What a sad loss. Good musician, amazing recordist / producer. On such a wide range of records including acoustic ones like Joanna Newsom’s Ys and Nina Nastasia’s LPs (I think he said Dogs is one of his favourite albums he recorded and it’s perfect) that mean so much to me. His The Problem With Music article is hugely influential and I remember reading it decades ago and it changing a lot of my perspective on things. Seemed a good guy with most of what he said.
A massive loss for music.
Powell sent an email to Albini, asking if he could use a sample from him for a song, with a link to a first version of the song. Steve Albini replied with that email, so Powell used the words in the email as a clip for “Insomniac”. Not sure the billboard is real tho.
Thanks! I’ve no idea who Oscar Powell is, but I can gather from the context what kind of music he makes…
such a bummer. heart attack. ugh. studio life can be hard on the human being over a life time. his voice on the music industry and engineering, producing etc will be missed. he seemed to have a different view that was thought provoking and promoted positive aspects of working with bands and the industry. a real one. RIP
what the fuck???
Actually, the Powell video wasn’t quite what I was expecting from Albini’s reply, and provides a bit more context. An interesting little story…
Agreed—the use of drum machines in Big Black is so powerful. Their cover of Kraftwerk’s The Model is akin to Devo’s take on Satisfaction—reverential and revelatory.
Merde… A legend is gone…
Very sad. No age at all to go.
Absolute legend. Love how outspoken he was, love how generous he was with sharing knowledge, love how much he stuck to his ethics. He was truly one of a kind. RIP to a great man. Way too soon.
This is my favorite album he’s done (and one of my favorite albums, period).
Wow this is unexpected. Don’t care about any of the other stuff he did but Big Black, Rapeman, and Shellac are all pure transcendent brilliance and the sound of my youth. Oh yeah, there’s Surfer Rosa to consider as well. RIP
Absolutely gutted, a huge loss.
This is a sad day for music. What a shame it’s right before the album and the tour.
Oh damnit. I never expected this. Loved how he hated dance music, while making dance music. Being from the Midwest, I love a good ol cranky German. His music blew my mind. Saw Shallac the last couple times they played in the Bay. Will miss his banter between songs, which if I remember correctly were very cranky Midwest. Hopefully these shows were recorded. FUCKIN LEGEND.
Yep exactly the Album I was thinking of! When In Utero came out I drove my brothers car illegally at age 15 to a mates place listening to it full volume on the car stereo… Then at my mates we kept listening to the album all day pretty much on repeat… Good times.
Of course now I don’t have the patience to listen to an Album at all I just watch Youtube make music work, invest, stress about money for the future… you know REAL life stuff 
But Thanks Steve Albini for the great contribution to music RIP. Gone to soon for sure.
I’ve always felt fortunate I caught Shellac on their first tour for “At Action Park” back in the early nineties. Loud, abrasive, and epic.
The man will always cast an enormous shadow over the more interesting realms of guitar oriented music. We are all fortunate for the time he spent amongst us.
Apparently the billboard is real. Powell asked Albini if he can use that letter in promotional material for the song, to which Albini replied “Still don’t care”.
Powell then put up that billboard.
I only listen to Molina when I want to cry uncontrollably.
Didn’t It Rain is one of my favourite albums of all time (not recorded by Steve Albini unfortunately)