Hip hop

SST Records producer Spot has died.

The West Coast punk figure was 73 years old; his death was confirmed by sources close to the producer.

The producer – real name Glenn Lockett – was born in 1953, and befriend Greg Ginn in a local vegetarian restaurant. Drawn into the line up of Panic, soon to become Black Flag, he was retained during the initiation of SST Records.

Known for his no-nonsense approach to production, he helped shape the label’s sound, credited as Spot on their records.

Producing classic records such as Husker Du’s golden run and Minutemen’s influential series of records, he helped stamp out the labels sound.

Departing SST in 1986, he moved to Austin, Texas becoming an influential photographer on skate scene.

He exhibited throughout his life, as recently as a 2018 gallery on the West Coast.

Confirming the news, Minutemen bass player Mike Watt writes: “good people, we just lost my old buddy spotski, a terrible blow. he recorded the minutemen’s first stuff, I go way back w/this man. brother matt took this shot six years ago when spotski came to visit our pedro town… man, this is a terrible blow. I love you spotski forever.”

Steve Albini noted SPOT’s enduring influence, writing: “Every music scene needed someone to document it, someone with no agenda, an open mind and hot mics. SPʘT was the archetype scene recording guy, the guy we all emulated and whose role we tried to play. For a while there half the records I bought had his name on them. Requiescat.”

Every music scene needed someone to document it, someone with no agenda, an open mind and hot mics. SPʘT was the archetype scene recording guy, the guy we all emulated and whose role we tried to play. For a while there half the records I bought had his name on them.
Requiescat.🎈

mdash; steve albini (@electricalWSOP) March 4, 2023

Husker Du singer Bob Mould called the producer “a wonderful soul who loved making music”:

From 1982 to 1984, Hüsker Dü recorded four projects with SPOT. We worked at Total Access in Redondo Beach CA, mostly during the discounted overnight hours. SPOT always encouraged free expression and experimentation, even as those recordings were made as expeditiously as possible.

— Bob Mould (@bobmouldmusic) March 5, 2023

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