Butch Vig

Butch Vig was the premier producer of the alternative rock boom of the early 1990s, helming records for bands including Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins and Sonic Youth, before finding success as a performer with the group Garbage. Born in the small dairy farm community of Viroqua, Wisconsin, Vig studied piano as a child, picking up the drums during his teen years; after two years as a pre-med student at the University of Wisconsin, he dropped out to pursue a career in music, drumming in a local band called Spooner. A fascination with electronic music led him to begin experimenting with synthesizers, and his interests soon led him into production. With Spooner bandmate Steve Marker, Vig bought an eight-track recorder, and in a rented warehouse began producing local punk bands. He also helmed the first three Spooner LPs. While Spooner were on hiatus during the mid-1980s, Butch played drums for the band Fire Town.



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