Ilan Rubin
by Mister Mime
30th July 2021
Ilan Rubin’s brand new track ‘Talk, Talk, Talk’ conveys a carefree criticism of how people love to talk in excess about everything and nothing without much substance, and a mindful message to remain silent unless we have something truly worth sharing.
Ilan is a musician who needs no introduction, being one of the most successful rock drummers and musicians alive today, and the youngest person ever to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame as a part of the highly-acclaimed industrial rock act ‘Nine Inch Nails’. The song has an unmistakably nostalgic ‘yesteryears’ vibe to it - think ‘‘if The Beatles made songs in the 80s/90s’ - perhaps vying to take us back to a time when communication technology was less evolved and widespread than it is today, and it was much easier to find what really mattered in the sea of chatter. It exhibits Ilan’s all-round proficiency and musicianship on vocals, piano and guitars, apart from the usual drumming duties, and is his first release from a full-length album soon to come.
MM: First of all, love the song ‘Talk Talk Talk’! The sound, lyrics, emotions, and message really spoke to me; especially being a ’91 born kid, somehow I feel like it resonated even more. I really look forward to the album! Why did you decide to call this song"Talk Talk Talk"? What is the theme of the album?
IR: Thank you very much! I'm still not sure if there will be a single theme for the album, but I decided to call this first single “Talk Talk Talk” because I feel that that is something most of us experience on a daily basis. People talking non stop about anything and everything, most of which is usually unimportant. Everybody has their platform but as a result, it gets harder to find what really matters.
MM: Are there any interesting incidents, stories or challenges you faced in the making of the album?
IR: No. Writing music for me is an instance of complete freedom and I thoroughly enjoyed writing “TTT” and the songs that will follow.
MM: Your musical background and journey are well known and very inspiring! And your accomplishments speak for themselves, like being the youngest member of the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. What did that feel like at the time when you were inducted?
IR: Thank you very much. Being inducted into the R&R Hall Of Fame meant a lot to me since it was a sort of lifelong goal that I somehow achieved by 32. I’ll never be able to thank Trent enough for that! It was also an extremely positive and uplifting moment in a terrible year. The trophy is on my piano so I feel good from time to time when I catch a glimpse of it.
MM: Can you share with us your sentiments about coming across your dad’s drum set & what you learnt from him and your brothers?
IR: What I learned from my Dad when I first became a musician was the importance of being able to improvise and play with other musicians. Having two older brothers to jam with made playing and performing with others second nature.
MM: What was your songwriting process like for the song? Having been a part of bands like NIN, Angels and Airwaves, Paramore and The Lost Prophets, what elements/parts of your experience from these bands did you carry forward into your own music?
IR: I usually begin with chords and melody, make sense of whatever it is I’m mumbling, and then hone in on the lyrics and what the song is about. In the case of “TTT” I wrote it entirely at the piano and had the feel for the other instruments in mind as I was writing. Honestly, I don’t think I bring my experiences from other bands to the table when I write. Everyone has their own process and being the guy who writes and plays everything I definitely think I have my own way of doing things.
MM: Who were your musical influences while growing up? What are some records that you’ve been listening to recently, & some places & things that inspire you?
IR: My influences are all over the place. Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Queen, The Police, Depeche Mode, to name a few bands and I’m a pretty big student of classical music with Beethoven and Bach being a couple of my favourite composers. Lately, I’ve been jumping around the Motown catalogue quite a bit and have found myself getting back into my Dave Brubeck albums. Europe as a whole, its various cultures and deep histories are inspiring to me.
MM: Can you tell us a bit about the photograph on the album cover? Can we expect a music video for any of the tracks?
IR: My wife Sam took that photo! We just felt it had a vibe that complimented the style of song, especially with that old school rotary phone. There will be music videos to come in the near future.
MM: What do you like to do outside of music?
IR: Outside of music I read, play tennis, and the occasional chess game. Yes, I am a 70-year-old man.
MM: What advice would you give to new & upcoming artists & drummers to be authentic and as original as possible, and finding their own voice?
IR: Anyone trying to achieve anything and attain a level of mastery should spend a lot of time learning as much as they possibly can. Everything you know will somehow work its way into what you do, especially musically. The great thing about music is that you can first learn by emulating what you love, as long as you eventually learn to incorporate it into a style that you can call your own. Not everybody reinvents the wheel, but everybody can do something in their own unique way. It's a musician’s job to find out what that is for themselves.
MM: Have you always been an open-handed drummer?
IR: My decision to play open-handed was as innocent and naive as a decision could be. When I first started playing, my Dad taught me something and told me to get him once I had practised it. It was at that moment that I realized my left hand was actually a lot closer to the hi-hat than my right. That’s how my open-handed playing began.
Image Courtesy: Oliver Halfin
You Can Follow Ilan Rubin on:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTKAkTCdsu4&ab_channel=IlanRubin
https://open.spotify.com/track/6bihcxN7b7X4359VGXaqCJ?autoplay=true
All Images Courtesy of Ilan Rubin and the Respective Photographers
