Live 8 Interview ( USA Today )
Bryan Adams: From Live Aid to Live 8
When Bryan Adams takes the stage at Live 8 in Barrie, Ontario, the scene may feel a bit familiar.
That's because the event takes place almost 20 years to the day after Adams performed at Bob Geldof's first charity concert, Live Aid. Lately, the 45-year-old Canadian singer has been touring with Def Leppard and developing his second career as a photographer. (Proceeds from his new book of photographs, American Women, go to breast cancer research.)
A few days before the event, Adams spoke with USATODAY.com's Whitney Matheson about his current pursuits and fuzzy memories.
So, I was just watching some video of you at Live Aid ...
You know what? I've never even seen that.
You haven't? Well, it's out on DVD now.
I know. I've actually got the DVD — they sent one to me — but I've never watched.
What are your memories of that day almost 20 years ago?
My memories are quite vague. My main memories are of walking up to the stairs to the stage and someone saying to me, "OK, check out the guy across the stage there. When you see him coming out and start to mention your name, then you can walk onstage." And I looked over, and it was Jack Nicholson.
Were there any performances that blew you away?
I never saw it. I actually left right after my show. I had a show to do in Ohio that night, so I only came in for my segment and left right away.
Wow, so you really had minimal exposure to it.
Yeah, a lot of people were like that. ... I remember getting the call from (Bob) Geldof quite a long time before the show happened. I guess he had an A-to-Zed of who's who doing music, and he just called and said, "What do you think? Would you be up for doing something like this if I could put it together?" And I said yeah, of course I would. Then I didn't hear anything from him for a long time. And the next call came and he said, "Well, you know what? I've actually booked it. It's gonna happen this day. Can you work it out?"
Is that how it was for Live 8, too?
No, this time it came from the organizer of the show. I think Geldof's got his hands full with everybody else. They were kind hemming and hawing about how they were going to put it together, and then I said yes, I'd do it, and then I think a couple other people said they'd do it. And that sort of clenched it.
But I'm playing that night somewhere else as well, so this is just déjà vu for me. I'm playing in Lancaster, Pa., that night, so I have to fly in the morning to Toronto, go to Barrie, do the show, go back to Toronto, get on the plane and fly to Lancaster.
Will you pull out any of your old hits at Live 8 — any of the songs you played at Live Aid?
No. I won't be doing that.
What do you think of the cause this time around?
Well, I think this is a very different sort of movement, the principle this time being to activate things politically, as opposed to trying to literally put food in people's mouths. I guess, 20 years on, they've seen that the situation in Africa isn't so much about getting it to the grassroots. It has to be that sort of political level.
I think there's an enormous quagmire of things to sort out there that doesn't just stem from just relieving the debt. There's also the people that are running these countries and how they organize things. So I wonder how that's gonna be instigated, because, politically speaking, that's one of the biggest hurdles of all.
After Live 8, you resume your summer tour with Def Leppard. How's that coming?
It's been going fine. You know, I've only done 10 shows. I only work 10 days a month. I don't want to work more than that on tour, because I think I've done that already. ... I do 100 shows a year, but I do it in fits and starts, as opposed to going on a long run.
Do you hang out with those guys between shows?
Well, what happens is, I go on and get on the bus and drive off to the next show. And then, the next day, they go on and they get on the bus and drive off to the next show. So, really, the only time we say hello is in between. Sort of, "Hi, how you guys doin'? All right? Yeah, OK. Catch you later." You know.
Are you bringing your camera to all of these shows?
Oh, yeah.
At this point in your career, which is more fulfilling to you: music or photography?
Well, music's No. 1. You don't kick off those shoes very easily. I mean, photography has taken a place with me that has been very exciting and fascinating, because it started out really more as me documenting my work on tour and in the studio. And it's led to other things: doing portraits of friends and going on to do these books to raise money for charity. And the new one, American Women— the first edition's already sold out, so ...
That book is like a who's who of every famous woman in America.
Well, I'll tell you what: The list was a lot longer than what's in that book.
Who said no?
Oh, just name it. I would've liked to have had more of the old Hollywood guard, but it was very difficult. I think a lot of people want to be remembered the way they were, as opposed to the way they are now.
Since you're Canadian and all, are there any Canadian artists USA TODAY readers should be aware of?
No, but there's an American artist you should talk about — this guy called Ray LaMontagne. I think he's the best singer/songwriter to come out of America in a long time. He's got a new album out; it's fantastic.
What else are you listening to?
I'm working on a new album, so I've sort of been heads down into that. But I listen to a lot of folk music, whatever I can ... Actually, I'll be really boring and tell you exactly who I'm listening to: Jimi Hendrix live bootleg records, The O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack and The Allman Brothers live. So if that gives you any indication of where my head's at …
Before we go, I asked some friends what they'd like to know about you, and a few of them brought up your videos. You were one of MTV's first stars — that Cuts Like a Knife video was played nonstop.
I think all my videos suck.
Are you serious?
Yeah, I hate them all.
Why?
I don't know. Probably because they're inconsistent, and I just think I'm really a crap video artist. I'm a better singer.
Do you still make them?
Yeah, I do.
So, they seem to be sort of popular ...
They're just garbage. Just flip through them.
I'll pass that on.
Don't even pay attention. Flip the channel, quick! Every time I see my video, I just want to dive behind the sofa. I just (expletive) hate it!
Hmm. You haven't seen Live Aid, and you hate your videos. Sounds like you could just have a problem seeing yourself onscreen.
There is something to that. I think I'm better behind the camera
When Bryan Adams takes the stage at Live 8 in Barrie, Ontario, the scene may feel a bit familiar.
That's because the event takes place almost 20 years to the day after Adams performed at Bob Geldof's first charity concert, Live Aid. Lately, the 45-year-old Canadian singer has been touring with Def Leppard and developing his second career as a photographer. (Proceeds from his new book of photographs, American Women, go to breast cancer research.)
A few days before the event, Adams spoke with USATODAY.com's Whitney Matheson about his current pursuits and fuzzy memories.
So, I was just watching some video of you at Live Aid ...
You know what? I've never even seen that.
You haven't? Well, it's out on DVD now.
I know. I've actually got the DVD — they sent one to me — but I've never watched.
What are your memories of that day almost 20 years ago?
My memories are quite vague. My main memories are of walking up to the stairs to the stage and someone saying to me, "OK, check out the guy across the stage there. When you see him coming out and start to mention your name, then you can walk onstage." And I looked over, and it was Jack Nicholson.
Were there any performances that blew you away?
I never saw it. I actually left right after my show. I had a show to do in Ohio that night, so I only came in for my segment and left right away.
Wow, so you really had minimal exposure to it.
Yeah, a lot of people were like that. ... I remember getting the call from (Bob) Geldof quite a long time before the show happened. I guess he had an A-to-Zed of who's who doing music, and he just called and said, "What do you think? Would you be up for doing something like this if I could put it together?" And I said yeah, of course I would. Then I didn't hear anything from him for a long time. And the next call came and he said, "Well, you know what? I've actually booked it. It's gonna happen this day. Can you work it out?"
Is that how it was for Live 8, too?
No, this time it came from the organizer of the show. I think Geldof's got his hands full with everybody else. They were kind hemming and hawing about how they were going to put it together, and then I said yes, I'd do it, and then I think a couple other people said they'd do it. And that sort of clenched it.
But I'm playing that night somewhere else as well, so this is just déjà vu for me. I'm playing in Lancaster, Pa., that night, so I have to fly in the morning to Toronto, go to Barrie, do the show, go back to Toronto, get on the plane and fly to Lancaster.
Will you pull out any of your old hits at Live 8 — any of the songs you played at Live Aid?
No. I won't be doing that.
What do you think of the cause this time around?
Well, I think this is a very different sort of movement, the principle this time being to activate things politically, as opposed to trying to literally put food in people's mouths. I guess, 20 years on, they've seen that the situation in Africa isn't so much about getting it to the grassroots. It has to be that sort of political level.
I think there's an enormous quagmire of things to sort out there that doesn't just stem from just relieving the debt. There's also the people that are running these countries and how they organize things. So I wonder how that's gonna be instigated, because, politically speaking, that's one of the biggest hurdles of all.
After Live 8, you resume your summer tour with Def Leppard. How's that coming?
It's been going fine. You know, I've only done 10 shows. I only work 10 days a month. I don't want to work more than that on tour, because I think I've done that already. ... I do 100 shows a year, but I do it in fits and starts, as opposed to going on a long run.
Do you hang out with those guys between shows?
Well, what happens is, I go on and get on the bus and drive off to the next show. And then, the next day, they go on and they get on the bus and drive off to the next show. So, really, the only time we say hello is in between. Sort of, "Hi, how you guys doin'? All right? Yeah, OK. Catch you later." You know.
Are you bringing your camera to all of these shows?
Oh, yeah.
At this point in your career, which is more fulfilling to you: music or photography?
Well, music's No. 1. You don't kick off those shoes very easily. I mean, photography has taken a place with me that has been very exciting and fascinating, because it started out really more as me documenting my work on tour and in the studio. And it's led to other things: doing portraits of friends and going on to do these books to raise money for charity. And the new one, American Women— the first edition's already sold out, so ...
That book is like a who's who of every famous woman in America.
Well, I'll tell you what: The list was a lot longer than what's in that book.
Who said no?
Oh, just name it. I would've liked to have had more of the old Hollywood guard, but it was very difficult. I think a lot of people want to be remembered the way they were, as opposed to the way they are now.
Since you're Canadian and all, are there any Canadian artists USA TODAY readers should be aware of?
No, but there's an American artist you should talk about — this guy called Ray LaMontagne. I think he's the best singer/songwriter to come out of America in a long time. He's got a new album out; it's fantastic.
What else are you listening to?
I'm working on a new album, so I've sort of been heads down into that. But I listen to a lot of folk music, whatever I can ... Actually, I'll be really boring and tell you exactly who I'm listening to: Jimi Hendrix live bootleg records, The O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack and The Allman Brothers live. So if that gives you any indication of where my head's at …
Before we go, I asked some friends what they'd like to know about you, and a few of them brought up your videos. You were one of MTV's first stars — that Cuts Like a Knife video was played nonstop.
I think all my videos suck.
Are you serious?
Yeah, I hate them all.
Why?
I don't know. Probably because they're inconsistent, and I just think I'm really a crap video artist. I'm a better singer.
Do you still make them?
Yeah, I do.
So, they seem to be sort of popular ...
They're just garbage. Just flip through them.
I'll pass that on.
Don't even pay attention. Flip the channel, quick! Every time I see my video, I just want to dive behind the sofa. I just (expletive) hate it!
Hmm. You haven't seen Live Aid, and you hate your videos. Sounds like you could just have a problem seeing yourself onscreen.
There is something to that. I think I'm better behind the camera
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