‘Summer of ‘69′ A Distant Memory
Although one of his first hits hearkened all the way back to the ’60s, singer/songwriter Bryan Adams has built a rock ‘n’ roll career that has stood the test of time.
By Tracy Rasmussen
Reading Eagle Correspondent
Bryan Adams may have struck platinum with “Summer of ‘69,” but his career has lasted well into the 21st century.
With dozens of Top 40 hits in the ’80s, ’90s and 2000s (and a 2007 Golden Globe nomination for “Never Gonna Break My Faith” from the film “Bobby”) Adams has mined that career and come up with a two-disc collection of both hits and new tracks for “Anthology,” a compilation a quarter century in the making.
Adams will bring those songs with him to the Sovereign Performing Arts Center in downtown Reading on Wednesday night at 8 when he performs a set list from that 2005 release.
“The show is entirely based around the songs of the recently released ‘Anthology’ album,” Adams said in a recent interview conducted via e-mail. “There is, of course, a new light show and an acoustic set, as well.”
Adams has been in the music business since 1974 when he quit school at 15 to pursue his dream. Three years later he signed with A&M records sparking a career that has included hits such as “Heaven,” “Did You Ever Really Love a Woman” and “Everything I Do (I Do It for You).”
He branched out to soundtrack work with “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron” in 2002. His work has been nominated for Grammy, Golden Globe and Academy Awards.
Adams co-writes nearly all of his songs and because of that said he can’t single out one that showcases his abilities as a songwriter. He does have a favorite performance, though.
“I remember thinking the recording of ‘Please Forgive Me’ was about as good as it gets for me,” he said. “But I’m the worst judge of what I sound best on.”
Record-buyers pushed that song to No. 7 on the U.S. pop charts in 1993. (It reached No. 1 in his native Canada and Australia and No. 2 in the U.K.)
In addition to his talents as a singer and songwriter, Adams is also an accomplished photographer, with his work appearing in both magazines and in shows internationally. Adams said that really there are very few similarities between music and pictures except for one very big similarity.
“Neither is easy,” he said. “But perhaps the only parallel is the idea of creating something from nothing.”
His most recent photography shows were a collection of photos of actor Mickey Rourke in Vienna and a 30-photograph exhibit in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Both photographic exhibitions coincided with concerts in those cities.
Adams has also accomplished much from nothing in the area of social activism, although he eschews the limelight for his contributions.
“I do various things,” he said. “Most of it quite quietly.”
For instance, Adams raised money to rebuild a school in Thailand and a community center with a pool in Sri Lanka, after the 2004 tsunami that killed more than 280,000 people and left devastation in many Asian countries.
“It was amazing to have been able to see it all come together,” he said. “Hopefully I’ll go out there next year when they open it to the public.”
Adams said he knows how important it is to keep in touch with his fans for his social activism, his photography and his music career, and has a Web site (www.bryanadams.com) and a presence on Myspace (www.myspace.com/bryanadamsmusic).
Still in the prime of his life despite his 25-plus-year career he’s only 47 and his career (his “Room Service” CD debuted at No. 1 in Canada as well as Europe in 2004), Adams said there’s still a lot left for him to accomplish, but he’s not sure he’s got the time to do everything he wants to do.
“I’ve all kinds of dreams and aspirations,” he said. “But I know I’ll never get them all done. My epitaph will probably read, ‘He tried to get it all done (but didn’t have the time).’”
© 2007 Reading Eagle Company
Filed under: General News
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January 7th, 2007 at 6:11 pm
I ‘m relocating on Friday !
January 16th, 2007 at 7:29 pm
love u bryan adams
January 18th, 2007 at 12:38 am
Met Keith Scott Friday afternoon in Beau Rivage casino. Super nice guy. Suprised he is only 1 year younger than I (he is 52! and looks very good for it!)
Concert that night was magnificent!
Met Bryan at same cafe around noon Saturday. Very gracious although being hounded by some young ladies. Only disapointment was my wife just stood there in awe through the whole thing and would/could not talk to him or get a photograph with him. He was allowing that!
After 25 years of following him and enjoying just about all of his music… to meet and talk to him and he be so gracious was an absolute blessing… started our 2007 in a very good light
You can still rock and roll when you are 50 something! The other band I love is AC/DC! My wife’s car tag is NANAROX
Cheers
Rob and Marion
Atlanta, GA
February 7th, 2007 at 4:58 pm
SUMMER OF ‘69 is a hugely famous song and i thank bryan for coming up with such wonderful songs that remains immortal.I attented his concert in mumbai, India,MMRDA grounds.WHAT A CONCERT!BUT MOST OF THE PEOPLE CON’T KNOW ABOUT BRYAN SO THAT’S WHY I WANT BRYAN TO COME TO INDIA FREQUENTLY AND PERFORM MORE CONCERTS.
REGARDS,
BADAMS_ROX_RULZ{AKA.vignesh swaminathan}
April 2nd, 2007 at 10:13 am
Hi !! Bryan
I love all the song that did you wrote , And also your awesome band.You are the reason why I married to an American man ,I originaly from Cebu, Philippines ? And move to Sacramento 9 years ago.Hoping to meet you someday , But as busy as you are i don’t think thats gonna happen. But its ok I just wan’t to let you know that you and your band together are always here in my heart. I collect all your cd’s from old to the new ? And also i keep you on my youtube account i can keep track all the new concert that you had. I like the way you are ,T-shirt and Jeans you look sizzling hot ? So just keep it that way ?
We love you Bryan Adams
Tess and Miles Haley