Following the tragic news that Steve Albini passed away at the age of 61, the music world has been paying tribute to the indie rock icon. Nirvana, Michael Azerrad (who wrote the 1993 Nirvana biography Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana), Pixies, Superchunk, Jack White, The Breeders, Cloud Nothings, Fred Armisen, David Gedge (of Wedding Present, who told us about the album he made with Albini in an interview), Low, Lamb of God, Fucked Up, CLPPNG, Jarvis Cocker, Neurosis, Conan O’Brien, Sadie Dupuis (of Speedy Ortiz), Ted Leo, Lee Spielman (of Trash Talk), Liturgy, Ian Williams (of Battles), HEALTH, Ratboys, Nada Surf’s Matthew Caws, Into It. Over It., Sleaford Mods, The Ataris, David Grubbs, Amanda Palmer, BadBadNotGood, John Helps (of Maybeshewill), Flat Worms, Drew Daniel (of Matmos), Ulver, Velocity Girl, Dave Bazan (of Pedro the Lion), Wheatus, Dan Boeckner (of Wolf Parade, etc), Mclusky’s Andrew Falkous, Jenny Lewis, Jon Wurster, Laura Jane Grace, Kevin Devine, Chat Pile, Today Is The Day, Sub Pop’s Bruce Pavitt, Tad Doyle, William Bennett (Whitehouse, Cut Hands), Lawrence Rothman, Teen Suicide, Bill MacKay, Bryndon Cook (of Starchild & The New Romantics), Colin Young (of God’s Hate, Twitching Tongues, etc), mastering engineer Heba Kadry, comedian Sarah Squirm, actor Elijah Wood, Chickfactor, Don Giovanni Records, Numero Group, Secretly Canadian, Polyvinyl, Invada Records, Trouble in Mind, Rough Trade Records, Riot Fest, Primavera Sound, and more have shared messages.
PJ Harvey wrote in a tribute, “Meeting Steve Albini and working with him changed the course of my life.”
Thurston Moore penned a very lengthy tribute to Steve (read it in full), and Thurston’s former Sonic Youth bandmate Lee Ranaldo posted a tribute (included in the list below) as well.
Steve’s Big Black bandmate Santiago Durango (also of Naked Raygun) penned a tribute for Rolling Stone, which reads in part, “I always believed Steve would outlive me. It makes me happy to know Steve lived a full life doing what he wanted to do… What gets overlooked about Steve is that, when everything else is stripped away, he was simply a decent man. Everything makes sense when Steve is viewed through that lens. He was a loyal and lifelong friend because he was a decent man. He was a much better friend than I deserved.” Read the rest here.
Joanna Newsom paid tribute to Steve on stage at Kilby Block Party and you can watch that here.
Dave Grohl dedicated “My Hero” to Steve at the Foo Fighters‘ Charlotte show on Thursday (5/9) and you can watch that here.
Read on for the many, many tributes to Steve…
Steve Albini. pic.twitter.com/DzYjvJykdx
— Nirvana (@Nirvana) May 9, 2024
I'm terribly sad to hear we lost Steve Albini – I met him recently in his studio and he handed out cucumbers from his garden. He was a sharp, honest, funny, and uncompromising man and I'm sorry for his family, friends, and music lovers everywhere.
— Conan O'Brien (@ConanOBrien) May 9, 2024
I don't know what to say about Steve Albini's passing. He had a brilliant mind, was a great artist and underwent the most remarkable and inspiring personal transformation. I can't believe he's gone.
— Michael Azerrad (@michaelazerrad) May 8, 2024
https://twitter.com/cloudnothings/status/1788250869261279535/
I remember that Zak and I were just giddy to get to record with him. Mim was like “ya whatever” but then they hit it off and got along like old school buddies. They both had the same dry sense of humor and would give each other shit about reverb and tooth brushing.
❤️🥁❤️— LOW (@lowtheband) May 8, 2024
He INCLUDED us/you in his brilliance. What a gift. So grateful for him.
— LOW (@lowtheband) May 8, 2024
Well said. https://t.co/qrzccMzVTk
— LOW (@lowtheband) May 8, 2024
In 2018, Burn The Priest covered Big Black’s Kerosene.
RIP to a legend, Steve Albini. https://t.co/96VKOTJoey
— Lamb Of God (@lambofgod) May 8, 2024
rip steve
you hated our band and made fun of us while we were recording at your studio but you stood for something honest and fair in music and tried to make it a better place in everything you did and there will never be another one like you
— Fucked Up (@FUCKEDUP) May 8, 2024
oh gosh, steve albini. i have gotten so much out of so many records he made. another person i admire who i'll never get to work with. here's to all the recording engineers and mixers and producers, making the sounds that so enrich our lives, you are wizards ✨💙✨
— matthew caws (@nadasurf) May 8, 2024
There’s a very specific lyrical tribute to Steve Albini on CLPPNG that I don’t think anyone has ever noticed. Always hoped I’d get to tell him about it one day. RIP
— Clipping (@clppng) May 8, 2024
https://twitter.com/intoitoverit/status/1788577813454360783
https://twitter.com/sad13/status/1788249269750599893
https://twitter.com/sad13/status/1788294931326329160?s=46&t=INBlINr-gw4OqXdFDsQDbQ
https://twitter.com/sad13/status/1788316003459359149?s=46&t=INBlINr-gw4OqXdFDsQDbQ
Cannot believe Albini is gone
— Continuity Ted Leo Account 🍉 (@tedleo) May 8, 2024
R.I.P. Steve Albini 🎸
Thanks, and we love you, and we miss you.
MELT-BANANA pic.twitter.com/PW6zRMtvCw— MELT-BANANA (@melt_banana) May 9, 2024
round of fucking applause for Steve Albini
i – and from the looks of it many other people – will miss him very much
made art and so lived forever, all that, but also managed to be as standup a guy as you could hope for
x
— falcotronic (@shit_rock) May 9, 2024
RIP Steve Albini. The Trash Talk S/T LP was a very raw time for us as a band. You welcomed us in with open arms for that session. I’ll never forget that week. 👑🔊
— Lee Spielman (@LeeSpielman) May 8, 2024
Extremely saddened to hear of Steve Albini’s death 💔
— Litvrgy (@LITVRGY) May 8, 2024
RIP to the legend Steve Albini. Hero to all of us. https://t.co/8wtcKGUaJn
— HEALTH (@_HEALTH_) May 8, 2024
Can’t believe this. Steve Albini was one of our heroes and one of the reasons we feel so proud of be a part of the Chicago music community.. sending love to his family and friends and holding his records close forever. Can’t believe it https://t.co/NbtpNhjX6a
— Ratboys (@Ratboysband) May 8, 2024
Man, what awful news.
Love this man’s recording and all of his bands.
Sonically his drum sound was one of a kind.
Grew up on those Big Black albums and seeing Shellac play the tri-state area.R.I.P. Steve Albini
Thank you for your undeniable mark on music and recording. pic.twitter.com/zCXIKUJUC0— The Ataris (@theataris) May 8, 2024
In shock at Steve Albini's sudden passing. Such a brilliant, infinitely generous person, absolutely one-of-a-kind, and so inspiring to see him change over time and own up to things he outgrew. I met Steve when I was a junior in high school, and not only did Big Black slay me 1/x pic.twitter.com/Dl7iEss3I2
— David Grubbs (@blackfaurest) May 8, 2024
https://www.instagram.com/p/C6t5lfXrDIH/
r.i.p. Steve Albini
— badbadnotgood (@badbadnotgood) May 8, 2024
I'm saddened to learn of the death of Steve Albini. Like so many, I loved his firebreathing Big Black records as a teenager. I met him briefly at Jason Noble's memorial service and found him to be a kind and thoughtful person. My thoughts go out to his friends and family.
— DREW DANIEL (@DDDrewDaniel) May 8, 2024
RIP Steve Albini (1962—2024) pic.twitter.com/Q0FMqEJBow
— Ulverofficial (@ULVEROFFICIAL) May 8, 2024
albini’s realness, wisdom, and wicked wit will continue to guide me for the rest of my life
— Dave Bazan (@davidbazan) May 8, 2024
this steve albini shit just sucks
— wheatus (@wheatus) May 8, 2024
Don’t even know what to say about Albini. Wrote some of the most grueling stuff ever recorded (Jordan, Minnesota), disorienting cinema verite recordings that pulled focus from small/dry to huge/cavernous, volleyball hitting a chain link fence guitar burned in my brain since youth
— Boeckner (@d_boeckner) May 8, 2024
god damn steve albini died?? fuckin hell
— RICKY EAT ACID & TEEN SUICIDE (@rickyeatacid) May 8, 2024
https://twitter.com/ColinYovng/status/1788244885902090575
https://twitter.com/johnshewill/status/1788244840750133671
I so much enjoyed his trail-blazing bands & talent, and recording songs at his great studio. I admired his fierce fight for justice and fairness, and had one unforgettable & hilarious Ramen dinner together. He'll never be forgotten.
Rest in Power, Steve Albini pic.twitter.com/EXaoCcFCGM
— Bill MacKay (@BillMacKay68) May 8, 2024
i once snuck into First Avenue to borrow a keyboard stand, only to stumble on a Shellac soundcheck. Watched Albini, Bob Weston & Todd Trainer rip it. Last year we got to do a bunch of Primavera Fest shows w them & spend some time. Sending love and prayers to Albini Fam & Friends https://t.co/nUqzunsVvF
— STARCHILD (@thisisbryndon) May 8, 2024
https://twitter.com/thisisbryndon/status/1788251164296765908
😭💔 LOVE U STEVE ALBINI 💔😭 pic.twitter.com/H2IWlOCXts
— SARAH SQUIRM (@SarahSquirm) May 8, 2024
Ugh man, a heartbreaking loss of a legend. Love to his family and innumerable colleagues.
Farewell, Steve Albini. pic.twitter.com/xVY27cmdbU— Elijah Wood (@elijahwood) May 8, 2024
https://twitter.com/chickfactor/status/1788244752061870081
Steve Albini was the last person in the music industry that actually mattered while maintaining a code of ethics around their work.
You were so generous with your time Steve and I am going to miss you so much. Thank you for everything. 🎈
— Don Giovanni Records (@DonGiovanniRecs) May 8, 2024
An unfathomable loss, impossible to fully trace the profound impact he made on all of us, on the sound of music itself.
Thank you, Steve
— Polyvinyl Record Co. (@Polyvinyl) May 8, 2024
RIP to Steve Albini, a wizard who would hate being called a wizard, but who surely made magic.
Here's the Electric Audio layout for 'Magnolia Electric Co', just sketched out simply, on paper, like it's not poised to shift time and space and all our hearts. pic.twitter.com/u1PRGrpi2M
— Secretly Canadian (@secretlycndian) May 8, 2024
https://twitter.com/trouble_in_mind/status/1788258153903083587
He favoured the title of ‘recording engineer’, but Steve Albini always brought an intangible brilliance to the studio, as the records he made for us with Jarvis, Low and black midi attest.
Like all music fans, everyone at Rough Trade will miss his sound, his ideas and, most of… pic.twitter.com/gMKiI1Id2W
— Rough Trade Records (@RoughTradeRecs) May 8, 2024
RIP Steve Albini. This fucking sucks.
— Riot Fest (@RiotFest) May 8, 2024
Estamos sin palabras. Nos ha dejado Steve Albini a los 61 años. Hemos perdido a una leyenda de la música, pero sobre todo a un amigo. A un miembro de nuestra familia. ¿Y ahora qué vamos a hacer sin ti, Steve?
Después de actuar en 15 ediciones del festival, se nos hace muy… pic.twitter.com/brT0Cwv3sH
— Primavera Sound (@Primavera_Sound) May 8, 2024
Struggling to find any words upon hearing of the passing of Steve Albini. Body of work aside, he was one of the most thoughtful, funny and generous people I’ve ever known. Hard to quantify his impact on the countless (non-famous) musicians he helped over the decades.
— CSTB (@cstbtweet) May 8, 2024
Rest easy Steve Albini. A nice man, a good punk rocker and poker face eternal. Rest up geezer. Sleafords ❤️
— Sleaford Mods (@sleafordmods) May 8, 2024
Wrigley organist playing Nirvanas heart shaped box between innings as a tribute to Steve Albini who passed away today
— Wrigleyville Nation (@wrigleyvillenat) May 8, 2024
We’re deeply saddened to hear of Steve Albini’s passing and keep his family in our hearts. Thank you for all that you contributed to punk rock in our town and the reverberations of creativity you brought forth, felt the world over. pic.twitter.com/WkisQaMEpH
— Metro (@MetroChicago) May 8, 2024
https://twitter.com/brucepavitt/status/1788252850939896022?s=46&t=XbCV5JY6HWv2nGAgXpe7-g
This thread has the kind of humility that makes me go “damn, I’m tryna to be like that.” Grateful for how this guy shaped my sensibilities and made music. May we all live with the non-grace of being a continually evolving human being . https://t.co/3WzLBdEqTY
— Katie Alice Greer (@K_ALICEGREER) May 8, 2024
We are devastated at the news of Steve Albini’s passing. We just recorded with him at Electrical Audio less than a month ago (a lifelong dream come true). Still in shock. RIP Steve. pic.twitter.com/TaLSUZ4bRu
— Toadies (Official) (@thetoadies) May 8, 2024
God damn. Where do I start? Steve Albini was one of my true hero's and someone I looked up to. Steve's passing today is one of the saddest things that I could ever hear. You will be missed Obi Wan, you had balls and a brilliant creative mind. RIP Steve pic.twitter.com/Tb5Dle5hku
— TODAY IS THE DAY (@todayistheday66) May 8, 2024
https://twitter.com/chatpileband/status/1788265921703981234?s=46&t=XbCV5JY6HWv2nGAgXpe7-g
RIP Steve Albini, whose piece “The Problem With Music” (1993) still rings true in 2024. pic.twitter.com/j69DmqJGnj
— United Musicians and Allied Workers (@UMAW_) May 8, 2024
“I liked Steve Albini a lot, and had planned to work with him.”
—GVCIt is with sadness that we acknowledge the passing of Steve Albini — listen to his conversation with Jerry Casale at the link below:https://t.co/zI5vIT8Wbl@Talkhouse pic.twitter.com/2u6xOYxLGg
— DEVO’s Gerald V. Casale (@Gvc3Casale) May 8, 2024
As well as producing Ocean Songs by Dirty Three, we also released the album Liar’s Exit by Bikini Atoll which Albini produced and it was a stark and bleak record, the moods he excelled in. RIP to Steve Albini, gone way too soon. https://t.co/kKvvU3vqJn
— Simon Raymonde (@mrsimonraymonde) May 8, 2024
https://twitter.com/franznicolay/status/1788317616999682058?s=46&t=INBlINr-gw4OqXdFDsQDbQ
https://twitter.com/shamirbailey/status/1788302895437287446?s=46&t=INBlINr-gw4OqXdFDsQDbQ
https://twitter.com/marcmaron/status/1788258392634695998?s=46&t=INBlINr-gw4OqXdFDsQDbQ
Steve was such a good, caring, and funny guy. I will always treasure the night in ‘99 when he took me to Second City to see a show. I walked into the Electrical kitchen at the agreed upon departure time and he looked at my head, smiled and said, “Your hair is peak Mellencamp.” ❤️
— Jon Wurster (@jonwurster) May 8, 2024
https://twitter.com/laurajanegrace/status/1788280161655267536?s=46&t=INBlINr-gw4OqXdFDsQDbQ
RIP steve albini, thank you for some of my favorite records of all time <3
— Told Slant (@Felixixix666) May 8, 2024
https://twitter.com/kevindevinetwit/status/1788386263403286997?s=46&t=XbCV5JY6HWv2nGAgXpe7-g
man oh man
rest in peace steve albini
but i still love steely dan— jenny lewis (@jennylewis) May 9, 2024
Albini: the very definition of a real one.
— Chris Forsyth (@TheChrisForsyth) May 8, 2024
https://twitter.com/advancebase/status/1788296196571762927?s=46&t=XbCV5JY6HWv2nGAgXpe7-g
RIP Steve Albini
— Tad Doyle (@TadDoyle_Tad) May 8, 2024