Eno or Albini?
 

Who is the superior producer?

I have to go Albini, I think it's really cool that he isn't in it for the money. Plus he doesn't get that involved with the creative process. Eno's great, the Talking Heads albums he worked on are great, but it seems like he considers himself an actual member of whatever band he works with and pushes his vision on them to an extent.

Discuss?

Hmmm. Tough one. Eno has probably been involved with a more impressive body of work over all but does tend to over involve himself. I do like that raw Albini sound. If I had to choose a producer I would probably go with Eno as I have no talent and he would end up doing some of the legwork. Plus he has that name recognition. I picture Albini just setting up the mics and making me actually write the damn songs myself. But for the bands I like to listen to, I would want Albini.

So Albini wins.

I love Eno, but I think Albini's production style is aging better than Eno's. Plus, Albini's work on Pigface's Gub is better than anything Eno has ever done. Albini all the way for me.

I almost worship Eno as a deity so there's my answer.

You guys said everything I was gonna say already, us bastards. I.prefer Albini- concise, raw, direct.

Wb YD

I just listened to the 1998 Albini produced re-make of In Color by Cheap Trick. That cements it for me. Albini for sure.

Albini isn't in it for the money? The guy won't even talk to you unless you're willing to drop 700 a session. That isn't including the tape you have to buy, and mixing and mastering. You're looking at about $1400/day to record with him.

You may be referring to the article written about him how he feels that the music should be given away for free because it's not about the money.

Music = Free
Albini = Still getting paid.

Easy for him to say that.

Yeah, Albini has been a real money whore over the years...

And there are great producers who don't charge nearly as much, and can craft a WAY better sound in my opinion.

I was referring to the letter he wrote Nirvana outlining his vision for working with them on In Utero.

“I do not want and will not take a royalty on any record I record. I think paying a royalty to a producer or engineer is ethically indefensible. The band write the songs. The band play the music. It’s the band’s fans who buy the records. The band is responsible for whether it’s a great record or a horrible record. Royalties belong to the band. I would like to be paid like a plumber. I do the job and you pay me what it’s worth.”

Obviously he wants to get paid, but he's not unscrupulous about it.

Exactly, I was being sarcastic. Albini has never been one to chase the money. What, is he supposed to do **** for free?

:laughing:

I know you were, no worries.

But yeah, he's also fully prepared to forgo his 450 per day fee if a band runs out of money or can't afford it, he'd rather finish an album than leave it halfway through.

Anybody that forms a band called "rapeman" is probably not looking for mass acceptance.

I will say that I dig the idea of Eno's Oblique Strategies though.

Yeah, I have heard about that over the years. Seems like a great way to break those creative blocks, can you still buy those somewhere?

Assuming a session is a regular-length workday, $700 per session is only $87.50 per hour. That's not much at all for an internationally renowned specialist.

Albini's all about getting it done quickly too, in his mind two weeks is wasting an artist's time.