Even from the earliest examples, you can tell that Bryan's giving 200%. The on-stage energy really comes across on the recordings.

The earliest documented show of BA's is sometime in 1980 at the Savoy in Vancouver. Between us collectors, it's the one show we do not know the actual date. Do you have any insight that might help? Would you have been at that show?

Yes, I was at the Savoy show. It was June 2nd, 1980. There were about 100 people there, maybe less.

I saw you at the Vancouver show in January [2006]. BA's set list has developed into a groove over the years pretty similar to what you saw in Vancouver. The set list that night (as it has in most nights over the past two years) was: Room Service / Somebody / This Time / Open Road / 18 Til I Die / Let's Make A Night To Remember / Can't Stop This Thing We Started / Back To You / Summer of '69 / Everything I Do... / Cuts Like A Knife / When You're Gone / I'm Ready / Hearts on Fire / Kids Wanna Rock / Heaven / It's Only Love / The Only Thing That Looks Good On Me Is You // Cloud Number Nine / Run to You / The Best Of Me / Please Forgive Me (Acoustic) / The Way You Make Me Feel (Acoustic) / Straight From The Heart (Acoustic) / All For Love (Acoustic) / Room Service (Acoustic)

It must be nice to know that the songs you and BA wrote for the Reckless album are still the cornerstone songs to any BA show.

It's fun to be in the audience and hear the old songs. We wrote some of those tracks more than 20 years ago! I love how they still get a huge reaction from the crowd after all these years!

With 25 years of music at his disposal, are there any surprises in the songs BA continues to play night after night? Being familiar with his catalogue of music, would you change anything?

I understand Bryan's need to occasionally change things, to keep it interesting for him and the audience. But the one change that didn't work for me was the three-piece, with Bryan, Keith and Mickey. The way those songs were written, they really need two guitars and keyboards. With the three-piece, whenever Keith did a solo, there was a great big hole in the sound.

In the 70's, you were in the group Prism which enjoyed some success. However, once you started working with BA in 1978, you made it clear that you wanted to be "out of the spotlight". Then, in early 1984, you did a brief tour of Japan and Australia with the band since BA was between drummers. Did that experience reinforce your feeling that being in the spotlight and touring was not for you?

Actually, it was Hawaii, New Zealand and Australia. For me, it was fun to do a quick little tour. We were only away for a week or two. It's the three-month slogs I don't care for ... the endless one-nighters.

Has BA ever asked you to make a guest appearance on stage to play?

Not that I can recall

Did you ever get involved with developing the live show experience with set list ideas or band arrangements?

No. Once the writing and recording was finished, my job was done.

Was there a moment early in the relationship when you realized that BA's live show was pretty strong and if you two came up with strong songs, you had a good shot at "making it"?

I can't speak for Bryan, but personally, I never thought about the "live" aspect when we were writing songs. It never occurred to me to consider how a song might sound on stage. I always focused on the moment, there in the studio, just trying to write the best songs possible.

I read that you flew to Ohio in June of 1985 to celebrate "Heaven" hitting #1 on the single charts. I was curious how "in the loop" you were throughout 1985 on just how big Reckless was becoming? Obviously, BA saw the larger audiences each night, but you were back home in Vancouver. I'm guessing once you saw a show in the summer of 1985, it would have struck you that you and BA really created something special with Reckless.

While Bryan was touring in mid-1985, I was busy in Vancouver, working with "38 Special" and "Glass Tiger"...but I was following the charts closely. I'd phone my publisher and get the numbers every Tuesday. "Heaven" climbed steadily all through May and June. It finally reached #1 the week of June 17. I flew out to meet Bryan in Cincinnati. It was an exciting time for us.

What was the first time you were in the audience and heard the "Summer of '69" first verse sung by the fans?

I don't remember the very first time. It might have been at the Coliseum in Vancouver, September '85, when Bryan brought the Reckless tour home.

Allow me to digress for a moment and ask a question I've always been curious about. Being a huge Bruce Springsteen fan, I'm pretty sure that you and BA went to his October 1984 show on the Born in the USA tour stop in Vancouver. Firstly, knowing his songwriting had influence on both of you, did you get to meet and talk with Bruce? Also, that had to be one of the better live shows you had both seen.

That was an awesome show! Springsteen was the biggest thing in the world at that time. He delivered a blistering, three or four hour set. I've never seen anything like it, before or since.

Bryan was good friends with Bruce's personal assistant, Obie. She'd been with Bruce from the beginning, driving him to gigs before he could afford a car. Obie cooked for Bruce, did his laundry, basically took care of him. But she was also a huge Adams fan. She'd sneak off to catch Bryan's shows whenever she could get away. She'd drive all night so she could be back in time to make Bruce's breakfast.

Bryan arranged for my wife and I to have dinner with Obie the night before Bruce's Vancouver show, at a restaurant called The Cannery. When Rachel and I pulled up, Bryan and Obie were waiting for us in the parking lot. The four of us walked into the restaurant together. My wife was walking ahead of me, and suddenly I heard her say, "Bruce!". Bryan and Obie surprised us by inviting Bruce to dinner!

What is your most memorable concert you've seen from any artist?

Springsteen was certainly a highlight, but there are a few other concerts that stand out. I didn't get to the see The Beatles, so the next best thing was seeing McCartney in Seattle, in November 2005. I felt like I was 13. It was magical. My wife says I never stopped smiling the whole time.

Another special moment was seeing Brian Wilson with the Beach Boys, about 1978. It's the only time he toured with the band after the mid-60's. He looked dreadful, overweight and fragile, but it was incredible seeing him on stage.

Other memorable concerts were Elton John in '72 in Seattle, The Police in '79 in Toronto, and Midnight Oil in Vancouver, about 1985 ... all of them in small venues, before the bands were famous. I also saw Aerosmith at a club in Vancouver, in 1987. It was a surprise set, with only about 50 people in the audience. The stage was floor-level, so the band was right in your face. It was incredible.


SONGWRITING

At BA's acceptance speech at the Juno's this year for his induction to the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, your name was at the top of the "thank you" list and that you "taught him how to write songs". Was it nice to hear your name at the top of that list? Even above Bruce Allen?

It was really kind of Bryan to acknowledge me in that way. I think he thanked 30 or 40 people. To be at the top of the list was a huge honor.

Speaking of inductions, BA is now eligible for nomination into the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame. What do you think BA's chances are of being accepted into such a class of artists?

I think Bryan is deserving, but there are still those who feel he's on the wrong side of the "credibility" line. The recent debate over Blondie highlighted that issue. I'd say, if there's any doubt, just listen to the last 30 seconds of "Run To You". There's some serious Rock and Roll going on there!

Let's say you were in charge of creating the JV/BA "Best of" CD. Of all the songs you two wrote together (including ones you gave away or exist only in demo format) what would the track listing be of such a project?

Wow...tough assignment, Mr. King! The list would definitely include a few songs Bryan didn't record, like: "No Way To Treat A Lady", "Edge Of A Dream", "When The Night Comes","Let Me Down Easy"

From the standard Adams catalogue I'd have to include "Run To You", "Summer Of '69", "Comin' Home", "Cuts Like A Knife", "Heaven", "I'm Ready" (Unplugged), "Heat Of The Night", "It's Only Love", "Victim Of Love".

Is that enough tracks for a "Best Of" CD?

Now, let's expand that list. Of ALL the other songs you've been involved in writing, what would a track listing be of a JV's "Best of" CD?

I'd have: "Rag Doll" and "Other Side" from Aerosmith, "Someday" by Glass Tiger, "Shot Of Poison" by Lita Ford, "What About Love" by Heart, "So Far So Good" by Thornley, and "Just Want You" by Ozzy.

From the Anthology release from last year, were they any surprises of song selection? If it was your decision, would you have changed any of the tracks?

I was surprised to see "Remember" on there ... I didn't think Bryan would include anything from the first album.  I thought, for an early recording, "Don't Turn Me Away" might have been a good choice.

Overall, for an "Anthology" album, I think Bryan could have dug a bit deeper ... made it less a "greatest hits" package and included more oddities and rare tracks, like "Diana" and "Christmas Time". One day I hope he goes "all out", and includes the demos, perhaps in a box-set format.

Are there any released songs you two wrote that you wished became more popular or you thought would be "a hit" that didn't?

I thought "Lonely Nights" might have done better. It only reached #84 in Billboard. And speaking of "Diana", I thought that was a strong track. I wish Bryan had included it on Reckless, or even on "Into The Fire". Given a chance, I think "Diana" could have been a single.

If you could go back in time and re-write any songs you two wrote together, which ones would you want to upgrade?

For me, the concern is not so much the writing, but the recording. I wish we could re-record some of the songs from the first album with the Reckless-era team: Clearmountain, Mickey, Keith. Also, overall, I have a problem with the sound of the "Into The Fire". Some of it's OK, but some of the tracks sound harsh and brittle, and the arrangements and performances lack dynamics. I'm partly to blame, because I was involved in the arrangements, but the whole album seems to lack the warmth, energy and focus of "Reckless" or "Cuts Like A Knife".

If you and BA had never met, do you think you would have had a successful songwriting/producing career? Do you think BA would have made it as an artist to the extent he has?

I think Bryan's trajectory was already set. I arrived early in the game, but Bryan was already determined to be star, no matter what. If it hadn't been with me, it would have been with someone else.

Before I met Bryan I'd already had a bit of success with the Canadian group "Prism". I suppose I could have built on that eventually, but I don't know if I'd have found a collaborator as strong as Bryan ... at least not in Vancouver.

While reading through your comments at your web site on the Reckless album and each album track, it's hard to believe that at one point along the way, "Run to You","Summer of '69" and "Heaven" could have been left off the album due to the various opinions. Arguably, those of the three strongest songs on the project so it's hard to imagine Reckless being Reckless without them. Were you happy with the final ten songs selected or did you have other thoughts?

I was happy with the songs that were selected ... and to be honest, there weren't a lot of extra songs on the sidelines. I remember panicking, because Bryan didn't want to include "Run To You" and "Heaven". I thought they were both strong tracks. "Summer Of '69" was problematic from the start ... we both agreed it wasn't quite ready, but as I've said, all these years later I honestly can't hear what's wrong with it.

Working with the assumption that there were to always be 10 songs on the Reckless album and that some of the songs that made the album may have been left off (such as "Heaven" being added at the last minute, "Run to You" might have not gotten past the demo phase) what other songs would have been considered for that project? Based on the timeline of other songs written around that time frame, would these songs been included?: "Diana"; "Hearts on Fire"; "Edge of a Dream"; "Let me Down Easy";
"Dangerous/Reckless."?

Again, there weren't a lot of extra songs to choose from. Diana is one track I'd like to have seen on "Reckless". I don't think "Hearts On Fire"or "Reckless/Dangerous" were ready, which is why they appeared later. We were still stuck on lyrics, if I recall.

Two years later, "Hearts on Fire" was included on Into the Fire, but it doesn't fit in thematically or musically with the rest of the album. My opinion is that it was included by the record company as an "obvious single". Any thoughts behind that?

I don't think the record company had any say in it. Bryan recorded the album in his home and held onto the master tapes. The decision to include "Hearts On Fire" would have been Bryan's. Quite simply, I think there was a shortage of strong songs. It'd been a struggle to write enough tracks for that album.

On your Into the Fire album page at your site, you have a picture of a bulletin board with the various songs you were working on for that album. What ever happened to the song "Too Hot to Handle"?

That's another song we wrote for Tina Turner. It's not bad, actually ... quite similar to "The Only Thing That Looks Good On Me Is You".

Was "When the Night Comes" ever considered for a BA album? I always thought his solo/electric version was a nice treat during the 1991-1992 concerts.

I don't know why Bryan didn't keep that song for himself. We didn't write it specifically for Joe Cocker, and I think it would have been perfect for Bryan.

In the 80's, BA was considered a "rock" artist. While Waking Up the Neighbours was a huge "rock" album, there has certainly been a trend of BA getting "softer" with his material over the past 12 years. Anyone listening to disc one vs. disc two of the Anthology can hear the progression first-hand. Meanwhile, after you and BA went your separate ways, you started working with artists who rocked heavier than BA (Aerosmith, Ozzy, The Scorpions, etc....) So, are you the reason why those 80's albums rocked more than the recent BA material? Were you looking for heavier rocking bands to write with or is that just the way it worked out?

It's just the way it worked out, although I did some lighter "pop" stuff too, like Glass Tiger, Anne Murray and Heart. As far as Bryan's catalogue, when we recorded our demos, I was always the guy on bass and drums, so I think I brought those elements to the table. If you listen to the bass and drums on songs like "Somebody" and "Run To You", Mickey and Dave's performances are quite similar to my parts from the demos ... superbly played, mind you.

Based on what you've heard by BA with other writers since the mid-90's, which writer would you choose to sit down with and write songs with?

All of them! I met Gretchen Peters a few years ago, and we got on instantly. I also like the songs Bryan wrote with Elliot Kennedy ... I think "Back To You" is one of Bryan's best songs.

Except for U2, I'm not impressed with a lot of rock music these days. I think country music is the new frontier. I keep hearing amazing lyrics and melodies from those folks


THE LOST ALBUM

Firstly, let me say that I love the page you created on the "Lost Album". I recommend it highly to any fan who is not familiar with the history between you and BA as well as how BA's career could have gone in a different direction in 1989 instead of the direction it did go in starting in 1991. I say that with respect, but even you have conceded that the songs you two wrote at the end of your time together were not as strong collection of tracks compared to what eventually was released on the Neighbours CD. While some of those songs ("Bye Bye Johnny", "No Way Out", "Bouncin' Off the Walls", "Thrill is Gone") have been heard via the magic of audience live recordings, do you think this is as close as we will get to hearing these songs?

Looking back, nearly 20 years later, I think I can now view those songs objectively. Some of them just weren't good enough to take into the studio ... then or now ... like "No Way Out" and "Some Things Never Change". A couple of other "Lost Album" tracks were cannibalized, sold for parts. For example, pieces of "Rescue Me" were used to create "Do I Have To Say The Words". Same for "Bouncin' Off The Walls" ... some of the lyric was used for "House Arrest".  That leaves a handful of left-over songs that are actually quite good. Not necessarily "top drawer", but certainly deserving of a second look ... "Lucky Day", "We'll Get By","Bye Bye Johnny" and "Little Darlin'" are some of my favourites. "Rough Town" is another song that has great energy and a decent lyric. Unfortunately, Bryan gave that one to Johnny Hallyday, who pretty much butchered it. I'd love to hear Bryan take another stab at that song!

I've heard there might be some animosity between BA and his old publishing company and that is a big reason why the songs will never be released. Are there any agreements in place that might free BA from any obligations to that company that would help us fans hear the recorded versions of those songs?

There are a number of things at play. For one, Bryan doesn't like to look back. He'd rather move forward instead of re-hash old material. He also tends to have a "steel trap" mentality. Once he's decided a song isn't right or isn't good enough, it's very hard to convince him otherwise. That's why it's very unlikely you'll ever hear any of these songs on future recordings.

On your Lost Album page, you listed "Little Darlin'" and "Lucky Day" as your top songs from that album. I think it's too bad that those two songs were not captured live during the summer '88 tour in Europe. Have you had any luck tracking down a live version of those songs?

I don't believe I've ever heard live versions of those tracks.

"Nature of the Beast" was written in 1986 but never released until 1991 by The Law. Was this songs ever considered for Into the Fire or the Lost Album?

We wrote "Nature Of The Beast" for Tina Turner, around the same time we wrote "Back Where You Started". If you read the words, you can see we were trying to write about Tina's ex-husbnad Ike, from Tina's point of view. The lyric is pretty brutal: "You ain't nothin' but a gutter rat mister, crawlin' on the edge of a knife". Unfortunately, Tina "passed" on the song, and it sat on the shelf for a few years until it was recorded by "The Law". I'm not even sure how it came to their attention. Maybe Paul Rodgers asked Bryan for a song?

While there are 10-12 songs completely recorded that we may not get to hear from that "Lost Album" project, are there any other songs from the other BA/JV projects that are sitting in your basement that we have not heard?

Between 1978 and 1989 Bryan and I were constantly writing and recording demos. There are dozens, maybe hundreds of bits and pieces that'll never see the light of day ... but only a handful of fully completed, un-recorded songs.


THE FUTURE

In a February 2004 interview, you said "BA and I will never write again". However, two years later, rumour has it you are working w/ BA on a few songs for his new CD. How has the relationship developed in the past few years so that you are creating music again together?

We've still not sat in the same room, musically, since the summer of 1989. But we've been sending ideas back and forth via email, and I think there may be two or three new songs that come from that.

Assuming the rumours are true and that more BA/JV tracks are on the way, care to comment on what us fans might hear?

I don't want to give too much away, but one of them is a ballad, somewhat reminiscent of "I'm Ready", but with more edge. The other songs could be compared to "Back To You" or "Open Road". You'll have to wait and see!