In an interview posted by the Toronto Star yesterday, producer Daniel Lanois (U2, Bob Dylan, obvs) discussed last month’s life-threatening motorcycle accident, his ongoing recovery from a host of awful injuries, and the new album he is producing for Neil Young. Despite his harrowing ordeal, Lanois sounds charmingly optimistic: “Hey man, I’m lucky to be alive… It could have been spinal. Luckily, I was wearing a full-face helmet.”
Though still not completely out of the woods, as he is suffering from lung problems due to previous internal bleeding, Lanois has already resumed work on Neil Young’s latest solo record. “[I]t does not have a band, but it’s rocking,” he said. “And he’s really come in with the songs, they’re terrific. I dare say it might be some of his best work in some time. We’ve really hit the motherlode.”
I’m not sure if they’ll make it on the album, but the tunes Young has been performing on the road lately are certainly on par with said “best work,” I’d say. The full interview by Nick Patch is excellent, so I do suggest giving it a read.