Daniel Lanois’ favourite collaboration of his career: “The very best”
For categories akin to “the best producer you’ve never heard of”, it doesn’t seem too much of a stretch to suggest Daniel Lanois might be a name floating around. For starters, he’s intensely prolific. Secondly, his technique is driven by feeling, which is a far cry from the approach many take, especially these days when there’s a more profound focus on technicality and planning.
However, Lanois’ longevity has been long rooted in this instinctive drive, which is incidentally something he has allowed to flood in as a guiding principle, not only when it comes to significant career challenges but when creating music that will truly resonate, not just in the moment but for decades to come. Although influential in many areas, Lanois is best celebrated for his work among the stars, with names like U2 and Bob Dylan swiftly following mentions of his projects like an artist inextricable from his magnum opus.
Lanois started working with U2 in the early 1980s, initially brought on to co-produce The Unforgettable Fire alongside Brian Eno. From there, he went on to produce The Joshua Tree, followed by Achtung Baby and All That You Can’t Leave Behind. While his work with the band opened up many doors, including a recommendation from Bono to Dylan for Oh Mercy, his work with U2 signified some of the most potent creative endeavours of his career, mainly on account of his blend of his own atmospheric sensibilities and Eno’s distinctive, ambient leanings.
Given the success of their joint approach and the creative nature of the environment, it’s no surprise that Lanois consistently looks back at his work with U2 fondly and describes it not only as some of his most accomplished material but as a time when he was genuinely enjoying working and collaborating with others. While many come under this description, Achtung Baby always stands out for the producer because it cultivated a unique energy like nothing else.
When Songfacts asked him about his favourite collaboration of his entire career, he discussed the album’s coming together, which reflected “the true meaning of collaboration”.
He said: “I do appreciate the collaborative feeling that we had on Achtung Baby, which is a U2 record we made in Germany … And what was great about that was there were a lot of very talented, smart people in a room wanting the very best for everybody. That is the true meaning of collaboration.”
Interestingly, the album took on a darker tone than U2’s previous efforts, embracing themes of isolation, alienation, and disillusionment through various, sometimes conflicting, ambient and atmospheric tones. Much of these notes communicate these messages clearly without much of a reliance on the band’s lyricism, which was somewhat refreshing considering how much they had been previously celebrated for their lyrical romanticism and, by extension, simplicity.
However, for Lanois, the record symbolised more than just a successful collaborative effort: to him, it also epitomised what rock ‘n’ roll was all about. As he explained to MusicRadar: “I’ve enjoyed the Achtung Baby U2 record because it’s a great rock n’ roll record but with very inventive and unusual tops; melodies and harmonies and so on. So that one is dear to me.”
While Lanois has accrued an impressive list of names over the decades he has been in the business, it’s interesting to analyse works like Achtung Baby against the rest of his accreditations, not just because it represented a union of adept musicians but because it demonstrated the power he possessed when adapting his style to the characteristics of others. Achtung Baby almost stands in complete isolation in that respect, especially when looking at works like Oh Mercy because it also seemed like Lanois was completely and organically at the top of his craft, leaning into more sparse, haunting production to enhance the sound.
