AceShowbiz - The gold-record award for Nirvana’s final album, 1993’s In Utero, which was presented to Steve Albini, the album’s recording engineer, is now available for purchase. This unique award, marking sales in Indonesia, has been kept in Albini’s archives for decades and is being sold through Steve Albini’s Closet, a posthumous auction platform. The sale opens with a blind bid starting at $5,000, with bidding scheduled to close on May 3.

The story behind this Indonesian gold record reflects Albini’s long-standing punk ethos. According to the auction listing, when Albini initially received the official RIAA Gold Record Award for In Utero, he returned it to Nirvana’s management. This act was in line with his philosophical opposition to major labels and their business practices. Later, at someone else’s suggestion, he requested the award back, but it was no longer available and its whereabouts remain unknown.

To compensate, Albini was sent the Indonesian version of the gold record, which now serves as the only tangible award from the multi-platinum album in his possession. This Indonesian plaque is not the original RIAA-certified award but is the one that Albini kept and is now putting up for auction.

Kurt Cobain, a well-known fan of Albini’s previous work, particularly with the Pixies and Albini’s own band Big Black, personally sought him out to record In Utero. Despite Albini’s controversial reputation at the time—stemming from his involvement with the band Rapeman and some contentious writings—Cobain admired the raw, unfiltered sound Albini had achieved on albums like Surfer Rosa.

In the fall of 1992, as Nevermind had cemented Nirvana’s global success, Cobain approached Albini about recording their next album. Albini initially hesitated but later sent a detailed four-page fax to the band in November 1992. In it, he praised their instinct to “bang a record out in a couple of days, with high quality but minimal ‘production’ and no interference from the front-office bulletheads.”

He also clarified his ethical stance on payment, stating he found it “ethically indefensible” to receive royalties as a producer or engineer and preferred to be paid a flat fee for his work, “like a plumber.” Albini reportedly accepted just $100,000 for recording In Utero, considerably less than typical industry standards for an album of such prominence.

The recording sessions took place over two weeks in February 1993 at Pachyderm Studio in Minnesota. Cobain famously recorded all the vocals in about seven hours, while drummer Dave Grohl completed the drum tracks in three days. “He was one of our heroes, I was totally intimidated,” Grohl recalled in 2013.

Bassist Krist Novoselic has said the band felt the need to prove themselves to Albini. They did so by recording “Serve the Servants,” the album’s opening track, in a single take, impressing the engineer immediately. This moment was pivotal in establishing trust and creative synergy among them.

Beyond the sessions, Albini bonded with Grohl through playful antics, including setting fire to tape-cleaning alcohol and pulling pranks on friends. One notable prank involved Albini impersonating Madonna’s assistant to prank Evan Dando of the Lemonheads, keeping him on hold for 45 minutes. Another had Albini calling Gene Simmons, pretending to be Cobain, which Grohl described as “hilarious.”

However, tensions arose after the recording was completed. The band’s label reportedly found In Utero too raw and abrasive for mainstream audiences and pressured for remixes to soften the sound. The label allegedly cast Albini as a scapegoat for the album’s unpolished production. Albini himself has said the rumors about conflicts originated from the record company, which he accused of attempting to undermine Nirvana’s confidence.

Years later, Albini reiterated to Tape Op magazine that the label launched a “publicity campaign to try to shame the band into doing the record again,” describing it as “pretty creepy and weird.” Despite this, In Utero remains a critical and fan favorite, celebrated for its raw power and authenticity, much of which can be credited to Albini’s recording approach.

Now, the Indonesian gold record tied to this iconic album offers a rare glimpse into the complicated history behind In Utero. While it is not the original RIAA award, it is the only physical plaque that Albini kept and is a testament to his unique involvement with one of rock’s most influential albums. Collectors and fans interested in owning this piece of music history can participate in the auction until May 3, with bids beginning at $5,000.