Butch Vig

Butch Vig
Vig in 2006, at his Smart Studios recording studio
Vig in 2006, at his Smart Studios recording studio
Background information
Also known asNevermind Man
Born
Bryan David Vig

(1955-08-02) August 2, 1955
OriginMadison, Wisconsin, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Musician
  • record producer
  • songwriter
InstrumentDrums
Years active1978–present
Member ofGarbage
Formerly of

Bryan David "Butch" Vig (born August 2, 1955) is an American musician, record producer, and songwriter who is the drummer and co-producer of the rock band Garbage. Vig produced for several alternative rock acts of the 1990s, including Nirvana, the Smashing Pumpkins, L7, and Sonic Youth. Notable albums he produced include Nirvana's diamond-selling album Nevermind (1991), L7's Bricks Are Heavy (1992), the Smashing Pumpkins' Siamese Dream (1993), and Green Day's 21st Century Breakdown (2009).

A native of Wisconsin, Vig studied at the University of Wisconsin and performed in local bands Spooner and Fire Town. He set up his own recording studio in Madison, Smart Studios, with bandmate Steve Marker. After becoming well known as a producer, he formed and played drums with Garbage, which sold 17 million records over a ten-year period. Vig returned to producing full-time when Garbage went on hiatus in 2005. The band reconvened in 2010 to record material for their fifth album. In 2012, NME ranked Vig the ninth-greatest producer of all time.