Obama is just Bryan Adams without music

O`ar Pali

13 December 2008

O’ar Pali talks to the ageing Canadian rocker and realises that the President-elect has merely emulated the pious pop-star rhetoric that has made Adams a global brand

It would be no real surprise to pick up the first issue of The Spectator from 1828 and find a review of a Bryan Adams show: he is one of those performers who is just there, and (it seems) always has been. Unless you were on a different planet during the 1990s I guarantee that you heard, loved or hated his single ‘Everything I Do’, which was one of the best-selling records of the decade. Adams has picked up Grammy and Oscar nominations like confetti. And if you haven’t danced to his 1984 floor-filler, ‘Summer of ’69’, then your children or grandchildren have (during Freshers’ Week while nervously drinking punch). In addition to his musical career, he has been a stalwart of the Prince’s Trust for the past two decades, photographed the Queen and mounted a photography exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery. In short, this 49-year-old Canadian rocker is more establishment than most royal courtiers.

Thus I find myself sitting in his Chelsea studio, next door to his London home, enjoying a cup of tea with the Big B.A. himself. I had seen him only a couple of days earlier at the Prince’s Trust youth charity dinner, when his performance of classics such as ‘Cuts Like a Knife’ made a crowd of initially shy middle-aged men and women abandon all restraint and remember their sweaty bop days.

All in a night’s work, no doubt, for this most royal of rock stars. What did he think of the Queen when he photographed her? ‘Really nice, charming.’ So far, so predictable. But mention Diana, Princess of Wales, and the mask falls a little. Adams performed for her twice during their acquaintance, once in Vancouver and another time at the Trust. There were even rumours, fuelled by Adams’s ex-girlfriend Cecilie Thomsen, that he and Diana were more than mere friends. When I ask him why he has declined to sing at any of the memorial concerts in Diana’s honour he responds, ‘I don’t really like the commercialisation of what has happened, to be quite frank.’ He takes a deep breath. ‘I really do have a lot of respect for her family and I think they have done a remarkable job retaining her memory in a very beautiful way. But I have my own personal feelings about it so I would rather remember her the way I remember her.’

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Vernon Howell

December 12th, 2008 9:18pm Report this comment

What on earth is an interview with Bryan Adams doing in the Spectator? The flimsy Obama reference is not convincing as a justification, nor in any way insightful. What next? Mel C? That guy from the Streets? Do grow up, Mr. Editor.

Anonymous

December 13th, 2008 11:09am Report this comment

Poor article. Poor choice. Let us have some substance please.

Barb

December 13th, 2008 2:34pm Report this comment

I love the Big BA. I hope he never moves out of Chelsea. He is most definitely a part of our London scene, much like Big Ben.

Anthony

December 13th, 2008 5:37pm Report this comment

It's actually a highly relevant article. On January 20, 2009, MTV will be hosting Barack Obama’s Inaugural Ball for heaven's sake.

That sums up this candidate and his most ardent admirers - what feeling does he create? A good one. That's the rock star connection. In just the same way people don't really ask rock stars pressing questions about their political views, just the same happened with the mainstream media over Barack Obama.

Bruce Springsteen would go on stage at the rallies with a guitar and then out would come Obama and get the crowd going in a mindless sing-a-long of: "Yes, we can."

That's it. That's St Barack's greatest hit. Don't ask him any questions on political substance, whatever you do, Big Media, just feel the quality of the tune. Can't get it out of your head now, can you? "Yes, we can."

Where is the arm's length skepticism we normally see with all politicians?

I don't ever recall weeping over a political candidate of any hue. Normally we all go to the ballot box to pick what we think are the lesser of two evils. This Obama worship is pure lunacy.

If you want to see "Yes, we can" performed live again, pencil in January 20 - and don't worry, if you're not interested in politics, there won't be an ounce of political substance in sight.

Tanaduke Wylie

December 13th, 2008 10:22pm Report this comment

No, I've never heard of Bryan Adams. And what's an O'ar Pali -- some kind of rowing device? The suggestion that the Princess of Wales was "more than friendly" with this rocker is disgusting.