Fugazi Release Long-Shelved 1992 Steve Albini Sessions To Benefit Letters Charity

Legendary post-hardcore outfit Fugazi have officially released a long-shelved set of recordings from their 1992 sessions with famed producer Steve Albini, making the material available digitally for the first time to raise funds for charity.

The recordings were originally tracked during a trip to Chicago while the band were preparing material that would ultimately become their 1993 album ‘In On The Killtaker’. Although the sessions yielded recordings of the entire album’s worth of songs, the band ultimately chose not to release those versions at the time.

In a statement accompanying the release, the band reflected on the circumstances surrounding those sessions and their decision to finally share the material now.

“In the fall of 1992, the members of Fugazi were deep in the process of finishing up the songs that would eventually come out as the ‘In On The Killtaker’ album the following year. The band had been working on the songs for a couple of years and had gotten as far as recording a few of them at Inner Ear as well as making numerous practice recordings, but by late October they seemed to have hit a bit of a wall.”

Seeking a change of pace, the band accepted Albini’s longstanding invitation to record at his studio, which at the time operated out of the basement of his Chicago home.

“In an attempt to shake things up, it was decided that they would take up Steve Albini’s standing invitation to do a free recording at his Electrical Audio Studio… which at the time was located in the basement of his house on North Francisco in Chicago.”

During the trip, the band recorded far more material than originally planned.

“The original plan was to spend a weekend recording just two or three songs, but once everything was set up and the tape was rolling, they just kept on tracking.”

Despite the positive atmosphere and productive sessions — which saw 12 songs tracked and mixed — the band later felt the recordings didn’t capture the songs the way they had hoped.

“It’s difficult to explain the issue, but, for as incredible as things felt while at Electrical, the songs sounded flat in subsequent listens.”

Soon after returning home, Albini reportedly shared similar concerns. The band ultimately scrapped the recordings and later entered Inner Ear Studio with producer Ted Nicely to record the official ‘In On The Killtaker’ album, released in June 1993 via Dischord Records.

Although the recordings remained shelved for decades, bootleg copies of some songs eventually surfaced online in poor quality.

Following Albini’s passing in 2024, Fugazi decided to officially release the recordings in his honor. The digital release features Albini’s original mixes transferred directly from the master tapes.

Proceeds from the band’s share of the release will go to Letters Charity, a nonprofit organization Albini supported alongside his wife Heather Whinna.

The organization provides direct financial assistance to families experiencing urgent economic hardship, using art and music fundraising initiatives to deliver aid without bureaucratic barriers.

The release is currently available digitally only, with the band encouraging fans to support the charitable cause.

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