Steve Albini is a wacko

[Winston Wolf]

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/nov/17/steve-albinis-keynote-address-at-face-the-music-in-full

Steve Albini on the state of music industry.He is so keen to remove
The "middle man" between listener and audience,he basically
Shits on any genre apart from his beloved indie crap.
At least that "middle man"(the industry) was some kind of
Quality control from such producers like Albini,who's philosophy
Is to put two mics in the room with a whole band and voila,
Recording is done.of course he is happy that we 're now subjected
To piles of such crap,and it has become so hard to find decent music.

Although I never liked Albini's records.I had some respect
For him just because he was successful and influental for many.
After reading this article I lost all respect for him.
Mainly because he exposes how narrow minded he is.that Prince
joke was terrible.never heard such an insult from any high
profile engineer producer.
I'd rather be listening to Prince, than a bunch of wannabe
rockstars recorded in a rehearsal room in one take,and yes
,by that I mean Pixies.

 

[~BURNY~]

I think you're easily offended.

 

[Terminus]

He's got his weird ways but I respect the guy for sticking to his guns and doing things his way.

 

[~BURNY~]

I genuinely think he's a mild Asperger.
I like him a lot.
I don't necessarily agree on everything he says but I'm glad he exists.

 

[Line666]

I can't help but think that no matter what and no matter when the music industry has always probably been and always will be an absolute shark tank for the bottom level.

At least Steve is getting with the times - I think hanging onto that idea of top end stability (instead of the tumultuous waters of todays industry) for that forty year golden period for records (60s-00's, that's only about half a lifetime for a regular human being) is just waiting to get fucked at this stage.

On Steve himself, well, I've said before I think he's inspired a generation of no hopers to fling up expensive microphones bought with dads money and call themselves engineers which is objectively more offensive than the podfarm revolution but at least he's consistent.

 

[He's Dead, Jim]

Eh, he's just eccentric and highly opinionated and a little arrogant, but that seems pretty common for a lot of producers. But whatever, I still think all the Neurosis albums he's produced sound crappy.

 

[indecizo]

Who?

 

[Manicompression]

I liked what he had to say in the article. Argue all you want but he has perspective alot of younger engineers don't.

 

[Ermz]

You know, to date I don't think I've heard a single one of his projects. Something about his philosophy to recording is like fly spray to me.

 

[Heabow]

I don't necessarily agree on everything he says but I'm glad he exists.

This. I don't care about what he says and even he's not in my top 10 - mainly because most of the bands he worked with are not really my cup of tea, he has a great personality production wise. It must be pretty tough to work with him tho

 

[Sloan]

I like quite a bit of the work he has done, but I have never understood the 'worship' he receives from so many. I do share a similar opinion on Prince; one of the only artists of which I've literally thrown an album out of a moving vehicle.

The problem I have with most of his articles or write-ups or whatnot is that it never really discusses the state of his immediate industry, as in being an audio engineer. He has a huge reputation, so of course he has a leg up on most of us bottom feeders, but I would like to know his opinions on THAT. I also agree that we are in a great time for music as far as accessibility, but what about making an actual living? How has the shift affected the value of music since it can be had for free?

 

[GeertSamuel]

You know, to date I don't think I've heard a single one of his projects. Something about his philosophy to recording is like fly spray to me.

You never listened to Neurosis ?

 

[mva801]

You know, to date I don't think I've heard a single one of his projects. Something about his philosophy to recording is like fly spray to me.

Are you talking about his recordings or his bands? Dude. He does every Neurosis record now. And fucking NIRVANA. I love In Utero.

Don't love Albini. Don't hate him. I know he's super opinionated and kinda weird. I just don't know what's up with his damn jumpsuit.

Most people think the music industry is kind of a shit show, I don't really even care to read the article. Meh. I'm going to listen to Neurosis.

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

When you've got a proper discography including albums like In Utero, Surfer Rosa and Times of Grace under your belt, you've ground your way playing punk in shit hole venues and not giving up, and you're still running a real fucking studio despite it being insanely unstable in this day of bedroom "studio" kids and Superior Drummer bullshit, I think you're pretty much entitled to being a bit of a prick if you feel like it. Yeah, he's opinionated to a point of being cocky, but with a history like his, I'm pretty sure the man has pretty good perspective on the industry as a whole, unlike you and me - the guys with discographies of dozens of albums instead of thousands.

 

[drew_drummer]

I think he r00lz personally. I really like his approach to recording, and I wish I could do it that way myself a lot of the time.

A lot of modern music - a lot of modern metal especially - has no balls and has no soul. Because it's been cut up and fucked with and raped to death.

You know what good music is? GOOD PERFORMANCES.... that's it. Capture that, and you've fucking won the game.

 

[smy1]

You know, to date I don't think I've heard a single one of his projects. Something about his philosophy to recording is like fly spray to me.

You definitely heard "In Utero" by Nirvana.

 

[nialldoran]

Totally in the middle of the road about him, like most people here, i love some of his records, some of his sounds are amazing, they may not have as much impact, be as loud or hi-fi but you can always tell it's him. He has carved out a niche and certain bands love working with him and suit his style, like you wouldn't expect the faceless to record with a guy like him, but at the same time you wouldn't send the pixies to Sneap.

He's opinionated and outspoken as everyone knows and i don't care or give a fuck about any of his views, he made records that made me excited when i was a kid in the early 90's , i'll never forget the first time i heard the drums on scentless apprentice from In Utero, that made me interested in how it was recorded.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

I read the whole article. Maybe I read something different because I didn't get wacko out of that.