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So, one time I met Steve Albini.

The term “met” is kind of an understatement though; in reality, I basically spent one awkward, strange day with the man.  Here’s what happened.

Back in my college days, I was the chair of the Audio Engineering Society’s college chapter at my school.  It was my job, amongst other random and nerdy things, to organize events for the chapter to participate in.  I felt it was important to show the university some important figures in the world of studio engineering; during my year we had some huge figures, but we figured none would draw a crowd like Albini could.

I called up Electrical Audio, his dream studio in Chicago, and asked if Steve was available.  The studio manager quickly transferred me directly to Albini, where we chatted for 2-3 minutes about the school and what I was looking for.  He was gracious, quiet, and after I nervously talked his ear off, he just said, “Um, I’m in the middle of a session; can I call you back later?”

Oops.

He called me back a day or so later and we started working out his schedule.  Eventually I got passed off to his studio manager who, I found out, was a stand-up comic on the side.  Over the phone, he told me a number of corny jokes, including this shiner:

You know, my family are Eskimos. I like to tell people that, and then when they say, “Eskimo, huh? That’s pretty cool,” I say, “Actually, we prefer Innuit.”  See? I give them the term, then I take it away.

Explains why he’s a studio manager during the day, huh?

Anyway, we figure out a time and I book his travel — the studio manager says I have him for EXACTLY 24 hours, so “don’t break him!” — and get him a hotel near the school.  We started getting ready, by reserving the largest meeting hall on campus and putting fliers up around the studios.

More to come…