7.2.15 Adam News & Info

Interview: Adam Lambert on ‘The Original High,’ ’80s Covers, Queen and Broadway
"I'm in a place right now where I'm rebuilding."
July 1, 2015 2:26 PM
By Brian Ives

youtu.be/2JoW_Xi4xCE

Adam Lambert is back with his first new album in three years, The Original High and a lot has changed since 2012’s Trespassing; he’s changed management, labels and, oh yeah, filled in for his idol Freddie Mercury when he toured the world as the lead singer for Queen.

We spoke to him about his new music of course, and also about the ill-fated ’80s cover album that led to his split from his former record label, RCA. He also talks about why he hasn’t gone to Broadway yet, despite his background in musical theater. And we also explained “rockism” to him.

Radio.com: So the album opens with “Ghost Town,” which starts with just you singing and an acoustic guitar.

Adam Lambert: I’ve always been comfortable singing big, high, wailing stuff, that’s kind of my signature thing. But with this album, I kind of wanted to go into more intimacy. Things that are a little more moody and explore the lower part of my voice. “Ghost Town” starts really “minimal,” just my voice and an acoustic guitar. It’s very vulnerable. That’s one of the reasons I loved it as a first single: to reintroduce me, after a couple of years away, and to have people really listen to the words and the voice.

The beginning of the song probably appeals to “rockists.”

What?

Have you heard of the term “rockism?”

No, I’ve never heard that: rockism?

It’s the idea that music played on live instruments is more authentic that samples, computers, etc.

The idea of rockism, it’s generational. I look back on the history of rock, and there’s all this amazing music and there are all these amazing bands… and it’s not something that’s as popular as it was maybe 20, 30 years ago. It’s interesting how things have changed and the sounds have kind of evolved. It’s always going to be a part of my love for music, and where I come from. My idea of an artistic identity was to be a “rock star.” That idea was something that I fell in love with, when I first wanted to be an artist. Getting to sing for Queen, and even my experience on American Idol was very rock-oriented. It’s definitely a part of me, and it’s part of the way I introduced myself to the world. But there’s more that I listen to, and more that I wanted to explore as a singer.

And obviously, you want your music produced and presented in a way that can get on radio in 2015.

I want to be part of a trend, I want to be able to connect with everybody. But one nice thing about this album is that I didn’t compromise the vocal to do that. The voice is still coming from a real place, just the framework around the voice may have changed a bit.

youtu.be/2JoW_Xi4xCE

You could probably play the album live, with your backing band.

Yeah. What was really exciting about being on tour with Queen was, it was very old-school. we didn’t use backing tracks, we didn’t use click tracks, it was all live. [Gutiarist] Brian [May] doesn’t even wear in-ear monitors. It was very traditional in that sense, and I really appreciated that. It was a living, breathing thing: the tempos would fluctuate… it was good for me to get back to that organic thing. But I also think there should be appreciation for all different approaches to music. It’s not about what you can or can’t do with technology, it’s about the mood it creates. With rock and roll in its purest form, it’s messy, it’s bombastic, it’s ballsy; a lot of the stuff on my album is more vibe-y and moody.

youtu.be/2JoW_Xi4xCE

When I was listening to the title track, it occurred to me that you seemed to have gotten most of the “rock star” antics out of your system before you actually became a rock star.

It helped that I got into this a little late, I auditioned for Idol when I was 27, I’d done a lot of crazy stuff before that.

But you had a rock star vibe early on. Even before you finished your season of American Idol, there were rumors that Queen was interested in doing a tour with you on vocals. It was probably a good move to wait until you’d put out a few of your own records first.

I definitely needed to prove myself as a solo artist. If I hadn’t of done that, I don’t know if I would have had enough credibility to even be on stage with Queen. Coming right off of a reality show to go on a tour with them: that’s a stretch. I think I had to establish something first, before I was even worthy to be on stage with them.

A while back, I’d heard that you were considering doing an ’80s covers album…

I wasn’t considering it! My previous label was considering it. Pushing it, actually.

Did you ever record anything for that project?

No. I thought about it for a second, for like a week or two, I listened to some of the music. They wanted me to focus on new wave from the early ’80s . It was an interesting idea. But I went back to them and said that not a lot of that music was resonating with me. It wasn’t where my heart is. If we had to do a cover album, I’d be more comfortable doing a ’90s one or a ’70s one, but they weren’t into that either. And, anyway, I wanted to make an original album. I did covers on Idol, Singing with Queen is like doing covers — with the original members, of course. For me as an artist, it’s important to me to make statements through my own new music. That’s part of the identity I wanted to create, and it just wasn’t an option [at my previous label].

It’s one thing for Rod Stewart to do that, when he is four decades into his career.

Right: at a certain point in your career, it’s a cool project, but the timing wasn’t right.

youtu.be/2JoW_Xi4xCE

I know you have more Queen dates later this year: when did you first feel comfortable in your role with them?

The first time we did this, we played a huge show Eastern Europe, and then three shows we did in London, they went over well. but I don’t think I was totally comfortable with the idea, I was still intimidated by the concept. The second time around, something had shifted, and I had accepted the responsibility at that point. It was more of an “I can do this” attitude than I’d had before. But I’ve heard people say, “You’re the new singer of Queen!” And I say, “Well, essentially, yeah.” I don’t look at it as a permanent position. It was billed as “Queen + Adam Lambert,” so I feel like it’s a collaboration. It was something we did, and the people loved i,t and we sold out all the shows, it was great.

After they toured with Paul Rodgers, they recorded an album with him. Have you guys ever discussed recording something?

I have to say, I can’t see the future. Something could come down the pipeline. I have so much respect for them. And it if was the right thing at the right time, you never know. But in my mind, that was never the idea, it was more about a live event.

You did musical theater before Idol; I’d have to think you’ve gotten some acting offers.

Glee was really the first thing that came down. I auditioned for Glee before I was on Idol, and I didn’t get it. I was really nervous on the first day of shooting, because I hadn’t auditioned. They just offered me a part. I thought well, what if I suck at this? But it was a good experience, I felt like I learned a lot.

But have you gotten offers to do Broadway?

I’ve definitely gotten a few offers from the Broadway world, that was what I was doing before Idol. I did a Broadway national tour of Wicked, I was essentially working for a Broadway organization. It’s funny, I never moved to New York. I think I was scared of it. I was dealing with a lot of fear in my early 20s. But before I auditioned for Idol, I was at a crossroads where I thought, “Maybe I’m going to move to New York.” It felt like the logical next step. But I was frustrated: I’d been working for that company for four years, and I was an understudy, they wouldn’t hire me as the lead. It’s probably because I wasn’t right for the role. But I wanted to move up, I wanted to evolve. And I thought, “Well, maybe if I get on TV for a minute it will raise my profile and I’ll get more opportunities.” That was part of my reason for auditioning for Idol. I didn’t think I’d get far in the competition, but I thought with that under my belt I could move to New York with a little notoriety and maybe it will help me.

So, if you could take your pick, what would you want to do on Broadway?

If I were going to do a musical, I would want it to be something new. I’d want to originate something. I wouldn’t want to step into something that the last guy did. I was getting frustrated with that with theater to begin with: when you get into these shows that have become “brands” — and I have a lot of respect for those shows — but it sort of gets so “locked in” to how it was originally staged, and that didn’t feel like the most creative opportunity. I want to have some input into how my character moves and dresses and sounds. And with these shows that have been running for a long time, it becomes like a theme park. “This is where you stand, this is how you say the line, this is how you sing the note, and you can’t do it any other way.” I hate being told what to do. So it needs to be like a collaboration.

It feels like Broadway is in a more creative place than it was a few years ago; it seemed like for a while it was all remakes and shows around artist catalogs, and now you have much more original stories like Hand to God and Something Rotten and Wolf Hall and Fun Home.

I’ve heard that Broadway is in a good space right now: the shows are good and people are wanting to see them which is fantastic. So, if it were the right project that felt interesting I would be into it. For me personally it would have to feel different. As somebody who has been doing theater since I was a kid… I think that contemporary theater has a very specific sound and approach and a lot of people sound exactly the same in the way they sing the material, and do the scenes, and it’s become homogenized. And it’s hard for me to sit and watch some of it, because it doesn’t feel organic or that it has any vibe. It feels “trained.” And I can’t place the blame on the performers: everybody needs to get work. But it’s this style, so people say, “That’s what’s working, I’ve got to do it like this.”

There aren’t many tour dates on your website; are you planning to tour for the album?

I’d like to tour, but there’s no plan yet. We have to see how this thing goes. When you’re an artist that has a history of touring, and they can project what your numbers are going to be, it’s different. I’m in a place right now where I’m rebuilding. I’m promoting the album through the end of the year, but as far as a tour, I think that decision is a ways off.

Link: radio.com/2015/07/01/interview-adam-lambert-on-the-original-high-80s-covers-queen-and-broadway/



Bonnie McKee Talks Starting Over, Her ‘Bombastic’ EP & The Weight Of Expectations: Idolator Interview

Adam Excerpt.

Who was your favorite person to work with in the studio?

I love Adam Lambert. He’s so cool. He’s so funny, he’s hilarious. He just has me in stitches. He’s also the best vocalist I’ve worked with, hands down, he’s incredible. Not only does he have a huge range and great instincts, he emotes. He’s very emotive. He was a professional musician before any of this American Idol shit happened. He’s been doing it his whole life. I really enjoy working with him.

Link: www.idolator.com/7598858/bonnie-mckee-interview-bombastic-ep






Looks like Adam will be on the Late Late Show, date TBD.

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Tickets for SPLASHION 2015 Miami still available!

MIAMI Magazine Presents SPLASHION: The Summer of Color
The Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theater, Miami Beach, FL
Tue, Jul 14, 2015 09:00 PM

MIAMI magazine @miamimagazine
We are proud to announce our #SPLASHION2015 artist is @adamlambert! Save the Date for July 14 at the @fillmoremb!

More info and tickets: concerts.livenation.com/miami-magazine-presents-splashion-the-summer-miami-beach-florida-07-14-2015/event/0D004ECBBA357E70

Adamtopia Calendar


July 4, 2015 12:00PM Eastern/11:00AM Central Adam on "Wall Of Sound", Ovation channel (US Cable TV).

July 14, 2015: Adam will perform at Splashion 2015 Miami, FL

July 18, 2015 9:00 PM: Adam Lambert in concert at Morongo Casino & Resort, Cabazon, CA
Presented by 104.3MYfm

July 30, 2015: Adam performs at Marquee, The Star, Sydney, Australia
Performances from Jason Derulo and Adam Lambert.


Queen + Adam Lambert South America Mini Tour
AKA “Don’t Stop Them Now Tour”
September 16, 2015 Q+AL Sao Paulo, Brazil, Ibirapuera Arena SOLD OUT
September 18, 2014 Q+AL at Rock in Rio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, City of Rock SOLD OUT
September 21, 2015 Q+AL Porto Alegre, Rio Gande do Sol, Brazil, Bibantinho Arena
September 25, 2015 Q+AL Buenos Aires, Argentina, GEBA Arena
September 30, 2015 Q+AL Santiago, Chile, Athletic Track of the National Stadium

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