The '69' in Summer of 69 refers to love making: Adams

ON CLOUD NO. 9: Bryan Adams says he is open to collaborating with Bollywood artistes for an album.

          

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London: He has never been a one-night love affair with his audience. Over two decades, he’s remained rock steady on popularity charts and continues to set hearts on fire with music that comes straight from the heart.

The Canadian singer, song-writer and guitarist is most successfully artist in popular music worldwide. It’s been two decades since he recorded his first album – in 1980s – called Bryan Adams.

Since then, he has released many albums that include many a chart-topping single with some of his rock ballads acquiring anthem-like quality.

Now as his eleventh album – aptly titled 11 - is set to hit the world market, Adams speaks with CNN-IBN’s Priya Krishnamoorthy in an exclusive interview.

Priya Krishnamoorthy: Ten albums, a whole lot of live concerts. I would imagine you would retire this year. But here you are, you’ve come out with your 11th album called 11.

Bryan Adams I’ve called it 11 because it’s my eleventh studio album but it’s actually my 16th album. But I haven’t included my Unplugged, my live albums, my desktops, my sound tracks. It’s my eleventh album of new, original material. This was going to be an acoustic album but I got half way into recording and I think I was in America somewhere on tour and was playing on stage when I thought, ‘there’s no way I am doing an acoustic album at this stage. The songs I am writing right now lend themselves to being a band record.’ But I like to take my work on tours so I have so much time in a day before I do my shows so I would set up my equipment in the hotel or backstage and just record. And that’s how this album was made. Imagine if you were the woman next door and hear my singing songs? It was just like that.

Priya Krishnamoorthy: If you were to talk about one song in particular - which is Summer of ’69 – there’s a certain perception people have about it which is not true.

Bryan Adams I think what’s good about songs is that everybody would have their own interpretations of them and what they mean. Someone once said something which was funny. They thought the first lyric of the song was: I had my first real sex dream. Ahem! Which is not the lyric.

Priya Krishnamoorthy: And obviously some people still think it’s about the summer of ’69.

Bryan Adams No it’s not. It’s a nostalgic song. There’s no question about it. But it’s not about a particular year. The idea of 69 was actually sort of reference to making love. It was about looking back, making love to the girl you had then, and (remembering) the band you played for then. It’s not about 69.

Priya Krishnamoorthy: You are asked that question a lot of times.

Bryan Adams All the time, yeah.

Priya Krishnamoorthy: You signed your first deal for $1. But bow when you look back, you think you could have done things differently?

Bryan Adams I would have asked for $2. When I first signed for a record company, I was 18 and I was broke and I needed a break. And since most songwriters were looking for a break, I was happy for the $1. And, because it was an opportunity, it’s all you can ask for, really. Rest is up to you to see if you can carve a way. Of course it was a great deal for the record company – they got a fantastic deal - but I have no regrets.

Priya Krishnamoorthy: Over a period of time, the things that you talk about are not just hearts and flowers. It’s also become a little more cynical. Would it be fair to say that?

Bryan Adams I don’t think I am cynical. There are things in the album that go: Don’t save everything for a rainy day. Go and spend it now. Drink the wine, burn the candle because today is the most important day. So I like that. My songs have a searching feel to them. They are searching more now than in the beginning.