Rick Rubin's New Book
"The Creative Act: The Way of Being "
Rick Rubin
Rick Rubin, born on March 10, 1963, in Long Beach, New York, is a legendary record producer and music industry icon known for his profound impact on the world of music.
Rubin's journey into the music industry began during his college years at NYU, where he founded Def Jam Recordings in his dorm room with Russell Simmons. This seminal record label played a pivotal role in the rise of hip-hop and rap in the 1980s, launching the careers of iconic artists like Run-D.M.C., LL Cool J, and Public Enemy.
Rubin's distinctive approach to production, characterized by minimalist, stripped-down soundscapes and a focus on authenticity, earned him a reputation as a groundbreaking producer.
Over the years, Rick Rubin's influence extended far beyond hip-hop, as he delved into various genres, collaborating with artists spanning from rock legends like Johnny Cash, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Metallica to contemporary acts like Adele and Kanye West. (The Top 100 Albums in the Rick Rubin Extended Universe, Ranked)
His ability to coax out the essence of an artist's creative vision and his penchant for unconventional recording techniques have consistently redefined music production.
Rubin's commitment to spirituality and mindfulness has also played a significant role in his life and work, contributing to his unique artistic perspective.
As a record producer, he has received numerous awards and accolades, and his name is synonymous with innovation and excellence in the music industry. Rick Rubin's enduring legacy as a producer, mentor, and tastemaker continues to shape the landscape of modern music.
The following is a chapter from his latest book about the Artist’s creative process:
Connected Detachment (Possibility)
“Consider detaching from the story of your life as it's happening.
The manuscript of the novel you've worked on for years is lost in a fire. Your romantic relationship breaks up when you thought it was going well. You lose a job you care about.
As hard as it may seem, seek to experience events like these as if you're watching a movie. You're observing a dramatic scene where the protagonist faces a seemingly insurmountable challenge.
It's you, but it's not you.
Instead of sinking into the pain of heartbreak or the stress of being laid off or the grief of loss, if practicing detachment the response might be: I wasn’t expecting that plot twist. I wonder what's going to happen to our hero next.
There’s always a next scene, and that next scene may be one of great beauty and fulfillment. The hard times were the required setup to allow these new possibilities to come into being.
The outcome is not the outcome. The darkness is not an end point, nor is the daylight. They live in a continually unfolding, mutually dependent cycle. Neither is bad or good.
They simply exist.
This practice - of never assuming an experience you have is the whole story - will support you in a life of open possibility and equanimity. When we obsessively focus on these events, they may appear catastrophic. But they're just a small aspect of a larger life, and the further you zoom back, the smaller each experience becomes.
Zoom in and obsess. Zoom out and observe. We get to choose.
When we reach an impasse, we may experience feelings of hopelessness. The ability to stay out of the story, zoom back, and see new pathways into and around a challenge will be of boundless use.
If we allow this principle to work on us as we work on it, our imagination frees us from the web of personal and cultural stories engulfing us. Art has the power to snap us out of our transfixion, open our minds to what's possible, and reconnect with the eternal energy that moves through all things”.
-Rick Rubin-
#Creativity, #Art
Rick has a podcast:
Thank you for sharing Rubin's book. In my long history of reading about creativity, I find Rubin to be one of the freshest and most useful voices. This chapter is not only brilliant ... it is exactly the chapter I needed to read this morning ... powerful on so many levels.
With all due respect, Rick Rubin is getting on my nerves:
a) You say "his name is synonymous with innovation and excellence in the music industry." Excellence in today's music industry means excellence in producing shit. Once, there were musicians like the Beat;les, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen. Now we have Beyonce and Justin Bieber. The music industry is an agent of mediocrity, decreptitude, decay.
Nowadays, when they want to make movies or make songs, corporations hire committess. They reason: If ten percent of the population likes action sequences, 10 percent of the movie will consist of action sequences. The artist is degraded. We are inundated by a sea of shlock culture.
b) Who drew that over the top, histrionic illustration that is the lead in for your post. When something has to strive hysterically for emphasis, like that image, it is a real turn off. People of discernment reason: The man has nothing to say so he is dressing up his dreck and his vacuity of thought with a flashy, maniacal image. I dislike the image for the same reason that I think women who wear boas, and thousands of Jewels and tons of make up look like washed up whores from hell.
c)There is a current theme in all your stuff: You love people who are successes. Being a success more often than not entails being a CON ARTIST. For example, the Sachler family made BILLIONS with oxycontin and they submitted false reports to the FDA which lied and said that they had an opiod which was less addictive. They made a fortune killing thousands of young Americans. DOW CHEMICAL MADE a fortune in the 60's selling NAPALM to the pentagon. The napalm killed HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF VIETNAMESE PEASANTS. Should we adore Dow Chemical for making a fortune. No, WE SHOULD SHOOT TO KILL THEM. The people who made facebook were very successful, and facebook, and febrile social media, elected Donald Trump. Most of the misery on this planet was made by rich people who sold products which engendered DOOM.
D) In 1968, the Harvard Dept. of psychology published a study which showed that the VARIABLE MOST HIGHLY CORRELATED WITH THE ABILITY TO MAKE MONEY was the ability to LOOK SOMEONE IN THE EYE AND LIE
E) Tell me: Is Rick Rubin paying your for writing posts adulating, and practically cumming for, Rich Rubin.