The country’s fixation with musical nostalgia continues next month with the arrival of Canadian rocker Bryan Adams. The Summer of ’69 and Everything I do (I do for you), will bang out the sounds in Hagley Park on St Patrick’s Day alongside Kiwi classics Jordan Luck and Dave Dobyn. Cityscape caught up with Adams and found out which other Kiwi he’s keen to play with.

You’re heading back to NZ within a year of your last tour where you played some pretty cool venues. Do you have a favourite city/place to perform? Any performances that stand out? We had the extremely good fortune to be taken up the coast of New Zealand in a helicopter to Matakana. The gig was great, the country was breathtaking. It’s no wonder all the billionaires want to buy land there. It’s no wonder the NZ government won’t let them!

Your foundation does incredible work for educating children and young people worldwide. If you could teach the children of the world one thing, what would it be? All children are born compassionate and open, somewhere along the way, their upbringing and surroundings change that. This comes from either the parents or the schools. Maintaining compassion is what I want my daughters to do. What’s the saying? Never judge a book by its cover? Amen to that.

If you could alter one event in the history of the world, what would it be and why? Religion has caused more suffering and divisiveness than anything else, so let's start with whoever came up with those manipulative ideas.

Did you enjoy crafting Pretty Woman, the musical? Is it something you’d like to do more of? Yes I’d love to do more of it, it was an amazing experience. Two years of solid songwriting, and a Broadway musical that is up and running. It’s planning to go to many other countries in 2020, which is also exciting. More air miles, here I come.

You’ve had a couple of cool collaborations on Shine the Light – Ed Sheeran and Jennifer Lopez. Can we still expect the same rock feel or are you heading somewhere different with this album? My albums are pretty much a continuous story, strung together with my voice. I occasionally drift into another realm such as working with Ed which was great fun. And of course, history has proven that I love to sing with people, so singing with Jennifer was simply fantastic.

Is there anyone you’re eyeing up to work with on the next album? Would Lorde be up for a sing song?

You’re pretty consistent with your album releases – how do you keep finding new inspiration? There’s always another song, there’s always another idea, and for sure I’ll go on producing ideas long after the lights fade. Once you’ve created music, there's an unstoppable internal compass that just wants to make more. However, I do quite like growing tomatoes as well.

You’ve also proven your worth as a photographer – how did that come about? What’s do you consider your best shot to date? It’s not something that just came about, I’ve been doing it forever. My best shots are all family ones, like my grandparents and dad who have all passed away. I took my photography to a different level sometime in the 90s producing album covers, making headshots for my actor friends and doing a bit of portraiture to raise money for breast cancer when one of my friends died really young. Marie Claire magazine in London were the first to hire me for a fashion shoot, and it’s been going on since then. If you have a chance you can check out my book “Exposed” if you want to see a retrospective.

Are you Netflix binger or a book reader? Current favourite show/author? I’ve no time for TV, although I did enjoy The Crown. I have books on my phone which I read on planes, currently reading the Creedence Clearwater biography and also a book called: The Deals That Made The World by Jacques Peretti, pretty grim stuff.

What’s your go-to artist/album for the summer ’19? It’s Bob Marley again for the umpteenth year.

What can Christchurch fans expect at Hagley Park in March? Will you be sampling some Irish Whiskey or Guinness to celebrate St Patrick’s Day? (We’re known for going a little bit hard for it here in the Garden City so don’t say you weren’t warned!) Well I won’t be drinking any of that shite, that’s for sure. The show will however have the Irish classic “Whiskey In A Jar” for you all to sing along to. I’m really looking forward to being back. Forgive me if I’m jetlagged.

Bryan Adams: Shine A Light Tour
Hagley Park, March 17
bryanadams.com