I do not love everything he does, but Daniel Lanois is one of my favorite producers. He has been a part of amazing albums by Emmylou Harris, U2, Peter Gabriel and many others, but what I love about him most is that its always so inspiring to hear him speak or see him work. He is a big proponent of getting things exciting at the sources which is one of the things I try hard to convey in the Recording Boot Camps. A friend of mine just sent me a link to this video of Lanois mixing in the studio. Its great. No automation, just a mixer making a mix a performance, which is becoming a lost art.
My favorite Lanois productions:
Wrecking Ball: Emmylou Harris
U2: Unforgettable Fire (with Brian Eno)
Peter Gabriel: Us
These videos are so great. Back in the day when I was getting into recording this stuff wasn’t available. I dreamed about what happened during the Wrecking Ball sessions or The Unforgettable Fire sessions etc. Technology can be a cool thing. Use it don’t abuse. Keep doing what your doing Ronan