Singer, guitarist and producer Daniel Lanois is in intensive care in an LA hospital after crashing his BMW motorcycle this past weekend, resulting in several broken bones. The musician is 58 years old, and while he is awake and coherent, his recovery is expected to take several months, meaning he’ll be a no-show at numerous public appearances, including a gig on July 2nd at Montreal’s International Jazz Fest.
"Due to the severity of the injuries, Lanois has cancelled all upcoming tour dates and promotional activity and will be recuperating for the next two months," said a statement issued by the New York City-based label Jive Records, as reported in the Montreal Gazette.
His summer European tour with his new group Black Dub Collective is amongst the postponements.
Lanois was born in Hull, Quebec but raised in Hamilton, Ontario. He has worked with some of music’s most popular and celebrated artists, including U2 (their The Unforgettable Fire, Achtung Baby and Joshua Tree albums), Bob Dylan (and his Oh Mercy album), as well as Willie Nelson (and his Teatro album). He was also reportedly working with Neil Young on his latest project.
"[Riding my motorcycle] keeps my brain sharp, my sense of telepathy alive. To be on the bike means you have to read minds, look into cars, anticipate moves, which is what music is all about," he said back in 2007 in an interview with The Spectator.
This is Lanois’ second motorcycle accident. He is expected to be discharged from the hospital in the next few days.
