Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Josh Klinghoffer discussed working with producer Rick Rubin on 2011’s I’m With You in a new interview with Rock 100.9. Alternative Nation transcribed the quote.
“I think all of us have different reasons for wanting to make a change. I know I can only speak for myself, and though it was a great experience working with Rick on the last album, I felt that when there are five people making a record let’s say, not including the engineers, or all the other people that are involved in making a record, but the four of us as a band, and Rick as the producer, those four guys had a 20 plus year working relationship. That was something I became uncomfortable with after awhile, no matter what, I felt like the new person. Not because I was new to the band, but because I was new tot his family they had, this professional artistic family that they had. That was my main reason for wanting to try it with somebody else.
I think everyone else had different reasons, and also a lot of people were a little afraid to not do what they were used to doing for awhile, because Rick has done great things with this band. But I can’t speak for anybody else, I can’t say it was one more than the other, wanting to leave Rick, because I think the band is so indebted to their work with Rick Rubin, he’s a massive part of the band history, and the way this band has progressed over the years. But like I said for me, I was new to that relationship, and I felt if we did another record where I felt the way I felt last time, I wouldn’t enjoy myself at all.”
