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floop
= Wannabe Volunteer =
Mexico
15297 Posts |
 Posted - 07/08/2004 : 14:37:28
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i don't know if he is. i've never met the guy.
but what's up with him and his blasse attitude towards the Pixies? there was that book that came out recently (i can't think of the name of it, mabye THIS BAND COULD BE YOUR LIFE or something) where's he's quoted as saying, basically (paraphrasing): "yeah the Pixies weren't that good. they were just a basic college band"
and then in the Pixies DVD, it's interesting that he only compliments Kim and Dave Lovering (and i think Joey). no mention of Charles whatsoever..
i wonder if they had some falling out or something. or if he's just an a-hole. or if he really is that clueless. or, if he's just trying to seem cool by being blasse about producing one of the coolest bands that ever existed.
"yeah, the Pixies.. i remember them.. they were alright"
il n'est pas être facile le Maître des quesadillas, mais il se sent bon. |
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misleadtheworld
* Dog in the Sand *
United Kingdom
1222 Posts |
Posted - 07/08/2004 : 14:40:00
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I don't know, he does come across that way sometimes. He seems a bit of an elitist, and most of those come across as a-holes, even if they're not.
Maybe he's just fed up with bands saying "yeah! we want that surfer rosa sound".
 Hey Sandy |
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Cheeseman1000
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Iceland
8201 Posts |
Posted - 07/08/2004 : 14:41:53
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I did an assignment on the man at uni. He's just really, really opinionated. Not an essentially horrible person, but I think there's a little bit of that 'I don't want to be *too* populist' attitude.
I think he's a talented producer (or whatever he likes to call himself), though - I've never heard anyone record drums quite like Albini. Its just that he takes it on himself to singlehandedly uphold the indie ethic a bit too much.
Kind regards,
Dr. Simon
Specialist In Broken Hearts |
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misleadtheworld
* Dog in the Sand *
United Kingdom
1222 Posts |
Posted - 07/08/2004 : 14:42:47
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Simon, what did you study at uni?
Hey Sandy |
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floop
= Wannabe Volunteer =
Mexico
15297 Posts |
Posted - 07/08/2004 : 14:46:00
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there's nothing wrong with being opinionated.
it's just that his opinions are.. wrong.
il n'est pas être facile le Maître des quesadillas, mais il se sent bon. |
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Cheeseman1000
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Iceland
8201 Posts |
Posted - 07/08/2004 : 14:48:50
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I did Sound Engineering Tom - the aim of the assignment was to use one producer as a case study.
It was an ace course - as I think I may have already mentioned (once or twice), I did my dissertation on the Pixies...
Kind regards,
Dr. Simon
Specialist In Broken Hearts |
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misleadtheworld
* Dog in the Sand *
United Kingdom
1222 Posts |
Posted - 07/08/2004 : 15:19:43
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Sound engineering! Excellent. I'm doing Music Tech in september, I assume it's fairly similar.
Has that Pixies dissertation been on here? I recall downloading something like that, I never knew it was yours. It was good!
Hey Sandy |
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BLT
> Teenager of the Year <
South Sandwich Islands
4204 Posts |
Posted - 07/08/2004 : 15:50:19
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| I met him and Santiago to interview them on Big Black's final tour in 1987. He was a slight bit pompous (I remember he corrected someone's grammar) but not dislikeable. He definitely has his own strong convictions and opinions and he is usually right. |
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floop
= Wannabe Volunteer =
Mexico
15297 Posts |
Posted - 07/08/2004 : 15:55:48
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i would say he's perhaps not right in his opinions about Pixies.
does anyone have that quote?? (from that book) it's pretty harsh.
il n'est pas être facile le Maître des quesadillas, mais il se sent bon. |
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chineselover
= Cult of Ray =
Ireland
348 Posts |
Posted - 07/08/2004 : 16:52:51
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| i remember reading that for a few years he denied ever producing surfer rosa - point blank. he did that for a few years, denying all knowledge of it... |
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BLT
> Teenager of the Year <
South Sandwich Islands
4204 Posts |
Posted - 07/08/2004 : 17:07:44
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This is my favorite photo I ever took:
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El Barto
= Song DB Master =
USA
4020 Posts |
Posted - 07/08/2004 : 18:30:31
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Asshole or not, I love his sound.
I guess I just wasn't made for these times. |
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WolfManMikeLonely
= Cult of Ray =
USA
936 Posts |
Posted - 07/08/2004 : 20:38:37
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Albini says a lot of things just to shock people, I think. He's been quoted as saying recently that mclusky are the only band in Britain that are any good or something to that effect. Can't say I disagree with him there, hell I'm starting to think that mclusky are the only band around right now that are any good anywhere. Well, them and the Unicorns.
"Hey fuck you if you don't like it."
-Johnny Thunders
www.transposed.net |
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Levitated
= Cult of Ray =
Chile
652 Posts |
Posted - 07/08/2004 : 22:13:56
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| naah he just wanted to keep producing the pixies but they didn't let him :D |
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speedy_m
= Frankofile =
Canada
3581 Posts |
Posted - 07/09/2004 : 00:54:33
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He's awful opinionated for someone who recorded a Bush album. After that level of sell-out (which, from what I've read, he freely admits too), I might be a little less harsh on others. Especially the Pixies.
 Wokka Wokka!! |
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PixieSteve
> Teenager of the Year <
Poland
4698 Posts |
Posted - 07/09/2004 : 01:16:55
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| Cheeseman, did you need to have any specific A levels to do Sound Engineering at uni? I haven't researched yet, but I am very interested in doing something like that. |
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Peter Walker
- FB Fan -
United Kingdom
189 Posts |
Posted - 07/09/2004 : 02:10:48
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I remember the last ever issue of Vox magazine in the UK (this would be 1998, because the feature tied in with the first FB&TC album) had a "Heroes and Villains" section with Frank, and it was pretty clear that he was very annoyed by some of the things Albini had said. Roughly quoting: "There's a producer I could name (whereupon Vox inserted "we think he means Steve Albini, readers"). I'm not saying that he was my cup of tea or I was his cup of tea, but it was a gig for him and a gig for me....." and then Frank went on to say that said producer had implied in interviews that he (FB) hadn't really had a clue what he was doing during the recording. The pay off line was words to the effect of FB saying that this person was very high on the list of people in the record industry he wishes he'd never associated with.
I can maybe dig this piece out if anyone's interested. |
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whoreatthedoor
> Teenager of the Year <
Spain
2873 Posts |
Posted - 07/09/2004 : 02:32:33
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Who decides to change Albini's production after Surfer Rosa. Was Albini, Pixies or 4AD. Maybe he is an a-hole, but I wish they stayed with him for another record.
 "Join the Cult of the whore at the door / And You'll find no answers, but real fun" |
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the thing
= Cult of Ray =
United Kingdom
313 Posts |
Posted - 07/09/2004 : 04:09:41
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Dont the band talk about Surfer Rosa on the Tour section of the Pixies DVD, Charles or Kim saying they spent did the vocals in a day and spent the next 2 weeks on the guitars, presumably they regarded Doolittle as an improvement on that sound - with Gil Producing instead...
 How does lemur fur, reflect the sea? Someone should do tests |
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Mad Lucas
- FB Fan -
Australia
144 Posts |
Posted - 07/09/2004 : 05:12:21
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Kim said that yeah. She kinda laughs at the concept as well as she says it (dunno what you can take out of that).
I think Steve Albini really wanted to make Surfer Rosa much like a live recording without an audience, unlike Gil Norton, who wanted to record the albums like normal, with effects and as perfect as the band can perform the songs.
The Organic Anti-Beat Box Boy |
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Mad Lucas
- FB Fan -
Australia
144 Posts |
Posted - 07/09/2004 : 05:13:31
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blah, that made no sense
The Organic Anti-Beat Box Boy |
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the thing
= Cult of Ray =
United Kingdom
313 Posts |
Posted - 07/09/2004 : 06:34:55
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Sure it did, there's this weird kind of swingometer thing going on with the Pixies back cat - from under produced (COP), to some would say over produced (TLM), with Doolittle sitting somewhere in the middle as the perfectly produced Pixies album...maybe
How does lemur fur, reflect the sea? Someone should do tests |
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shineoftheever
> Teenager of the Year <
Canada
4307 Posts |
Posted - 07/09/2004 : 10:07:22
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quote:
Originally posted by BLT
This is my favorite photo I ever took:
Did you really take that one BLT? Is that from the final Big Black show? more info please!
"You'll soon be dust your deeds already are, You saw no orb no fiery bushes either, I must be drunk I feel unsteady, No monster me, sadly no saint either... " |
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BLT
> Teenager of the Year <
South Sandwich Islands
4204 Posts |
Posted - 07/09/2004 : 10:19:02
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quote:
Originally posted by shineoftheever
Did you really take that one BLT? Is that from the final Big Black show? more info please!
Yeah, I have some more photos of it at my web site:
http://www.smashitup.net/bigblack/
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floop
= Wannabe Volunteer =
Mexico
15297 Posts |
Posted - 07/09/2004 : 12:26:02
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there's no doubt he's extremely talented. i'm glad he produced those Pixies records.
this thread is about whether he's an a-hole or not though.
i vote: yes.
il n'est pas être facile le Maître des quesadillas, mais il se sent bon. |
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shineoftheever
> Teenager of the Year <
Canada
4307 Posts |
Posted - 07/09/2004 : 12:40:17
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i've got some video from that gig, big black = noise merchants!
sent you an e-mail BLT!
jon |
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The Champ
= Cult of Ray =
Canada
736 Posts |
Posted - 07/09/2004 : 14:50:41
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I dont care what his opinions are of the band, he did his thing then it was over
I'd much rather have gill producing, much more of a "Producer" then albini was..i mean he didnt do anything to the songs, he just recorded them. The sound that was produced was pretty good i guess, but i was never a huge fan of it. |
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ObfuscateByWill
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1887 Posts |
Posted - 07/09/2004 : 17:43:52
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Man, the only Big Black I have Hammer Party. (It's shit.)
What am I missing out on?
*Shka-pow! You're Dead! |
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apl4eris
~ Abstract Brain ~
USA
4800 Posts |
Posted - 07/09/2004 : 21:16:06
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Well, Songs About Fucking, for one. Honest. I wouldn't steer you wrong.
Or would I?
Nah.
 RIP Little Bucharest: Yuppies. They don't eat goulash. |
Edited by - apl4eris on 07/09/2004 21:16:50 |
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DruggedBunny
= Cult of Ray =
United Kingdom
395 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2004 : 05:35:34
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I'd say Songs About Fucking here, too (kicks ass), then Atomizer. The Bennies, some of whom are around here, recorded with him and said he was a really nice guy, and actually was quite happy to have been associated with the Pixies, despite what he's said in the past. I'm pretty sure a search on these forums would turn that up (though the search has always seemed broken to me, so maybe not).
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"Nothing to do about it..." |
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random
- FB Fan -
2 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2004 : 12:19:14
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hi, i was just searching the web for new pixies info and found myself here. i thought i`d add what little i know of him.
well i met him before the rapeman gig at the harlsden mean fiddler, london in october 88 and he was happy to chat and seemed like a nice bloke. after the show i was suprised to see most of the pixes sittng round a table. they had played there the night before. anyway i got chating with kim deal about the gig, bigblack rapeman etc and she seemed to realy rate him.
all a very long time ago i guess :)
ObfuscateByWill, check our Rapeman, Two nun`s and a pack mule. but if ya thought hammer party was shit i`m not sure ya gonna like any of his stuff. it is f*%king awesome though. |
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Cheeseman1000
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Iceland
8201 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2004 : 12:39:28
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Tom - I don't think my uni (www.saeuk.com) required any particular A-levels, but then I did Music (with a music tech module) so that may have been a requirement, I dunno.
I had to give a presentation about Steve Albini as part of this project, so first I introduce the man, give a brief outline of his career etc. I had already turned the volume nicely up, so my next step was: 'this is an example of his work with his original band Big Black, the song's called Kerosene'.
Can you imagine the look on peoples faces as that kicked out of the stereo at high volume? Priceless.
Kind regards,
Dr. Simon
Specialist In Broken Hearts |
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billgoodman
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Netherlands
6214 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2004 : 15:09:06
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well Kim must like him
she worked with him on 2 breeders albums
so that should be ok
Frank I believe thinks Steve is a nutcase
In the big mojo article frank explains that
albini didn't think the pixies were a good band
and only did it for the money
he doesn't regret working with him
but he does regret it that Steve Albini is such a hot shot producer
cause of Surfer Rosa
which is true, Kurt Kobain wanted Albini for In Utero becuase he loved the way the drums sound on SR
There's a lot of speculation about Albini in a book about Nirvana (Come As You Are)
Kurt thought that he wouldn't like him but it turned out to be alright
I still thought he was sexist and stuff
And that he asked a lot of money
 "I joined the Cult of Frank/Nobody wanted to join my Culf" |
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Cheeseman1000
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Iceland
8201 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2004 : 16:21:17
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I get the impression that he charges what the band can afford - so for example, he makes enough money flogging Bush, Nirvana et al for all they are worth to cover being able to record more obscure bands like Killdozer, Mclusky, Low and so forth.
He says that his major prerequisite for working with a band is that they have to be in it totally for the music rather than money. I can understand the Nirvana situation, that Cobain was so disillusioned with life as a high-rolling rock star that he wanted to go back to playing punk rock. I don't really understand working with Bush though.
Kind regards,
Dr. Simon
Specialist In Broken Hearts |
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The Champ
= Cult of Ray =
Canada
736 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2004 : 21:20:53
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| Yea after listening to In Utero i realised how much Kurt obiously wanted a SR sounding record. . I mean everythings the same..the mind set of the band compared to the pixies, the sound of the recording (rough hard fuckoffish) etc...the type of music being played.. |
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TarTar
* Dog in the Sand *
1965 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2004 : 19:46:49
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Albini really likes Kim Deal.
Narcoleptic, Neurotic" (alternate title: "Little Pissant") and "Jesus
Hello": These In Utero discards sound like many other Nirvana songs: soft, loud, soft, loud, etc. They're most notable, however, for Cobain's use of chain saw and harmonium, the latter at the suggestion of producer Steve Albini, who once told Guitar Player magazine, "I was doing everything I could to make Nirvana as uncommercial as every other band I've worked with, except the Breeders, because I wanted to fuck Kim Deal."
"There is a new craze in the nation/ it is lamination/ we like to laminate/ we laminate our driver's license/ so cannot be changed" |
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Topic |
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Steve Albini: a-hole?
