Expressing himself both in image and in sound, BRYAN ADAMS is as popular behind the camera as he is in front. COURTNEY LAURA caught up with Adams to discuss his favourite venues, photography projects and what it’s like to write on tour.
Where in the world are you, and what projects are you currently working on?
I’m in LA working on a new album.
When writing your music, do you find the lyrics or the music come first? Describe your process.
Usually it starts with words, but I’ve been known to come up with some pretty decent melodies to a few chords as well.
Are there any specific locations around the world that inspire you with your photography or to write, more than others?
In the beginning it was a basement full of cat piss. Now it can happen anywhere, I don’t need to be anywhere special. I’ve even written songs on airplanes.
Do you find the inspiration to write on tour, do you get the time to explore the city you are in or are you limited in your time?
Recording on tour is easy, I’ve done a few albums like that, but getting out and seeing the city isn’t usually the easiest thing. Rest is usually required.
As a photographer, what have been some of the most memorable moments and subjects that you have shot?
I put out a book called Exposed last year, it’s kind of a retrospective of my years behind the camera, have a look.
You have worked with a large number of musical peers with your photography, is there anyone you haven’t had the chance to work with yet that you would really like to?
I have a list, and the list changes all the time. As long as they are characters, it will be interesting. At the moment I’m doing a series of photos of wounded soldiers returning from Afghanistan and Iraq.
Do you have any songs in your repertoire that you can’t ever leave off a set list?
I can’t leave off any of them if they are known. I play all the songs everyone knows of mine, well, at least the ones I can remember.
What are your favourite venues to play in? Describe them.
I have two different tours running at the moment, one is with my band (which is the one I’m bringing to Australia) and the other is called “Bare Bones”, and it’s totally acoustic, just me and my guitar and a piano (which is the one I’m bringing to New Zealand). Regarding venues, I’ve been trying to play the best venues for acoustic shows, like the Sydney Opera House last year, Royal Albert Hall in London and possibly Carnagie Hall later this year. Places like that.
What are some of the big life lessons you have learnt over your career being a musician and performer?
Don’t sign anything!
Describe your feelings and the emotions that surge through you the moment you step out onto the stage in a full venue.
Change clothes, clean teeth, boil the kettle, have a cup of tea, charge…
What is your current “song of the moment” – the one that when you have a jam and practice, you can’t help but play?
There isn’t one in particular, there are songs we rehearse at sound checks, but they tend to be mostly Led Zeppelin songs.
What music are you listening to at the moment, personally?
I’m listening to all the songs on my new album, and wondering which need to go and which will stay, and what other songs need to be cut still. I don’t think it will come out this year.
What do you think you would be doing if you weren’t making music, do you think your experiences with your photography would have been different without it?
If it hadn’t happened for me in music, I would have been tenacious in something else. Who knows. I always wanted to be in music, maybe I’d have been a roadie. I don’t think I would have been able to do the photography at the level I’m doing it now, because I would not have been able to afford it.
Describe the process on working on a film soundtrack, have you written songs tailored to the movie, or do they approach you with something pre-made?
This gets back to your earlier question about songwriting. I wrote songs with a few different film composers, Hans Zimmer, the late Michael Kamen and even the late Marvin Hamlisch. As I said, I’m not bad at working with other people’s scores and finding a way to make songs from them. Most of the songs happened from me being approached by them to collaborate.
Coming to Australia, do you have any plans to visit any major sights while you are here? Ones that you have perhaps not had the chance to see in the past? What are some of your favorite places to go while you are here?
Yes I’m looking forward to being there and particularly on the water, that can be anywhere. No sharks please.
Bryan Adams performs WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong, on Thursday 18 April; Sydney Entertainment Centre on Friday 19 April; Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, on Saturday 20 April; Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Wednesday 24 April; Newcastle Entertainment Centre on Friday 26 April; Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Saturday 27 April.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ne0hp1-axI