Rick Rubin = Good?

[Splintered Vision]

Ok, i noticed a few people on here had a positive outlook on the upcoming Metallica release based on the fact that Rick Rubin was priducing it. Being that Rick Rubin doesn't produce bad albums. My question is though, does this mean you're gonna have that same positive outlook on the new Linkin Park album?

" Linkin Park (title TBA; producer: Rick Rubin) (Warner, 2006)"
http://www.pauseandplay.com/upcoming.htm

 

[Zivilyn]

Hm, Linkin Park, that's gonna be a well produced bad album. Linkin Park is annoying and doesn't have good musicians, but they sometimes come out with a decent sounding song.

but for the uninformed, here's a list of what he's done so far and a few of what he's planning on doing, taken from wikipedia

Radio - LL Cool J (1985)
Licensed to Ill - Beastie Boys (1986)
Raising Hell - Run-D.M.C. (1986)
Reign in Blood - Slayer (1986)
Electric - The Cult (1987)
Danzig - Danzig (1988)
Tougher Than Leather - Run-D.M.C. (1988)
South of Heaven - Slayer (1988)
Masters of Reality - Masters of Reality (1988)
Andrew Dice Clay - Andrew Dice Clay (1989)
Trouble - Trouble (1990)
Danzig II: Lucifuge - Danzig (1990)
Seasons in the Abyss - Slayer (1990)
Nobody Said It Was Easy - The Four Horsemen (1991)
Manic Frustration - Trouble (1991)
Decade of Aggression - Slayer (1991)
Blood Sugar Sex Magik - Red Hot Chili Peppers (1991)
Danzig III: How the Gods Kill - Danzig (1992)
Thrall: Demonsweatlive - Danzig (1993)
21st Century Jesus - Messiah (1993)
Danzig 4 - Danzig (1994)
American Recordings - Johnny Cash (1994)
Divine Intervention - Slayer (1994)
Wildflowers - Tom Petty (1994)
One Hot Minute - Red Hot Chili Peppers (1995)
Ballbreaker - AC/DC (1995)
God Lives Underwater - God Lives Underwater (1995)
Empty - God Lives Underwater (1995)
Unchained - Johnny Cash (1996)
Undisputed Attitude - Slayer (1996)
Diabolus in Musica - Slayer (1998)
System of a Down - System of a Down (1998)
Chef Aid - South Park (1998)
Californication - Red Hot Chili Peppers (1999)
Loud Rocks - V/A (tracks: 1. System of a Down & Wu-Tang Clan - Shame, 6. Tom Morello & Chad Smith & Wu-Tang Clan - Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nothing Ta Fuck Wit) (1999)
American III: Solitary Man - Johnny Cash (2000)
Paloalto - Paloalto (2000)
Renegades - Rage Against The Machine (2000)
Amethyst Rock Star - Saul Williams (2001)
Toxicity - System of a Down (2001)
American IV: The Man Comes Around - Johnny Cash (2002)
By The Way - Red Hot Chili Peppers (2002)
Audioslave - Audioslave (2002)
Steal This Album! - System of a Down (2002)
Results May Vary - Limp Bizkit (with Terry Date and Jordan Schur)
Unearthed - Johnny Cash (2003)
De-Loused in the Comatorium - The Mars Volta (2003) (with Omar Rodriguez-Lopez)
The Black Album - Jay-Z (2003) ("99 Problems")
Live at the Grand Olympic Auditorium - Rage Against the Machine (2003)
Heroes and Villains - Paloalto (2003)
Vol. 3 (The Subliminal Verses) - Slipknot (2004)
Armed Love - The (International) Noise Conspiracy (2004)
Crunk Juice - Lil' Jon and the East Side Boyz (2004) ("Stop Fuckin' Wit Me")
Make Believe - Weezer (2005)
Out of Exile - Audioslave (2005)
Mezmerize - System of a Down (2005)
Hypnotize - System of a Down (2005)
Fijación Oral 1 - Shakira (2005)
Oral Fixation 2 - Shakira (2005)
12 Songs - Neil Diamond (2005)
Stadium Arcadium - Red Hot Chili Peppers (2006)
Untitled - Justin Timberlake (2006)
Untitled - Linkin Park (2006)
Untitled - Slayer (ending 2006)
Untitled - Metallica (2006/2007)
Untitled - Kid Rock (2006/2007)
Taking the Long Way - Dixie Chicks (2006)
American V - Johnny Cash (2006)
Untitled - System of a Down (possibly 2007)

So you can see he sort of just flows with the times. Not everything is going to appeal to the ones who know him from stuff like slayer and Danzig.
I'd be more concerned with Justin Timberlake than Linkin Park.
As for Metallica, it's gonna be more up to them than Rick Rubin.

7 albums in 2005?

 

[Lethal01]

I doubt Metallica still can write good music, no matter what producer. But yes, I would think Rubin is a good producer.

 

[Opethian666]

I kind of dislike the production of most albums I have from that list. It usually sounds a bit too thin for my taste.

 

[steel102]

all of the red hot chili peppers albums are notorious for being horribly produced. they are mastered too 'hot,' meaning the levels are always at max, and there are no dynamics whatsoever. unfortunately, this means that if you have some high-end audio equipment, those cds will be distortion-city

 

[Lietuvis]

Although there are definitely some big names on that list, this does not necessarily make Rubin a good producer... many of those releases have terrible production. uke:

 

[Kenneth R.]

A lot of great albums and a lot of shit on that list. I generally liked the production of the good albums, with some exceptions, so at least this new Metallica won't sound like shit. Or if it does, it will be clear sounding shit.

 

[CAIRATH]

Like it matters so much who produces. Metallica are still the ones writing the music, and if the last album is anything to go by there is little hope for the next one. And no producer is going to change that.

 

[Autumnal]

While I agree that St. Anger was horrible, at least I would be able to stand to listen to it if it didn't sound the way it does. I don't think Rick Rubin is the best producer ever, but as long as the guitars are crisp and the drums don't sound like soda cans it will be an improvement, even if it's an album of Hanson covers. Bob Rock you suck.

 

[JoeVice]

rick rubin's productions are always raw and organic...especially the drums...almost a live sound. i like it.

 

[opeth8]

I always get him & Bob Rock confused ??? Keep forgetting Rubin was the jewish partner at old DefJam with Simmons.

Anyhow, I'm sure the album will still suck & they'll continue to waste Kirk Hammett's talents.

 

[Lietuvis]

they'll continue to waste Kirk Hammett's talents.

I not so sure if he has any talent left to waste.

 

[Risquit]

I kind of dislike the production of most albums I have from that list. It usually sounds a bit too thin for my taste.

Yeah, he definitely has that crisp sound with the vocals way up front that make recordings sound a little thin. Lucifuge II is a good album, but Danzig's vocals are just too prominent in the mix making it easier to hear his natural flaws.

 

[FuneralPortrait]

He just produces, not mixes, right???

 

[Rocky Raccoon]

I think its more the fact that Bob Rock ISN'T producing it..

 

[NicholasDWolfwood]

People should stop ripping on Rock so much. Of course he changed the band and made them poppy/average rock, and he produced St. Anger, but the production on the self-titled album is probably the best produced album ever. The bass is highly audible and sounds great, the drum sound is amazing, the guitars are crisp, the vocals are produced right. That whole album's production wins.

 

[Rocky Raccoon]

People should stop ripping on Rock so much. Of course he changed the band and made them poppy/average rock, and he produced St. Anger, but the production on the self-titled album is probably the best produced album ever. The bass is highly audible and sounds great, the drum sound is amazing, the guitars are crisp, the vocals are produced right. That whole album's production wins.

This is true

 

[melvintillius]

all of the red hot chili peppers albums are notorious for being horribly produced. they are mastered too 'hot,' meaning the levels are always at max, and there are no dynamics whatsoever.

Blood Sugar Sex Magik is a brilliantly produced album. I don't know what you're listening to it on, but you may want to check your speakers. It was mastered by Howie Weinberg, who is an exceptional mastering engineer. He works for Masterdisk for fuck's sake!

Also, mastering and production are two different things. If an album has been badly mastered, that does not mean that it was badly produced. But, generally the producer is there with the band when they preview the mastered product. If they don't like it, they have them fix it. The mastering company works on the project until the artists are pleased.

So, you might want to have your speakers checked out, or get some new ones.

 

[Autumnal]

I don't credit Bob Rock with the downfall of Metallica. Bob Rock is just responsible for allowing St. Anger to see the light of day sounding like a rough, crappy, demo. He makes Ross Robinson's albums sound good.

 

[JB77]

While I agree that St. Anger was horrible, at least I would be able to stand to listen to it if it didn't sound the way it does. I don't think Rick Rubin is the best producer ever, but as long as the guitars are crisp and the drums don't sound like soda cans it will be an improvement, even if it's an album of Hanson covers. Bob Rock you suck.

I agree with you here, except for the Hanson covers

Metallica getting anyone other than Bob Rock to produce there new album is a good move.