Chicago based producer Steve Albini has slated Sonic Youth in a provocative new interview.
Steve Albini isn’t known for holding back on his opinions. The producer is famously forthright, retaining the outspoken allure of his days as a controversial young fanzine editor.
Still producing fantastic material, his less-is-more style has influenced countless new bands. Now in a new interview Steve Albini has slated Sonic Youth for choosing to sign with major label Geffen in 1990.
The move was heralded as a sea change for underground rock, with Sonic Youth acting as talent scouts for the label. Amongst the acts they ushered onto the roster was the little known three piece Nirvana.
Speaking to GQ, Steve Albini heavily criticised Sonic Youth for their actions. “I don’t know the exact circumstances of Sonic Youth’s decision, so I’m not comfortable saying they did it wrong. But a lot of the things they were involved with as part of the mainstream were distasteful to me. And a lot of the things that happened as a direct result of their association with the mainstream music industry gave credibility to some of the nonsense notions that hover around the star-making machinery”.
Continuing, Steve Albini explained that the New Yorkers could have enriched independent culture. “A lot of that stuff was offensive to me and I saw it as a sellout and a corruption of a perfectly valid, well-oiled music scene. Sonic Youth chose to abandon it in order to become a modestly successful mainstream band – as opposed to being a quite successful independent band that could have used their resources and influence to extend that end of the culture.”
Finishing, the producer said: “I still consider them friends and their music has its own integrity, but that kind of behaviour – I can’t say that I think it’s not embarrassing for them. I think they should be embarrassed about it.”
Oh dear. A true clash of the titans, Sonic Youth have yet to respond. Read the entire interview HERE.
