Malcolm Burn first made his musical mark in the ‘80s with Boys Brigade who scored a top 20 hit in Canada. Next, Malcolm connected with Daniel Lanois to record and produce ‘Yellow Moon’ with the Neville Brothers and ‘Oh Mercy’ for Bob Dylan.

Stretching out on his own into the ‘90s, Malcolm produced the landmark album ‘Living With The Law’ by Chris Whitely, as well as ‘American Caesar’ for Iggy Pop and ‘Human Wheels’ with John Mellencamp. His production for Emmylou Harris’ ‘Red Dirt Girl’ earned him a Grammy award.

Now, he’s gearing up to release his own collection of material, with a renewed enthusiasm for creating unusual and evocative sonic landscapes filled with continuing left turns. His musical roots follow folk and classical genres up through rock, country, and experimental music.

‘Wand’rin’ Star’ is a song for the wandering heart, the restless soul who gets itchy feet when they’re tied down in one place for too long. His contemporary version of ‘Wand’rin’ Star’ from the film ‘Paint Your Wagon’ is western musical music for the new century, with his resonant vocals at the forefront.

“Songs kind of just come to me in an intense blast”

Your new album was probably recorded during lockdown. How are you coping with the current pandemic and what are your predictions for the future? Do you think the music industry will adapt to it?

Malcolm Burn: I had begun recording well before lockdown. The songs have been developing, some of them at least, for a number of years and tend to reflect a personal journey both musically and emotionally. At least one or two songs such as ‘Kingdom Come’ and ‘Waiting For Real Love’ date back almost 15 years. I did have a blast of creativity during the winter of 2019 after a brief breakup with my wife, so that provided a certain amount of intense creativity and reflection which is certainly present in the writing also.

You are a worldwide known producer. It’s really exciting to talk about your own music. How do you usually approach music making?

Usually songs kind of just come to me in an intense blast, like some kind of hypnotic state. Often the words might come first and then I tend to put music to them which I find easier, but also quite often they both just kind of jumble out. Sometimes I might go back and finesse things but more often than not it all comes out in one relatively short period. I prefer this as it usually comes across as more inspired and pure. There have however been occasions when I’ve spent a good deal of time working and re-working a song just to get the right word in the right place, such as the song ‘Waiting For Real Love’. As for the musical side of things, again I usually just follow my instincts which I generally trust more than my brain! I’m a big fan of several sounds combining to create another sound, much the way Brian Wilson often describes his approach to sonics. (And Phil Spector of course with his Wall of Sound).

Would you mind elaborate on the concept behind ‘Wand’rin’ Star’?

That song is a cover song, and I just liked the low vocal tone of the original Lee Marvin version, along with the idea of being a free spirit who is only truly at home when they’re on the move. At one point early in my career, I had considered becoming a long haul truck driver because I really do love driving. And the lure of the days when a person could just go out west and get lost seems appealing especially in these days when every aspect of our lives is constantly being monitored in one fashion or another. It’s a yearning song.

What do you want people to take away from the album?

I hope that the listener will relate to some of the sentiments, as well as be taken on some kind of musical journey; and be entertained, that’s the most important thing. There is a lot of music out there, and so much of it seems somewhat artificial to me, so I hope this music will be a sort of breath of fresh air. So much of what is great about really good music is the spaces in between that you leave open for the listener’s imagination. Of course as a producer I wanted to also show off some of my ideas about sound, and how to maintain a unique and musically varied sonic landscape.

“I mostly prefer music that comes across as intimate”

Was there a particular mood you were trying to capture? A story you were trying to tell?

I think of each song as a short story or a chapter in a novel. Hopefully each can stand on its own, but all of the songs hang together as a complete narrative. I’ve always been partial to concept albums such as ‘The Dark Side Of The Moon’, so I’m hoping this record continues that tradition along some line or other. I mostly prefer music that comes across as intimate and personal just in terms of mood I guess. That somehow expresses feelings that articulate those emotions for others.

Would you mind sharing a few words about being part of the Boys Brigade?

I loved being in that band although I wish I’d have been more realistic and had a better long term view of things at the time. I was very impatient when I was younger and wanted everything to happen fast without realizing sometimes patience is required to build a following and a career. Musically I think we created something pretty unique though, and in some ways it was well ahead of its time. It was also a good learning experience in terms of how not to make records. I wish I’d have had the chance to use some of the techniques I’ve subsequently developed in the studio for our band at the time, such as recording with floor monitors in the studio rather than everyone isolated and on headphones. That may have captured more of the amazing live energy our band had on stage. Ah, you live and learn, eh.

“I was the guy in the group who was always hanging around the studio annoying the engineers”

How do you get from playing in a band to becoming a producer?

I was always interested in production even before being in a band so it was a natural progression for me. I was the guy in the group who was always hanging around the studio annoying the engineers with questions and watching how things were done technically. In fact I was interested in becoming a producer well before I joined a band. I thought of the band as an opportunity to get my foot into the music business door to some degree.

What are a few key lessons you’ve learned about producing that other producers could take advice from?

Hmm. I don’t really like to give advice because most people, even when they get good advice, rarely follow it. The one thing I would say is forget all the rules about technical concerns, and let your goal be to ensure you achieve the most captivating and inspired performance out of the artist you’re working with.

One of the turning points in your producing career must be your collaboration with Daniel Lanois. How did that come about?

Dan was actually interested in producing Boys Brigade but at the time we thought he was small potatoes and worked with someone more notable at the time. Dumb mistake that was!!! Anyhow, he and I reconnected through his sister Jocelyn after I’d left the band and things just progressed from there. He’d heard some homemade demos I’d been doing and thought there was something very unique going on there. He’s always been a big fan of people coming up with original sounds with limited access to equipment which was certainly the case for me at the time. The hardest thing to come up with when making records is a “sound” and that is something Dan taught me the value of, even if I’d already developed one of my own. He taught me to value that.

What are some of the recollections from working on Bob Dylan’s ‘Oh Mercy’ or ‘Yellow Moon’ by The Neville Brothers?

Well there are so many and too many to recount here. But one of my favorite moments during the ‘Yellow Moon’ album making was when Brian Eno showed up to help out for a week in New Orleans. At one point the cicadas (giant tropical size crickets really) were making a huge racket outside the studio window and Brian created a sound on his DX7 keyboard that mimicked their noise. They began a sort of dialogue, kind of reminded me of Dr. Doolittle a bit!!! That same sound appears during the intro to ‘The Man in the Long Black Coat’ on Bob Dylan’s ‘Oh Mercy’ record. Very New Orleans.

‘Red Dirt Girl’ by Emmylou Harris was another stunning release you were a big part of. Would it be possible for you to choose a few collaborations that still warm your heart?

When Dan Lanois and I were working on his ‘Acadie’ album he was a little self conscious about his singing. I was really enjoying his vocal identity and had been encouraging more of it on the album. One day he came in with a little guitar idea and I explained my teenage experiences working as a Tobacco picker down near Delhi, Ontario to him (one thinks instantly of Tom Connors’ ‘Tillsonburg’). He translated those ideas into a storyline which ultimately became the basis for the song ‘O’Marie’. I also encouraged his ‘Franglish’ approach to that particular song given his Gatineau roots.

What are some of the most important players that influenced your own style and what in particular did they employ in their playing that you liked?

The Tambourine player who used to work for Motown Records! Glenn Gould, Bill Evans, Rick Wright (Pink Floyd) and last but not least Floyd Kramer. Hence the nickname Pink Floyd Kramer!!! Garth Hudson big time! Oh and Ian Stewart, Nicky Hopkins of the Stones. And did I mention James Jamerson!?!?