Aldo Nova on touring with Blue Öyster Cult, covering Coney Hatch, and the new Subject…Aldo Nova

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON DECEMBER 23, 1983 By Steve Newton “It was supposed to be a post-nuclear holocaust type thing,” says Aldo Nova, referring to the initial concept idea for his latest album, Subject…Aldo Nova. Over the phone from Shreveport, Louisiana last week, Nova (his real name’s Caporuscio) outlined the proposed plan for his mini-epic. “It … Continue reading Aldo Nova on touring with Blue Öyster Cult, covering Coney Hatch, and the new Subject…Aldo Nova

Album review: Aldo Nova, Subject….Aldo Nova (1983)

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 25, 1983 By Steve Newton Those who enjoyed Aldo Nova’s popular debut album should be quite satisfied with his new release. The thick keyboard/guitar sound that made songs like “Fantasy” big hits last year figures strongly on Subject…Aldo Nova. Particularly impressive is Nova’s energized version of Coney Hatch’s … Continue reading Album review: Aldo Nova, Subject….Aldo Nova (1983)

That time Aldo Nova told me that the guys in Blue Öyster Cult were not as wild as you’d think they are

By Steve Newton I interviewed Aldo Nova back in December of 1983, when he was touring with one of my favourite all-time bands, Blue Öyster Cult. This was a month after BOC released the Bruce Fairbairn-produced The Revolution By Night, which isn’t one of my fave Cult albums. But it does include a pretty cool … Continue reading That time Aldo Nova told me that the guys in Blue Öyster Cult were not as wild as you’d think they are

Coney Hatch seeks the middle ground between metal and mainstream with Friction

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MARCH 22, 1985 By Steve Newton Toronto rockers Coney Hatch have been tearing things up at Outlaws for the last few days, working hard to take their new album Friction to the party-hearty crowd that frequents that cub. And tomorrow (Saturday) night their younger fans will have a chance to see them, … Continue reading Coney Hatch seeks the middle ground between metal and mainstream with Friction

Album review: Rainbow, Bent Out of Shape (1983)

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, OCT. 21, 1983 By Steve Newton While not as impressive as last year’s Straight Between the Eyes, Rainbow’s new album is still likely to please old Deep Purple diehards like myself, who can’t seem to get enough of Ritchie Blackmore’s furious and fast Stratocations. “The man in black” is … Continue reading Album review: Rainbow, Bent Out of Shape (1983)

That time I asked Sonny Landreth what first got him into slide guitar

By Steve Newton I’ve interviewed Louisiana slide-guitar master Sonny Landreth four times between 1995 and 2016. This is the first time, when I called him up in Sacramento, California, where he was touring as the opening act for Chicago blues great Buddy Guy. Landreth was promoting his fourth studio album, South of I-10, which features a photo on … Continue reading That time I asked Sonny Landreth what first got him into slide guitar

That time Sonny Landreth told me about Mark Knopfler and Chet Atkins taking him to breakfast at a Cracker Barrel in Nashville

By Steve Newton I’ve interviewed Louisiana slide-guitar master Sonny Landreth four times, because he’s just awesome. This is the first time, when I called him up in Sacramento, California, where he was touring as the opening act for Chicago blues great Buddy Guy. Landreth was promoting his fourth studio album, South of I-10, which featured … Continue reading That time Sonny Landreth told me about Mark Knopfler and Chet Atkins taking him to breakfast at a Cracker Barrel in Nashville

That time I asked Gary Louris of the Jayhawks how their tour was goin’ opening for Tom Petty

By Steve Newton I interviewed Jayhawks singer-guitarist and co-songwriter Gary Louris back in April of 1995, when his band was promoting its fourth studio album, Tomorrow the Green Grass. At the time the group was opening for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers on the Dogs With Wings Tour, so of course I had to ask … Continue reading That time I asked Gary Louris of the Jayhawks how their tour was goin’ opening for Tom Petty

10 minutes on the phone with Aerosmith’s Joe Perry in 1988

By Steve Newton Aerosmith released their first five albums while I was teenager, so I freakin’ loved Aerosmith. I played a lotta air guitar to Joe Perry‘s licks back in the day, so it was a kick to interview him for the first time in January of 1988, after the Permanent Vacation LP came out. … Continue reading 10 minutes on the phone with Aerosmith’s Joe Perry in 1988

10 minutes on the phone with 21-year-old Devin Townsend in 1993

By Steve Newton I interviewed Devin Townsend for the second time in September of 1993, shortly after he’d hooked up with Steve Vai and they’d recorded Vai’s Sex & Religion album. He was 21 at the time, and has since gone on to become one of the most acclaimed and prolific metal musicians in the … Continue reading 10 minutes on the phone with 21-year-old Devin Townsend in 1993

10 minutes on the phone with Steve Hackett from Genesis in 1993

By Steve Newton I did my first interview with Steve Hackett in October of 1993, when he called me from upstate New York while touring behind his tenth solo album, Guitar Noir. I’d always loved his work with Genesis in the seventies, especially on albums like Selling England By the Pound. Early on in the … Continue reading 10 minutes on the phone with Steve Hackett from Genesis in 1993

That time John Cougar told me that the high he gets from writing good songs is better than sex–and heroin

By Steve Newton I interviewed John Mellencamp for the first time back in May of 1983, when he was still called John Cougar. He was touring behind his latest album, American Fool, but for some reason the Vancouver show got cancelled and the interview I did with him in advance never ran. At one point … Continue reading That time John Cougar told me that the high he gets from writing good songs is better than sex–and heroin

10 minutes in a hotel room with AC/DC in 1983

By Steve Newton One fine October day in 1983 I went to a fancy Vancouver hotel and hung out with Malcolm Young and Brian Johnson of AC/DC, who were kicking off a tour to support the new Flick of the Switch album. New drummer Simon Wright was there too, but he didn’t say much. Note: … Continue reading 10 minutes in a hotel room with AC/DC in 1983