Ilan Rubin and Setorii have a conversation about his experience as a musician, his love for music, and the lessons he’s learned working with the best in the business, including Trent Reznor, Tom Delonge, and many others. Setorii begins by asking about some of his greatest influences as a drummer, and Ilan speaks to the influence of the Beatles, Queen, and Led Zeppelin. The Beatles were particularly meaningful to Ilan’s family, so when he got to play with Paul McCartney, it was a big moment for both Ilan and his father.
They discuss what makes Led Zeppelin such a legendary band. Ilan talks about them with star-struck confidence, and their synergy was unmatchable. A self-declared “Bonham fanatic,” Ilan talks about how Bonham’s playing style inspired his own, from the early days to now.
Ilan Rubin dives deeper, speaking about being an on-stage musician, negative pressures, expectations, and the need to write new material. Ilan seems to advocate for the idea of “just do it,” as overthinking can often hinder your ability to act when you need to. Ilan also discusses his songwriting process, lyrics, and musical content.
Ilan and Setorii talk at length about his time working with Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails and Tom DeLonge of blink-182, and Angels and Airwaves. Ilan has learned many positive lessons thus far, but he treasures his time with Reznor the most. He elaborated on how lucky he was to join NIN as a drummer when he was only 20 years old. Joining Nine Inch Nails immediately made him feel like he found the collaborative professionalism he had been yearning to experience his whole life. It’s been 11 years since he first joined NIN, and Ilan was just awarded the youngest inductee in the Rock and Roll Hall of fame. With so many life experiences to share, Setorii interviewed Ilan for a second interview, available in two weeks.
Listen to the interview with Ilan Rubin now on OWC’s Leaders & Game Changers!
