How Daniel Lanois made those adventurous records with Dylan, U2 and Willie Nelson
5/29/202638 min
Daniel Lanois built a studio in his basement in Quebec and began producing local acts when a teenager. Through work with Brian Eno, he went on to record U2, Bob Dylan, Arcade Fire, Emmylou Harris and scores of others with a method that’s unique, cinematic and utterly extraordinary, a brand of sonic architecture that creates settings to accommodate the songs, often in exotic and stimulating places. And he's made nine albums of his own, the latest the magical instrumental suite ‘Belladonna Nocturne’ – “hear this and you may never go home again”. This rich and fascinating conversation includes …
… how the place you record affects the way you think
... producing Dylan and Willie Nelson in an abandoned Mexican cinema
… why the first record he bought was Wipe Out by the Surfaris
… the process of “printing sound” and his Music Minus One theory
… “Songs are doorways to another dimension”
… Eno’s working method: “he walked round the studio for 45 minutes ringing bells to map out the length of the album”
… drawing song sketches to stop everyone having to crowd round a laptop
… making the Unforgettable Fire with U2, “expanding Slane Castle ‘til there were little critters crawling out of the walls!”
… conjuring the tropical heat of Robbie Robertson’s Somewhere Down the Crazy River
… and what Hells’ Angels like to do to his music.
Order Belladonna Nocturne here: https://artsmusic.lnk.to/BelladonnaNocturne
Help us to keep The Longest Conversation In Rock going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear
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Transcript preview
First 90 secondsMark Ellen· Host0:01
[gentle music] You've found Word In Your Ear. How soon is now? Are friends electric? Who wrote the book of love? These and other piercing queries may well be answered in this conversation that started 19 years ago and is steaming towards infinity and beyond. Thanks for watching or listening. Do leave us a like or subscribe at patreon.com/wordinyourear for more entertainment. And if you know the way to San Jose, for God's sake, get in touch. Anyway, the ceremony is about to begin.
Jake Stauch0:33
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