Steve Fisk

Lore & Background

Fisk made his solo debut in 1980 with contributions to compilations. He joined the instrumental band Pell Mell in 1982 and later formed the electronic band Pigeonhed in 1993. He has produced or engineered for numerous acts including Nirvana, Soundgarden, Screaming Trees, Beat Happening, and Low. He composed ambient installations for the Experience Music Project and received the Stranger Genius award in music in 2015.

In Their Own Story

The studio was already humming with the low thrum of a running tape machine when Fisk walked in, a patch cable in one hand and a half-remembered chord progression in his head. Prince was perched on the console, headphones half-on, tapping a rhythm against the fader bank. "Play me something that sounds like a church that's on fire," he said, not looking up. Fisk plugged in, ran his fingers across the keys, and let a swelling, detuned pad wash over the room while a staccato arpeggio cracked underneath it like heat shimmer off asphalt. Prince pulled the headphones off, nodded once, and said, "Again. But sadder." The tape kept rolling. The take that stuck was the one where Fisk almost let the chord ring out, almost let it breathe, and Prince decided that almost was exactly right.

Reader's Guide

Fisk's career spans solo releases, production work for Sub Pop and major labels, and collaborations with artists such as Shawn Smith, Ben Gibbard, and Reggie Watts. His notable production credits include Nirvana's Blew sessions and Pigeonhed's Battle Flag remix.

Did You Know?

• Fisk produced Nirvana's Blew sessions in 1990.
• He co-wrote and produced the score for the Kurt Cobain documentary About a Son with Ben Gibbard.
• His Pigeonhed track Battle Flag was licensed for TV shows like ER, Smallville, and Dawson's Creek.