5 Sides of Rick Rubin pt. 1

I don’t really have any control over what’s going to happen with a recording, It’s more just experimentation and waiting for that moment when your breath gets taken away.” – R. Rubin (RS.com)

by Walter Price

I was recently reading this Rolling Stone article ‘Rick Rubin: My Life in 21 Songs” and it dawned on me how long the producer and outright innovator has been in my life. In a back of the room sort of way, that is.

I vividly remember listening to RUN DMC, LL Cool J and T La Rock/Jazzy J and thinking I was peaking into an urban world I may or may not have been intended to be witnessing. Then Beastie Boys came along in ’86 about the same time I think I was getting into RUN DMC and what blew my universe even further out of the probable water was I read an article or a friend of mine told me (both things happened I just can’t remember which came first that year) all these acts were produced by a white guy.

A long haired dude, a college kid, doing most initial things from his dorm room. “WTF!!”, I thought. “Is this why white people are listening?”, I also floated in my ridiculous naive yet eager mind. It mattered and Rick Rubin would go on to produce or have his laid back thinking behind the knobs and scenes of some of the most important records to shape music.

Rubin’s history is documented well but here are the first 5 Rubin produced songs that helped shape my taste and need for a wide range of music.

LL Cool J – “I Need A Beat” (1985)

ALBUM: Radio (remix)

Beastie Boys – “No Sleep Til Brooklyn” (1986)

Slayer  . “Angel of Death (1986)

ALBUM: Reign In Blood

The Cult – “Wild Flower” (1987)

Album: Electric

Danzig . “Mother” (1988)

ALBUM: Danzig