David Bowie and Rick Rubin: Songwriting, Environment, and its Role in Creativity

     In the book "The Creative Act: A Way of Being," Rick Rubin, a Grammy-winning music produce describes creativity as not only an act but a way of life. He particular emphasizes the importance of one's nature and environment in inspiration, and the relation of creativity to discipline and freedom. 

    In an interview from 2014, Bowie emphasizes the importance of embracing the surrounding environment and nature when songwriting, saying that wherever he's "writing, that place tends to make itself very known, either in the atmosphere or sound. Using Heathen [2002] as an example, that was written up in the mountains of Woodstock. And you do have that sense of the magnificence of this really disquietingly tranquil place, but the sense of indifference about nature within it all"(DeMain). Rubin discusses the importance of environment when it comes to the creative process, stating that in order "to vary your inspiration, consider varying your inputs. Turn the sound off to watch a film, listen to the same song on repeat, read only the first word of each sentence in a short story, arrange stones by size and color, learn to lucid dream" (Rubin). In this instance, both Bowie and Rubin emphasize the importance of one's surroundings when it comes to creative inspiration, and Bowie himself emphasizes the importance of this source of inspiration when mentions how the peaceful environment of Woodstock served as inspiration for Heathen [2002]. 

    Bowie also mentions the importance of maintaining a beginner's mindset when it comes to his work. This might seem foolish at first, however, Bowie specifies that " it is terribly important for me to do that. It’s absolutely essential that I get surprised and excited by what I’m doing, even if it’s just for me. I think process is quite important. To allow the accidental to take place is often very good. So I trick myself into things like that. Maybe I’ll write out five or six chords, then discipline myself to write something only with those five or six chords involved" (DeMain) . Rubin also stresses this idea in his book, writing that "as artists, we seek to restore our childlike perception: a more innocent state of wonder and appreciation not tethered to utility or survival" (Rubin). This is also a perfect example of Rubin discussing creativity as situated in between discipline and freedom. Bowie himself also mentions that he sometimes strays from the specific rules he sets for himself, and mentions setting arbitrary rules as a means of overcoming writers block, then eventually breaking these rules once he overcomes writer's block (DeMain).     

    In conclusion, Bowie is a perfect example of an artist who actively embraces creativity as a way of life, specifically when it comes to embracing discipline and freedom as a means of spurring on the creation of art. He is also an example of how embracing one's environment is important for inspiration.

Works Cited:

Rubin, Rick. The Creative Act: A Way of Being. 2023.

DeMain, Bill. “David Bowie on Songwriting.” Louder, 28 May 2014, www.loudersound.com/features/david-bowie-on-songwriting.