The rock star’s latest photography project, ‘Homeless,’ highlights people who ‘fall between the cracks’
Bryan Adams is one of Canada’s most famous international exports, but he’s still true to his roots.
Adams moved from Ontario to British Columbia with his family as a teen and became involved in the music scene in Vancouver, drawing inspiration from his surroundings for songs such as “I’m Ready” and the smash hit “Straight from the Heart.” It was also in Vancouver where he was briefly the frontman for Sweeney Todd and subsequently met Jim Vallance, who has been Adams’ songwriting partner since 1978. Together, the duo have penned numerous hits, including “Summer of ’69” and “Run to You.”
In addition to his certifiable rock star status, Adams is a talented and passionate photographer. His most recent publication, “Homeless,” was released in April. It visually chronicles the lives of 84 vendors who sell The Big Issue, Street Roots’ sister paper in the United Kingdom, via portraits and shots of their daily lives.
“The photographs I took of people who live rough on the streets of London highlight an unavoidable fact, and almost every city around the world has a similar problem: too many people fall between the cracks and have no means to sustain a roof over their head,” Adams told The Big Issue.
“Thank goodness for organizations such as The Big Issue, which give the support the homeless need to get back on their feet. They help the vendors earn their own independent living by selling magazines on the streets – and many people, some featured in this book, have survived because of this.”
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Adams' book highlights the stories of vendors such as Sam Woodlock, who started selling the magazine 21 years ago and has gone on to conquer substance use and become a franchisee who helps other vendors.
Vendor Paul Barton sold the magazine on the streets of London until early 2018, when he left to finish his law degree, aiming to become the first homeless person to become qualified in law.
Adams hopes that stories like these will change the perception of poverty.
“Homelessness is too widespread and significant to ignore,” Adams said. “Hopefully after reading this, you might think twice as you walk past someone trying to make their way selling the magazine, or even busking on the street.”
Adams, who turns 60 this month, is performing around the globe for his “Shine A Light” tour, but he took the time to chat with Vancouver street paper Megaphone about his music, his commitment to a vegan lifestyle, advocacy, photography and his Vancouver beginnings.
Rosemary Newton: What does downtime look like for Bryan Adams?
Bryan Adams: Usually it’s hanging out with my family. (Adams is the father of two girls with his partner, Alicia Grimaldi; Mirabella Bunny is 8, and Lula Rosylea is 6.)
Newton: Tell us about your new album, “Shine A Light.”
Adams: It’s my 14th studio album, and like all albums I’ve done, it’s simply the best songs I could come up with at the time.
Newton: You moved with your mom and brother to North Vancouver when you were 15 years old. What are some of your memories of the North Shore?
Adams: I discovered my voice while walking to school in Lynn Valley. I used to walk from Ranger Avenue down Mountain Highway. However, it was dropping out of high school at 15 to play music that gives me the best memories. I hated the cookie-cutter squareness of school, plus they didn’t play soccer. While rehearsing with other musicians, I became a singer because none of the other musicians wanted to do it. It’s kind of as simple as that.
Newton: You quickly became immersed in the Vancouver music scene in your teens. What was that like? And did you ever play music in the Downtown Eastside?
Adams: The scene in Vancouver back then (in the 1970s) was amazing for musicians. You could put a band together, learn some songs, and you’d get gigs – and maybe even pay your rent.
I started playing bars at 15 and had to be escorted to the stage, as I was too young to hang around in them. By the time I was 17, I was getting hired by local agencies and the CBC to do vocal sessions.
The legendary keyboard player Robbie King asked me to sing back-ups for some local artists, and I remember I did one gig somewhere for him on the Downtown Eastside in a kind of converted old house. … I think it was with the lovely Ann Mortifee. I can’t remember where it was exactly.
Newton: You’re such a global citizen now. Do you maintain any connections to Vancouver?
Adams: Thanks. Yes, of course! I have family here, and I also have my studio in Gastown (The Warehouse Studio), where I record.
Newton: You’ve participated in concerts and other activities to help raise money and awareness of various causes, and you started The Bryan Adams Foundation in 2006. What inspires your philanthropic side? Have you always wanted to help others?
Adams: I think most people at a certain level have a moral obligation to give back to society. I came from nothing, and I remember how tough it was to earn a crust.
Newton: You’ve recently released a book of photographs called “Homeless,” which you shot for the U.K. street paper The Big Issue. In an interview about the book, you said, “The plight of people on the street is something we all see every day, and I just thought it would be good to do a story on it … everyone has a story here.”
What did you learn from the vendors you photographed for “Homeless”?
Adams: I discovered that the main problem for most of the people I met seemed to be alcohol, but the alcohol business is huge, and there is no stopping it.
The cover of the book is a fellow who was on heroin. He died shortly after I worked with him, and I didn’t find out until we had made the book. Very sad indeed, but a lovely guy.
Newton: The opioid overdose crisis in Canada has reached staggering proportions, with an average of four people dying each day in B.C.— 10 across the country. How can we stop this?
Adams: I’m aware of how bad it is. I’ve lost friends to it. With the advent of fentanyl and its accessibility through prescriptions, there’s no way to control it. The drug companies are making too much money to stop it.
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Newton: You’ve been a vegan for about 30 years. What led to that decision, and what are the benefits of a plant-based diet?
Adams: That’s easy! I decided in my late 20s that you couldn’t be a true environmentalist if you were eating animals and fish, et cetera. I read up and started life without eating them, and I noticed within a few weeks that my health improved, so I’ve never looked back.
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Courtesy of Megaphone / INSP.ngo
Street Roots is an award-winning, nonprofit, weekly newspaper focusing on economic, environmental and social justice issues. Our newspaper is sold in Portland, Oregon, by people experiencing homelessness and/or extreme poverty as means of earning an income with dignity. Learn more about Street Roots. Support your community newspaper by making a one-time or recurring gift today.
