Bryan Adams can’t wait to be in India again. He recounts his experience of performing in a cricket stadium here and says he is planning an India tour next year
How did you pick songs for your album Track of My YearsIJ
These are the songs that were around when I decided music is what I wanted to do. I was 15 or 16 and I couldn’t really choose songs that influenced me because so many of them were almost untouchable, like the bigger Beatles songs or the bigger hard rock songs.
How long did it take to bring everything togetherIJ
Well, a couple of years. I would do a few days, then I would stop and do something else, then I would do a few more days.
Would you say it’s tricky to cover great songs while putting your own spin to itIJ What were some of the challengesIJ
Again it was pretty simple. If when going into the studio they sounded like me, then it was pretty good. But a lot of times you go to cover songs and no matter what you did to them, they still sound like the original. So it’s better to make them sound different in some way.
What do you think of the artists today who try to produce with all the gizmos and gadgets aroundIJ
I would say go for it. You know if you can do that and it sounds great, then yeah why not. I didn’t want to do that because I wanted to have respect for the original music and wanted it to be quite serious you know.
You are a big part of India’s rock and roll history. How do your feel about thatIJ
I feel amazing. I often have great reflective memories on being in India and playing there. I look forward to come back, hoping to come back next year actually.
We heard there will be a re-release of Reckless the album and also a tour to go with it.
Yes that is correct. And that is going to be coming out in November, which would be the exact same time, 30 years earlier of the original album.
Releasing and promoting a record then and now, what has changedIJ
I suppose there is more publicity now than ever before because there are so many more different places to reach people. I remember when the album Waking Up The Neighbours came out I don’t think I did more than two interviews. There are rapid changes. When we first played in India, not many people believed we were actually going to come. There was great speculation like ‘Oh, he is not coming.’ So when we did arrive, we played in a cricket stadium. And it was strange because they divided the cricket stadium in half. Everybody was in different costumes, in turbans, some groups would be in white, some people would be in colorful colours. In the middle of the pitch they would put a fence and the other side of the fence was a cricket club. It was very exciting to be there again. I love India.
With so many concerts around the world, how do you manage your timeIJ
I think a lot of it comes from being with people you really like. And working with the same people for many years. I think it helps to have the same team and be loyal.