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On February 16, 2006, it was officially announced that Rick Rubin would produce the next Metallica studio album. Rick Rubin's history as a producer is well known. He has produced albums for such acts as Slayer, Run DMC, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Danzig, Johnny Cash, Public Enemy, System of a Down, Audioslave, Beastie Boys, Slipknot, Linkin Park, (just to name a few).
Some Metallica fans blame Bob Rock, perhaps unfairly, for changing Metallica's sound. With many Metallica fans excited to hear the news of Rick Rubin producing the new album, let's hear what some Virginia Fuelers (and others) have to say about Rick Rubin.  Michelle (Assistant EFI Editor): "You gotta FIGHT for your RIGHT, to parteeeeyyeeeeee......" I'm so freakin' stoked to have Rick Rubin working with Metallica! I'm a HUGE Beastie Boys fan from waaaay back in the day. Rubin is a forward-thinking, music-meister, powerhouse. I cannot wait to see what Rubin and Tallica bring to the fans. HELL YEAH!!!! Joanna (former Chapter Head): I've been excited for the new Metallica album. Duh, its Metallica! Add that this will be the first album with Rob Trujillo contributing. Then the news breaks that the producer will be Rick Rubin!?! Holy sh*t!! I flipped. This made me *at least* twice as excited to hear the new tunes. The band is at a point in their career to come up with something really special and with Rubin at the helm, I trust it will be full-on *authentic.* Let's think about this.... Rick Rubin: the man who produced Slayer! Danzig! The Beastie Boys! Run-DMC! Johnny Cash, for cryin' out loud! Red Hot Chili Peppers! Audioslave! System of a Down! and lemme repeat: Slayer!! I'm a very old-school Metallica fan, so don't write me off when I say...this could be the best album yet. We'll see. Very hopeful. On the edge of my seat. Tom: Rick Rubin should give the Metallicamp exactly what they need: an outsider with a proven record. He's the genius that brought Johnny Cash back from the dead with 1994's "American Recordings." This is way before that shameful mediocre biopic turned him onto those who think the music coming out of Nashville now is country. Modern country fans, there is no Santa Claus - all that Rascal Flatts/Keith Urban/Kenny Chesney shit is pop music, not country. Throwing a steel guitar on Xtina Aguilera's music wouldn't make her country, either, alright. Rick Rubin co-founded Def Jam, the greatest rap label of all time, (home to Public Enemy, Run DMC, LL Cool J in the hip hop Golden Age) whilst in the same decade producing the second greatest thrash band of all time: (Fuckin') Slayer. And not on those horseshit albums that didn't have my drum God Dave Lombardo, he produced "Reign In Blood" That's the 2nd best thrash record behind MOTM, fuckers. System of a Down, Andrew Dice Clay, the Black Crowes, Neil Diamond, AC/DC all have had him produce their work. He's the guy that master-minded the Red Hot Chili Peppers "Blood Sugar Sex Magik", arguably the best album of 1991, and one of my top five favorite LP's ever. Simply put, he has the Midas Touch. All bullshit aside, his genius is that he doesn't go for that glitzy over-produced sound, his recordings sound like concerts, and "Blood Sugar" is the best exemplar. The cymbals ring out, the guitars are completely unpolished and there are no synthetic, recorded sound effects or symphonic arrangements. Unfortunately, he's also produced that corny clown act from Iowa, but not everyone's career can be spotless. I know he's an intense Buddhist that doesn't like to wear shoes, so he may just fall right in with that hippie-dippie feel good vibe that seemed to permeate the "SKOM" movie. I know he's the man that can rescue Metallica from the puketastic "Hey, hey, hey and I went down" cut and paste metal by numbers that's stained their catalog these last ten years. Let's hope they let him. Alexander ("Junior"): Well Rick Rubin is a great producer, he produced several different styles of music. When he did Johnny Cash I was stunned, but I'm looking forward for what he offers for Metallicas next cd..I'm all ears...Good-day!!!
 Picture courtesy of Metallica.com Parvez: Rick Rubin - he has a great history of record production. He has worked with very large companies and has a knack for gaining acceptance with very large bands. What is his certain flair, and how will it benefit Metallica? This is a band that has entered their latter stages of development; they aren’t kids looking to break through, and I hope that realization has planted fully into Ulrich’s head. What connection is there between the next album and this band and this man? You’re asking me to venture a guess to this question. OK, here goes. As much as these four gentlemen, now aging rockers, don’t need the huge fan base of the early(ier) years, they still yearn for it. They want appreciation for their musical efforts more than money. They’re bringing in a ‘big time’ producer because Bob Rock doesn’t care for the fan base that has backbitten him to no end. Why imbue bitterness in the next album and into the future? Let’s pray this next album is as true to their beings as it may be to their egos. Anthony: I think Rick Rubin jumping on board to produce the next album is a wise move for Metallica. Although they're at a point in their career where they have nothing else to prove, I expect this album to be pretty noisy, loud and fast. I think their experimentation period is behind them. With their new philosophy towards how they conduct their business, I am confident that the product will not be a half-hearted effort. It will be exciting to listen to considering the resume of Mr. Rick Rubin. Willis: I don't know if hero of the day is necesssarily the nickname yet, but the whole thing sounds exciting right now for sure. I love a lot of the stuff Rubin has done in the past and I'm excited to see how he interprets Metallica in 2006/2007. We needed fresh blood for sure. I'm not a Bob Rock hater, but a producer should be a 100% by-partisan opinion without any other alterior motives. Fuck feelings, this is what I think. How will that attitude mesh with the Metalli-Monster that lives today. I'm not sure. One thing's for sure, he better strap down them snare barbs. St. Anger is unlistenable to me three years later. I'm looking for a good Metallica rock record. Those of us waiting for another thrash record might as well grow back the mullet and find yourself a time machine. We'll see!!! I have my fingers crossed.
 Picture courtesy of Metallica.com Brad (from his Chapter Member Bio in this issue): Not really. Rick Rubin will not give Metallica enough time since every other band in the world including U2 is requesting him for his services. I believe that Metallica needs to take their time in order to appeal to the new generation of Metal Fans. Rick Rubin is finishing up with Linkin Park and about to start with Metallica, then go to U2 and Velvet Revolver. Jeff (Chapter Head): I'm just as anxious as everyone else to hear what Rick Rubin and Metallica can create. This will also be Robert's 1st studio album with Metallica. It will be interesting to see what comes out of this. I think Metallica was getting too comfortable having Bob Rock as their producer. I like Bob Rock, but it was time for a change. Although, I think too many Metallica fans think Bob Rock is the enemy and changed Metallica's sound. However, an interview Bob Rock did for So What! Volume 2, Issue 3 (which came out sometime in 1995) the following excerpt should put an end to the misconception that Bob Rock changed Metallica's sound.
(Bob Rock) "I told them at that initial meeting in Vancouver that I couldn't believe the lack of power in the '...Justice' album compared to the live band. I asked them what they wanted to do, where they wanted to go, and they pretty much said they wanted to simplify."
(Steffan Chirazi) "Now, correct me if I'm wrong but you tend to think that Metallica fans see you as some sort of enemy?"
(Bob Rock) "Well, I assume that most of the people in the fan club still assume the 'black' album is a bit too commercial. I would think I might still be seen as a bit of an 'enemy' because they're not in the room with us, they don't see us working and may think I'm responsible for some things that I'm not. But with any relationship, you have to let people grow. And the mere thought that anyone, especially me, could bully Lars, James, Jason or Kirk is laughable..."
Lyle (professional photographer/friend of Virginia Fuel) Having Rick Rubin produce the next Metallica album will be amazing. Rubin has produced not only some of the biggest names in music, but many diverse types of music. He has produced Slayer, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Johnny Cash,The Beastie Boys, and Slipknot and many more. I believe he will be able to look at Metallica as a band, and look at both their past and their future and help the guys make an album that not only will move them forward in their careers, but to move them forward as the legend of Metallica. I expect him to push the guys to create some HEAVY riffs, intricate time changes and probably some killer solos from Kirk. Personally, I never disliked Bob Rock, but it is nice to breathe new life into the band at this stage of the game and see what happens. From what was heard this summer, I am eagerly looking forward to the release of this album and the subsequent tour. Bottom line: I expect an album somewhere between Master of Puppets/Justice/Black album. Heavy, intricate, innovative, progressive - in other words - Fucking Metallica!!! Toby (MetClub) [excerpt from his interview in this issue]: I look forward to hearing anything new by this band. But production wise, little hard for me as Bob has been and remains to be a good friend of mine. I admire Bob, and I do miss him keeping the sanity around here for sure. You only get a small glimpse of how great he was during St. Anger in the Some Kind of Monster DVD. I am very sad to see him go. Rick seems to be a wonderful guy, so let's give him a chance. |
