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The Crushed Monocle Podcast is a show where Jon and Coop talk about stuff. All the stuff! Music, movies, shows, life, whatever. They will mispronounce names, poke fun at themselves, and never fail to profess their love for the 1995 masterpiece, Showgirls. Doesn’t that excite you? Sure it does! This is why it’s very important you subscribe to this podcast on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you consume fine podcasts. After that, sit down a spell and listen to Crushed Monocle Podcast: Episode 9 – An Evening With Steve Albini.
In front and behind the mixing console, Steve Albini is an audio mastermind whose career has been defined by DIY ethos.
From fronting influential bands like Big Black and Shellac to producing bands like Pixies, Jawbreaker, Urge Overkill, Fugazi, and Slint, Albini is the epitome of indie music. But his seemingly simple craft hasn’t been limited to garage rock and the underground. Albini’s credit also includes the likes of Jimmy Page & Robert Plant, The Breeders, Cheap Trick, Sunn O))), Failure, and one of the most important records of the 1990s, Nirvana’s In Utero.
Raw, visceral, and uncompromising, Albini’s style isn’t to challenge the artist but to bring out their best for a product that will outlive trends, buzzwords, and the listener. All of which is done by recording everything analog as opposed to digital. While this has made him somewhat of a rogue in the record business, Albini’s Chicago recording studio, Electrical Audio, has been the home of thousands of artists and projects.
But beyond some of our favorite records, Albini is also experienced in the business side of the music industry.
More importantly, he knows how easy it is for artists to be screwed over by the players behind the curtain. In the infamous 1993 essay, The Problem With Music, Albini took aim at the industry side of music with brutal honesty. From pointing out which executives to look out for to tallying up the cost of a recording contract, Albini’s lessons still ring true today.
In this conversation, Coop, Jon, and Steve Albini discuss:
- The appeal of stoner rock and black metal
- Spending 5 months on a Jimmy Page and Robert Plant record
- Bush putting in the work and not being Oasis
- Nirvana not bending to their label
- Shellac playing shows during the early days of the pandemic
- Albini’s thoughts on Showgirls (of course we asked.)
Do these topics interest you? Sure they do! It’s why you’ve stuck with us to this point! So, don’t forget to subscribe, like, and share The Crushed Monocle Podcast in your favorite format. Sit back, and enjoy Jon, Coop, and the legendary Steve Albini, as we talk about stuff. ALL the stuff!
Resources: Shellac | Crushed Monocle on Twitter | Crushed Monocle on Facebook | Electrical Audio Studios | Steve Albini’s “The Problem With Music” essay