What Rick Rubin Taught Me About Moving Mountains…
The Sonic Sherpa, Rick Rubin.
The mythology around Rick Rubin will only grow with the new “Shangri-LA” by Showtime, which spends four hours in a stream of consciousness meditation on Rick’s life. It’s clearly obvious that Rick has built a wonderful life by impacting culture through music, but in reflecting on the show I was moved by the mix of curiosity and restraint in his approach. Rick undoubtedly has the gift to move mountains, and that’s why he gets called on to stage these creative interventions, but what Rick knows better than most of us, is that ‘just because he can’ generate the leverage to move mountains, he’s not addicted to the feeling that moving mountains gives — talk about quieting one’s cleverness. He uses the power gently and wisely and doesn’t seem to let it feed his ego. And he gives his artists the space to discover the path and magic, and he’s simply the sherpa, some times leading them, some times supporting from behind, but always with them (and really with them), every step of the way…
There is a scene with of the artists that was in a bad key for the song and Rick was able to get the artist to push the key higher and move the tag of the melody that was out of range to a falsetto and it worked like a charm. In the grand scheme, I’m sure that’s just meat and potatoes for a producer, but it was the way in which Rick created the conditions for the magic, and create a safe creative space for the artist to explore and be vulnerable that was the generous gift. And no wonder people seem to like him so much, he makes people feel good, which was clearly a skill he developed over the years (there was some funny footage of a young brash Rick Rubin that shaded the contrast).
Oh and it was fun seeing Seth Godin make a guest appearance, even though it felt a bit produced, them meeting in the church with Rick barefooted. I’m such a fan of Seth’s work, and he very much walks the same path of knowing that moving mountains works best when in service of the greater good, and the power that being generous and empathic has to unlock and (re)built cultures.
As reaching as it may sound, I was compelled to put it on my bucket list — an invite to Shangri-LA. Perhaps even witness and contribute to the magic. The house has much history from The Band and Bob Dylan, and so on. Plus it’s down the street from one of my favorite surf spots at Point Dume in Malibu. I already loved it there and now knowing about Shangri-LA makes Point Dume that much more of a special place for me.
Speaking of dreams, what mountains are you working on moving?
Flea & Rick Rubin on Point Dume Malibu at Shangri-LA
A brief history about the famous Shangri-LA house in links below.
Rick bought the house in 2011 for what appears to be a steal now.
More on Rick https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Rubin