Would you consider yourself to be one of the "great" songwriter/composers of this era? You have certainly earned tremendous respect along the way.
 
I don't see myself that way at all.  Writers that continue to impress me are people like Linda Perry, Sheryl Crow, U2.  Don Henley has written some great songs ... I think "End Of The Innocence" is one of the best lyrics of the past 25 years. Actually, I think there's been a deficit of great songwriters during the past decade or two.  Look at the 1960s, where we had writers like Lennon-McCartney, Bacharch-David, Jagger-Richards, Neil Diamond, Brian Wilson, Carol King, Paul Simon, John Fogerty.  Maybe I'm wrong, but I don’t see that caliber of songwriting today.
 
You've worked with many a popular name in the music industry through the years. Who did you like working with the most?
 
I had a lot of fun with Bryan.  Ozzy Osbourne was also a blast … very funny … he'd make me laugh until I cried.  Aerosmith are great guys, and so is Alice Cooper. 
 
And the least?
 
I wouldn't want to say, in case they read this interview!
 
One of the longest collaborations you've had was with Bryan Adams for more than a decade. What is your fondest memory of working with him?
 
Bryan and I had a lot of laughs, but we got some serious work done too.  We spent an enormous amount of time together, often 12 hours a day, 7 days a week.  It was exhilarating when we knew we had a good idea, when we were onto something.  I mean, you’re sitting in a little room with no windows, and you're the only two people in the world who know you've just written a great song …or at least you THINK it's great!  My studio was in the basement of my house.  We'd always call my wife to come down, and she'd be the first one to hear a new song.  Then we'd get Keith over to play a guitar solo, and he'd be the next one to hear it.  Those were the fun moments … the work and the creativity and the willingness to put in long hours to get the job done.  Not that we were Lennon and McCartney … not by any stretch … but we worked hard and did the best we could.
 
After a somewhat controversial break-up of the songwriting partnership between yourself and Bryan in the late eighties, I hear that you've once again worked together on two new songs which will (hopefully) be included in Mr. Adams' next studio album. How did that come about, especially after such a long period of time has passed since being part of the same team?
 
Bryan and I have been getting along splendidly the past 10 years.  But we haven't written together.  In fact,  the reason we're getting along so well may be due to the fact that we're NOT spending countless hours together in a small room with no windows!   And to be honest, I'm not sure we could duplicate our best work, songs like "Run To You" and "Summer Of 69". But here's something interesting:  last year we emailed a few ideas back and forth – me in Canada and Bryan in England.  Bryan was able to sort out the bits and pieces, and I think we might have a new song … maybe two!
 
Given your particular insight into Bryan's work ethic, how do you think he has evolved musically from when you first wrote together?
 
When we first met, Bryan could hardly write songs at all.  He had a few ideas on tape, which he played for me.  They weren't particularly good, but you know, they weren't bad either. I could tell he had enormous potential.  I don’t mean to say I taught Bryan to write songs.  We learned together.  We pushed and inspired each other.  One of the things we did was place a very high standard on our lyrics.  We forced ourselves to fine-tune every word, and the melodies too, until we knew we'd done the best job possible. Later, when Bryan was writing with Mutt, there were a few times I wondered if they'd spent enough time on the lyrics -- if they'd applied the same standards that Bryan and I applied a few years earlier.  Mutt and Bryan wrote some great songs, but once in a while, like with the "Underwear" thing, I wondered what they were thinking about.
 
Any thoughts on Bryan's latest album "Room Service" ?

I think it's one of his best albums ever.  I love "Flying" and "Open Road".  I think he sings great on that album.
 
Is songwriting your first love, or a natural extension of your passion for music?
 
My first love was drums.  When I was a kid I wanted to be Ringo.  Then I discovered recording.  When I was 13 I had a little mono tape machine which I re-wired so I could do multiple passes and record several instruments.  I think I started writing songs just so I could have something "original" to record!  By the time I was 18 or 19  I'd decided to be an audio engineer, but then songwriting got in the way!
 
Are there any particular influences that you draw from during a writing session? Let's say... the Beatles perhaps?
 
I've never written a song without referencing something, or drawing inspiration from another source.  My head is full of Beatles, Stones, Zeppelin, AC/DC, Police, Beach Boys, Metallica, Slipknot.  I listen to a lot of different music, and all of it inspires me.
 
What, in your opinion, is the single best line / phrase that you've produced that you're most proud of?
 
Wow, tough question.  Sometimes it's hard to remember if a line was mine or Bryan's.  I mean, I remember Bryan singing "It cuts like a knife", and me responding, "but it feels so right".  I don’t think that's necessarily our best line or phrase, but at least I remember how it came about.  There's another song we wrote called "Lucky Day".  It's never been released, but I think it has some good lyric work.  And I've always liked that line in "Long Gone", from the Reckless album … "she took the Frigidaire, she got my favourite chair, you could say she got the best of me".  We laughed when we wrote that.

Looking back on an impressive career such as yours, are you well satisfied with what you've accomplished in life thus far?

It took 30 years, but I've accomplished more than I set out to do.  But you know, I have friends who are doctors.  They save lives every day. Now THAT is an accomplishment.

The passing of composer Michael Kamen was a tragic loss to the music community. Were you friends?
 
I didn't know Michael, but everyone says he was a sweet man.
 
Live-8. A worthy cause? A success?
 
I love the way they didn’t ask for money.  That was a brilliant strategy.  They just wanted the politicians to LISTEN.  I was impressed with that.  But I still don't see a lot of change in Africa.  It's still a continent in chaos.
 
The illegal downloading of music by millions of internet users around the world has been a hot topic of late. What's your take on the issue?
 
I was an early supporter of downloading.  I was on "music industry" panels in the mid-1990s, and I was the only one who said "Napster is GOOD".  But I got shouted down.  They said I was backing the wrong team.  The fact is, the music fans have spoken.  They want their music delivered on-line, one song at a time.  I'm OK with that.  I think the technology is brilliant.  But I just wish people would PAY for the music.  This is how I make my living.  I write a song … you pay for a download … and I get paid.  If you download illegally, songwriters don't see a penny. The music industry should have formed a partnership with Napster.  Instead, we squandered ten years and millions of dollars shutting them down, and really, very little has changed.  iTunes has a foot in the door, but illegal downloads still out-number legal ones, a hundred to one!

Name the one place in the world that you've never been to, but would love to visit?
 
The pyramids.
 
Do you ever get weary of being asked so many questions? Especially those that concern Bryan Adams?
 
I don't mind at all. I have many fond memories of my years with Bryan.