Steve Albini: US indie-music giant dies at 61

US musician and producer Steve Albini, who was known for his work with acts including Nirvana, the Pixies and PJ Harvey, has died at the age of 61. Albini was an instrumental and uncompromising figure in the US indie scene in the 1980s and 90s, leading bands including Big Black and Shellac. His influence was also heard on the several thousand albums he produced and engineered. They included the Pixies' seminal LP Surfer Rosa and Nirvana's In Utero. Kurt Cobain recruited Albini to record the 1993 follow-up to Nirvana's hugely successful Nevermind after being impressed by his work with Big Black, the Pixies and The Breeders. However, Albini was originally no fan of Nirvana, believing them to be an unremarkable version of the Seattle sound.