Sad to report the passing of musician/producer Steve Albini, who died of a heart attack on May 7th at age of 61. Albini’s music career started as lead singer/guitarist of Chicago punk band Big Black in 1981. He later formed Rapeman in 1987 and Shellac in 1992.

Albini left his mark on the Alternative format. He produced Nirvana – In Utero (1993), Pixies – Surfer Rosa (1988), and so many indie artists. In 1995, he bought Electrical Audio, a recording studio in Chicago.

Electrical Audio issued the following statement:

On the night of May 7, our captain, Steve Albini, died unexpectedly. We are struggling to comprehend and process this loss.

Steve was a hero to all of us, our friend and mentor. He was one of the greatest living recording engineers, tirelessly dedicated to capturing the creative work of the bands and artists he worked with. He saw recording almost as an ethical imperative to document the music of the world around him.

Steve had a profoundly generous spirit; he was always willing to share his knowledge and expertise, and his time and attention. He gave all of us at the studio a shot in an ever-dwindling industry and became our fierce advocate, as he did for countless others in his orbit over the years.

We are honored to have spent time alongside him in his career-long project of building and sustaining a recording studio that has come to serve as a home base for anyone wanting to make music on their own terms. We are grateful to have been given the grace of his knowledge, his loyalty, his kinship, his love.

Thank you, Steve. We love you.