Steve Albini raised his profile while recording Nirvana, the Pixies, the Breeders, P.J. Harvey and more, but he never became part of the rock machine. He works only on analog equipment, refuses to accept producer royalties and takes pride in remaining accessible to a wide variety of artists. Part 1 of this Caropop conversation takes place at his Chicago recording studio, Electrical Audio, as he discusses analog vs. digital technology, whether the digital revolution has been more of a blessing or curse, whether the industry has become more or less exploitative of artists, and which band he’d especially love to record. Always sharp and provocative, Steve Albini pushes you to think deeper about the lasting power of music.