Something to Keep
“Making punk records is definitely a case where more ‘work’ does not imply a better end result.”
Steve Albini
A Second Look
As anyone who’s listened to In Utero knows, Steve Albini and Nirvana were a match made in heaven. What I didn’t know was that Albini had sent a letter to the band explaining his approach to record-making before landing the gig and working on the band’s third and final record. Here are a couple of things that stand out from the letter. You’ll notice that they apply to more than producing punk rock albums:
- The best records are made in a couple of days. There are numerous examples of albums that were made in a short timespan, but some include The White Stripes’ Elephant, The Beatles’ Please Please Me, Led Zeppelin’s first album, and The Ramones self-titled album, among others.
- Working more doesn’t always lead to better results.
- In creative endeavors, there should be room for “accidents or chaos”. I love this. I keep a Notion page with mistakes I’ve found in movies and songs. In fact, just the other day I was watching a YouTube video about mistakes in famous songs.
- And then there’s Albini’s integrity. In the letter, he refuses to take royalties on the record because he finds it unethical. Had Albini taken royalties, he “wouldn’t be able to sleep”. Surrounding yourself with ethical people is always the right choice, if you ask me. If you’re doing the work for the right reasons, you don’t feel the need to take advantage of anyone.
Needless to say, Albini got the job, and it resulted in one of the best records of all time. Nobody expected In Utero to be a hit because it had an abrasive and uncommercial sound. Some called the album “unlistenable”. Since its release, In Utero has sold over 15 million copies worldwide. Steve Albini died of a heart attack in 2024.
You can read Albini’s letter to Nirvana in its entirety here.
Something I Liked
Archipel is one of my favorite YouTube channels, and it always surprises me that it hasn’t reached one million subscribers yet. In their latest documentary, they interview director, animator, and character designer Mahiro Maeda, who’s worked on popular anime like Neon Genesis Evangelion, Castle in the Sky, and The Animatrix.
In the hour-long video, Maeda discusses the challenges of working on different projects. If you’re remotely interested in the work of Japanese creatives, I’m sure you’ll appreciate this documentary.
