The Problem With Music by Steve Albini

Tokolosh · 07.02.2007, 12:26 PM

This has probably been posted before, but it's an interesting read nevertheless.

The Problem With Music
by Steve Albini

Whenever I talk to a band who are about to sign with a major label, I always end up thinking of them in a particular context. I imagine a trench, about four feet wide and five feet deep, maybe sixty yards long, filled with runny, decaying shit. I imagine these people, some of them good friends, some of them barely acquaintances, at one end of this trench. I also imagine a faceless industry lackey at the other end holding a fountain pen and a contract waiting to be signed. Nobody can see what's printed on the contract. It's too far away, and besides, the shit stench is making everybody's eyes water. The lackey shouts to everybody that the first one to swim the trench gets to sign the contract. Everybody dives in the trench and they struggle furiously to get to the other end. Two people arrive simultaneously and begin wrestling furiously, clawing each other and dunking each other under the shit. Eventually, one of them capitulates, and there's only one contestant left. He reaches for the pen, but the Lackey says "Actually, I think you need a little more development. Swim again, please. Backstroke". And he does of course. Read more...

Glice · 07.02.2007, 01:10 PM

I've seen this on loads of music forums, but then, it really should be a compulsory text for anything thinking of making a sound at some point in their life. Great article.

king_buzzo · 07.02.2007, 01:13 PM

awesome article, I was gonna post this here about a week ago but i thought that you guys already read it.

HairwayToSteven · 07.02.2007, 02:25 PM

Great article, indeed.

SonicSam · 07.02.2007, 02:42 PM

I thought was gonna be about the problem with music that steve albini makes, thats what the title sounds like. Good article though, very good.

m^a(t)h · 07.02.2007, 02:47 PM

thats retarded, im sorry

SonicSam · 07.02.2007, 03:13 PM

Not really, that is what it sounds like.
Your user name is retarded

Smokers Gifts · 07.02.2007, 07:49 PM

It's compiled in this book, and there are lots of other great essays in it.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_b/202-7240725-7680604?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Commodify+your+dissent&Go.x=16&Go.y=7&Go=Go
I advise everyone to buy it, read it, love it. Nicked my copy out of the Uni library when I was doing my BA, but there were like 5 copies, and none of them had been taken out by the stupid lager embalmed students at my uni for 3 years.
Seriously, this is a life changing book. And sadly, the stuff it writes about is still incredibly pertinent. Good for working out exactly how you're going to tell the man to go fuck himself.

pbradley · 07.02.2007, 07:56 PM

My problem with Steve Albini's music is that it is too awesome.

And yes, it is a sobering article.

finding nobody · 07.02.2007, 08:12 PM

I thought this thread was going to talk about the problem that Albini makes. Ha!
Very good read by the way.

atsonicpark · 07.02.2007, 09:29 PM

i actually read this article in its entirety for a speech class..

it was cool. no one really comprehended what i was talking about, i think. this was a high school class afterall. but we had to read an article for 6-10 minutes, and i think i read the entire thing at 9 minutes.

i think i skipped some of the figures at the end though..

07.02.2007, 12:26 PM	#1
Tokolosh invito al cielo Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Plaza de Toros Posts: 6,731	This has probably been posted before, but it's an interesting read nevertheless. The Problem With Music by Steve Albini Whenever I talk to a band who are about to sign with a major label, I always end up thinking of them in a particular context. I imagine a trench, about four feet wide and five feet deep, maybe sixty yards long, filled with runny, decaying shit. I imagine these people, some of them good friends, some of them barely acquaintances, at one end of this trench. I also imagine a faceless industry lackey at the other end holding a fountain pen and a contract waiting to be signed. Nobody can see what's printed on the contract. It's too far away, and besides, the shit stench is making everybody's eyes water. The lackey shouts to everybody that the first one to swim the trench gets to sign the contract. Everybody dives in the trench and they struggle furiously to get to the other end. Two people arrive simultaneously and begin wrestling furiously, clawing each other and dunking each other under the shit. Eventually, one of them capitulates, and there's only one contestant left. He reaches for the pen, but the Lackey says "Actually, I think you need a little more development. Swim again, please. Backstroke". And he does of course. Read more... __________________ Anything you can /imagine is real
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07.02.2007, 01:13 PM	#3
king_buzzo invito al cielo Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 11,110	awesome article, I was gonna post this here about a week ago but i thought that you guys already read it.
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07.02.2007, 02:25 PM	#4
HairwayToSteven children of satan Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Iowa. Posts: 266	Great article, indeed.
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07.02.2007, 02:42 PM	#5
SonicSam children of satan Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: UK Posts: 269	I thought was gonna be about the problem with music that steve albini makes, thats what the title sounds like. Good article though, very good. __________________
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07.02.2007, 02:47 PM	#6
m^a(t)h expwy. to yr skull Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 1,204	thats retarded, im sorry
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07.02.2007, 03:13 PM	#7
SonicSam children of satan Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: UK Posts: 269	Not really, that is what it sounds like. Your user name is retarded __________________
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07.02.2007, 07:49 PM	#8
Smokers Gifts little trouble girl Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 48	It's compiled in this book, and there are lots of other great essays in it. http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_b/202-7240725-7680604?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Commodify+your+dissent&Go.x=16&Go.y=7&Go=Go I advise everyone to buy it, read it, love it. Nicked my copy out of the Uni library when I was doing my BA, but there were like 5 copies, and none of them had been taken out by the stupid lager embalmed students at my uni for 3 years. Seriously, this is a life changing book. And sadly, the stuff it writes about is still incredibly pertinent. Good for working out exactly how you're going to tell the man to go fuck himself.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

07.02.2007, 07:56 PM	#9
pbradley invito al cielo Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: SoKo Posts: 10,621	My problem with Steve Albini's music is that it is too awesome. And yes, it is a sobering article.
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07.02.2007, 08:12 PM	#10
finding nobody invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Florida Posts: 7,275	I thought this thread was going to talk about the problem that Albini makes. Ha! Very good read by the way.
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07.02.2007, 09:29 PM	#11
atsonicpark invito al cielo Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 28,843	i actually read this article in its entirety for a speech class.. it was cool. no one really comprehended what i was talking about, i think. this was a high school class afterall. but we had to read an article for 6-10 minutes, and i think i read the entire thing at 9 minutes. i think i skipped some of the figures at the end though.. __________________
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|