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Fights with Bob Dylan, Magic with U2: Daniel Lanois on His Life in Music
Canadian producer and musician Daniel Lanois, known for his atmospheric work on albums such as Emmylou Harris's Wrecking Ball and Bob Dylan's Time Out of Mind, has spoken about his career and creative philosophy in a new interview for Rolling Stone Music Now. Lanois argues that his contribution to records goes beyond sonic texture, emphasising the "soul" of a record over its sound, and reflects on collaborations with major artists including U2, Peter Gabriel, Bob Dylan, D'Angelo, the Neville Brothers and Neil Young.
The interview centres on Lanois's new solo instrumental album, Belladonna Nocturne, which he describes as a collection of scene-based tracks evoking specific places, such as "At the Foot of the Skyway Bridge", inspired by his hometown of Hamilton, Ontario. He details his production technique of sampling elements from within a song, such as steel guitar, and building additional "dubs" and orchestral textures from those samples. Lanois also mentions recent touring with Micah Nelson (Willie Nelson's son) as part of the duo Particle/Lanois, whose forthcoming album is titled The Ocean Floor, and discusses upcoming tour dates in Canada and Scandinavia.
In short
- Daniel Lanois discusses his career and new album in Rolling Stone interview
- New solo record Belladonna Nocturne features scene-inspired instrumental tracks
- Also toured recently with Micah Nelson under the name Particle/Lanois
Explained simply
Daniel Lanois is a Canadian record producer and musician best known for helping shape the sound of some of the most acclaimed albums of the past few decades, including work with Bob Dylan, U2 and Emmylou Harris. He is not a performer in the traditional sense but a studio collaborator, credited with giving records a distinctive atmosphere often described as their "soul" rather than simply their sound.
The occasion for this interview is Lanois's new solo instrumental album, Belladonna Nocturne, on which he explores places and memories, including his hometown of Hamilton, Ontario, through music rather than words. He also touches on his long-running working relationships with major artists and a newer musical partnership with Micah Nelson, son of country singer Willie Nelson.
Readers new to the story should know that Lanois's reputation rests on decades of behind-the-scenes influence on popular music, which gives weight to his reflections on collaboration, creative disagreement and technique. The interview offers a rare first-person account of how some celebrated records were actually made, alongside news of his current projects and touring plans.