Effectively-regarded music producer and two-time World Collection of Poker bracelet winner Steve Albini handed away Tuesday evening at age 61 after struggling a coronary heart assault.
In a profession courting again to the early Nineteen Eighties, Albini produced albums for bands like Nirvana, Pixies, Bush, PJ Harvey, the Breeders, Chevelle, Joanna Newsom, and extra, figuring out of his Electrical Audio studio, whereas additionally performing together with his personal bands Massive Black and Shellac.
Albini was well-known for his opposition to conventional report trade contracts, refusing to take royalties from the artists he produced for. He engineered the recording of greater than 3,000 data general, most notably Nirvana’s In Utero.
The Chicago resident additionally had a ardour for poker and accrued greater than $370,000 in dwell match winnings in a profession stretching again to 2010, whereas enjoying in an everyday house recreation for a few years.
The important thing to poker is managing threat, it’s one of many only a few video games the place the items on the board are cash. There’s a false impression that poker is a card recreation that includes cash, it’s really a betting recreation that includes playing cards.
— Steve Albini (@AlbiniSteve) February 26, 2021
Numerous Profession & Pursuits
As a producer, Albini labored with a variety of artists from various rock to Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant and Jimmy Web page to people acts and singer-songwriters.
“The recording half is the half that issues to me — that I’m making a doc that data a bit of our tradition, the life’s work of the musicians which are hiring me,” Albini advised The Guardian final yr. “I take that half very severely. I need the music to survive all of us.”
Poker was a giant a part of Albini’s life as effectively and he performed in a house recreation for years with prime combined recreation professionals akin to Brandon Shack-Harris, Eric Rodawig, Jason Gola, Matt Ashton, and Matt Grapenthien.
In 2018, Albini grabbed his first WSOP bracelet in a $1,500 Seven Card Stud occasion for $105,629. 4 years later one other bracelet got here his manner in a $1,500 H.O.R.S.E occasion for $196,089.
“All the pieces in my life is available in items, in elements,” he stated after the second win. “Poker is one a part of my life. So after I’m enjoying poker, I attempt to decide to it. I attempt to take it severely. I strive to ensure I dedicate the eye to it that it deserves as an occupation. But it surely’s solely a part of my yr. I solely play tournaments on the World Collection of Poker. I play money video games informally in Chicago. It’s part of my livelihood, but it surely’s not my career.”
Albini is survived by his spouse, movie director Heather Whinna.
In 2020, Albini was interviewed for an episode of Card Participant’s Poker Tales Podcast.
Shocked and saddened to listen to in regards to the demise of @electricalWSOP. We performed poker collectively on many events, and all the time had the perfect time. Steve was really one in all a form. Rattling.https://t.co/3vLLkYpjzI
— Richard Roeper (@RichardERoeper) Might 8, 2024
Unhappy to listen to in regards to the passing of Steve Albini. He was probably the most fascinating and principled individuals I met in poker, and it’s all the time cool when somebody who has nice success in life decides to spend the free time they’ve earned enjoying some playing cards. RIP https://t.co/HU2UqZeOA6
— TonyDunstTV (@tonydunsttv) Might 8, 2024
10 years in the past I used to be within the studio with Steve Albini and a band I used to be working with on the time – he lower a day’s session quick as a result of he received a name there was a “whale” at a poker recreation in Indiana and needed to drive on the market to attempt to clear him out.
RIP legend
— Jonathan King (@jonoking138) Might 8, 2024
My favourite reality about Steve Albini is him being a high-stakes skilled poker participant. The person chargeable for influencing rock and he finally ends up profitable $100k at a Worlds Collection of Poker match whereas sporting a Cocaine Piss shirt (and once more 4 years later) pic.twitter.com/9b269npIKG
— Parallel_LCD (@Parallel_LCD) Might 8, 2024
