These two books are both highly disparate but also very similar. More than anything else, I found them fun to read and also inspiring, although in different ways. But in the end, inspiration is exciting regardless of the source or even the subject. Both Mr. Rubin and Mr. Schlarb are white males who live in Los Angeles County and work in the music industry. Beyond that, they have few similarities. Rubin is a successful, wealthy producer who has made records with Johnny Cash, Adele, Slayer, Tom Petty, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Schlarb has made a lot of records as well, but none of them have been “hits,” and you've probably never heard of many of the artists he's worked with. I'm pretty sure Rick Rubin lives in a mansion in Malibu, while Chris Schlarb lives with his wife Adriana (who also works with him at his BIG EGO Studio and record label) and their four kids in an apartment in Long Beach. Both books have stark light covers with nicely-designed type and minimal graphic logos. Rubin's book is a standard hardback with 432 pages, big type, and short chapters, while Schlarb's book is a little bit bigger than a CD jewel box, and exactly 50 pages with very small type. Both are fun to read.
Mr. Rubin's book focuses on the act of creativity and the many forms, processes, and stages of working in the creative arts. While he has made his career in music, the book and his approach are agnostic to any one discipline, and a painter or writer might get just as much from this book as a musician or a producer. Music is a focus but not overly so, and there are only a few anecdotes or mentions of any of the artists Rubin has worked with. His overall theme is to make the “creative act” a part of your everyday life, and you'll be spiritually richer for it. The finished product, he posits, is less important than the act of creating it and the relationships with the people you create with. One could argue that it's easier to take this point of view when you've achieved his level of success, but I agree with him. In fact, I found almost everything in this book to be something I already knew or agreed with, but that did not diminish my enjoyment of reading it and I still found it very inspiring. He has said that he spent seven years writing this book and, at one point, scrapped it and started over, and it shows. The Creative Act is beautifully and succinctly written, and a pleasure to read.
If The Creative Act is a bit general and zoomed out, Schlarb's On Recording is very specific and zoomed in. This book is about making a living by recording other human beings, most likely in a proper studio – whether that be in your home studio or a high end commercial facility. That's not to say that this book is all about the business of recording music; there is plenty of discussion about aesthetics, music, and managing people's expectations and relationships. Again, there was not a whole lot here that seemed new to me, but it's a fun, inspiring read, and Schlarb has packed a huge amount of hard-won wisdom into this slim book. So, while it might not take too long to read it, you'll likely come back to some sections as they'll provoke thoughts about aspects of how we all work. The book opens with the classic “fast, good, cheap; pick two” triangle (see my End Rant in Tape Op #87), modified to “good money, good music, good people; consider yourself lucky if you have two.” The short chapter early in the book on “Let It Bleed (Or Gate It)” is brilliant – the kind of thing that can take a decade of experience to really grasp. I showed it to a working engineer who was in my studio, and sadly I think it went right over his head. Hopefully it might make some sense to you.
As someone who's clocked more than a few decades in studios and making records, I can say that both books are filled with wisdom and good sage advice that almost anyone who records music will find inspiring. If you're new to music recording, then I really recommend these books; I wish I had them when I was in my early 20s.
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