Bryan Adams Released A Cover Of His Own “Rock and Roll Hell”

Bryan Adams is revisiting his rock and roll roots. The iconic singer-songwriter has unveiled a cover of his own composition, “Rock and Roll Hell”. This isn’t just any ordinary cover, though. The track, originally penned for KISS, marks a full-circle moment for Adams. It’s a chance to revisit a piece of his musical journey that helped launch his solo career.

The new rendition of “Rock and Roll Hell” comes as a double A-side single with another KISS collaboration, “War Machine”. Both songs originally appeared on the band’s 1982 album, Creatures of the Night. This release is a nostalgic trip for fans, offering a fresh perspective on classic rock anthems.

To add even more excitement, Adams has dropped a music video for “Rock and Roll Hell”, captured live on the roof of London’s Royal Albert Hall during his residency.

A Match Made in Rock and Roll Heaven (or Hell?)

Adams has fond memories of collaborating with KISS. As he shared, “I was thrilled to work with [KISS] back then.” The opportunity came at a pivotal moment in his career when he was a struggling songwriter. “I was a broke songwriter – it came at the perfect time,” he explained.

During one of their sessions, Gene Simmons presented a captivating bass riff that would eventually form the foundation of “War Machine”. Adams recalls, “Gene played me this fantastic bass riff, which ended up being the backbone of ‘War Machine.'”

Inspired by the powerful riff, Adams sought a fitting theme. Drawing inspiration from an unexpected source, he came up with the title as an ode to a comic book character. In his words, “I was trying to think of a theme that could possibly match the riff and came up with the title, which was actually an homage to a comic book character.”

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A Dark Reflection of Reality

Adams revealed that “Rock and Roll Hell” was originally fellow songwriter Jim Vallance’s creation. Recognizing the song’s potential, Adams proposed a collaboration with Kiss, as “the themes of hell and war were both strangely forefront in my mind at the time.”

Sadly, the dark themes explored in these songs have taken on a chilling relevance in today’s world. Adams expressed his gratitude to Kiss for the opportunity, saying, “It’s incredible to think those themes are unfortunately playing out for real in the world today – but I’m very grateful to the KISS guys for giving me the chance back then.”   

As a fitting finale to this exciting chapter, Adams is embarking on a North American tour kicking off on Friday night in Quebec. The tour will then take him across Europe and India, concluding in the U.A.E. on December 19.