Though he was a native of the
U.K., Iain Burgess' name was
ubiquitous on some of the most
influential recordings from the
Midwestern post-punk scene of
the '80s, and he could boast of
engineering credits on some of
the best records Chicago ever
produced, among them "Atomizer,"
"Bulldozer" and "Racer X" by Big
Black, "Fly on a Wire" by the
Effigies, "Throb Throb," "All
Rise" and "Jettison" by Naked
Raygun and "Three Chord Monte"
and "Earwig" by Pegboy.
According to reports on numerous
punk Web sites, Burgess died on
Thursday of a pulmonary
embolism, a complication of
pancreatic and liver cancer.
Though Burgess moved to
France in the early '90s. where
he was a operating a studio in
the countryside called Black
Box, the massive, crunching,
live-and-in-your-face sound that
he captured on those Midwestern
punk recordings of the '80s
continues to be emulated by
countless other producers and
artists, and chief among his
many acolytes was his friend and
student, Chicagoan Steve Albini.
"Iain was a dear friend and
mentor, and I consider him
responsible for a good many of
the best things that have ever
happened to me," Albini wrote in
a post on his own studio's Web
site. "As is the case when
someone important dies, I find
it hard to imagine the world
without him. Black Box survives
as a testament and monument to
Iain's imagination and
perseverance. It's in the
running for the best place on
earth to make a record."
Burgess' discography also
included work with the Bhopal
Stiffs, Bloodsport, Ministry,
the Defoliants, Heavy Manners,
the Cows, the Poster Children,
the Didjits, Breaking Circus and
Jawbox, among many, many others.
A funeral service reportedly
is planned for Feb. 19.
According to reports on numerous punk Web sites, Burgess died on Thursday of a pulmonary embolism, a complication of pancreatic and liver cancer.
Though Burgess moved to France in the early '90s. where he was a operating a studio in the countryside called Black Box, the massive, crunching, live-and-in-your-face sound that he captured on those Midwestern punk recordings of the '80s continues to be emulated by countless other producers and artists, and chief among his many acolytes was his friend and student, Chicagoan Steve Albini.
"Iain was a dear friend and mentor, and I consider him responsible for a good many of the best things that have ever happened to me," Albini wrote in a post on his own studio's Web site. "As is the case when someone important dies, I find it hard to imagine the world without him. Black Box survives as a testament and monument to Iain's imagination and perseverance. It's in the running for the best place on earth to make a record."
Burgess' discography also included work with the Bhopal Stiffs, Bloodsport, Ministry, the Defoliants, Heavy Manners, the Cows, the Poster Children, the Didjits, Breaking Circus and Jawbox, among many, many others.
A funeral service reportedly is planned for Feb. 19.