Rick Rubin’s favourite British post-punk album
As you might guess by trawling through the mass of different acts Rick Rubin has worked alongside, the super producer has a comprehensive taste in music. This inherent range was necessary for him to push so many prominent outfits into new creative spaces and continually find success.
Despite his significant influence on the story of contemporary music, Rubin remains a somewhat controversial figure, and his collaborations haven’t always yielded the desired outcomes for him or those on the other side of the mixing desk. Described as a spiritual hippie who prioritises feel and mood over traditional musical intricacies, Rubin’s laissez-faire approach has ruffled the feathers of those who value sonic refinement and meticulous attention to detail.
One of his most famous detractors is Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor. While the Des Moines native is known for his outspoken nature, his criticism of the bearded studio wizard was damning. The pair worked together on Slipknot’s hit 2004 album Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses), but it was the first and last time they would converge, with Taylor lambasting Rubin as “overpaid” and “overrated”.
It’s an interesting point, as another influential figure that Rubin has worked with credits his presence as the turning point in his career. Guitarist Billy Duffy of The Cult, the English group who started out in a lightly psychedelic, gothic sonic setting, would crank the volume up when working with him on 1987’s Electric. The leather jackets were firmly on after this experience as the group stepped out of the shadows and basked in the bright lights of stadium rock. To make such a transition, the Mancunian axeman dropped his trusty Gretsch White Falcon and washy effects for the muscular combination of a Gibson Les Paul and Marshall amp.
Regardless of the differences in accounts from both musicians, they are united by the fact that Rubin’s production style is full-bodied, and whether it be metal, punk or even the hip-hop he helped pioneer, all arrive on the shelves with a markedly rich sound. From System of a Down to his recordings with Johnny Cash, the production is crisp, with the space between left and right brimming with contents, begging for the listener’s full attention.
Interestingly, although he has such a definitive sound, Rubin has worked with many from across the sprawling musical landscape. Yet, this is all traced back to his natural penchant for anything remotely boundary-pushing. A fan of everyone from The Beatles to Run-D.M.C., Rubin knows an excellent record when he hears one, meaning that his record collection is wildly varied, with sonics to soundtrack every mood.
In an interview with the guitar manufacturer Gibson in 2008, Rubin opened a porthole into his mind for fans to peer into by listing his favourite albums of all time. It might have confirmed what we already knew; he is an unrepenting fan of classic rock and metal, but it also substantiated how forensically he analyses the cultural fabric.
It will undoubtedly be something of a surprise for some to find that one of the records Rubin listed was Gang of Four’s 1979 debut, Entertainment! A staple of the post-punk genre that instilled real funk and dynamism into it, reinforced by the late Andy Gill’s spiky guitars and frontman Jon King’s political commentaries, it remains one of the most significant releases of the era, with its spirit heard in the sounds of later adherents such as Bloc Party to Shame.
Discussing the album, Rubin said: “I like the sparseness of this one, and the emotion behind it. It sounds like something really important is happening on this album.”
It is intriguing that Rubin picked such a minimalist record, but evidently, what’s beneath its style makes it such a classic to him. The vigour with which the Leeds quartet brought their debut to life kickstarted their career and poured new vitality into the post-punk movement, showing that it was not a fleeting zeitgeist like the first wave of three-chord fury that opened the gates for their innovations.
If an artist pours themselves into their music, Rubin will likely be a fan of its authenticity. It still has to be good, of course.
Listen to Entertainment! below.
Never Miss A Beat
The Far Out Post-Punk Newsletter
All the latest Post-Punk content from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.