Rick Rubin Will Definitely Maybe Save The Music Business
This weekend's New York Times came with a special treat: The Magazine bore a full cover photo of Rick Rubin, wrapped in a white blanket and sat in lotus pose so that he looked like a meditating yogi -- or a melting scoop of vanilla fro-yo with a bearded cherry on top. Since he appeared simultaneously sage-like and delicious, we had no choice but to parse the mammoth cover story.
Throughout we're treated to anecdotes of Rubin's keen genius and spiritual orientation, talking about how he "doesn't even take notes," "listens with his eyes closed," and how he often gets tagged a guru. "Can Rick Rubin Save The Music Business?" was the question posed. Answer: let's see if he can save Columbia first (Rick's joined as co-head of the label). The music article, written for people that don't read a lot of music articles (tip off via the article's second sentence: "a new band called the Gossip"), laid out the problems facing the industry (declining sales, piracy, an outdated "product sales" model of signing/promotion) and detailed Rick's suggestions, oversimplified as such: Let's get back to the music, man.
That means making killer records that "start with the songs," getting people to get comfy paying for music again by turning to a subscription model ("You'd pay, say, $19.95 a month, and the music will come anywhere you'd like. In this new world, there will be a virtual library that will be accessible from your car, from your cellphone, from your computer, from your television. Anywhere."), and starting a "word of mouth" department to grow buzz "organically." That online street teaming shit never backfires, right?
Worth a read for music biz enthusiasts and the Rubin curious. Ultimately, it's a great bit of PR for Rick and Columbia (and congrats to our friend Kevin Kusatsu!), though it'll take a lot more than publicity buzz to help major labels out of their situation. But it's not like Rick to turn down an opportunity to pimp a new product (kidding, Rick, we know you hate that term) onto the NYT reading masses. "Do you know Paul Potts?" Rick asks the writer. No tasteless Khmer Rouge quips here -- this is Rick's latest latest love, a contestant from the UK's Britain's Got Talent. Via NYT:
"Where does that come from?" Rubin said as he watched. Tears were rolling down his cheeks. "I can't look at this without crying," he said. "His voice is so beautiful ... It's August now — that show was eight weeks ago. In England, Paul Potts is already gigantic, but we are going to launch him in America. This just blew my mind."Check it...
You can literally see folks in the studio audience break out into goosebumps, and that's pretty powerful. Still, what can Rick do with an artist like this in the States, a talent show contestant from the UK that sings opera? This quote pretty much nails it:
I knew what I liked, and I didn't really care if anyone else liked it. I still never assume that anyone will like anything. But I can't imagine that they won't, either.Huh? Exactly.
Posted at 11:03 AM
Tags: Rick Rubin
Wow a hippie who likes rap quotes an idea everyone had in 2001. What a visionary.
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best part of this interview? when he casually mentions the sony rootkit was actually phoning home with information about you: "it also somehow recorded information about whoever bought the record". anyone know if he's just mangling some half-remembered memo, or if he's accidentally spilling the beans?
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There's always hope, even for major labels. Rubin joining Columbia could begin this amazing catalyst of majors signing and promoting bands who are worthy, and not manufactured by some shill.
Yeah, that my penny in the fountain...
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what. a. joke.
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He's right to propose a cheap subscription model where people can download everything - but its doubtful that all the labels will agree to it.
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Dude couldn't make that Automatic Automatic record happen over here.
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$19.95 a month.......... for what?
Fuck Rick Rubin and Fuck the music industry.
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He seriously looks like such an asshole on the cover of that magazine.
If that last weezer record was his fault, then of course, the answer is no.
He can't even save Rivers Cuomo from writing shitty boring songs.
This would be much more interesting if Jon Brion or Steve Albini were on the cover of that magazine.
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I read the article but I don't understand how the subscription model is different from Rhapsody, and Rhapsody to go, which already has the participation of the majors. Rubin's "get back to the music" might seem retarded until you consider the companies staking all their cash on franchises like High School Musical 2 and Hannah Montana - and they're winning the race -- for now. The Rubin approach seems less retarded by comparison. What a compliment, right?
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He saved Rivers Cuomo from making another Maladroit. That has to count for something.
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That Paul Potts guy is the best music I've ever discovered on Stereogum.
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I don't know what will save the industry, however signing real talent is a start. I do believe RR wants to sign better talent-which is good. Record companies do need to stop polishing turds.
However, starting a "Word-A-Mouth" department? Come on Rick, how passe'. You guys have been hiring Indy street marketers ( the cool kids) to work your shit for years. How is bringing it in-house a genius idea? Here's better idea- ARTIST DEVELOPMENT.
Let us remind the suits the core meaning of Word-of-Mouth, it is "TRUST." If the artist is truly talented the "WORD" will get out organically.
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i carpool with some dude who either listens to that automatic automatic album or we are scientists whenever he drives. if it didn't break in the US, it's because even the kids who usually eat that crap up realized it is completely derivative, uninspired bullshit. i swear to god, if i hear another fucking indie-pop song with that high hat disco drum beat, i'm going to kill myself.
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i'm all teared up
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If the man does nothing else his entire life, he still helmed Tom Petty's best all around album: Wildflowers (although I'm fairly certain George Drakoulias did most of the actual in studio work).
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automatic automatic's album is pretty good actually, save for a couple of filler tracks. They write some damn catchy tunes though, especially for kids. We are scientists are a little more filler-heavy...
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I see the King of Town, where is the Poopsmith? Maybe Limozeen will get a sniff at the big time!!
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1) Thumbs up for the Homestar reference, and I don't care if Ebert sues me.
2) It took five albums and a horrible stage name before John Mellencamp got to "American Fool", his big break. This is not necessarily a congratulations to Mellencamp as it is a condemnation of a music industry that expects immediate returns on investment. They don't care about growth. If they did, they'd forsake the soundalikes and get back to nurturing fledgling talent.
There was a time when each record label had its own sound, a style they called their own, and they raised up artists until they could walk on their own. If that meant four, five, eight albums had to pass before paydirt, so be it.
There was also a time when a label's artist roster was like a well-stocked portfolio of investments. They kept artists they knew would blossom as well as artists that were no longer selling well, mostly for the cache of being that artist's label. Asylum Records was big on this. Joni Mitchell's biggest hits were past her, but the label maintained the relationship because the public knew she was something. It made Asylum look good, even if the latest Glenn Frey solo album sucked ass.
Dylan's years at Columbia helped support Springsteen. Springsteen's supported Elvis Costello, at least in the U.S. All three of these artists broke out into parameters far afield of their original design. A&M, for awhile, supported Joe Jackson's explorations into big band, classical, reggae dub... This is impossible now.
God help me for defending Kelly Clarkson, but what did she get for "My December" from her label? Grief. Her label is run by Clive Davis who was the head of Columbia during those heady years, so the problem is deeply systemic.
All of this is to say that Rick Rubin's being a head of Columbia makes a statement, but only a statement. If he's willing to bite the bullet and hang onto talent during lean times, he may turn it around. But in the bingo-bango world of instant wealth (sub-prime mortgage companies, you bastards, I'm looking at YOU), I don't see him succeeding.
To end this long, drawn out diatribe, I would like to remind everyone that Capitol / EMI once had on their roster in concurrent fashion The Beatles, all four Beatles solo, Pink Floyd, The Beach Boys and a whole slew of other artists. All of these had good and bad releases, but EMI held fast. Now, with a band like Yellowcard, if any attempt at growth fails, the band is immediately scared shitless into old routines and sounds or else lose their contract.
Until THAT is changed, it'll be one long slippery slope down.
DwD
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I think this article makes him come off like an idiot. The fact that he's "convinced" SonyBMG to go "green" and move from plastic jewel cases to digi-paks is admirable but in the article the writer casually mentions that HE DRIVES A HUMMER!!
Rick also stresses that he never goes to an office but he wants to spend ridiculous money BUILDING A NEW OFFICE when Sony built brand new offices in Santa Monica just over a decade ago.
What an idiot.
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far as i know, danny fields was an "in house" word of mouth scouter whatever- got a deal for patti smith, made the ramones, signed the MC5, more or less discovered the stooges...seems like a good idea to me.
you fuckin retards.
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i loved how the times article described the gossip as a "new band". cluelessness.
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nessun dorma is killer. if that gave you goose bumps, you should hear it backed by a choir. the version i have is by jose carreras. oh, and fuck rick rubin.
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Plah-See-Doh!
Plah-See-Doh!
Plah-See-Doh!
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Hahahaahah. Rick Rubin is an idiot.
What an overinflated nightmare he has become.
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Great blog, great video, great comments (go Homestar, nice DwD, fuck Weezer post-Pinkerton).
Rubin has jumped the shark
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