# In 2001, Rick Rubin was too scared to put a band together. They’re now one of the best supergroups of all time

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/in-2001-rick-rubin-was-too-scared-to-put-a-band-together-theyre-now-one-of-the-best-supergroups-of-all-time/
- Published: 2026-11-05T18:14:09+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-05T18:23:49+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/in-2001-rick-rubin-was-too-scared-to-put-a-band-together-theyre-now-one-of-the-best-supergroups-of-all-time/
- Topics: Entertainment, Music

## Key points

- Rubin was reportedly frightened by Cornell’s home.
- The visit helped set Audioslave in motion.
- The supergroup’s debut opened with “Cochise”.

## Summary

In 2001, producer Rick Rubin was reportedly unnerved when guitarist Tom Morello took him to meet Chris Cornell at the singer’s imposing home. The visit helped bring together the musicians who formed Audioslave, a supergroup whose debut gave rock audiences a collaboration between members of Rage Against the Machine and Soundgarden.

Morello recalled that Rubin wanted to leave, joking that their souls were in peril, but the meeting went ahead. Audioslave paired Morello, bassist Tim Commerford and drummer Brad Wilk with Cornell, and opened its 2002 debut album with “Cochise”. The article presents the band as a notable result of Rubin’s brief hesitation, against a backdrop of rock music it describes as lacklustre.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.