Adam Lambert: Backstage At L.A.’s Staples Center

The backstage press area at L.A.'s Staples Center the day of the Idols Live concert just may have been THE most chaotic setting in which I have ever conducted--or attempted to conduct--an interview. It seemed like every Hollywood media type who'd ever so much as TiVo'd half an episode of American Idol was there, all at once, all interviewing all 10 Idols at the same time. It was pitchy in that noisy room!

And of course, the room's buzz only grew buzzier when superstar Adam Lambert sashayed through the door (he and Kris Allen were the last to arrive). Everyone understandably wanted a piece of the Glamerican Idol, but luckily I got him first, before the media frenzy became too crazy.

Naturally, one of my main concerns was that Adam be heard over the din. This meant maneuvering my internally-mic'd camera quite near his famous face, which rendered him a little skittish (a rarity for this confidence king!) and resulted in some pre-interview joking during which he vainly cowered from my tight-focused camera lens. But Adam needn't have worried: As you see from the clip below, he looked as fabulous as always. His makeup was impeccably applied and he was more than ready for his closeup.

So once we agreed on a suitably flattering camera angle, Adam and I enjoyed a quick pre-concert chat that, at one point, thrillingly included him singing me a snippet of his unofficial "theme song." I'll never hear that sexy tune again without thinking of The Glambert...and my guess is neither will his fans.

Here's the video of our conversation; I've also included a handy transcript of the entire interview to help you follow along, in case the audio isn't great...although Adam is quite audible because his theater background has definitely taught him how (in his own words) to "project":

ADAM: [as I move camera close enough so he can be heard] Don't get too close! I'll project!

REALITY ROCKS: Okay... [positioning camera by his face]

ADAM: That's CLOSE!

REALITY ROCKS: Does that work for you? [Adam winces and backs away, jokingly] Seriously, you look fine!

ADAM: [laughs, moves closer]

REALITY ROCKS: So, I'm going to start where we left off. Last time I interviewed you, you told me you were doing a Muse song ["Starlight"], and I basically screamed like an idiot...

ADAM: Yeah! [laughs]

REALITY ROCKS: Because I was excited! So how are the fans out there reacting to it?

ADAM: I think people are really enjoying the Muse song. It's beautiful, and it's a nice contrast, too, out of the first song of my set, which is Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love." So we go from, like, crazy/sexy hard rock into a kind of ethereal...I don't know how you'd describe it, like an ethereal modern rock. You know, it's a nice transition.

REALITY ROCKS: I think you're actually doing some good PR for Muse, because it seems like a lot of people are discovering them because of you.

ADAM: Well, I think the Twilight soundtrack did the biggest thing for them, in actuality, but I hope so. I think they're definitely a band that everybody needs to hear, and they should be huge.

REALITY ROCKS: Yes, they should! All right, I'm going to ask a couple questions that people have tweeted me that they want to know. They want to know how you feel about things like bras and stuff being thrown onstage...

ADAM: I think it's hilarious. It makes the concert for me. When people throw their underwear up onstage, it usually has me laughing. It's flattering, it's funny...

REALITY ROCKS: Do you keep it?

ADAM: No, usually I throw them back into the audience. But one of the crew guys down underneath the stage said, "Hey dude, don't throw 'em back! Just keep 'em on the stage. We'll staplegun them to the underside of the stage."

REALITY ROCKS: If you put one on, people would freak out.

ADAM: [laughs] I'm not putting on any bras!

REALITY ROCKS: Oh, come on!

ADAM: Contrary to popular belief, I do not do drag. I've done it like, two or three times for Halloween, and just because I'm wearing makeup and weird clothes does not make it drag. People, get your terms straight, all right?

REALITY ROCKS: Okay, another thing people wanted to know was: If a theme song could come on every time you walk into a room, what would it be?

ADAM: [after asking me to repeat the question because the room is so freakin' loud, he answers without hesitation] Kings Of Leon's "Sex On Fire."

REALITY ROCKS: Good choice! That should be your entrance music on the tour.

ADAM: [singing bit of the "yeah" in the song's chorus] Yeaaaaaahh! [laughs]

REALITY ROCKS: So how does it feel that literally across the street is the Nokia Theater, where less than two months ago you were standing there [at the finale] and performing with Kiss and all that...and now you're here at the Staples Center?

ADAM: It's crazy. I mean, it feels like yesterday and it feels like a year ago, all at the same time. I don't really know how to describe it. It's surreal, and there's really no concept of time these days. It feels incredible. I just can't believe that I've gotten this far. We've done a handful of shows up in the Pacific Northwest and in Utah, and the fans have been over the moon for everybody, super-supportive, really loud...it's impressive.

REALITY ROCKS: It seems like this is the most internationally watched season of Idol; I'm getting a lot of tweets from a lot of people in places like Singapore and Mexico that want you to come over. Do you think there's any chance that maybe this American Idol Tour will go to other countries?

ADAM: I don't think the American Idol Tour is going to go to other countries, but hopefully when my album comes out in the fall, we will end up releasing worldwide. That is kind of something we've been talking about. So if that's the case, and if it does well, maybe I'll come there for a concert!

REALITY ROCKS: And how's that coming along? [19 Entertainment summons Adam for his next interview...boo!] I know I have to let you go, but how's it coming along?

ADAM: The album is coming along splendidly. I actually just recorded yesterday. I've been recording a lot, I've been writing a lot. We have a handful of tracks already that we love; we're collecting more. It's going to be amazing.

REALITY ROCKS: I don't know how you have time to do it, but I'm looking forward to it!

ADAM: I don't know either! I don't know how I have time to do it either, but somehow it's happening.

REALITY ROCKS: Well, awesome--I look forward to it. Have a good show tonight!

ADAM: Thank you!

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