So I didn’t love Rick Rubin’s book

Rick Rubin, Pyramid Schemes, Gurus...the music business is a wild place.
In this video, I break down the problem with the guru-fication of the music production world, and then we dig into my review of Rick Rubin’s book, The Creative Act.
I just want everyone to make amazing music and have a happy life, ok?
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[@theoriginaltommysteward]

The only guru anyone really needs is Dan Worrall.

[@AdamElara]

This video is so important 🖤✨

[@AdamSliger]

Thank you 🙂🙂

[@lucasalamo3448]

Agreed!

[@billyhughes9776]

From what I know of Rick hustled his ass off in the early dayz, and established his cred then. I think he was a huge music fan that didn't necessarily have musical talent. He wanted to be a part of that life/business. He has positive, strong, persuasive personality and works with people well. He has a knack for bringing the best out of an aritist/musician, and he also has a great business sense. I think he built his brand on that foundation and it's obviously worked out incredibly well. For 30+ years if your record had/has "Produced by Rick Rubin" it more than likely would have some level of success. Regarding your review of his book (I should read it), he sounds like he's read/listened to a lot of Alan Watts.

[@AdamSliger]

Yeah, I honestly wanted to learn more about that stuff ^^ and less about what he’s into this particular month. It reminds me of when an NFL athlete says the secret to success is eating pasta the night before a game and doesn’t even mention all the training and coaching lol

[@sspbrazil]

I always avoided albums that have “produced by Rick Rubin” on them. Jakob Dylan hated working with him on his first solo album, it was more than suggested to by his label to have Rubin produce the album, so he gave in and he said he would never work with him again after that and he never has and Geezer Butler didn’t have anything good to say about him either, when he “Produced” Black Sabbath’s last album 13 Geezer said he had no idea what Rubin did as he was never there during the recording sessions. Other artists have said the same. Because he hustled in the early days isn’t that compelling, most everyone hustles when they are young and going for what they want in life, that’s not earth shattering. Nobody really knows the reason they become successful, what works for one person works for them and doesn’t work for everyone. That’s why many people don’t give advice about becoming successful, because it’s different for everyone.

[@alexfromandyandalex8032]

Ugh this was so helpful! I had a book report due tonight. 😮

[@AdamSliger]

glad i could help

[@declancheeseburger]

Great video, bossman. I was considering reading the book---still am. The "woo-woo" stuff sounds kind of funny, honestly. The other books definitely sound like ones I'll check out, though! I always find it weird when creative people, or people in general talk about "becoming one" with everything else, or depersonalizing in their work. I feel like a lot of the great stuff I've come in contact with in my life is the artist refusing to be anyone but themself, and sticking to their perspective as if its the only thing they have. Why shouldn't we hold on to being a human for the 4000ish weeks we have on the Earth?

[@AdamSliger]

Big agree. Thanks for taking the time to watch!

[@johnnymartin4688]

If you’re not into becoming one with the universe, or accessing your inner peace, this book probably won’t make sense to you. I think that’s the whole thing with Rick, he is just listening and telling people what sounds good to him. This isn’t some producer cheat sheet book, this is a book that will have you thinking differently than you usually do. He does ramble a bit, but I do like the book and I think it’s worth a read.

[@AdamSliger]

Fair play to ya. I guess it just feels a little bait and switch to say it’s about creation and it’s more about inner peace lol

[@mydyingdream]

I highly doubt about "thinking different". Every interview I saw with Rick Rubin gave me nothing that I wouldn't already know. It's very characteristic for that kind of coaching, it's only about telling you, you are great do what what you do, don't listen to others. What a great advice giving you literally regres in your life.

[@sspbrazil]

It’s a bunch of gish gallop and Rubin isn’t a Producer, he’s an A&R guy that is occasionally good at picking songs that will hit. Beyond that, he doesn’t do much and is rarely present at sessions and if he is he just lays there and says “Yeah!” every once in awhile. Jacob Dylan hated working with him on his solo album and said he would never make an album with again. Geezer Butler said he doesn’t really know what Rubin did on the last Black Sabbath album “13” because he was never at the recording sessions.

[@MentaIPatient]

Liked and subbed. Good stuff my man. Thanks

[@AdamSliger]

Appreciate ya!

[@c10_c10]

Great video glad I found your channel!

[@AdamSliger]

Hey thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@productionspf]

Great content. A book that I loved was Making Records by Phil Ramone.

[@AdamSliger]

Thank you, I’ll have to check it out!

[@privateer2584]

Yeah that's a great book!

[@j.i.weyllandin7439]

great content my man, subbed

[@AdamSliger]

🤘🤘

[@MikeRenouf]

Superb video. The whole pyramid scheme thing is very intriguing. KZbin for musicians is mostly: 1> Gear advertising (which can become easily corrupted by the manufacturers) 2> Tutorials (which can become easily corrupted by the pyramid scheme concept) 3> People posting their own tracks/jams. Lets face it - Which of those three is likely to bring in the least amount of money for the musician? As a keen amateur musician and KZbinr, I've been thinking this through a lot and so far have managed to stay true and honest (at least by my own standards). I hope my little audience feel the same. Oh... and I used to keep a dream journal. If you wake and remember your dream it is ABSOLUTLEY great advice to keep your head still on the pillow and try to remember the full detail before you move. If I turn over, strangely my brain is very likely to forget the dream!

[@AdamSliger]

Thank you! I’m gonna guess number 3 haha. I’m trying to do 1 & 2 but in a transparent and honest way, not taking money from people to teach them things I learned for free or get them to waste money on gear they don’t need. It’s a tough line to walk for sure. I’ll check out your channel!!

[@MikeRenouf]

@@AdamSliger glad I discovered your channel - top notch talks. You got another subscriber. I think you're right - monetizing everything is of course an option, but I think people are more likely to connect with a more open and relaxed approach. At least, that's my 2 cents. ✨🪐

[@AdamSliger]

@@MikeRenouf appreciate you! in a perfect world, i'll keep all of my info totally free, besides maybe a book or a $20 course or something to pay me for my time organizing it all into modules. none of that $300 masterclass nonsense i see on here daily. or get some sponsors that have nothing to do with gear, or something like Sweetwater where i could choose what i like and don't like instead of having to pretend i enjoy something cheap to produce/about to break and end up in a landfill next week!

[@lucasalamo3448]

Thank you for making this video. Believe it or not, a lot of people are not aware of how much experimentation is involved in creating effective art. This book only sheds light on that and consequently- the relationship that we have with ourselves. I liked this book enough to write a youtube comment in response to your critique. There is no HARD, TECHNICAL music production advice in this book, but platitudes that (I believe) are written with the intention of providing alternative approaches to how you view yourself in order to be the best artist (general) that you can (some people have never heard of Kintsugi! :0) lol.... I am for everyone reading this, however I do not believe I am the hypothetical individual who "leans" on self-help- to the contrary. From asking around my community to other fellow artists who happened to pick this book up, they love it. I do feel your guidance towards this archetype of the "self-help bro" comes off as a tad disingenuous. Your heart is in the right place, but I am a bit confused as to why you would semi-negatively critique a book that I know personally is helping musicians, visual artists, and regular people alike. Stay in music (your critique video appeared on my "suggested" list btw, not any of your work). Best

[@AdamSliger]

Hey Lucas, thank you for the thoughtful comment. I appreciate your perspective on the book as well, even though it personally didn’t meet my expectations. Maybe I am a bit jaded to all the self help stuff going around these days after all. I’ve spoken to a few people who felt similarly to me, and many others who did like the book. Either way I appreciate you writing!

[@lucasalamo3448]

@@AdamSliger Thanks Adam, you too. I do agree with the medical reference and how it may be misconstrued to not seek a proper medical diagnosis for potential illnesses- but (if true) Rick simply got lucky, by plain way of how he goes about his life. Not anyone else's. In general, I appreciate you for having your own opinion. Keep on living my friend.

[@jas_bataille]

If you think we can't critique a book that you and your friends like negatively and start preaching stuff about "our hearts being in the right place" and stuff, stop right there. It's just a book. You already talking about this book as if it was the Bible, dude. 'Stay in music' - don't tell people what to do?! What gives you this sudden authority? This is already getting to your head...

[@AdamSliger]

@@jas_bataille if you think that’s bad you should’ve seen the comments on Facebook about it lol

[@AdamSliger]

Good to know, thanks for the info!!

[@21broadway]

Flippin through a science text book and whatever my finger landed on, is how I picked my first band name haha (cautious configuration)

[@AdamSliger]

That’s a great name!!

[@21broadway]

@AdamSliger Agreed haha! Hey man, if ur reading this, I'd just like to drop a big thank you! Just started doing home studio stuff, and ur content is very appreciated!

[@AdamSliger]

Appreciate you!!! You got this 🤘

[@fivebyfivesound]

I appreciate what you’ve put across here and I have a very similar take. For me it’s simple. Represent yourself sincerely and make certain that your value propositions are transparent and in good faith. Don’t masquerade as an expert of your craft if in fact you’ve just developed a few turn-key skills and are really in the business of hustling peripheral products. Either put in the work and time required to become the real deal or have some integrity and don’t sell dreams. It erodes the trust and dignity we’re able to hold for one another as peers, and it diminishes the reputation of our role as creatives and craft overall. For those of us who get solicited by these pyramids, there will always be snake oil for sale, but we can do ourselves and one another a favor by not buying. …or taking what’s of actual value and keepin it movin. As for Rick Rubin’s book, I don’t take issue with the content or the way he himself has promoted it. It’s the general frame that’s represented in broader marketing that seems misleading. It’s not a book about producing. It’s a book about how Rick Rubin has figured out producing, which has more to do with life philosophy than it does about making music per se.

[@AdamSliger]

Thanks for the thoughtful comment! I do think the marketing for the book could've been different, and that might've helped, but I actually didn't see much of it. Only really got suggested to check out the book by word of mouth.

[@NoOriginalNameXD]

Really important video! I picked the book up on a whim at an airport and almost felt scammed. A lot of it felt like another random floaty self help and a lot of dead air.

[@AdamSliger]

Glad it’s not just me!!!!

[@mydyingdream]

Thank you for that!

[@AdamSliger]

You're welcome!

[@happilyferociously7403]

Love your videos and frank, honest approach to disseminating information. It won't sell like yelling "like and subscribe" while telling me what 10 free plugins I need immediately, mind, but c'est la vie. Great shit. Keep it up.

[@AdamSliger]

Thank you so much!

[@shaunrobitaille3780]

Thank you, I almost bought this because Mac Miller detoxed at his house and did a lot of swimming there, so I was thinking I’d find something useful in it.

[@MartinDellaNina]

It's a great read.

[@AdamSliger]

I’m glad you got some value from it!

[@chriskeffer]

I become very suspect the moment anyone tells me not to read a particular book. And yes, I've read it.

[@AdamSliger]

What did you think of it?

[@chriskeffer]

@@AdamSliger I think it's insightful, simple to read and densely packed with wisdom for anyone who values their creativity. There's nothing new or ground breaking in the book, but what Rubin does is, he distills some basic Buddhism, Stoicism and some decent observations about human nature. I bought 6 copies and gave then to some of my clients. They all got something out of the book and we've had extensive conversations about Rubin's advice. So, in the end...that says what it says about the quality of the book from my perspective. I would warn anyone to be skeptic when told not to read a particular book.

[@AdamSliger]

I think that’s fair too. Obviously if someone wants to read the book then they can, I just didn’t find it super valuable personally. Maybe because I’m already familiar with stoicism and lots of those other topics he covered. I would’ve much preferred a book about his career and actual stories from the studio, sessions, basically something only Rick could write. Instead we got a 101 level intro to stoicism and “the universe” which is good for some people but frankly you could get from anyone. As far as “don’t read this book” obviously there’s no harm in reading it, I had a few other thumbnails that were a little less incendiary but nobody clicked those 🤷🏻‍♂️ if you want to read it then be my guest but I honestly just had different expectations!

[@cbyrne2466]

In the early days of hip hop you could become a producer by having equipment and knowing how to program it

[@meyerjoseph5901]

Beach grifting… bound for weirdness. Solid video - I liked ricks book but totally agree it’s woo woo and chases its tail a bit. I would make a point about fame, hype and insight but I’m not sure how they interact. Overly generalized health advice definitely did rub me the wrong way too.

[@sspbrazil]

I’ve never considered Rubin a Producer, he’s an A&R guy with the knack for picking certain songs that will hit, beyond that he doesn’t do anything.

[@AdamSliger]

I’ve heard him called “an A&R with points” by some folks so yeah you’re probably right

[@jas_bataille]

OMG. I'm so happy I'm not the only one!!! I personally talked with people who have worked with Rubin before and stated plainly, "no one really knows what he's doing." I also have been around people that appears like him and instantly noticed the red flags from his vibe (even tho I don't know him personally). I also had major issues with two engineers who have a riveting admiration for Rubin : both treated me awfully wrong. One of them said he was going to call me 12 hours in advance (!!!) to say whether or not I'd be assisting the next day in his studio, but never did, and ended up saying I was "too late" after he *changed* the date we both agreed upon by a day *before* and I noticed him of my lack of availability 24 hours in advance. Yikes. The other one got a lot more upset than anyone should when I talked about Rubin and said I would "set hist studio on fire" because he once handed me a receiver with a *broken* 9V battery door and, thinking the battery was upside-down, I reverted it only to find out it was the right way, and quickly noticed him of the situation, so that nothing would happen. I have forever blacklisted those people out of my professional life. Yes, we have a BIG problem.

[@AdamSliger]

Holy cow. Sorry that you’ve had to deal with people treating you that way!!

[@lucasalamo3448]

why did you say you'd threaten to "set hist studio on fire"? Would kind of treatment would you expect after you tell someone something so terrible? (asking for a friend)

[@jas_bataille]

@@lucasalamo3448 You read that wrong, pal. He said I was going to set his studio on fire after he handed a receiver with a broken battery door, not warning me. So, I changed the battery position thinking it was the problem, but by doing so, the battery ended up in the wrong polarity. Therefore, since it was a 9V, the pack started heating up and I had to quickly remove it. It can be hazardous if you don't know what you're doing, but that was HIS fault for handing a receiver with a broken battery door, not mine for trying to fix an issue I wasn't warned about, and nop, it's not going to start a fire (even if I was a newbie and would have let that battery in there too long). Seriously tho, that was pretty clear. The fact that you're a fan of this book and then start reading what I said plain wrong, and with potentially a confirmation bias that I'm the wrong one here, is kind of troubling, and prove my point. Read it again, please.

[@lucasalamo3448]

@@jas_bataille type slower.

[@lucasalamo3448]

So from re-reading this, I think you mean to say that you were deliberately handed an incompatible receiver. And thus the “house on fire” comment was delivered as a way to divorce you from the team. Is that correct?

[@michaelhoman7748]

freemason logo on the cover too, their most sacred symbol...

[@AdamSliger]

It also looks like a boob

[@michaelhoman7748]

this is very true haha @@AdamSliger

[@Njoynoiz]

I came to this video by way of some of your other videos, which I liked and I subscribed, but it sounds like you're trying to land hits against a posture Rubin isn't actually taking. It's other people calling him a "guru", or whatever. I've read those other books too. Austin Kleon was my partner's classmate, and he's a cool guy who I"ve met once or twice in real life. I've noticed a trend where folks are going full "debate me Rick" on "The Creative Act", which kind of reveals they didn't read the book (not to say that's you). It's a creative Tao Te Ching (a comment purely on format) that focuses philosophically on macro-priorities of the creative process in the form of chapter vignettes. Sorry if you don't like the mentality, but it's not the self-help MLM you're looking for. Plus... uhhh.... are we going to pretend we aren't reading other books on creativity for "self-help" reasons as creators? Feels like saying there's issues with the meat of a meal because it came wrapped in a tortilla and not between 2 pieces of bread. Rubin isn't actually positioning his advice as "prerequisites to art", more as enablers of the process when faced with creative blocks. His book itself is just on-the-ground practical as Kleon's or any number of other nuts-and-bolts-oriented creativity books; it's more people bringing their own pre-conceived idea of Rubin and his persona that skews and distracts. Rubin's book did more for me in overcoming creative blocks than Kleon's books and found it addressed some of the bigger questions much better, but I also think the "read this, not this" mentality is unproductive. Most of the pre-existing creativity books ("The Artist's Way" for example) are way more woo-woo than Rick's, doesn't mean no one should read those either.

[@AdamSliger]

I guess my main point is that one of the most prolific producers of our age could probably do better than making the typical self-help book that has been written over and over again by so many different people. There’s not much in the way of insights in this book that you couldn’t get from just about anyone else which is a disappointment considering who it’s coming from.

[@aflashfloodofgear]

The self-help pipeline

[@AdamSliger]

Yupppp lol

[@alexbudnick9682]

Too relevant right now

[@AdamSliger]

Thanks g

[@LostWithinOfficial]

Was it Rick Rubin that Corey Taylor was absolutely pissed off with due to Rick being completely hands off and rarely even physically present for sessions? I may have him mixed up with someone else. But I'm pretty sure it was Rick.

[@AdamSliger]

No clue but I’ve heard this about so many big producers

[@LostWithinOfficial]

@@AdamSliger kzbin.info/www/bejne/l5mWm6psl9CVrKssi=DZb-oEz2qR9NYcH8

[@LostWithinOfficial]

@@AdamSliger posted a link. Hope that's okay?

[@acidbath3226]

real talk, I dont use anymore of my mind than I necessarily have to when making an album. first of all I'm doing it all myself so I don't have time to be pretentious I only have so much free time to even work on it because I have to be in a creative mood to where I'm wanting to make something

[@AdamSliger]

I don’t use any of my mind for anything and save it all for when I write

[@grooveguv]

Too late, I already did...

[@AdamSliger]

Hopefully you got something good from it!

[@grooveguv]

@@AdamSliger I found it a bit overrated, good pr, not really much to write home about... Yes, everybody has to be creative, creativity starts at the very start, but no raving reviews from me, it didn't change my life, or perspective.

[@AdamSliger]

I’m with you there!

[@brinepacer]

WHY ARE YOU ATTACKING ME? I also think it's really interesting that Rubin built a career by "producing" all these big records, but his process means that he can be producing a ton of records at any one time (as I understand it) so he can kind of fling records at the wall and see what sticks. Almost kind of like it's by design.

[@AdamSliger]

Seems pretty chill. Maybe I’ll start doing that too lol

[@cbyrne2466]

Chilis were noticably worse after RR

[@Billkwando]

0:23 It's hard to take you seriously when you look like a cross between an extra in Joe Dirt and an extra in Talladega Nights. Hot Rod wants his stick-on 'stach back.

[@AdamSliger]

Who is Joe Dirt?

[@Billkwando]

@@AdamSliger It's a movie with David Spade.

[@donahvanhollis9652]

I was offended at your title alone. It’s one thing you didn’t understand the book but “DONT READ THIS” is foul play against the author, who by the way has a lot more experience and successes than you. How would you feel to see a post where somebody puts your face up and says DONT LISTEN TO THIS GUY!” I haven’t read it yet but I’ve listened to Ruben talk on it and I’ve followed Ruben since Run DMC days in the 80s and he’s no dummy or crazy. I enlightened People attack what they don’t understand. Just because it makes no since to you doesn’t mean it’s senseless. How is it “woo woo” to say you’re Nature? Do you not breath Nature? Do you not War Nature? Do you not come Natures way into existence? Is not your entire body made of the same elements as Earth and Atom? modern education doesn’t teach you to think but to memorize programs that keep you being a surface minded worker bee. Anyway, stop slandering Rick like he’s crazy when you don’t even recognize what you’re made of it where you come from or where you’re going. Woo woo is the Church and modern politics both after political power

[@AdamSliger]

The point is that Rick sold us a book about how to be creative and the reality is that what he put together has nothing to do with his career and everything to do with the spirituality stuff he is into at this moment.