American musician and producer Steve Albini in the ‘A’ control room of his studio, Electrical Audio, Chicago, Illinois, June 24, 2005. (Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images)
Famed Chicago music engineer and producer Steve Albini has died at the age of 61, his recording studio confirmed to NBC Chicago.
Pitchfork and other outlets broke the story Wednesday morning, with officials at his company confirming Albini passed away late Tuesday after suffering a heart attack.
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Born in the Pacific Northwest, Albini attended Northwestern University, majoring in journalism. He became a fixture on the Chicago punk rock scene in the late 1970s and early 1980s, when he began performing with various bands and engineering albums.
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He found fame as a producer and engineer, notably on Nirvana’s final studio album “In Utero.” He also engineered albums for Pixies, Chevelle and Superchunk, and has become well-known for his commentary on the state of the music industry in the age of streaming.
Albini remained a prominent figure in the Chicago music scene after his time at Northwestern, owning and operating Electrical Audio Recording.
He formed several bands during his career, including his most recent project Shellac. That group had just finished recording a new album according to Pitchfork, and was set to tour the album prior to Albini’s death.
