There has (probably) never been a time when Steve Albini gave an interview and some curious nuggets of truth didn't come from it. This GQ Interview is no different - Albini remains as open and honest as he's ever been. A lot of people find this to be offputting and abrasive but there's a refreshing angle to his clarity that you have to respect. He has some seemingly harsh words for Sonic Youth and their involvement in the major label world of music that many music fans seem quite bothered by but I just read it as one mans opinion, not a hard-line fact.

Despite all that, he does mention a band that he worked with lately, Grandfather, that impressed him with their speed and efficiency of working outside the label system to record and release an album. During Albini's heyday it was not possible to be quite so nimble.

My favorite quote in the whole interview comes in regards to the late John Peel:

His work ethic was absolutely incredible. He made it a point of pride to listen to every record that anyone sent him. He would listen literally to dozens of records a day. He said something once that I thought was really profound: He said that no one would bother making a record and sending it to him if he thought it was shitty. Obviously, to the people making those records, they are important. If he doesn't get it as a listener, if he didn't like it in some way, that's his fault, not the fault of the people who did something important to them. That's a pretty amazing, humble insight for someone like him to have.

Good advice to remember.