Bryan Adams talks about touring, Tina Turner and newfound musical independence

CLEVELAND, Ohio — When Bryan Adams reports that this “is a very exciting time, and it’s getting more exciting,” that’s not hyperbolic.

The Canadian rocker has, of course, been at it for more than 45 years, and as a recording artist in his own right since 1980. Since then, he’s sold more than 100 million records worldwide and notched a litany of hit singles, including chart toppers such as “Heaven,” “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You,” “Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?” and, with Sting and Rod Stewart, “All For Love” from “The Three Musketeers” soundtrack in 1993. He also hit the Top 20 with “It’s Only Love,” a 1985 duet with the late Tina Turner.

Adams, 63, could rest on his proverbial laurels but pointedly doesn’t. He maintains a celebrated career as a portrait photographer, and he’s as musically active as ever; last year he released a new studio album, “So Happy It Hurts,” alongside two “Classic” albums of re-recorded hits and a set of his own renditions of songs he and longtime writing partner Jim Vallance wrote for “Pretty Woman — The Musical.” During the spring he released an anti-war single “What if There Were No Sides at All,” and later this year he’ll release live versions of three of his albums — 1983′s “Cuts Like a Knife,” 1987′s “Into the Fire” and 1991′s “Waking Up the Neighbours” — recorded at Royal Albert Hall in London.

He is on tour now and will be in Cleveland on Thursday, June 15, for a show at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse.

It seems that after all this time Adams, as he sang in 1991, can’t stop this thing he started….

Last year you toured in Canada and Europe. Does it feel good to be rocking U.S. stages again?

Adams: Yes, very good. Many of the songs that we have were bigger hits elsewhere, so we do find there are certain songs that go over better around the world than they do in the States because we didn’t get any support here for those records. People definitely come to the shows based on the past, and I know certain songs may not be well known. “Shine a Light,” there’s a perfect example of a song that if we play any where else in the world but America, people know it and love it. Here, it takes probably a couple of choruses and finally they get it and it goes over. It just doesn’t have the instant reaction. That’s OK; we just keep playing.

You’ve been taking requests off the floor, too, this year.

Adams: I think it’s fun to do, ‘cause it breaks it up. You can never play all the songs; there are so many songs now, people go, ‘You didn’t play MY song!’ Well, here’s your chance. (laughs) Request it!’ There have been times when I can remember the song but can’t remember the chords; if that ever happens I just sing it a cappella.

You mention having all those songs. How do you go about making a set list with so much material available?

Adams: Well, for America, we’ll play the songs that everybody knows, that’s the easiest thing — and pepper it with a few like “So Happy It Hurts,” ‘cause I’m trying to get that album some exposure. There is kind of a template which works really well right now and it sort of ebbs and flows between songs that are really well-known and new songs and songs I like and on and on.

It’s been 15 months since “So Happy It Hurts” came out. How is it holding up for you?

Adams: I think it’s been a really good record to put out, post-pandemic. It’s still trickling along; we were even talking about putting another (single) out there from it. So I’m really pleased with it.

Meanwhile, you’ve released a very moving anti-war song, “What If There Were No Sides at All.” You’re not usually a political songwriter; did it take some consideration before entering the fray?

Adams: I don’t really consider it entering the fray. It was written a few years ago; I was kind of waiting for the right moment to put it out. I just felt like now was the best time, with all the sorts of conflicts all over the place. I just don’t want to remain silent. I can’t. I can’t watch this going on, all the rhetoric and nonsense I see on the Internet. I just thought, “You know what? I’ve just to say something.” So that’s my song. It’s kind of like an independent release — ‘cause, you know, I’m an indie artist now. (laughs)

You are, in fact. A necessary change for someone who’s been a multi-platinum, major label artist?

Adams: It’s fine. I have a real sense of empowerment, being away from a major record company. And it’s been very inspiring. The songs just keep flowing; I’ve got another album under my belt right now (that) I’m waiting for the right time to put out. I think as a youngster you’re allowed to do your albums and you get as far as you can. You might get a second shot, which I kinda felt like we did, but I don’t know if you’re allowed a third shot. (laughs) But for a number of years, I wasn’t getting the full backing of my (record companies). I’d give them records which I thought were amazing, like the “Get Up” album I did with Jeff Lynne, and even “Shine a Light,” and I really believed that those records, perhaps with the full backing or in another time would’ve been huge albums. But they didn’t have all the weight behind them, so they did what they were gonna do based on fan base and all the touring that we did to promote them. But I feel quite empowered by the independence I have now. By Christmas, I’ll have put out seven albums in two years.

Are you still re-recording the older hits as well as working on new material?

Adams: I am. I’ll probably put another record out in the next year, a Part 3 of the “Classic” re-recordings. It’s really exciting to look back on some of them, and what’s interesting to sort of dissect them and figure out what was in the soup that made it so delicious. You sort of discover it as you start piecing it together. I did get a whole new respect for the drumming that was on those records, I’ll tell you that. (laughs) I’m playing (drums) now, and it’s pretty hard!

You’ve been in the discussion during the past couple of weeks since Tina Turner’s death because of the work you did together. What have been your thoughts?

Adams: It’s just so sad, isn’t it? You certainly end up reflecting a lot when you lose somebody like that. She was such a big mama hug, like whenever she was around me it was just like, ‘Oh, here we go, gimme a hug.’ I was welcome in her family, ‘cause I was there at the beginning. I was there for her resurgence when it happened. And she took me on tour and she was so welcoming. She took me from complete obscurity over in Europe to playing Wembley Arena. Can you imagine that? If it wasn’t for that tour with her, it wouldn’t have happened for me over there.

Was she as powerful a force of nature to work with as she appeared to be to those of us in the seats?

Adams: Oh yeah, and she was a lot of fun when we weren’t on stage. I would go into her dressing room pretty much every night, just to see how she was doing and check in on stuff. She liked that sort of communication. For the lack of any other word, she was very motherly, and she liked her road family. They were her everything. If you were part of that, you were in. You were welcome, and, “Tell me some stories. Tell me what’s going on. I want to know.” She loved a bit of gossip. She was fun to be with.

What else can we expect from you in the near or fairly near future?

Adams: I’ve been asked to do a film recently, so I’m working on that. I just did a song on a documentary about homeless people; that’s going to be on the new album. At the moment, I’ve got a load of (photo) exhibitions happening this summer, but I’ve really been focused on making videos, as you probably see with “What If There Were No Sides at All.” I’m really trying to make interesting videos, even for the classic songs, and have content out there. So there’s plenty of stuff coming and going. The next year should be interesting to see what comes up. I love being able to create stuff that isn’t what you’d expect and push myself.

Bryan Adams and Joan Jett & the Blackhearts perform at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 15, at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, 1 Center St., Cleveland. 216-420-2000 or rocketmortgagefieldhouse.com.