So I Talked to Daniel Lanois About the New U2 Record…

August 15, 2014 Alan Cross 0 Comments

Daniel Lanois is one of the big names performing at next week’s Green Belt Harvest Picnic outside of Hamilton next Saturday. At the press conference for the event on Tuesday (I was the MC), I had a chance to talk to Daniel about the new U2 album.

Me: Are you involved in any way with the new record?

DL: No. Not this time. Bono did bring the record over to the house last year to play it for me and I thought it sounded great then. Apparently, though, the band felt it could be better.

Me: I spoke to Steve Lillywhite [another producer who has worked with the band a lot] last year and he said that he was offering some help on the record. He said “U2 is great at making albums, but they’re horrible at finishing them.”

DL: [Laughs] Yeah, that’s par for the course. What was the problem?

Me: Bono was coming up dry for lyrics.

DL: Typical. It’s always that way. Last minute stuff. But it’ll be worth the wait. Trust me.

Meanwhile, Bono’s daughter, Eve Hewson (an actress currently part of the new HBO series, The Knick) was on Fallon and told how she prank called Justin Timberlake. (Thanks to Larry for the link.)