Rick Rubin’s favourite punk song
In his new book, The Creative Act, Rick Rubin gives insight into his thoughts on the creative process. In it, he says, “Living life as an artist is a practice. You are either engaging in the practice or you’re not. It makes no sense to say you’re not good at it. It’s like saying, ‘I’m not good at being a monk.’ You are either living as a monk or you’re not. We tend to think of the artist’s work as the output. The real work of the artist is a way of being in the world.”
Essentially, Rubin doesn’t believe an artist’s work defines an artist. Instead, an artist is determined by how much they engage with their craft and are willing to expand upon it. It is also appreciating that you will never be in a position where you know everything about the kind of craft you work in. Instead, focusing on learning, exploring and discovering new things would be best.
Rubin is undoubtedly one for practising what he preaches. As a successful music producer with no musical ability, he claims the secret to his success is having confidence in his taste, a clear vision and an ability to describe that vision to others. It has led to his name being brandished on some of the most successful albums of the past couple of decades and Rubin himself being praised as a musical visionary.
From an early age, Rick was immersed in his art. He was open to exploring new music, bands and sounds, constantly expanding his mind and letting different musicians from different backgrounds show him just how all-encompassing music could be. This led him towards punk music, something which he holds very close to his heart and is still referenced today when he makes music.
Given that Rick Rubin is so obsessed with exploring his craft, he didn’t stop when he heard one punk album; he continued looking for new music within the punk sound he had been introduced to. As such, if you are looking for good recommendations, there are few better people to turn to.
“I was the only punk rocker in my school,” said Rubin when he was interviewed on the iconic Desert Island Discs, “There were no other punk rockers, and there was no internet, so I couldn’t meet like-minded people through social media. I was the lone punk rocker… for the longest time. Yes, it was a little sad!”
The punk track he couldn’t live without is also one of the first tracks he heard. It was by American punk rock stars The Ramones, a band now considered by many to be pioneers of the punk movement and responsible for shaping its overall sound. “They were the first band to play fast that I ever head,” he said, “and I remember hearing them in junior high school and just laughing. It was really funny to me – made no sense.”
One of his favourite tracks is ‘Rockaway Beach’, a song from the band’s third studio album released in 1977. It tells the story of a dump on a beach near where lead singer Joey Ramone was raised. “It’s funny to hear them sing about Rockaway Beach in such a joyous manner!”
Taking the theme of a lousy beach and making art out of it, in essence, stayed with Rubin beyond just the concept of punk itself. As he says in his book, “All that matters is you are making something you love, to the best of your ability, here and now.”
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