3. Rick Rubin Is Producing The Album
Some artists have criticized Rick Rubin for not being very “hands on” when in the studio (Corey Taylor put it less nicely). However, we’re sure that Rubin still chimes in with advice here in there. And we’d bet you that when Black Sabbath were looking for a studio drummer, it was Rubin who suggested Wilk. After all, he did work with the drummer when co-producing Rage Against The Machine’s final effort Renegades AND Audioslave’s first two albums. He was also the executive producer for the 20th anniversary box set. Whether Rubin really is the reason Wilk got the job is pure gossip (the drummer’s credentials speak for itself, as reason #4 explains). But it seems like a happy coincidence that Wilk just so happens to be working with Rubin again.