Q&A: Brian Eno on relaunching Opal Records, 'Music for Airports,' AI and Palestine

LONDON (AP) — Brian Eno, the multi-hyphenate artist, producer and political activist best known for pioneering ambient music, will relaunch his transformative Opal Records on Friday. Founded in 1988 and put on hiatus in 1991, the label released works by formative names in experimental music: Jon Hassell, John Cale and Eno among them.

But why bring back Opal, and why now? For one, two of its records “had disappeared” and he wanted to rerelease them, Eno told The Associated Press in his home studio. (Collectors are aware: 2005's “Another Day on Earth” and 2001's “Drawn From Life” have been hard to locate outside of Japan.)

Revisiting old records is an opportunity to reflect for the legendary artist. And below, Eno discusses the future of Opal Records, artificial intelligence, his legacy and the recent news that rapper Macklemore was dropped as an opener for Ed Sheeran’s tour because of the rapper’s onstage pro-Palestinian comments.

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

ENO: I had an idea recently to release a 12-album set. I’ve got so much music I’ve made that I’ve never released and a lot of it fits together. It’s sort of similar utilitarian music and it’s the kind of thing you put on if you want to clean the house or read a book or something like that. You want some kind of music that helps you get the right atmosphere for a task of some kind. I’m now thinking about that. We could do that and I wouldn’t have to twist anybody’s arm.

ENO: It's interesting to me that (my album) “Music For Airports,” which is now 48 years old, it is still very current. It’s still selling. People like it and I sometimes meet young people who’ve only just heard it and who think I’ve only just released it.

ENO: I suppose because, you know, you often tell the age of something by certain stylistic and technical things that you unconsciously associate with that time. For instance, you can tell pretty much any pop record from the '80s just from the way the snare drum is treated. “Music for Airports” is such a stripped-down piece. It doesn’t really have many of those signatures on it. It could have been made today, actually. Probably somebody is making a version of it today, something called “Music for Trains” or “Electric Bicycles” or something.

ENO: I’m fascinated by the possibility of working with it. My problem with AI is the ownership of it and what I know are the moral and social values of the people who own it. And they are really some of the worst people to be in charge of something as powerful as that. And of course, the other problem is because they’re all so chasing the dollar so earnestly, they’re in competition with each other, so they’re trying to outdo each other only in terms of winning that particular competition, not in terms of what benefits the world.

The evolution of a technology, that means the time when it is emerging, is very important. And it’s very important that the public is somehow engaged in that. Otherwise, you end with this ludicrous situation we have now, of agentic AIs that are far too powerful for any of us to understand at the moment, including the people who make them. It's a real failure of regulation.

ENO: The people we should really be pointing at are the people who didn’t permit the show to go on. I mean, Ed, I think, was weak. He could have said “I’m an artist. You hired me as an artist. That means you get my decisions about what the band should be and who I’m playing with.” He could have insisted on that.

Though I have to say, also, that’s a very hard decision to make when tens of thousands of fans have got their tickets and have made their travel plans and their hotel plans and everything else. So, it’s not an easy thing for him to do. Nonetheless. He should have made some kind of reaction.

I was born on May the 15th, 1948, which is the day of the Nakba. It’s the day when Palestinians were forced out of their homes in Israel and told that they no longer belonged there. So, I have a very long connection, a lifetime connection, with that.

ENO: Not unless there’s an occasion to. For instance, somebody just recently asked me some questions about working with David (Bowie) in Berlin and France for those late ‘70s records we made. I thought, “OK I’ll have a go at answering.” And actually, it was quite fun. I didn’t expect it to be, but suddenly trying to remember how those things actually came about was interesting. But I don’t do it naturally. There’s always enough going on now to not keep revisiting the past. Maybe when I’m really old I will.

There’s more and more to do actually. I would really love to retire. But I don’t know what I’d do if I retired.

ENO: The only thing I’ve ever really wanted to do that I’ve never done is to get into a warm bath of olive oil.

I’ve never really been very much a goal-oriented person. I like thinking about how things are made, rather than what comes out at the end. So, I’m more of a means person. I like inventing new ways of doing things.

AP Music Writer Maria Sherman in New York contributed to this report.

Brian Eno poses for a photograph during an interview in London, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Brian Eno poses for a photograph during an interview in London, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Brian Eno speaks during an interview in London, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Brian Eno poses for a photograph during an interview in London, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Brian Eno speaks during an interview in London, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Brian Eno poses for a photograph during an interview in London, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Brian Eno speaks during an interview in London, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Josh Allen accounted for 331 total yards and two touchdowns, Tyler Bass made a 45-yard field goal with 1:55 left in overtime shortly after Greg Rousseau blocked the Rams’ field goal attempt, and the Buffalo Bills outlasted Los Angeles for a 37-34 victory Monday night.

Allen passed for 210 yards and rushed for 121 more for the Bills (4-1), who rallied to win a frantic game befitting the teams with the NFL’s last two MVPs at quarterback. Allen won an overtime game for the first time in his career by besting Matthew Stafford, who passed for 383 yards and three touchdowns.

“Guys kept chipping away,” Allen said. “Don’t think we threw it very well in the first half, but guys kept fighting. Got a lot of things to clean up.”

James Cook scored his second touchdown with 1:39 left in regulation for Buffalo, but Kyren Williams scored on a 1-yard surge with 4 seconds left to force overtime. The Bills began by driving deep into Rams territory, but Aaron Donald recovered James Cook’s fumble after Nate Landman punched it out.

Stafford drove the Rams to the Buffalo 30, but Harrison Mevis missed his second field goal attempt of the night when Rousseau got a piece of it.

Allen then had scrambles of 19 and 13 yards to set up the kick by Bass, who ran away to celebrate before the officials signaled it good.

Cook rushed for 111 yards before his latest fumbling woes for the Bills, who are off to a 4-1 start for the sixth time in eight seasons.

Puka Nacua had a career-high 17 receptions for 138 yards and a score for the Rams (2-3), who are under .500 after five games for the fourth time in five seasons.

With superior special teams play and Allen's relentless effort, Buffalo held on to win another offensive shootout between these teams. The most recent time they met in December 2024, Los Angeles and Buffalo combined for 902 yards in the Rams’ 44-42 win.

After Davante Adams’ second TD catch with 7:14 left for the Rams in a game featuring six consecutive lead changes, Allen drove the Bills 71 yards with two scrambles through Los Angeles’ defense. After Cook scored the tiebreaking touchdown, Stafford completed six of seven throws down to the Buffalo 1, where the Rams eschewed a timeout so Williams could punch it in.

Adams tied Larry Fitzgerald for the sixth-most scoring receptions in NFL history (121). Blake Corum also rushed for a score, and tight end Tyler Higbee had five catches for 83 yards.

Keon Coleman caught Allen's only TD pass for Buffalo.

Bills: RT Spencer Brown left in the second half with a back injury. ... Top WR DJ Moore sat out with a shoulder injury.

Bills: At Vegas on Sunday.

Rams: Host Arizona on Sunday.

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, left, is sacked by Los Angeles Rams linebacker Josaiah Stewart during the first half of an NFL football game, Monday, Oct. 12, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Scott Strazzante)

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua, left, can't reach a pass in the end zone as Buffalo Bills running back Frank Gore Jr. watches during the first half of an NFL football game, Monday, Oct. 12, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Los Angeles Rams tight end Tyler Higbee, left, can't get to a pass in the end zone as Buffalo Bills safety Cole Bishop defends and was called for pass interference during the second half of an NFL football game, Monday, Oct. 12, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Los Angeles Rams running back Blake Corum, right, runs the ball as Buffalo Bills defensive end Michael Hoecht, upper left, and safety Cole Bishop try to tackle him during the second half of an NFL football game, Monday, Oct. 12, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Scott Strazzante)

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, left, runs the ball as Los Angeles Rams safety Kamren Kinchens defends during the second half of an NFL football game, Monday, Oct. 12, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)