck me as a person who may not have personally cared much for a lot of the music he recorded, but he cared very deeply that the music got recorded, and that the final "product" of the art was ultimately up to the artists.
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Re: Steve Albini was a Menace to Society
I have to say that I still can’t quite grasp the fact that he’s gone. The new record is great. It’s tough to listen to though knowing the book is now closed. The only other that has affected me like this was Tom Petty. I feel like both were very down to Earth, normal people. Champions of art and the people that create it. Like they had true reverence for artistic freedom. For something other than cashing it in for money. We needed them. Still need them. I guess they will still live on inside of us, but it’s still hard, knowing that the world as we perceive it got smaller. I figure I’m not alone.
This isn’t some kind of metaphor
Goddamn this is real
Goddamn this is real
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Re: Steve Albini was a Menace to Society
Damn that was powerful stuff.bipedal2 wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2024 6:02 amI suspect most folks who drop by this thread will already be familiar with Albini's The Problem With Music article, but if not, it's worth a read or three. Sure, the business model has changed a lot since that time, but the gist of the argument is still powerful.
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Re: Steve Albini was a Menace to Society
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1jExuBKzNk
The Vinyl Guide podcast Steve Albini interview....one hour...really good..
The Vinyl Guide podcast Steve Albini interview....one hour...really good..
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Re: Steve Albini was a Menace to Society
I’ll see ya in an hour, I guess.
RIP
RIP
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Re: Steve Albini was a Menace to Society
“If it feels like something is missing and you don’t know what, try taking something out. Maybe what’s missing is emptiness”
This is both great advice, and evidence that “the greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist”
If you told me Rick Rubin had said that I wouldn’t have questioned you for a second, because those are the words of a great music producer
SA was very much a producer (and a good one!)
His feedback, commentary, suggestions, ethos, and taste shaped the projects he worked on.
This is both great advice, and evidence that “the greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist”
If you told me Rick Rubin had said that I wouldn’t have questioned you for a second, because those are the words of a great music producer
SA was very much a producer (and a good one!)
His feedback, commentary, suggestions, ethos, and taste shaped the projects he worked on.