Late producer and musician Steve Albini was a longtime resident of Chicago, so the city has decided to name a street in the city in his honor.
As Pitchfork notes, thanks to an ordinance passed by Alderman Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, the 2600-2700 block of West Belmont Avenue in Avondale, between North Rockwell Avenue and North California Avenue, will officially be declared “Steve Albini Way.” This stretch is where his legendary recording studio Electrical Audio, which Albini and staff members helped build by laying bricks during the construction process, stands.
Albini died of a heart attack on May 7 at the age of 61. He fronted several revered rock bands, including Shellac and Big Black, and was a legend of the recording studio, though he said himself that he preferred the term “engineer” to “producer.”
He formed Big Black in 1981 and recruited Santiago Durango and Dave Riley. Big Black attracted a considerable following, releasing two albums and four EPs. He formed Shellac with Bob Weston and Todd Trainer in 1992.
Albini recorded Nirvana’s In Utero, Pixies’ Surfer Rosa, PJ Harvey’s Rid of Me, and countless other classic albums over several decades. His last album with Shellac was To All Trains, released ten days after his death, which the band was preparing to release and tour behind in late May before he died. He has also won three Emmys, seven Grammy Awards.
Albini was born in Pasadena, California, and raised in Missoula, Montana. After discovering the Ramones as a teenager, he immersed himself in punk rock and underground culture. He earned a degree in journalism at Northwestern University, Illinois, and wrote for local zines before moving to Chicago.
After Big Black’s dissolution, Albini became a highly sought after recording engineer, rejecting the term “record producer.” He recorded several thousand records during his career, collaborating with notable acts such as the Breeders, the Jesus Lizard, Page and Plant, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Joanna Newsom, Cheap Trick and Slint. He refused to take royalties on albums he worked on, operating on a fee-only basis.
