Nirvana has shared the letter the late Steve Albini sent them ahead of working on their 1993 album, In Utero.
In the letter, Albini, who preferred the term “engineer” to “producer,” lays out his “recording methodology and philosophy,” including his famed opposition to taking royalties.
“I do not want and will not take a royalty on any record I record,” Albini wrote. “No points. Period. I think paying a royalty to a producer or engineer is ethically indefensible.”
“The band write the songs. The band play the music,” he continued. “It’s the band’s fans why buy the records. The band is responsible for whether it’s a great record or a horrible record. Royalties belong to the band.”
You can read the entire letter on Nirvana’s Facebook page.
Albini passed away the night of Tuesday, May 7, at age 61. Others who’ve paid tribute include Pixies, The Breeders, PJ Harvey, Sonic Youth‘s Thurston Moore, Jack White, Lamb of God and Rage Against the Machine‘s Brad Wilk.
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