Rick Rubin remembers the moment The Beatles changed his life
From helping popularise hip-hop via the Beastie Boys, Run-DMC and Public Enemy to bringing albums to life by the likes of Slayer, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Johnny Cash, it is arguable that outside of The Beatles’ producer George Martin, no other studio whizz has had such a defining impact on popular culture as Rick Rubin. To put it simply, Rubin has an extensive list of production credits to his name, with it an interesting thought to ponder what the cultural landscape would look like without him. I’d argue that the current music business would be rather barren, directly and through the wide-reaching influence of his records.
Given his inextricable connection to the world of music, fans and peers of Rubin’s have long sought to tap into his wisdom further. During a recent appearance on This Little Light, the podcast by Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, Rubin cast his mind back to the moment music first took hold of him. Unsurprisingly, The Beatles were the first artist whose music profoundly affected him.
Asked if he remembered his very first appreciation of music – in terms of when he felt touched and drawn to its power – Rubin looked back on being a pre-schooler and the effect a Beatles cover of Chuck Berry’s ‘Rock and Roll Music’ had on him. This song had such an impact that the young Rubin would feel it throughout his body.
Rubin recalled: “I can remember when I was a little kid, I wanna say three or four years old, something like that, hearing The Beatles version of ‘Rock and Roll Music’, the Chuck Berry song – I didn’t know it was a Chuck Berry song, I didn’t know who Chuck Berry was. But I remember the rhythm of it making me dance uncontrollably, I felt like it took over my body, and anytime I heard the song, it would just take over my body. And that was one example of really, like, feeling the music, and then over the course of my life, it happens all the time. There are these moments when you can’t believe you’re hearing this thing that just has this power over you that’s so big.”
Flea then enquired whether hearing music of such gravity is the same now Rubin’s an adult and if he even experiences it anymore. Rubin replied by explaining that it happens regularly because of his job as a record producer. To him, it’s the best feeling out there.
Rubin explained: “Yeah, I have it all the time. Basically, all of the time that I’m in the studio, I’m patiently waiting for it because, again, I know we can’t control it; it happens when it happens. Things will be moving along in an ordinary way for a period of time, then all of a sudden, something else is going on that’s bigger, and you feel it. There’s not an intellectual component to it; it’s purely happening in the body. I feel it in my whole body, and it just is a thrilling experience. I don’t know that I can think of a better feeling.”
Listen to the podcast below.
Never Miss A Beat
The Far Out Beatles Newsletter
All the latest stories about The Beatles from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.