Rick Rubin on The Creative Act, Overcoming Ego, and Enjoying the Process

I've got to say that at this point I have watched pretty much all the interviews about his book, and everytime I hear his voice I feel more connected to his way of being and creating art. It's a complete delight, an extasy to witness his life, his geniality, his nature, his soul. I feel completely at home hearing his words and ideas. Through his calmness and detachment he invites us to create or to be more creative, to open up ourselves to the creative flow of life. He invites us to dive deep in our core, our own light. That's a calling by someone that lives by his spirituality with such clarity and love... I could listen to him forever. These are the kind of thoughts and conversations I truly want to engage in. When there's love, understanding and openess, there's a place for everyone. ❤️🙏🏼💎✨

DS: "are you still here?" RR: "yes, I'm here, I just stop when I'm done talking"

Some of these Rick Rubin interviews are stronger than others. He’s just so effortless. The less the interviewer can speak the better it goes 😂❤

I have no hate for the channel or the host whatsoever but watching this perfectly illustrates a perfectly different way of thinking. The host was theoretical in a sense but rick is just pure 1 million percent valium that makes perfect goddamn sense. The contrast between the two whilst also agreeing with each other is mind blowing.

Finding him 26 years after giving up the life of being an artist.. Just recently, my interest for creating digital art was reignited and he’s such a breath of fresh air especially when you’re someone that has their creative side stifled by people around you even family to “do the safe and expected route”… I wish I knew him earlier but I believe that timing as he always says… I guess I had to realize these things at this age.. never too late

Rick Rubin strikes a chord within all of us, whether we hear it or not.

Timestamps: 00:00: Experimenting with different methods to learn something new about the creative process. 01:14: Allowing creativity to ensue rather than consciously trying to force it. 01:54: Acknowledging that we're not in full control of the creative process and being patient for inspiration to come. 03:06: Metaphor of tuning into a radio station to describe accessing creative inspiration. 04:18: Transient nature of tapping into the creative process and the need to continuously find inspiration. 04:50: The process of playing a song repeatedly until it becomes special. 06:07: The importance of capturing creative energy and finishing a song in the moment. 06:47: Difficulty in recreating a specific creative groove or energy later on. 08:14: Appreciating earlier takes before refinements and prioritizing overall energetic feeling. 09:22: The power of capturing the overall energetic feeling over individual elements. 09:59: Becoming self-conscious about creating and dealing with the pressure of success. 11:07: The ego hits of feeling invincible and feeling inadequate as an artist. 12:20: Remembering what led to success and avoiding external distractions. 13:02: The importance of separating writing from publishing and avoiding self-censorship. 14:11: Considering marketing, audience, and cover design after completing the creative process. 14:42: Doing the first draft with passion and love, without worrying about others' opinions. 15:13: Self-censorship hinders creativity and authenticity. 15:52: Balancing thinking and doing in creative pursuits. 19:03: Adapting methodologies over time, with a focus on what's important. 21:03: Maintaining focus, efficiency, and balance in the studio. 23:32: Understanding the need for breaks and downtime to maintain quality. 24:01: Eisenhower quote: "Plans are worthless but planning is everything." 24:35: Having a schedule and sticking to it. 25:10: Committing to a daily practice, regardless of outcomes. 26:13: Stephen Pressfield's quote: "Put your ass where your heart wants to be." 28:04: The ability of art to capture timeless feelings and spirits. 29:40: Example of a pianist, Víkingur Ólafsson, who brings a modern perspective to classical music. 31:08: The power of Johnny Cash's ability to inhabit a song and tell a story. 33:48: The personal becoming universal in art. 35:49: The story of Lao Tzu and the Dao De Jing, illustrating the power of a deeply personal creation becoming universally significant. 39:34: The creative process has three phases: watering the seeds, craft, and editing. 40:07: The crafting phase involves a more hands-on approach. 40:44: The editing phase can be done on a schedule, unlike the earlier phases. 42:32: The craft phase is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle with a clear vision. 43:45: It's not about the producer; it's about the project. 44:23: Collaboration and teamwork are important for the project's success. 46:28: Allowing artists to take the lead and supporting their vision. 47:54: Allowing creativity to unfold and not shutting down ideas. 49:01: Collaborating to make the project the best it can be. 50:16: Avoiding self-sabotage and staying open to possibilities. 51:04: Recognizing the uniqueness of individual perspectives and experiences. 52:31: Each artist has their own way of expressing themselves. 53:49: The creative act lies in how humans use AI tools. 55:14: The artist's intention is inseparable from the art. 55:51: Interpretations of art can vary greatly from the artist's intention. 57:14: The meaning of art is open to interpretation by both the artist and the listener. 57:58: Bought different magnetic poetry kits, removed connecting words and kept substantial words Used a music stand to display the words like a blackboard 58:39: Tom had songs but no lyrics, made up songs in real time using words from magnets Beautiful songs that wouldn't have happened any other way 59:15: Love Bon Iver, sometimes lyrics don't make sense, it's about the sound 59:45: Worked with artists to collect phrases that fit in certain moments in the song The right sound at the right time makes a big difference 1:00:22: Asked Neil Young if he knows what his songs mean, he has no idea Enlightenment is figuring out that it's both gibberish and not gibberish at the same time Certain phrases in songs unfold differently with each repetition, others become repetitive 1:02:13: Likes songs that can be played on a loop, allows access to creativity Can't listen to music with lyrics while reading, can listen to lyrics in a different language 1:03:29: Some songs feel timeless, like "Free Falling" and "Blowing in the Wind" 1:04:07: Stooges and Beatles were contemporaries, Stooges feel more modern due to popularity 1:06:09: Starting a new podcast called "Tetragrammatin" to interview interesting people beyond musicians 1:08:01: Great performers find inspiration in different domains, not just their own field 1:09:15: Artists draw from ancient stories and reinterpret them in a new way 1:12:08: George Clinton's inspiration for the Mothership came from Pink Floyd's stage shows 1:13:17: Podcast allows fans to learn about the inspirations and creative process of artists 1:14:22: Taylor Swift re-recording her masters, artist's perspective on reinterpreting old works 1:15:02: Talks about a radio station in New York called WCBS that played oldies music from the 50s, 60s, and 70s. 1:15:49: Expresses disappointment with the new versions of old songs available on iTunes that are not the original versions. 1:16:33: Mentions Led Zeppelin's album "No Quarter" where they reinterpreted their songs in Middle Eastern or African versions. 1:17:12: Asks a personal question about the length and complexity of his own books, wondering if it's a positive sign of growth or self-indulgence. 1:18:26: Advised not to worry and to focus on which version of his writing he prefers, as self-indulgence can be a good thing in art. 1:19:27: Reflects on his pride in his later books and how they reflect his growth and evolving perspective. 1:20:04: Discusses the importance of confidence in one's work and the freedom to let it flow, regardless of conciseness or self-indulgence. 1:21:22: Talks about the potential negative aspects of success and control, such as becoming pompous or long-winded. 1:22:34: Challenges the idea of time limits on creative expression and suggests that people have the freedom to leave or stay engaged based on their interest. 1:23:13: Expresses gratitude to the person he's talking to and praises the value and usefulness of his book, contrasting it with a more celebrity-focused version. 1:24:22: Questions why people are more drawn to celebrity stories rather than a book that offers more value and usefulness. 1:25:04: Explains that his book is not about him or his experiences but rather about universal ideas and observations he finds interesting. 1:25:41: Describes engaging with ideas that are not his own and invites readers to put themselves into the concepts presented in the book. 1:27:13: Discusses the difference between stories about famous individuals (e.g., Jay-Z) and the open-ended ideas presented in the book. 1:29:00: Compares the book to other writing books that he returns to, highlighting its depth and value. 1:30:05: Reflects on choosing to write the book he wanted to write, even though it may not be as commercially appealing. 1:30:41: Describes the process of reverse engineering and the challenge of understanding the information in the book. 1:31:19: Admits the difficulty of talking about the material in the book and how it remains elusive and ephemeral.

Man I don't know how many times I was jamming with a group of friends, and something magical happened. Was it recorded? No, it was just for us. Did we wish it was recorded so we could share it with the world?! Fuck yeah. One time I was playing this new rift I came up with using a loop pedal. My wife was watching me make it. All of a sudden I started singing this song for my wife, about us, how amazing she is, how amazing our relationship is, and how lucky I am to have found this love. By the end of it we were both crying. My wife asks if I had recorded it. I had the app open, and stopped recording another session just before this tune, but forgot to start recording a new session. That one was just for us right then at that moment.

48:55 I love how Rick's first words after this example were "Yes and."

Creativity and Frequency sound perfectly connected and as the frequency gets slightly out of pattern , it eventually cancels out, and with time comes back in sync! Love it!😊

I love that the host takes pauses to think and how they both layer comparisons and analogies as if they were figuring things out as they talk. Both parties are curious throughout the conversation

I have Rick's book on my desk stacked on top of Ryan's The Daily Dad.I am at home sick, making chicken noodle soup, and this came at the most perfect time.

Thank you for all your work. What a guest, what a collab. Keep doing you!

I’ve listened to every interview I could find with Rick Rubin & this is easily the best one. Thank you, Ryan!

Absolutely right about it being a book you read more than once, I’ve listened to it on audible at least 5 times at this point and it always gives me motivation to go create, it actually caused me to start painting and launch an entire new purpose for me. Forever grateful for it and for Rick.

No way! I was hoping you two would get together. The thought popped into my head as I was reading Rick's book today. Incredible, I'm looking forward to watching this once I finish reading.

Please add chapters to the video. Love your content Ryan. I am big admirer of your books. Your books have made a huge difference to my life.

The answer Rick to the second last question about “not being that guy” was golden. Thank you. 🙏 How incredible it would be to meet him. Looking forward to the new podcast. ❤

I’m completely in love with this book. I’m an establish painter and I can feel now that there will be a before and after in my painting process after reading this book.

I really love your perspectives on creativity. I resonate with all of this.