This is a great thread and you are awesome.

hail great burghers of poker, this lowly music dork is sorry for the intrusion



question 1.

Did you create your guitar sound specifically to fit an idea of what your music should sound like, or have you always played in a similar way?

question 2.

Do you still work seven days a week to keep your Studio running or are things getting a bit easier?

question 3

For how long would you feel happy to leave your cats on their own?

question 4

The new stooges 12" here in Europe features a black sticker on the front saying "recorded with steve albini", and a web address on the back saying "Go here to buy Stooges ring tones". If you could change one of these things, which one would you choose to remove?

question 5

Do your question and answer sessions at gigs attract more antagonistic questions than genuine inquiries, and if so is that really the point?

Could you please reply to this? It is partly for institutional purposes but mostly for my own studies.

Any thoughts on the aspect of capturing a performance as opposed to isolated, overdubbed style of many recordings today. I feel the comfort of not only the performers but also utilising the dynamics between musicians is paramount. Do you agree with this?

Regarding your opinons on reverb: How do you feel about a vocalist who desires to have a heavy amount of reverb on their voice when recording vocals. Will you suggest/implement adding it to their headphone mix but NOT laying it to tape?

I ask because in my limited engineering experience (and own personal singing experience) I've found that a fair amount of reverb can make a vocalist more confident and/or can influence the actual performance for better or worse going to tape (i.e. holding notes longer than they would if hearing a completely dry vocal through headphones). A good example would be with say Jeff Buckley who had a tremendously strong and powerful voice, but seemed to frequenlty request reverb on his voice during live performances.

Have you come across this type of thing and if so, what are your opinons on the topic. Thanks in advance.

Junior Brown is incredible...I've been a fan since I saw him on some late night talk show 10 years or so ago. I'll have to check out Johnny Dowd and Buddy Miller.

Dale Watson is very good, even if his new CD sounds ALOT like old Cash. Worth a listen if you haven't checked him out yet.

I think the accepted breakdown is Willie > Waylon > Merle of those 3. Actually I never really cared much for Haggard unless he was singing with Willie. Blasphemy?

What was glen hansard like to work with?

electrical,

I'm not really as into music as most of the people in this thread. I also had no idea who you were before it or who most of the bands being talked about are.
However, it was a great read and probably one of the top 3 ask me threads on 2p2. Thanks for doing it.

Steve,

Knowing that you tend to frown upon people video taping your live shows and even calling them out from time to time, I was surprised to come across a weird Big Black VHS a few years back at a local "indie" video store in Michigan. It looked like you were playing in a really small bar on the floor and that there were maybe 10 people at the show. Also, there were really cheesy (probably innovative for the time) video wipes and dissolves inserted in between songs and some weird slow motion 8 bit effects added over songs.

I guess I'm asking if this was a legit release or a bootleg? The camera seems to be on a tripod right in front of the stage in plain view, and if I remember correctly, there may have even been several camera angels. As far as I've ever known, the Pig Pile VHS was the only legit release.

I witnessed Shellac at ATP nightmare before christmas a few years back having taken a cocktail of shrooms, weed and ale. You sounded like Tontos Expanding Head Band. Was this intentional?

I have pretty much always had a weird guitar sound. My early heroes were Johnny Ramone, Ricky Wilson, Keith Levine, Santiago Durango, Colin Newman and Andy Gill. I later came to appreciate (steal from) Billy Gibbons and Wilco Johnson as well.

For about 18 months I have been successful in giving myself one day a week off, typically Tuesdays.

Not more than 24 hours.
Well, putting my name on a Stooges record is a bit like mentioning their barbers. I'm proud of the association, I loved working on their record, and I'm thrilled to have spent time in their company, so I'm flattered that they mention me, but also a little embarrassed because they are so much more important than me. I guess the ringtone thing is a little weird.

We have Q&A at the gigs because it makes the event more of a two-way experience, rather than ust just spraying noise all over the audience, they also get to have a little conversation with us. I enjoy it, though it can be an excuse for people to act like ay-holes.

Like a supermagnet for cooze.

C'mon...throw me a bone: The Wedding Present. Awesome in general or did you (ie. Seamonsters) make them better than they are entitled to be remembered as.

That sounds like the Atavistic video. Atavistic made informal VHS releases for a couple of bands, Big Black, Pussy galore and maybe Swans. The Big Black one was shot at a great little place called No Bar in Muncie, Indiana, run by the former manager of the Dancing Cigarettes. It was a "legit" release, I suppose, but I haven't heard from Kurt, the guy that released it, in quite a while.

The reason we're not crazy about people videotaping our shows at present is that we want people involved directly in the show, not archiving it for later enjoyment at their desks. We want them involved now.

How much money would it take for you to work on the next Fergie album?

How did Mike Watt operate during the sessions? Did you get the sense that Mike was a hired gun, an equal footing band member, or a role player?

Other than in some weird kind of lasagna, I don't know how you could get all that in you without it being intentional.

We discussed rates earlier.

I think Private Dancer is a great song. Do you see a problem with that?

Since you're a Chicago guy and I was a big SP fan when I was younger.

A - Billy Corgan. Huge ahole right? Like tremendously? I always heard he was kind of reviled by the 'real underground' Chicago bands for being a sellout (which I think is BS, like they wouldn't sell out for millions if they had a chance). Also Pavement seemed to hate him, any stories about Billy?

B - What did you think of Siamese Dream. Even if you hate SP and/or Billy, you have to admit that album RAWKED and still does.

Thanks for taking the time to do this Q and A.

1) Do you need a cranked tube amp to get a good overdriven amp tone on to tape? Any tips for miking 1x12 combo amps, multiple mics?

2) What would your advice be for a 34 year old singer songwriter who just wants to get his music recorded for himself more than for release? Hire musicians and go to the cheapest studio possible? Try to do it at home?

3) It seems that a lot of "indie music" rejects pop type melodies, what is your take on music that's easy to listen to in that sense, too obvious to be good?

4) How about a trade. Help with my music for NLHE lessons?

5) Why and when did you stop taking drugs?

6) What do you think about multi-genre fusion shredders like Guthrie Govan?

7) What's your guitar rig (guitar, pedalboard, amps, etc)?

Thanks,

Chris

Steve, who is your favorite comedian?

Also, who has been the most unintentionally hilarious musician you've ever met (besides Urge Overkill)?

Hey Steve,

Are you posturing for relevance on poker message boards now?

I love how critical you can be of other musicians. This from a guy who puts a record once every six years.

Why is the new Shellac record so half-assed?

If you want people involved in your shows now, how come you never tour?

Is it true David Yow thinks your a sword swallower?

Where do has-beens go to die?

Wank on,

Kepsey

Is Kepsey a nom de pricque for Nash Kato?

The new Shellac rec. is (for my money) the best Albini release since "Two Nuns..."

Is that poker money or milk money?

You Mom wants to use the computer now.

Tom Jones is chiming in on a Mah-jong board...

I know you are not a big Pumpkins fan, but what is your opinion on Billy bringing back the Pumpkins without D'arcy and James?