Renowned Producer and Founder of Electrical Audio, Steve Albini, Passes Away at 61

Steve Albini, a renowned figure in the alternative rock and music production industry, passed away at the age of 61. Known for his contributions to iconic albums by Nirvana, the Pixies, and PJ Harvey, among others, Albini was also the founder and principal engineer of Electrical Audio, a popular recording studio in Chicago. He was initially from California but moved to Evanston to study journalism at Northwestern University, where he also started his punk band career. Albini’s unique approach to producing music included refusing to be called a “producer,” eschewing royalty payments, and requesting credit as “Recorded by Steve Albini.” His final project, the upcoming Shellac album “To All Trains,” will now be released as a tribute to him. Other musicians like Joanna Newsom, the Breeders, the Jesus Lizard, Hum, Superchunk, Low, and Mogwai benefited from his production skills. Albini’s sudden demise has left the music community mourning and paying tribute to him. A statement from his studio revealed that the cause of death was a heart attack.