Who is this hirsute fellow? One of SoCal's more imposing homeless chaps?
Well, if having three homes in L.A. makes you homeful, then this must be Rick Rubin, one of the most successful and eclectic producers in the recording industry.
Rick Rubin has produced wildly successful music for the following staggering array of artists: AC/DC, Aerosmith, The Bangles, Beastie Boys, Johnny Cash, Danzig, Neil Diamond, Dixie Chicks, Mick Jagger, L.L. Cool J, Nine Inch Nails, Roy Orbison, Tom Petty, Public Enemy, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Run D.M.C., U2, Jay-Z, System of a Down, and Justin Timberlake.
And that was just yesterday - heh. At this moment, he is up for a Grammy in the following categories :
Record of the Year - Dixie Chicks - "Not Ready To Make Nice"
Album of the Year - Dixie Chicks - Taking The Long Way, Red Hot Chili Peppers- Stadium Arcadium, Justin Timberlake - Future Sex Sounds
Best Producer Of The Year - American V: A Hundred Highways - Johnny Cash, God's Gonna Cut You Down - Johnny Cash, Stadium Arcadium - Red Hot Chili Peppers, Taking The Long Way - Dixie Chicks), 12 Songs -Neil Diamond.
If you ask me, the guy's kind of a show-off. I mean who gets nominated for producing albums for someone like Neil Diamond and then turns around and produces the Red Hot Chili Peppers? Geez dude, give some of other knob-twirlers a chance.
In any case, despite looking like a crazed woodsman who has animal skins hanging from his cabin deep, deep in the forest, he's a really well-loved guy. Just ask Emily Robison of the Dixie Chicks. Here's what she had to say about working with Rubin on Taking The Long Road:
"He's the exact opposite of what you would think he would be. With the hard rock and
rap background, this guy with the long hair and big beard, everyone was a little intimidated by him at first. But when you realize what he's like, he's just a big teddy bear."
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Article comments
1 - Glen Boyd
I used to work for Rubin at American Recordings in the early nineties Dawn. Definitely an interesting guy. You forgot to include Sir Mix A Lot on your list by the way (which was my initial connection to Rubin, coming from Nastymix).
Cool article.
-Glen
2 - Dawn
Glen,
Ya know, I almost added him, because well, I like big butts and I cannot lie. But I had to draw the line somewhere and damn if this wasn't a long article anyway.
I had intended for it to be a short piece on Glosslip, but I love him so much it naturally got out of hand.
You have to admit, he looks like Grizzly Adams.
So was he nice?
3 - DJRadiohead
He looks like Meathead with a shaggier beard.
4 - Dawn
I love Rob Reiner!
5 - Glen Boyd
he was very nice. Up to the moment I was fired anyway (long story...)
-Glen
6 - Mark Saleski
i don't think he twirled the knobs enough on Stadium Arcadium. in fact, i'm sure that would have been possible.
yeesh.
7 - Jon Sobel
Excellent article.
The guy's a friggin' genius, that's all I have to say.
8 - El Bicho
Very good feature on a man who pound for pound is the best music producers in the past 25 years, and possibly of all-time.
9 - Dawn
Honestly, anyone who had the vision to combine hard rock and rap is a friggin genius. How else could rap be made listenable?
I have to admit that I am all kinds of excited that the cool writers and music-philes liked this article. Thank you!!!
10 - heytherelamp
With all he has going on, Rick Rubin is still helping out the forgotten greats of popular music. Here's video of Rubin reinventing funnyman Ray Stevens.
Sorry about the firing, Glen. He seems too mellow to fire people. I hope it was the nicest firing of your life.
11 - Glen Boyd
Actualy Rick didn't fire me. Mike Bone did. Rick was a prince. Bone was...well, he was abone wasn't he?