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Few figures had as far of a reach in independent music as Steve Albini, who died at 61. As a musician, Albini influenced generations in his formative post-punk band Big Black and his ongoing band Shellac (which is releasing a new album next Friday). In the studio, he recorded and engineered hundreds of albums, from influential rock records like Nirvanaâs In Utero and PJ Harveyâs Rid of Me to contemporary albums like Joanna Newsomâs Ys and Cloud Nothingsâ Attack on Memory. Many admired Albiniâs staunch independence in the music industry. Upon Albiniâs death, Pixies, who recorded their 1988 album Surfer Rosa with Albini, honored him on social media. Cloud Nothingsâ Dylan Baldi called Albini âa genuine, singular, principled personâ in a tweet.
Many more indie bands who looked up to Albini posted tributes, including Ratboys, Chat Pile, and Speedy Ortizâs Sadie Dupuis, who said Albini âchanged my worldview.â A number of independent record labels also honored Albini, including Don Giovanni Records, who called him âthe last person in the music industry who actually mattered while maintaining a fierce code of ethics around their work.â And the guitarist Bill MacKay, who recorded at his studio Electrical Audio, remembered sharing âone unforgettable & hilarious Ramen dinnerâ with Albini. Below, more tributes to Albini.