BETWEEN THE LINES: Rick Rubin, The Creative Act: A Way of Being

Rick Rubin’s The Creative Act (Image: Damien Wilkinson)

Def(t) Jam

Legendary music producer Rick Rubin’s extraordinary book, rather than lift the lid on his music industry career, turns the dial more conceptually on the art of being creative.

So instead of tales of working with hip-hop artists such as LL Cool J and the Beastie Boys, Rock and Metal acts, to re-defining Johnny Cash, we are treated to a comprehensive dissection of various stages of the creative process. Rubin articulates what he has absorbed over the years into more of an artist’s toolkit, or perhaps more widely, a self-help manual for anyone looking for insight into crafting a design for life.

The book is extremely succinct and structured, and whilst the 400 plus pages cover a wide spectrum of creativity philosophy and practical aids, it is ordered into bite size chapters, which facilitates a careful digestion of the concepts.

Whilst Rubin’s book doesn’t elaborate on many of the enlightening artist experiences he must have had over the years, crouched over the production console, the concepts of the book more powerfully amplify how some of his more landmark productions came to fruition.

For example, the processes underpinning the creative re-birth of Johnny Cash in his later years, culminating in his now legendary American Recordings suite of albums, are surely a powerful testimony of the book’s philosophy in action.

It’s a book you will want to either take time reading, read several times, or perhaps dip in and out of the chapters as an inspirational “thought for the day”.

I’ve certainly felt the benefit of the direction the book provides in my writing development and will return to it for further guidance and inspiration.

In Your Hands

In keeping with its concept, the physical book (paperback reviewed here, but hardback is clothbound) is innovatively and symbolically constructed with a distinctive but minimalistic circumpunct cover complemented with rounded corners to the pages. The dot in the circle representing the artist within the broader sphere of the creative universe.

Fairly uniquely you will find none of the usual blurb of quotes, descriptions or marketing printed on the book, and you can even peel the barcode sticker off.

Rick Rubin’s The Creative Act - hardback and paperback (Image: Damien Wilkinson)

There is also an audiobook version narrated by Rubin.

A Way of Being?

A highly recommended purchase, destined to become a renowned creativity bible.