 |
|
Flash and trash and, from time to precious time, outstanding talent. These say the ringmasters who operate the star-making machinery, are the key factors that can turn an obscure entertainer into success.
Enter Bryan Adams, 23, a handsome, clean cut rock'n'roll songwriter and musician from Vancouver. Tossing out the tried and true ground rules of show business. He has become Canada's brightest contender in the rock sweepstakes.
No calculated hype, silly hairstyles, overt musical theft or other cheap thrill gimmickry have been part of his strategy. And Adams is the first to admit he's not a rock'n'roll original.
"I'm a craftsman," he modestly avows. "I want to hear my songs on the radio. Beyond that I've no delusions of grandeur. Instead, Adams finds himself poised on the brink of international stardom through old-fashioned sweat and plain hard work. Since the middle of 1981, he has toured the North American club and concert circuit without let-up. With his talented band, known affectionately as the atom smashers, Adams has been the show stealing support act on tours by Journey, Foreigner, Loverboy and the Kinks/ He has also headlined hundreds of his own shows in countless cities.
When Adams does take a breather from the road, it's to rehearse, write songs with buddy Jim Vallance or hole up in the studio. " I had some time to myself last Christmas," he reveals while relaxing between concerts on yet another tour, this one of the Maritimes. "A&M (his record company) couldn't believe I was sitting around twiddling my thumbs - no interviews, no gigs, nothing."
Such a workaholic lifestyle is no burden, says Adams. In fact, it's just what he hopes to be doing for years to come. "Ideally, my career will consist of a long, steady climb upwards. More and more bands have instant success and then go straight to the toilet. I think I'm attracting the kind of fans who will stick with me tour after tour, album after album."
"Besides," he laughs, "rock'n'roll is the only thing I'm trained for and unless I want to retire early I'll be playing and writing music for the rest of my life. The reaction is getting stronger all the time so it's no chore to keep on working."
The footloose grind of the concert trail is a natural extension of Adams' own childhood. Born in Kingston, Ont., he is the son of a military officer-turned-diplomat. His father's postings took Adams to England, Israel, Austria and Portugal, all by the age of 13.
Settling in Vancouver in 1974, Adams found school an increasing distraction from his first love - music. "I'm not exactly a shining example. If I didn't like a teacher I simply skipped class and practiced. It was dumb, but I was too stubborn to listen to anybody's good advice."
Adams dropped out of school in grade 12 and dropped into a glittering job with rock band Sweeny Todd. It wasn't a memorable experience. Adams never emerged from the shadow of Nick Gilder, the vocalist he replaced, and had to suffer the ignominy of accepting a Juno Award for a hit Gilder had sung.
By 1978, Sweeny Todd was history, and Adams had launched a songwriting partnership with ValIance, a fellow Vancouverite he met in a local record store. Before long, they had penned hits for Prism and for Adams himself, with the disco number "Let Me Take You Dancing." Today the duo are in constant demand; their songs have appeared on Ips by Ian Lloyd, Bob Welch, Kiss and Randy Meisner, among others.
Adams was set for the big time in the spring of 19~ when he released his second album, You Want It, You Got It. The record was a classy package of energetic hard rock honed to radio play perfection by American producer Bob Clearmountain. Most significantly, Adams was under the wing of manager Bruce Allen, the king maker behind Bachman Turner Overdrive in the '70s and, most recently, Loverboy.
Yet, in spite of many "pick to click" predictions, You Want It languished. "The radio people didn't want to know about another Canadian rocker," Adams explains. "I realized the only way people would hear my music was by hitting the road and touring."
Tossed into the fray like a Christian to the lions, Adams faced audiences who either didn't know him or couldn't care less. The club situation was tough. "People go to bars to have a few drinks, socialize and hear some music. I supplied the music, but I had to really sweat to keep everyone's mind off their drinks and friends and on me." The concert situation was tougher. "You go on stage, and purple are their hands, waiting for the main event. An opening act is a nuisance, usually. I just pumped the energy levels way up and worked my tail off."
The encores and critical raves Adams reaped on tour were evidence his pop craft and determined exuberance had struck a responsive chord. By the spring of 1982, You Want It had finally conquered the airwaves and become a surprise hit. It proved, Adams says, that you can still joust with windmills and win.
The popular momentum Adams had built up ensured his third album, Cuts Like A Knife, wouldn't receive the icy welcome of its predecessors. Instead, it became an instant smash on FM rock radio across the continent the week it was released in January. Again pro-duced by Clearmountain, it's catchy, tough and simply oozing with commercial appeal. A&M officials figure the album will produce a bumper crop of hit singles and thrust their boy into the upper ranks of the rock hierarchy.
Though his new record is doing just fine on its own, Adams has no intention of slowing down his breakneck touring schedule. A support spot with Hall and Oates fell through at the last minute; rumour has it the headliners feared Adams would upstage them. Still, by the end of July, Adams will have wrapped up his own cross-continent tour, as well as another 100 shows with Journey. After that, Adams says, he's open to any and all offers.
"I get itchy, if I'm not working. I should really take a nice long holiday soon and keep myself from getting run down. But it's going to be tough. Rock'n'roll is the kind of nine to five routine I can really appreciate.".
©1999 TG Magazine/Le Magazine TG
tgmag@tgmag.ca