Musician and producer Finneas says, like many, he’s “confused” about Rick Rubin’s self-proclaimed lack of technical data, and feels he perhaps isn’t being so literal when he says he “is aware of nothing” about music.

In a 2023 interview for 60 Minutes, Rubin claimed he didn’t know the way to use a mixing desk and stated, “I’ve no technical capability. And I do know nothing about music.” He additionally made comparable feedback concerning the freedom of “understanding not one of the guidelines” of music in dialogue with Rick Beato in 2024.

Finneas, who just lately composed the rating for season 2 of Netflix’s Beef, was requested concerning the evolving function of being a producer and his ideas round Rubin’s distinctive practices in a brand new interview.

Talking to Billboard, he explains “He’s made work that I’m actually impressed by. I’m a bit confused by his sort of… He swears that he is aware of nothing in any respect about music, and it’s like, simply Google Rick Rubin, Johnny Money. There are a lot of movies of him establishing the mics. He doesn’t know ‘nothing’.

“I believe what I assume he means by that, and I respect this, is much like what I’ve stated earlier than: There are lots of people that know much more than I do. I don’t know probably the most, however I additionally don’t know ‘nothing.’”

Finneas goes on so as to add: “I believe I attempt to do the identical factor, which is, I don’t need to make individuals really feel prefer it isn’t achievable. I believe that you just don’t need to intimidate any person out of making an attempt to make one thing by means of, ‘I’ve my 10,000 hours, I do know a lot, you’ll by no means know as a lot as I do.’ So I like that about [him].

“I additionally assume that the opposite factor that he actually does, and I’m certain he’s completely happy to speak about this, is he offers this setting. And I believe that setting is extremely necessary to me. I generally do assume that, equally to him, that’s the perfect factor I can supply some individuals.”

Apparently, The Cult’s Billy Duffy lifted the lid on what it’s wish to work with Rubin in an interview final 12 months. Talking on the Rockenteurs podcast, he recalled collaborating with Rubin on their 1987 document, Electrical.

“He did rent Andy Wallace to be the engineer – Rick’s all the time used nice engineers, he’s not silly,” Duffy admitted. “And [producer and A&R exec] George Drakoulias was there on a regular basis. Rick and George have been like a crew… [but] George was extra musical. Rick’s not musical… in any respect,” he stated.

“He’d say ‘are you able to play a type of pussy AC/DC English chords there?’” Duffy laughed. “We actually deconstructed the album on the spot. I went from a Gretsch with the Roland and the refrain and the echoes. And he was like, ‘Nicely, that’s a Marshall, that’s a Les Paul, off you go.’ It was fairly traumatic for me, I gotta let you know.”

As for Finneas, he’s usually finest recognized for collaborating together with his sister, Billie Eilish. In 2024, he spoke to Guitar.com across the launch of his signature Fender Acoustasonic Telecaster, and shared how guitar stays his favorite instrument alternative when taking to the stage.

“I occurred to be doing this interview the opposite day with Hans Zimmer, and Hans was speaking about touring, enjoying dwell – Hans performs every thing and might conduct! And I used to be like, ‘Yeah, however every time I see footage of you enjoying a live performance, you’re simply all the time shredding!’ and he was like, ‘Taking part in guitar is probably the most enjoyable’ – and it truly is true! It’s 5 – 6 occasions extra enjoyable to play a guitar or a bass than it’s to take a seat and play a keyboard on stage. It’s so enjoyable!”