Celebrities and Musicians React to Steve Albini's Death: 'A Heartbreaking Loss of a Legend'

Music lovers around the world are reeling after legendary producer and noise rock artist Steve Albini died from a heart attack at age 61 on Tuesday, May 7. The engineer made several posts on BlueSky in the hours before his death.

One of the messages was a joke: "The Rolling Stones lips but it's a butthole," he said. "Do they still sue people? I have an idea."

But Albini's very last post showed the musician's more thoughtful side. He responded to a user who contended that everything will be fine if former President Donald Trump ends up in prison. Albini didn't agree.

"From the beginning, the danger hasn't been Trump. He is constitutionally lazy, ignorant, unambitious and just generally not good at things," the producer said.

"The danger is from people supposedly in opposition doing fuck all to stop the rest of his coterie, categorically more evil, ambitious and skilled than him."

Fans, musicians and celebrities have shared their condolences en masse on social media.

"Ugh man, a heartbreaking loss of a legend," actor Elijah Wood said in a tweet. "Love to his family and innumerable colleagues."

Comedian Marc Maron posted a tribute to the producer, as well.

"The great Steve Albini has died," Maron said. "He engineered some of the greatest albums of all time. Here’s our 2015 talk in remembrance. Rest in heavy peace, Steve.

Comedian and drummer Fred Armisen posted a lengthy note about Albini to Instagram

"I love Steve so much. We said it more often to each other in recent years. I’m so glad I got to tell him," he said. "He was such a good friend to me, endlessly. I admired his work ethic and his warmth… I’m really going to miss him. It’s a heavy loss."

Pixies posted a picture of the engineer to their Instagram account. He recorded the band's debut 1988 studio album Surfer Rosa.

Albini also meant a lot to members of Cloud Nothings. He produced their 2012 record Attack on Memory.

"Steve touched countless lives and changed mine and many others for the better," the band said in a tweet. "A genuine, singular, principled person. spent the last 40 years helping people make art. there's no reason for him to be gone and the world is less interesting without him. just a really sad day."

Albini was incredibly open and honest, but that could also him somewhat abrasive at times.

"Rip steve," the hardcore band F--ked Up said in a tweet. "You hated our band and made fun of us while we were recording at your studio but you stood for something honest and fair in music and tried to make it a better place in everything you did and there will never be another one like you."

But Albini was also a kind man who took budding producers under his wing. That included former Death Cab for Cutie guitarist Ben Walla.

"Steve was so generous and good to me when i was young and new," he said. "I have so much to say but it’s gonna take a sec, i’m just tremendously sad. gawd i loved that guy."

Albini was born in California and spent many of his formative years in Montana, but his music career didn't pick up until he moved to Evanston, Illinois to attend Northwestern University. That's where the journalism student got involved with Big Black, Rapeman and Shellac.

"Sad, sad news. Steve Albini RIP. " said Greg Kot, a former music critic for the Chicago Tribune. "He defined Chicago music for so many of us the last 40 years."