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An untouchable figure in contemporary Canadian culture, renowned worldwide for four decades, Daniel Lanois could be satisfied, sticking to managing his immense reputation. That would be misunderstanding him: he prefers to continually pursue the quest for innovation and transmission that he has always followed.
A multi-instrumentalist and master producer (U2, Emmylou Harris, Peter Gabriel, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, The Neville Brothers, etc.), he is now focusing on his art. And his art is back with us to showcase his recent progress. Released in 2021, the songs from the album Heavy Sun could provide the platform for the launch of concerts that promise to be inspired in Quebec, starting with the one presented at the Palais Montcalm, this Friday, October 3, at 7:30 p.m.
Given his gigantic status, Dan Lanois could have avoided interviews, but it was quite different because the friendly conversation that follows reminds us of his humility and good nature.
Daniel Lanois : Bonjour Alain (in French)
PAN M 360 : Bonjour Daniel, ça va ?
Daniel Lanois : Oui, tout va bien. Je suis à Toronto. (in French)
PAN M 360: Do you live in Toronto now?
Daniel Lanois: It’s a little complicated. I have a studio in Toronto, a house in Jamaica and another location in the USA.
PAN M 360: Are you in the USA a lot these days?
Daniel Lanois: I have one agenda, wherever I am: to try to reach the highest level through my music and my songs. I always hope that the content and emotion of this music can touch hearts and maybe change people’s lives a little. That’s my contribution to the world. Otherwise, I could just stay on the patio talking… But I don’t have time for the patio, I’m still trying to do the best I can.
PAN M 360: For your return to Quebec, you will be with Jim Wilson and Jermaine Holmes, a trio that excels in harmonized singing and in the execution of your excellent blend of gospel, blues, folk-rock, Americana in the Lanois style, with a touch of reggae. All in the spirit of the album Heavy Sun (2021) with a touch of Rockets (2021)?
Daniel Lanois: You took the words right out of my mouth! I’m going to drink my coffee then (laughs). There will be all that and also, I’m bringing a whole electronic set on stage that I’ll use in addition to this music played with my musicians. I’m very excited, because we do things in the studio that are fascinating but that are not usually presented on stage, not in the same way anyway. It’s more expensive to produce on tour, but I still made the decision to do it, because I want to evolve my show by spreading some of my electronic experiments.
PAN M 360: Can we find out more?
Daniel Lanois: Yes, absolutely! This gear on stage is a bit like the Jamaican dub artist Mad Professor who can work with an 8-track on stage; you have the bass, you have the beat and you add things. With my gear I can mix on the spot, but more than that, I dub I have my pre-recorded echoes, the groove is for example classic Jamaican groove, I have effects and samples to add to it in real time. I organize the echoes myself, the samples and the dubs are mine.
I take songs and present them in a distinct context. Every night, different songs are played. Sometimes the dub will express itself in a certain way and I might think, wow, I’ve never had that before! So we’ll have a little fun with the electronics.
PAN M 360: We’ve seen it again since 2022 with the albums without sung lyrics (Player, Piano, Belladonna, Goodbye to Language, The Omni Series) You’ve always been interested in electronic and instrumental music, effects pedals, echo chambers, creative studio processes. In many of your productions, for other artists as well as for yourself, there’s often this dub / ambient attitude that colors the instrumentation and the Americana expression.
Daniel Lanois: Yes, it’s an area of expertise for me. It’s my devotion to this art form, so I’m very excited to bring these electronic elements to the stage. I think it will be entertaining for everyone.
And yes, it’s an important part of who I am, as you mentioned.
I dare to think of myself as an organic producer, and that goes back to the ambient production days with Eno. It’s very technological, but that doesn’t come to mind when you hear this music.
PAN M 360: Indeed, it is part of a whole. Holistic!
Daniel Lanois: I like your word “all” because we like things that fill the whole body. I like to perpetuate what I’ve done, while also leading new experiences. Exploration occupies a large part of what I do, but you have to be intelligent, that is, not just make sounds, noises. That is, find this useful posture where everyone benefits.
PAN M 360: You can count on a very large repertoire. Recent material as a priority? For example, if you take the electronic aspect, you recently made a beautiful album based on keyboards, perhaps you could also draw from the Heavy Sun album?
Daniel Lanois: I don’t know if we should expect anything specific. In any case, I’ll also have my pedal steel guitar with me, the same one I’ve had since I was young. I love playing it! There will surely be some beautiful vocal harmonies because my musicians are really capable of them – I’m thinking, among others, of Silverado, a song I wrote for my brother.
And since I’ll be in Quebec, I’ll possibly do Jolie Louise or O Marie, une chanson de tabac. You know, these bilingual songs have made their way to the southern United States, musicians from New Orleans have done their own version of Under A Stormy Sky, which delights me and encourages me to continue in this vein.
PAN M 360: No wonder the American Deep South likes it!
Daniel Lanois: I’m actually going to Nashville very soon to join Emmylou Harris. I plan to do a version of Jimi Hendrix’s May This Be Love with her. Emmylou Harris is celebrating the album Wrecking Ball with us. Malcolm Burn is also with us on stage. We’re doing a few dates there, including the Ryman Auditorium.
PAN M 360: The repertoire is vast, wherever you are: Jamaican roots and dub, electronica and North Americana.
Daniel Lanois: I can appreciate the Americana label because I come from this North American roots music. And I take responsibility for creating music of the future. It’s a bit like what you did with journalism by deciding to move away from what you were doing before.
PAN M 360: Exactly. Age is no excuse for ceasing to change. Today, for example, recommending music is becoming more difficult than criticizing it. You have to understand where you’re going, and you stop changing when you die. You’re 72 and you’re still searching, aren’t you?
Daniel Lanois: As you rightly say, criticism comes easily to mind, but… recommending and explaining music that you believe in and that can improve someone’s life, that’s journalism at its best for me. You always have to stay imaginative. You still have to explore and think about the possibilities that are open to you. That’s why I’m still here, I guess.
PAN M 360: And, I imagine, you have to do something else in life to nourish your music.
Daniel Lanois: Yes, I have other creative activities, such as photography. I am also involved in environmental issues, such as the plastic problem. I also work on multidisciplinary projects, notably with the writer Margaret Atwood.
PAN M 360: Can we talk about a major tour that will take you to Quebec and Montreal?
Daniel Lanois: As we speak, we’ve done about ten dates in Ontario, very nice little towns by the way. We drove rather than flew, because planes didn’t go where we were going. We saw the country, the rhythms of life, the farms, the speed of the cities… And soon, it will be Quebec and Montreal.
PAN M 360: Most artists your age and stature manage their own musical legacy until their death. That’s not exactly the case for you!
Daniel Lanois: We’ve already talked about the responsibility we have for both, our legacy and our explorations. You remain a researcher, and as long as that interest remains alive within you, every day is an opportunity for a new discovery. What can we do that’s new today?
