Ready to rock: Bryan Adams

The prehistoric man, I suppose, when he was getting bored created a wave of sounds with the things, which were readily available at that time creating a symphony of sounds – that we know today as music. Over centuries music in all its forms has enthralled hearts of many.

And then in the modern era, the artistes took this art form to different echelons. In the 80’s a young lad from Canada hit the music scene and sent ripples across the globe and that legend was none other than Bryan Adams, the modern musical maestro, whose songs have reached out to and swayed many generations.

The Legendary Canadian singer-songwriter’s story is not a fairy tale. The hardworking musician started working in Vancouver music scene when he was just 15-years-old and with sheer passion and determination Adams rose to fame and ruled the world with his music and aura. He says, “It was strange, but it was fun to be working at the bars and clubs from the time I was 15, and I worked for years without a pay cheque.”

Bryan Adams will light up homegrown arenas on a five-date greatest hits India tour in October; his nineteenth concert tour. The gigs are lined up in support of the music veteran’s current 21-track compilation, ‘Ultimate’, which released in November last year. The tour kicks off with Ahmedabad and wraps up in the capital city, New Delhi.

Also included on the jaunt are festival stops in Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. The ‘Ultimate Tour’, organised by ENIL, will see the multi-million selling recording perform material from the fourteenth studio album, which features a mix of new tracks and enormous hits from an incredible back-catalogue.

The 58-year-old vegan Vancouverite, who enjoys the reputation of being able to sell out arena bowls will entertain the audience with universal hits like ‘Run To You’, ‘Can’t Stop This Thing We Started’, ‘Summer of ’69’, ‘Cuts Like A Knife’, ‘Heaven’, ‘When You’re Gone’ , ‘Cloud Number Nine’, ‘Everything I Do I Do It For You’, ‘Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman’, ’18 till I die’ as well as ‘Ultimate Love’ and ‘Please Stay’.

Excerpts from an interview

What is in store for your fans on the tour?
We have a great show in store, our best work. We spent months preparing this tour, it’s a long way from our first tour of India.

What are your expectations from the Hyderabad crowd?
I’m always humbled by the reaction we get here.

What made you realise that music was your path?
The fridge was empty at home, I had to go to work. It was strange but fun to be working the bars and clubs from 15, and I worked for years without a pay cheque; totally ripped off. But once I was able to pay my rent, I was even more grateful for the times I’d had struggling.

Back in 1977, my father and mother had both put $1,200 away for my university education, but they didn't count on me dropping out at 15. So, I asked my mom, I said, 'Listen I've seen this piano in the window, do you think we can put that $1000 toward that piano?' and she agreed. My dad wasn't really around and didn't have much to say, but when he finally did catch up, I think he was quite curious about what I was going to do for a real job.

How would you describe the music that you typically create?
I would say it is ‘Rocking’!

Has there been one particular moment in your musical career that you’re most proud of?
I think my ethic today is probably as strong as ever. I don’t think that has really changed. I got into this for one reason and that was because I love singing, and that hasn’t changed. There’s a great sense of achievement to be able to make music and write music, produce music and perform it, and that hasn’t changed. The world has opened immensely since I started playing 40 years ago.

Are you more of a singer or more of a songwriter?
I love the whole thing, it's the most challenging thing. I can think of creating a song from nothing that actually is a good song. You see, there are many songs written before you get to a good one, and unless you do it and work at it all the time, it won't happen. It's work.

What kind of things inspires you to write?
The theme of getting out, or looking back on life, relationships, all those themes seem to occur…luckily those themes seem to be with me still.

What is your most memorable gig?
Very early on in my career, I played a gig at Sheffield Polytechnic. I had no idea that anyone knew who I was in the UK, but that night when I finished one song, they’d kick off singing another. It was the first time I realised I was getting somewhere with my music.

What kind of music do you listen to today?
I mostly listen to Chris Martin and Drake.

What do you think about the internet as a tool for promoting yourself & your music?
For sure the companies that control music are doing fine, I'm pretty sure the artistes and songwriters aren't getting the best deals. This is predominately because songwriters and artistes don’t get together to try and change things, and most of them have given their control to other people.

What are your future projects and collaborations?
I have an album coming up in January 2019.