Monday, February 24, 2014

Steve Albini Talks In Utero, Nirvana and Shellac.


I have recently uncovered this great interview with Steve Albini @  http://vishkhanna.com were he talks in depth about recording (he always says he doesn't produce records) In Utero with Nirvana  back 1993. The podcast is from 2013 around the time of the Super Deluxe re issue of In Utero,. The reissue contains amongst other things the original Steve Albini mixes for Heart Shaped Box and All Apologies. These mixes were pulled at the time and replaced with Scott Litt mixes, there is also a new "2013" mix of the LP from the master tapes, demos and live versions.

It must say I prefer the Albini mix of All Apologies over the version issued at the time. It's harder, darker with add grit.



The demo version with lots of acoustic guitars is also rather lovely and sounds like R.E.M. circa Automatic for the People, although the vocals are low in the mix and it sounds as if the lyrics hadn't been worked out when it was recorded.



I wonder what an Albini produced R.E.M. would have sounded like?

Steve Albini comes across well and has some good points to make about the reissue industry in general, the mixingand mastering of the reissue, the story behind the 2013 mixes and how the record caused him no end of issues in the year & half after its release. He does come across as bitter or angry at his mixes being removed and in fact comes across as lack any ego in term of his "producer" status.

The full interview is here:

http://vishkhanna.com/2013/08/16/ep-24-steve-albini

You can see a copy of the letter they discussed here:

http://www.factmag.com/2013/09/26/check-out-steve-albinis-incredible-in-utero-proposal/

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