Rick Rubin Quotes

“Everything happens kind of the way it's supposed to happen, and we just watch it unfold. And you can't control it. Looking back, you can't say, 'I should've... ' You didn't, and had you, the outcome would have been different.”

“For me The Beatles are proof of the existence of God.”

“I like things that are unique and extreme.”

“I never decide if an idea is good or bad until I try it. So much of what gets in the way of things being good is thinking that we know. And the more that we can remove any baggage we're carrying with us, and just be in the moment, use our ears, and pay attention to what's happening, and just listen to the inner voice that directs us, the better.”

“I never had the feeling I ever had to make a dime doing anything.”

“I was very lucky. My neck hurt and I went to my doctor, who was kind of hip, and he said it was stress-caused and that I needed to learn how to meditate. So I learned how to do Transcendental Meditation.”

“I'm just trying to make my favorite music. That's how I work; I just do things based on the way they feel to me. I want to be touched by the music I'm making. Luckily, other people have shared that response to my work over the years.”

“It's a big theme in my life, learning about myself and being a better person. I'm a work in progress; I have revelations every day.”

“People are willing to get short-term gains at the risk of long-term choices...”

“Reduce your work to the absolute essentials you can't live without.”

“The power of nature is what all art strives to be. The more we can get in tune with the harmony of the planet, the more our art can benefit from that relationship.”

“There’s a tremendous power in using the least amount of information to get a point across.”

“When you're vegan, you spend your time chasing protein, and you're eating food that's way too high in carbs. I could never catch up on protein.”

“The technology is getting better. There will be a day when you'll be able to hear any music you want, anywhere you are, on demand, in a quality that is as good as when it was made. Things are moving in that direction.”

“Get in the habit of just making things for fun. Not for anyone else. No stakes. No consequences. Only for yourself.”

“Once it becomes hard to tell the difference between one choice and another, it's probably a less essential decision.”

“Recognizing what you don't know may be your greatest strength.”