In 1977, Rick Rubin heard the perfect rock song. 14 years later, he tried his best to destroy it

Rick Rubin made a deliberately over-the-top remix of Queen’s “We Will Rock You”, a song he regarded as perfect. He said he aimed to make it ridiculous and try to ruin it, reflecting his willingness to experiment with established recordings, even when that meant challenging a much-loved original.

Queen’s song was released in 1977, and Rubin’s remix came 14 years later. Working from the multitracks, he added sound effects and played the guitar solo from “Tie Your Mother Down” backwards. The article describes the result as an interesting experiment but argues it lacks the communal force of the original and offers little reason for repeat listens.