5. Rick RubinThe Creative Act: A Way Of Being

I bought this as soon as it came out. I read it and The Book Of Life at the same time. I thought it would be a good read while I was working on the record. It’s the easiest read of all these books — but it should be easy. It’s not meant to be complicated. That’s what I like about it: it’s straight to the point and not elitist at all. As he says, it’s not just for artists, it’s for anybody. It’s very accessible. I find Rubin really inspiring. I’m a fan of a record he produced called South Of Heaven by Slayer. He always says, “I’m not an engineer, I’m just a guy who works with his ears and his instincts.” I really relate to that because I’m not a great musician, but I believe in my artistic vision and my relationship to sound. I’m not a great player. I just trust my ears.