Fast Chat: Adam Pascal rocks 'Memphis'

When Adam Pascal walks into a room, everything stops dead.

Or at least that's how he makes his entrance onstage at the Shubert Theatre in the toe-tappin' musical "Memphis." He took over the lead role of Huey Calhoun, a hillbilly DJ who walks into an African-American blues club in the 1950s, flips for the music and tries to desegregate the radio biz.

Pascal, 41, dreamed of being a rock star until he snagged the lead in the 1996 rock musical, "Rent." That launched a new career -- he went on to star in the London production of "Rent" and the 2005 film version, plus the Elton John-Tim Rice musical "Aida" and the final Broadway cast of "Cabaret."

Raised in Woodbury, Pascal lives with his wife and two sons in Los Angeles. He took time out recently to chat with Newsday contributor Joseph V. Amodio.

Huey sings "The Music of My Soul," all about his love of R&B. What's the music of your soul?

Hard rock. I grew up listening to Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest. Obviously, my tastes have expanded, but I still love that music. I'll always consider myself a metalhead. Iron Maiden's lead singer, Bruce Dickinson, was my idol. I learned how to sing trying to copy him.

Was this when you lived in the Bronx?

No, after, when I was 9 and we moved to Syosset. Woodbury, to be more exact. It was a great place to grow up. We were all Jewish, Italian, Irish -- there was a strong sense of community.

And you got into Iron Maiden ...

Totally. I'd put the record on, and headphones, so I wouldn't disturb anybody ... but then I'd sing at the top of my lungs. [He laughs.] So all they heard was me singing. I think that actually helped me develop power in my voice. I had to sing hard to hear myself through the headphones. I gotta be honest, I feel bad for the kids wanting to get into music nowadays. When I grew up, the dream of being a rock star meant something. It doesn't anymore.

What do you mean?

To be a rock star meant Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, guys who had long careers -- record after record, tour after tour. That's rare now. Most people can't tour because they can't reproduce live what they do on records. So much is done on computers that musicianship has taken a nosedive. People can't play instruments anymore. I'm generalizing, but it's a lot easier to sit in your bedroom with a computer and make music without actually knowing how to play an instrument. I'm not saying it's good or bad -- it's just changing the industry.

I hear you're developing a musical inspired by the rock band Queensrÿche -- are you bringing heavy metal to Broadway?

No. But I think their 1988 album, "Operation: Mindcrime," has incredible potential to be reorchestrated into something palatable for a Broadway audience ... but still maintain its edge and fangs.

Your kids will probably think that's cool.

I have a 10- and an 8-year-old -- they love Top 40 radio. We listen to it all the time in the car. It's all hip-hop and dance music.

Oh -- so they're Justin Bieber fans?

I hate to admit it ... but, yes. [He laughs.] Look, you don't want to like what your parents liked. Kids want to find their own thing. I certainly don't like Justin Bieber, I can tell ya that. But he's not making music for me. He's making music for kids. I don't mean to slag him off. It's just not for me.

I hear your kids have some serious food allergies.

My first son was born with a soy and dairy allergy. My wife had to eliminate eight allergens out of her diet when she was breast-feeding. So she started creating recipes for us, and she discovered she was good at it. She's now working on her third allergen-free cookbook. It took her by surprise ... kind of like musical theater took me by surprise.

So ... how come your band never won any of those high-school Battle of the Band contests?

The bands that won had, like, a girl singer, or played Rush songs. We had a different name every year. Enforcer ... Rude Awakening ... we kept figuring that must be what's wrong. It can't be us. [He laughs.]

Where'd you hang out back in the day?

Mario's Pizza, in Woodbury. And Parade Diner on Jericho Turnpike. The ice-skating rink -- I spent every winter going there. Also Meyer's Farm -- I was really close with that family for a number of years, and I worked on the farm when I was a kid. Every time I drive by, it brings back such great memories. When I first moved there, it was all ... forest. It's amazing what's happened to the town.