Steve Albini, Venerated Alt-Rock Producer And Punk Icon, Dead At 61

Revered music producer and musician Steve Albini has died at the age of 61. He suffered a heart attack at his recording studio in Chicago.

Staff of Albini’s Electrical Audio operation confirmed news of his death to Pitchfork on Wednesday.

The alt-rock icon recorded classic albums like Nirvana’s “In Utero” and Pixies’ “Surfer Rosa,” among others, as well as fronting the beloved punk and noise bands Shellac and Big Black.

Known for his distinctly raw recording style, Albini preferred to refer to his role as more “engineer” than “producer.”

A notorious curmudgeon, he was a staunch critic of the music industry’s exploitative nature, opting to spurn streaming services and refused to take royalties from recording artists he worked with.

Albini’s band Shellac was about to embark on tour, set to release their first album in a decade next week.

Asked how he wanted his music career to be remembered in a 2023 interview with The Guardian, he said, “I don’t give a shit. I’m doing it, and that’s what matters to me ― the fact that I get to keep doing it. That’s the whole basis of it. I was doing it yesterday, and I’m gonna do it tomorrow, and I’m gonna carry on doing it.”

He is survived by wife Heather Whinna and their pets.

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