Apparently Not Everyone Ditches Chicago
Robert Feder recently tweeted a link to Frank Sennett's looong profile of the Groupon guy, so I took the bait. After all, I had two deadlines to meet.
While scanning the piece, the name Steve Albini popped out at me. His band Big Black was one the best, most intense live rock bands I've ever seen (and they used a drum machine named Roland!). Albini went on to found Rapeman and Shellac and become a world-renowned analog record producer. Apparently the Groupon guy had once worked at Albini's Belmont Avenue recording studio.
I immediately abandoned the Groupon guy and did a search on Albini.
Having been out of the hipster loop for some time, I assumed that Albini had fled Chicago, like just about everyone else who achieves a certain degree of success (including Oprah, who plans to get out as soon as she can).
I was surprised and pleased to see he's still here.
And his studio is gorgeous.
In fact, it's exactly how I'd want my fantasy yoga studio to look (except, you know, without all that icky equipment. And there's no word on whether it has radiant floor heat, which is a key component of my fantasy).
I also love the website. The bios are clever (imagine a testosterone-dominated institution that includes bios for their dear departed feline friends!) And the glyphs are to die for (the noose, to designate an owner, is particularly dear).
The forums are brilliant, too.
It's all rather inspiring.
Check it out here.
And check out Big Black during their heyday, here:
i recorded with him years ago. when i was setting up my drums, he walked up to me, extended his hand & said, "hi-i'm steve" duh.
ReplyDeletehe uses all vintage recording equipment-at least he did back then. watching him mix our songs was like watching a mad scientist. & absolutely NO ego.
Yeah,Steve is one of those Chicago Cats like Timothy Powell who could be in LA or New York but stayed in Chi town.
ReplyDeleteHow cool, Bindi....I had a feeling he was something of a yogi.
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