Wednesday, July 16, 2008

MY LOVELY MAN

Six Of The Best: Rick Rubin produced albums (written 28/10/2003)



Red Hot Chili Peppers – Blood Sugar Sex Magik

Rubin transformed the Chili Peppers from funk wannabes into fully-fledged songwriters, and whilst doing so was welcomed into the band as their studio fifth member.




Rage Against The Machine – Renegades

Shortly before they split, Rage Against The Machine recorded this album of cover versions that show off their talents as performers and raises a glass to the bands who inspired them.




Johnny Cash – American III

All of Cash’s American Recordings should really be included, but the third in the series, entitled Solitary Man, gives sparse and isolated recordings of Tom Petty’s I Won’t Back Down and most notably U2’s One.




The Mars Volta – De-Loused In The Comatorium

Having split At The Drive-in, Omar Rodriguez and Cedric Bixler were intent on making challenging music. In the hands of any other producer, this could have turned unlistenable, but Rubin hones all the ideas and skills to create a stunning album.



Beastie Boys – License To Ill

Having already produced the two ends of the popular music spectrum with Run DMC and Slayer, Rubin brought the two together for the first time on the Beastie Boys’ No Sleep Till Brooklyn, on which Slayer’s Kerry King played guitar. The Beastie Boys will always be remembered for this album.



Audioslave – Audioslave

Originally called Civilian, it was Rubin who brought together Chris Cornell and the musical section of Rage Against The Machine to form an unlikely band. The album brilliantly combines the individual qualities of both parties.

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