Never being involved in sports or anything else , Lanois quickly became completely wrapped up in music , which he considered his “ secret world ” and his “ escape .” He wasn ’ t all too concerned with where it would eventually take him at the time , but he knew it was something he wanted to spend all his time doing . Still operating out of the basement studio , Lanois worked on gospel records by regional songwriters , which deepened his understanding of music . It would still be quite a while before he would try his hand at writing his own songs , however .
“ I was happy to be just , you know , the guy in the studio who helped people along with arrangements ,” he says .
Lanois famously went on to produce music by some of the most accomplished songwriters in history , picking up all kinds of different musical lessons along the way . Throughout his career as a record producer , he was exposed to a wide array of writing styles , witnessing songwriters like Peter Gabriel , whom he hails as “ very inventive ” and an “ unorthodox composer ,” refine their craft .
“ I was able to be in contact with somebody who operated outside of the regular songwriting rules ,” he says of the one-time Genesis frontman .
Though Lanois doesn ’ t think his approach changes too much from record to record , no two albums he has ever worked on , as the artist or a producer , have involved the same process . When Lanois met Bob Dylan in a New York hotel room before the pair began working together on 1997 ’ s Time Out of Mind , Dylan read Lanois the lyrics he was working on , and asked if Lanois thought they had a record . Though he hadn ’ t heard a single note yet , Lanois responded , “ Yes , Bob , I think we ’ ve got a record .”
Dylan then listed some records so Lanois could get an idea of the atmosphere and sound he was committed to achieving . They were all old blues records , from artists like Charley Patton and Little Willie John .
Lanois knew it wouldn ’ t be easy to make a blues record that sounded original , but never backing down from a challenge , he went to a friend ’ s studio in New York and jammed to some of those old blues records , recording overdubs on top of them . After listening back , they picked some sections to rely on as “ an insurance policy … to lean on if things got too normal .” The end result , of course , was the now-classic album .
“ I took what Bob said and made sure that Time Out of Mind was dripping with sweat , that it had mystery , but most of all that it felt like something was unfolding in it ,” he says . “ And I think we built a very nice frame for Bob ’ s poetry and songs .”
Earlier in Lanois ’ career , he recalls the recording process going by much quicker . He isn ’ t sure exactly why , but says it may be because there were fewer distractions around then . When he first started working with U2 , they were all really just kids . Lanois co-produced six of U2 ’ s albums alongside his old friend Brian Eno , and here , he recalls his third record with the band , 1991 ’ s Achtung Baby , saying he recently had a listen to it for the first time in a long time .
“ I was pretty close to that record , obviously , when we made it ,” he says , “ and I didn ’ t want to hear it for a while .”
On this particular album , the band wanted to keep a traditional rock and roll basis , but layer the songs with innovative add-ons .
“ We kept the bones of rock and roll intact with the rhythm section , and then we went off into the cleaning and sonics ,” he says . “ And so , we were able to maintain a good amount of tradition and framework , but stepped into the future otherwise .”
Though Lanois had seen many of the world ’ s best-known songwriters in action through his production work , he only took his first crack at songwriting himself on a whim in the late 1980s . Brian Eno ’ s wife , Anthea Norman-Taylor , approached him and asked if he ’ d like to make a record , to be released on her and Eno ’ s new label , Opal Records . Lanois thought , “ why not ?” and decided to give it a try .
“ I just rolled up my sleeves and thought , ‘ Well , what am I going to write about ?’ and I just started writing about real life experiences ,” he says .
One song , called “ O Marie ,” is about picking tobacco in Ontario . Lanois never picked tobacco himself , but his brothers did , he was exposed to the culture , and thought it might make for an interesting lyrical subject . That debut solo album , Acadie , was released in 1989 , and there has hardly been a gap of more than a couple years between Lanois ’ solo releases since .
“ I kind of got hooked on songwriting ,” he says .
Lanois compares himself to a writer who writes about lived experiences , saying one may not have lived enough to have anything to write about until later in life . He was in his mid-30s when he made his first record , but is happy that he moved at his own pace and waited until he had enough worth writing about to craft his own songs .
“ I think it ’ s probably best to wait until you really believe you ’ ve got something to say before you make a record .”
As a songwriter , each of Lanois ’ records have seen him develop as a songwriter and pushed him in new directions . Heavy Sun is no exception , as can be heard on its two singles , “ Power ” and “( Under the ) Heavy Sun .”
“ I think the record made me grow ,” he says . “ That ’ s always the case .”
One of the main differences in the recording process of Heavy Sun was that the drum tracks were overdubbed after the rest of the rhythm tracks were recorded . Using a Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer , Lanois and Lorenz were able cut the tracks to the 808 , laying the drum parts down after the fact . The two designed a system wherein they were able to take their favourite drum moments and move them around , which Lanois says was like getting into the hip-hop realm of production .
“ It gets a little tricky because it ’ s easy to get that stuff wrong ,” he says . “ But we ’ re fussy and we don ’ t give up until it sounds good .”
While lots can be done to make any track sound better , Lanois stresses that a record ’ s atmosphere and overall feel has to come from much more than just the machinery used to record and mix it . Good music comes from the heart , he says , and that ’ s what people ultimately respond to .
“ No amount of technology will replace soul .”
When it comes to Lanois ’ legacy , it ’ s difficult for him to pick anything in particular that he ’ s most proud of or wants to be
36 PROFESSIONAL SOUND