After you worked on 'Gub', I remember reading some disparaging remarks between you and Trent Reznor. A few years later, you worked on one of his albums. Did the two of you end up getting along better, or was it just business?

Also, what are your thoughts about King Buzzo and the Melvins?

Steve,
I am a Shitape (as proven by my one post), but I love reading your opinions on recording. Thanks for doing this. I can't believe you put up with so much [censored] every time you try and do something like this. I opened a small studio about three years ago and share a lot of your opinions about recording. Do you feel that a studio starting now can make it without catering to the fix it in the mix/edit mind set? Oh, and thank you for your work with Jesus Lizard.

First I just want to say I think it's amazing that you're doing this. I'm a new engineer and you're by far one of my biggest influences. Anyway, I went through about 20 or so pages and didn't see this question asked so I figured I'd give it a shot...

To make it short and simple, what are/were your thoughts on Peter Sotos? I read that he lived with you around the time of his trial and while I find his books to contain some of the most visceral writings since De Sade, I'm much more fascinated with the man behind the writings and recordings.

First off, thanks for recording the last few Neurosis records. It's always nice to have my mind blown out like that, every couple of years.

Now...to a couple questions:

Where does Powerage rank, as far as your favorite AC/DC records go?

What's the worst hand that you've won the most money on (in a game with other serious players, that is)?

Have you heard that Grinderman record? If so, what do you think of it?

He is a terrific writer and a genuinely good guy. It's hard to explain to someone unfamiliar with his writing, but he can effectively evoke feelings that one is uncomfortable entertaining. His writing is the most intellectually and emotionally honest of anybody I can think of. I admire the brutish simplicity, the conversational tone of the invective and the comfortable familiarity with the people and situations in his narratives.

His subject matter can be hard to handle, but if you have (or develop) the stomach for it, the writing is superb and it can reward parts of your intellect you didn't know you had. His records, similarly, can give you the capital-letter creeps. The unique element of his art is that he's not affecting anything. None of it is for show. Every sentiment is utterly genuine, and expressed in a way that will bring you into that frame of mind with no sleight of hand. Creating a compelling body of work with such hard-boiled artlessness and lack of poetry is unique in literature.

Peter never lived with me, and I don't get to see him as often as I like, but I consider him a genius and great friend, and I would go to some lengths for him if needed.

1/2 Back in Black (best songs, best ass-kickingness)
1/2 Highway to Hell (best singing)
3 Powerage

There's a sort of competition in the Tuesday Game to see who can book the biggest win starting with J4 off-suit, a pet hand we have nicknamed the Buzzsaw. It gets played ridiculously fast, as this example will show:
Or this one from the limit division:

Have not heard it, but the lineup looks pretty good.

What has been your relationship with Jim O'rourke? It seems like since you both work as engineers in Chicago with some of the same artists, and possibly share some personal friends, that you've probably bumped elbows once or twice. Also, how do you feel that he was touted by the press as the "producer" on Joanna Newsom's last record?

Also, if you would be so kind, could you listen to a few seconds of my band and offer a brief critique? If you don't want this thread to go down that road, I totally understand. But I would very much like to hear what you think. Whatever you say about us, we will post on our page, unedited, accredited to you. http://myspace.com/hatetruck

Jim is a good guy, excellent musician and has worked on a bunch of great records. He is more of a producer than engineer, but he gets great results from some sometimes temperamental artists, so more power to him.

Jim hasn't lived in Chicago for a while, and has said some unflattering things about the music scene here, but I have not noticed anybody harboring a reciprocal grudge against him, and he is still generally appreciated and welcomed here.

I don't much care about credits. I'm just glad Joanna likes it, and I got to work on it.

Then you totally understand.

This pretty much guarantees that I won't be listening to and commenting on your music.

Any details on the In On the Kill Taker sessions? Was the band just not with it then or what exactly caused things to not work out. Would seem like a great combo.

Hi Steve,
I'm 5 years late, sorry for that....I always wanted to personnaly thank you for probably one of the best week end of my life, which is when Todd, Bob and you curated ATP in 2002.
That week end made love rock music even more than before and I was proud to be part of a specific community, which is actually a word that I don't really like.
I discovered new bands like PW Long and Stinking Lizaveta.
I felt the luckiest bastard on earth to see bands that I adore like Silkworm,Arcwelder,Shipping News,Wire,etc...I can go on and on.
So as I said, I'm 5 years late, but thank you sooooo much Steve, Todd and Bob!!!

I'll think of a question later.

diego

hey Steve

Do you remember Le Vénéré club ?? ( special question i know for the veterans we are)

if you want more details, tell me

I am fan of some Tim Kinsella and his music (Joan Of Arc, Owls, Make Believe) but there is also a fair chunk of crap he has released under various monikers. If anything I think he needs a bit of self-editing at times. What has your experience been working with Tim Kinsella? While a lot publications seem to take joy in taking him down a peg each time a record comes out, how is he perceived within the Chi-town community?

Also, thank you for taking Jessica Hopper down a notch. I'm glad I'm not the only one who has found her "journalism" to be third-rate and alarmist at best.

Please bring Shellac to Montreal and show us how it's done.

Hi Steve,
I have been lurking this forum for a couple of months and this excellent thread made me want to register...
Here are my questions :

Can you tell grossly, how much an artist/band makes for each album sold :
- from a major
- from a fake indie label owned by a major
- from a big indie label
- from an obscure label
- directly from the band/label website
- during a live show

Did you bang Mia from Electrelane during the recording sessions (or at least tried to)?

Did you know that there was a small french "post/free rock" band named "Enregistré par Steve Albini" (recorded by...) ?
I don't know if it's a tribute or a sarcastic name to mock an albini-hype but anyway this must prove you are now in the rock n roll hall of fame, and I guess it must be very strange to have a band named after yourself...
If you are curious you can hear what they are doing here : http://stevealbini.free.fr/

Thx & sorry for the possible english mistakes in my post,
Yop

"Thank you, I love it too. Glad you noticed our considered pace. Perhaps if everybody put out fewer records more of them would be worth listening to."

Only if your the one clicking the mouse, Stevo. $600? You sister doesn't even charge that much...

Is it because I asked to many questions or because someone told you I kissed a gay guy once on the lips? That was a vicious rumor anyway.

J4x... isn't that the Naked Larry?

What was up with the booing Shellac received at the Stooges show? Aside from T&G emailing me about your opening slot (and then not posting it on your tour page) there was next to zero notice given about Shellac playing that show. Was that on purpose?

I hate to use a broad brush but that crowd had a serious "goon" element which is part of why most people didn't know who the hell you guys were.

Something tells me the band took some pleasure in the confrontational aspect.

I was at that show. One of the most fun shows I've ever witnessed. Spit and pumpkin flying everywhere, from what I can recall.

This begs the question: WHY are you playing music? If you're doing it cause you think it should or will lead to fame/sex/riches then I think you should buy a lottery ticket, or get an MBA, and you'll have a better chance of achieving those ends.

However, if you're playing music cause you enjoy playing it, and have some thing (more or less) to say musically then getting beer is perfectly acceptable recompense. The amount or type of compensation you receive should have no bearing on your ability to adhere to personal ethical and aesthetic principles.

Making the music is the end in itself, not a means to some other reward.

What's more, many artists and musicians actually hold down "real" jobs in order support their creative habit. Rather than viewing this as a failure (if you don't get paid, it ain't worth doing) one might read this a sign of dedication to the creative work for its own sake.

Two questions:

You play a Travis Bean and have recommended the Electrical Guitar line of instruments -- never having played either, what are the benefits (sonic and otherwise) of an aluminum neck guitar?

To what do you attribute this? Bureaucracy/incompetence or do they hope you'll give up and they'll get to keep the money?

Over the years Powerage has edged out Highway to Hell, on my list. Back in Black...I dunno. I can really get behind some of the songs on there, but Brian Johnson's voice just grates on my nerves and stands in the way of the songcraft, in my opinion.

More questions:
When's the next Shellac and Fugazi weekend at The Congress? It's a shame Fugazi hasn't really played any music together for the past few years.

What are your vices, beyond poker?

Have you heard much Qui? I've only heard a couple songs, plus some YouTube clips. Pretty interesting, thus far.

my god, there are some serious troglodytes on this board.
this F.F. Woodycooks fellow seems to have his head buried so far up his poop chute he can't tell up from down.
thank you, steve, for spelling it out for him. why is it so hard to believe that some people won't do anything for money?
also, seriously, dish about 18th Dye.

Here's what will get nowhere with me:

1) Music fan dorks signing up with new accounts and disparaging regular participants in this forum. They are here and contributing on a regular basis, and you are a guest. If a guest is an ass, he will either be ignored or insulted.

2) Asking me here (or in private messages) to go to your web page or Myspace page and listen to your music. I have made it clear that I do not care what kind of music you (any of you) make. If it interests me, I will discover it on my own, and if it doesn't, it would not prevent me from working on such a record if asked to. If I happen to like your band's music, there isn't anything I can do to help further your career anyway, so my liking it or not is of no importance.

3) Asking questions that are simple to ask but impossibly complex to answer completely, e.g. "How do I make my recordings sound good," "What should I do to improve my home studio," "What do you think of [x] kind of music," "Tell me some good stories."

That is all.

u read sound on sound or any of those other mags?

Books may seem like antiques in the age of the iphone but would you ever consider writing a book containing some of your knowledge regarding recording techniques?

Thank you,

Brian Wallace

Hi, I was more just making an argument to understand why bands like SP are reviled as 'sellouts' just because they were good enough and good at the game, and didn't mind making a nice living. I am totally fine and understand just doin it for fun and enjoyment, I don't think those are the people that take it seriously enough to produce something fantastic that reaches a ton of people. Is it wrong to seek commercial success if you think you're good enough and palatable enough for broad consumption?