Published in the Hamilton Spectator on Thursday, January 11, 1995 to promote a January 17 gig at the 18,000 seat Copps Coliseum with Bryan Adams.
BY NICK KREWEN
Ready to celebrate Hamilton's 150th with a non-stop evening of wall-to-wall rock 'n roll radio classics?
You should be. BRYAN ADAMS, Canada's consummate pop songwriting superstar warns that this Wednesday's Copps Coliseum appearance will be the final show before he finishes his first album of completely new material since 1991's Waking Up The Neighbours.
"This'll be the last time you'll see things basically the way they were, because I'm about to `metamorphosize'," said the 36-year old Adams in an exclusive interview from his London, England home.
"I'm gonna have a whole new album, of which 11 songs are completely playable live, which means a lot of the old stuff is going to be binned," said Adams, recently nominated for a Golden Globe and two Grammy awards for his flamenco-flavored hit, "Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman?"
Then he shifts into the voice of a cheesy Top 40 disc jockey.
"And we're going to have a spanking new show."
By far Canada's biggest player on the international pop scene with over 40 million records sold, Adams plans a two-and-a-half hour set list of familiar megahits, including "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You," "Summer Of '69" and "Cuts Like A Knife." However, the fresh material will have to wait until April, when he launches his world tour in Estonia.
"I tell ya, I'm so anxious to play all these songs," Adams enthuses. "But I'm hesitant to play new songs live until they're well rehearsed. None of the road crew or anybody has heard this record yet. And it's hard enough to remember the old songs, never mind the new ones.
"My guess is we're probably gonna do a similar sort of show to what we did at the Molson Amphitheatre, and then we'll come back again at the end of this year, I guess, and try again with a whole new show."
Does that mean a mosh pit?
"Listen man, before there was a mosh pit, there was a bunch of people in front of the stage," says Adams. "So it's now been named the mosh pit, but there's always been people in there. Call it what you want. I don't mind. It's great."
During a year when Adams has limited his live performances to christening new venues, his Copps appearance is a rarity. He opened Toronto's MCA Molson Ampitheatre last May, Vancouver's GM Place last Fall and is scheduled to baptize Ottawa's new Corel Centre two days before his first Hamilton appearance.
"I work for department stores too, don't forget," jokes Adams, referring to the festival he headlined for The Bay's 325 birthday near Calgary this past summer.
"So we play for department stores and new buildings now. It's hysterical."
He seemed genuinely unaware of the festive occasion surrounding his visit to the Steel City.
"150 years? Hamilton?" he asked. "Someone better get me some information on Hamilton then. I better get the Mayor to send me down a little pamphlet on the history of Hamilton."
Adams says he leaves the concert booking details in the capable hands of BRUCE ALLEN, his longtime Vancouver-based manager.
"I tell Bruce, `Look, I'm in the studio. Get me a weekend of gigs a month.' So that's what he does, and he tries to make them as fun as possible. He's been very successful in finding me some great jobs to do."
Adams plants a good-natured rib.
"I've got to put that guy to work somehow. He's got that big office. He might as well use it."
While he's unwilling to reveal the title of his new album, calling it "a surprise," Adams compares the work to an earlier classic.
"I think it's my best album, and I've never said that about any of my records. So I'm saying it now," he laughs.
"It's up there with Reckless, and it's certainly the best album I've made since Reckless. So, I'm stoked. I've never been so excited and anxious about releasing a record as this one!"
His second effort since switching writing partners from JIM VALLANCE to co-producer ROBERT JOHN "MUTT" LANGE, Adams says nobody will be shocked by any of the eleven songs he started from scratch in September '94.
"I think this is in the grand tradition of what people would expect from me, and the surprises really are just that my harmonica playing's gotten a lot better. This boy's had the blues!" he laughs.
Apart from enjoying a recent holiday, Adams has a lot of reasons to be happy. He recently co-authored a self-titled book with photographer ANDREW CATLIN documenting the past decade of his career. It's available through Firefly Books at $29.95.
"I'm very pleased with it, because it is a nice broad view of what I've done in the last ten years," says Adams. "It could have been a bit more detailed if I'd thought about it more. Now that I've done that, I can do another one. It's like anything. You have to stick your toe in to know if you like it or not."
He's also preparing to open his own studio, The Warehouse, in Vancouver, and learned how to swim while living in Jamaica for six months.
His most recent cause for celebration started just before Christmas, when "Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman?" was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Original Song for the film Don Juan DeMarco. Then just last week, it earned the vegetarian bachelor a pair of Grammy nominations for Best Vocal Pop Performance, Male, and Best Song Written Specifically for A Motion Picture: the latter shared with writing partners Mutt Lange and MICHAEL KAMEN.
Can an Oscar nomination be far behind?
"It's always an honor, but I never know what to think," admits Adams, who won a Grammy in 1992 for "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You."
"When I heard that I'm nominated in a best male vocalist category with ELTON, STING, and SEAL and MICHAEL JACKSON, I burst out laughing. I'm just a guy from North Vancouver! When I see that list, I think it's funny. I think it should go to Seal. I think he sang that song ("Kiss From A Rose") great."
The Order Of Canada recipient doesn't reveal whether or not he'll attend the Golden Globe ceremony on January 21 or the Grammies in L.A. on February 28, but he is uncertain whether he'll make it back to Copps for the silver anniversary of The Juno Awards March 10.
"I have no idea, because first of all, I don't even know if I'm nominated, so that remains to be seen," says Adams, who has collected 14 Junos over the years.
"I'll tell you what I am doing for the next two months: I'm finishing my album. The only things I'm doing between now and watching the last fader go down on the last song are these two shows in Ottawa (January 15) and Hamilton.
"Otherwise, I'm going to be face down in my music, because I've gotta finish it now. It's make or break."
-30-
DISCOGRAPHY
1980 -- Let Me Take You Dancing -- A&M
1981 -- You Want It, You Got It
1981 -- You Want It, You Got It Live (promo only)
1983 -- Cuts Like A Knife
1984 -- Reckless*
1987 -- Into The Fire
1988 -- Live! Live! Live! **
1991 -- Waking Up The Neighbours
1993 -- So Far...So Good
1996 -- 18 Til I Die
1997 -- Unplugged
1998 -- On A Day Like Today
1999 -- The Best Of Me
* -- first Canadian album to sell one million copies domestically and achieve Diamond Award status.
** -- recorded in Belgium in '88, released in North America in '95
#1 HITS
1985 (U.S.) -- "Heaven" -- 2 weels
1991 (U.S.) -- "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You" - 7 weeks
1993 (U.S.) -- "All For Love" (with Rod Stewart, Sting) -- 3 weeks
1995 (U.S.) -- "Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman" -- 5 weeks
AS COLLABORATOR
1985 -- Northern Lights, "Tears Are Not Enough"
1987 -- Various Artists, A Very Special Christmas
1988 -- Various Artists, Prince's Trust: Rock Gala
1990 -- Roger Waters, The Wall
1994 -- Various Artists, It's Now Or Never
1996 -- Various Artists, Oh...What A Feeling!
1997 -- Various Artists, Man To Woman: Men Of Note Sing For A Cause (with Linda Evangelista)
1997 -- Various Artists, A&M/Motown/Island Christmas Sampler
1998 -- Various Artists, Hope Floats
AS CONTRIBUTOR
1984 -- Tina Turner, "It's Only Love"
1986 -- Glass Tiger, "Don't Forget Me When I'm Gone"
1988 -- Charlie Sexton, "Don't Look Back"
1989 -- Belinda Carlisle, "Whatever It Takes"
1989 -- Dion, "Drive All Night"
1989 -- Motley Crue, "Sticky Sweet"
1991 -- The Law, "Nature's Beast"
1991 -- Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves
1992 -- Little Angels, "Too Much Too Young"
1993 -- Tina Turner, "Why Must We Wait Until Tonight"
1993 -- The Three Musketeers
1995 -- Don Juan DeMarco
1995 -- Various Artists, Pavarotti & Friends 2
1995 -- Bonnie Raitt, "Rock Steady"
1996 -- Anne Murray, "What Would It Take"
1996 -- Barbara Streisand, "I Finally Found Someone"
1999 -- Cindy Bullens, Somewhere Between Heaven And Earth
1999 -- Tina Turner, Twenty Four Seven
AS COMPOSER
1979 -- Ian Lloyd, "I'm Ready" (with Jim Vallance)
1979 -- Prism, "Jealousy"
1979 -- Prism, "Take It Or Leave It" (with Jim Vallance)
1979 -- Prism, "You Walked Away Again"
1980 -- Bachman-Turner Overdrive, "Wasting Time"
1980 -- Ian Lloyd, "Lonely Nights" (with Jim Vallance, Eric Kagna)
1980 -- Ian Lloyd, "Straight From The Heart" (with Jim Vallance)
1980 -- Dara Sedaka, "Try To See It My Way" (with Jim Vallance)
1981 -- Tim Bogart, "Try To See It My Way" ( with Jim Vallance)
1981 -- Lisa DalBello,"Never Get To Heaven" ( with Lisa DalBello)
1981 -- Lisa DalBello, "She Wants To Know" (with Lisa DalBello)
1981 -- Lisa DalBello, "You Could Be Good For Me" (with Lisa DalBello)
1981 -- Jon English, "Straight From The Heart" (with Eric Kagna)
1981 -- Loverboy, "Get Lucky" (with Jim Vallance, Paul Dean, Mike Reno, Matt Frennette)
1981 -- Randy Meisner, "Tonight" (with Jim Vallance)
1981 -- Prism, "Cover Girl" (with Jim Vallance, Lindsay Mitchell)
1981 -- Rosetta Stone, "Hidin' From Love" (with Jim Vallance)
1981 -- Florence Warner, "Another Hot Night" (with Jim Vallance)
1982 -- Lisa Hartman, "Hidin' From Love" (with Jim Vallance)
1982 -- KISS, "Down On Your Knees" (with Paul Stanley, M. Jopp)
1982 -- KISS, "Rock 'N Roll Hell" (with Jim Vallance, Gene Simmons)
1982 -- KISS, "War Machine" (with Jim Vallance, Gene Simmons)
1982 -- Prism, "Don't Let Him Know" (with Jim Vallance)
1982 -- Prism, "Stay" (with Jim Vallance)
1983 -- Tim Bogart, "Let Him Know" (with Jim Vallance)
1983 -- Nantucket, "Hidin' From Love" (with Jim Vallance, Eric Kagna)
1983 -- Bjorn Skifs, "Lonely Nights" (with Jim Vallance)
1983 -- Patty Smyth & Scandal, "Win Some, Lose Some" (with Jim Vallance, Paul Dean)
1983 -- Bonnie Tyler, "Straight From The Heart" (with Eric Kagna)
1983 -- Uriah Heep, "Lonely Nights" (with Jim Vallance)
1984 -- April Wine, "Open Soul Surgery" (with Jim Vallance. Holly Knight)
1984 -- Fast Forward, "Tonight" (with Jim Vallance)
1984 -- Krokus, "Boys Nite Out" (with Jim Vallance, M. Storace, F.V. Arb)
1984 -- The Law, "Nature Of The Beast" (with Jim Vallance)
1984 -- Ian Lloyd, "Play To Win" (with Jim Vallance)
1984 -- Ian Lloyd, "Where Did The Time Go" (with Jim Vallance)
1984 -- Ian Lloyd, "Where Do You Draw The Line?" (with Jim Vallance)
1984 -- Juice Newton, "Can't Wait All Night" (with Jim Vallance, Eric Kagna)
1984 -- Ted Nugent, "Where Do You Draw The Line?" (with Jim Vallance)
1985 -- .38 Special, "Teacher Teacher" (with Jim Vallance)
1985 -- Carola, "Can't Wait All Night" (with Jim Vallance, Eric Kagna)
1985 -- Joe Cocker, "Edge Of A Dream" (with Jim Vallance)
1985 -- Roger Daltrey, "Let Me Down Easy" (with Jim Vallance)
1985 -- Roger Daltrey, "Rebel" (with Jim Vallance)
1985 -- Hanover Fist, "Fits Ya Good" (with Jim Vallance)
1985 -- Paul Hyde & The Payolas, "It Won't Be You" (with Jim Vallance, David Foster, Paul Hyde, Bob Rock)
1985 -- Loverboy, "Dangerous" (with Jim Vallance)
1986 -- Bonnie Raitt, "No Way To Treat A Lady" (with Jim Vallance)
1986 -- Rod Stewart, "Another Heartache" (with Jim Vallance, Rod Stewart, Randy Wayne)
1986 -- Tina Turner, "Back Where You Started" (with Jim Vallance)
1986 -- Bonnie Tyler, "No Way To Treat A Lady" (with Jim Vallance)
1987 -- .38 Special, "Back To Paradise" (with Jim Vallance, P. Girald)
1987 -- .38 Special, "Teacher Teacher" (with Jim Vallance)
1987 -- Loverboy, "Wildside" (with Paul Dean, T. Corney, Tom Rhodes)
1987 -- Carly Simon, "It Should Have Been Me" (with Jim Vallance)
1988 -- Elisabeth Andreasson, "No Way To Treat A Lady" (with Jim Vallance)
1988 -- Elkie Brooks, "Can't Wait All Night" (with Jim Vallance, Eric Kagna)
1988 -- Prism, "Cover Girl" (with Jim Vallance)
1988 -- Prism, "Good To Be Back" (with Jim Vallance, Al Harlow)
1989 -- Dion, "Drive All Night" (with Jim Vallance)
1989 -- The Rovers, "All Sing Together" (with Jim Vallance)
1990 -- Laura Branigan, "The Best Was Yet To Come" (with Jim Vallance)
1990 -- Joe Cocker, "When The Night Comes" (with Jim Vallance, Diane Warren)
1991 -- Manic Street Preachers, "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You" (with Robert John "Mutt" Lange, Michael Kamen)
1991 -- Sodom, "Kids Wanna Rock" (with Jim Vallance)
1992 -- Joe Cocker, "Feels Like Forever" (with Diane Warren)
1992 -- Fatima Mansions, "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You" (with Robert John "Mutt" Lange, Michael Kamen)
1992 -- Englebert Humperdinck, "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You" (with Robert John "Mutt" Lange, Michael Kamen)
1992 -- Hank Marvin, "(Everything I Do ) I Do It For You" (with Robert John "Mutt" Lange, Michael Kamen)
1993 -- Helen Hoffner, "Edge Of A Dream" (with Jim Vallance)
1993 -- Rage, "Run To You" (with Jim Vallance)
1994 -- Johnny Hallyday, "Rough Town" (with Jim Vallance)
1994 -- Julia Migenes, "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You" (with Robert John "Mutt" Lange, Michael Kamen)
1994 -- Tina Turner, "Why Must We Wait Until Tonight) (with Robert John "Mutt" Lange)
1994 -- Roger Whittaker, "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You" (with Robert John"Mutt" Lange, Michael Kamen)
1995 -- Bert Heerink, "Heaven" (with Jim Vallance)
1995 -- Stevie Vann, "Prove It" (with Robert John "Mutt" Lange)
1996 -- Lonestar, "You Walked In" (with Robert John "Mutt" Lange)
1996 -- Anne Murray, "What Would It Take" (with Gretchen Peters)
1997 -- Celine Dion, "Let's Talk About Love" (with J.J. Goldman, Eliot Kennedy)
1997 -- Motley Crue, "Glitter" (with Nikki Sixx, Steven Humphrey)
1998 -- Brandy, "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You" (with Robert John "Mutt" Lange, Michael Kamen)
1999 -- Bryan White, "Love Is Beautiful" (with Robert John "Mutt" Lange)
-- Lisa Bade, "No Way To Treat A Lady" (with Jim Vallance)
-- Brandy, Faith Hill, "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You"
-- Paul Dean, "Where Do You Draw The Line?" (with Jim Vallance)
-- Neil Diamond, "It Should Have Been Me" -- (with Jim Vallance)
-- Louise Mandrell, "Ain't No Way To Treat A Lady" (with Jim Vallance)
-- Peter Pringle, "Stay" (with Jim Vallance)
-- Bob Welch "Remember" (with Jim Vallance)
AUTHOR./PHOTOGRAPHER
1995 -- Bryan Adams
1999 -- Made In Canada
FILMS
1984 -- A Night In Heaven
1988 -- Pink Cadillac
1996 -- Jack - -"Star"
1996 -- The Mirror Has Two Faces
SELECTED AWARDS
1982 -- Juno, Male Vocalist
1983/84 -- Juno, Album Of The Year -- Cuts Like A Knife
1983/84 -- Juno, Male Vocalist
1983/84 -- Juno, Producer Of The Year
1985 -- Diamond Award, Reckless
1985 -- Juno, Album Of The Year -- Reckless
1985 -- Juno, Male Vocalist
1985 -- Juno, Songwriter Of The Year (with Jim Vallance)
1985 -- Juno, Composer Of The Year (with Jim Vallance)
1985 -- William Harold Moon Award, SOCAN
1985 -- Bryan Adams Day, Los Angeles, California February 1
1985 -- Top Male Pop Singles Artist, Billboard
1986 -- Bob Geldof Humanitarian Award
1986 -- Juno, Male Vocalist
1987 -- Juno, Entertainer Of The Year
1987 -- Juno, Male Vocalist
1987 -- Rock Song Of The Year, Canadian Music Publishers Association, "In The Heat Of The Night"
1990 -- Order Of British Columbia
1990 -- Order Of Canada
1990 -- Artist Of The Decade, Canadian Recording Industry Association
1991 -- International Achievement, Canadian Arts And Recording Sciences
1991 -- Grammy, Best Song Written Specifically For A Motion Picture Or For Television -- "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You"(with Robert John"Mutt" Lange and Michael Kamen)
1991 -- #1 Worldwide Single, Billboard -- "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You"
1991 -- Guinness World Book Of Records, Longest #1 single in history of British music, 16 weeks -- "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You"
1992 -- Juno, Entertainer Of The Year
1992 -- Juno, Producer Of The Year
1992 -- Ivor Novello Award, British Songwriting Award -- "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You)
1992 -- CARAS Award, "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You"
1992 -- International Achievement Award, Billboard
1992 -- Medal, 125th Anniversary Of The Confederation Of Canada
1993 -- Juno, Best Selling Album, Foreign Or Domestic -- So Far...So Good
1993-- Best Selling Canadian Artist, World Music Awards
1994 -- Songwriter Of The Decade, Shure Microphone Award
1994 -- Best Selling Canadian Artist, World Music Awards
1995 -- Most Performed Song From A Motion Picture, ASCAP Award -- "All For Love"
1995 -- Nordoff Robbins, HMV International Music Therapy Award
1996 -- Most Performed Song From A Motion Picture, ASCAP AWARD -- "Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman?"
1996 -- Ivor Novello Award -- Best Song Included In A Film Or Television Program -- "Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman?"
1997 -- Juno Award, Best Male Vocalist
BACKGROUNDER
Arguably the most prolific Canadian hitmaker of the '80s and '90s, Bryan Adams has always focused on universal themes as the basis for his melodic pop rock.
Born May 11, 1959 in Kingston, Ontario, Bryan Adams got his professional break in 1976 as lead singer with Sweeney Todd, replacing Nick "Roxy Roller, Hot Child In The City" Gilder.
A year later, he formed a lucrative songwriting partnership with former Prism drummer Jim Vallance.
He signed with A&M Records in 1978, and his first single was a disco offering called "Let Me Take You Dancing." Needless to say, Adams found himself more comfortable in mainstream pop rock, and his big U.S. breakthrough album, 1983's Cuts Like A Knife, bears that out.
A bonafide international superstar who has sold more than 50 million albums, Adams -- presently residing in London, England -- has done his bit for charity.
Most notable was the Canadian answer to Band-Aid. The star-studded "Tears Are Not Enough" teamed Adams with Vallance, his wife, former CANO singer Rachel Paiement, and super producer David Foster to raise millions of dollars for African hunger relief.
In 1990, Adams and Vallance dissolved their partnership, and Bryan hooked up with the meticulous Robert John "Mutt" Lange. Ironically, it was Adams who inadvertently played Cupid at Nashville's Fan Fair in '93, when he insisted Lange join him to check out the Festival. Lange finally snared a face to face meeting with another potential client, Shania Twain, and the rest is history. For Adams, it was an opportunity to start another songwriting partnership, this one with Gretchen Peters, who wrote the stirring Martina McBride anthem "Independence Day."
In 1993, "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You" earned a berth in the Guinness World Book Of Records as the longest charting #1 in U.K. pop music history at 16 weeks, one that it held until Elton John's requiem for Princess Diana Spencer, "Candle In The Wind '97" replaced it.
More recently, Adams has joined St. Catharines-born supermodel Linda Evangelista in the battle against breast cancer. In 1997, Adams played a special benefit concert to raise money for St. Catharines breast-screening centre.
THANKS: Stephanie Robertson, Kim Blake, Wade Hemsworth
©1995, 1999 Nick Krewen, Octopus Media Ink.