That time Ray Manzarek told me what he really thought of Oliver Stone’s Doors movie

By Steve Newton Back in December of 2005 I interviewed keyboardist Ray Manzarek from the Doors. At the time he was playing Doors songs in a group called Riders on the Storm–aka Doors of the 21st Century–that included former Doors guitarist Robbie Krieger and, in the role of frontman Jim Morrison, Ian Astbury from the … Continue reading That time Ray Manzarek told me what he really thought of Oliver Stone’s Doors movie

Annabel Lamb gave up nursing and followed her passion to The Flame

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 29, 1984 By Steve Newton “I wanted the album to sound as though it didn’t necessarily come from anywhere,” says British singer Annabel Lamb about her new LP The Flame. “I didn’t want it to sound like a British album and I didn’t want it to sound like an American album. … Continue reading Annabel Lamb gave up nursing and followed her passion to The Flame

Matrex goes over big in Chilliwack with a little help from Deep Purple

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 12, 1985 By Steve Newton On Saturday night, in the wilds (well, not quite) of Chilliwack, Matrex were doing their best to make the natives restless. Their set at the Fiddler II Cabaret included about eight originals (some of which they’re currently putting on a 24-track demo at Pr0file Studio), as … Continue reading Matrex goes over big in Chilliwack with a little help from Deep Purple

Newt’s top 10 things to do in Metro Vancouver this week, January 9-13

Dita Von Teese is at the Queen E By Steve Newton MONDAY: screening at the VIFF Centre of director Ron Chapman’s music documentary Revival69: The Concert That Rocked the World, featuring John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Chuck Berry, Alice Cooper, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Bo Diddley, and the Doors. MONDAY TO FRIDAY: Canyon Lights at North Vancouver’s Capilano Suspension Bridge features dazzling coloured … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 things to do in Metro Vancouver this week, January 9-13

That time 20-year-old Davy Knowles told me that Rory Gallagher was his absolute idol

By Steve Newton Rory Gallagher fanatics will know Davy Knowles as the astounding guitarist who joined Gallagher’s former bassist Gerry McAvoy and late drummer Ted McKenna in Band of Friends, recreating the Irish guitar legend’s music live in recent years. But Knowles was professing his love for everything Gallagher long before Band of Friends hit … Continue reading That time 20-year-old Davy Knowles told me that Rory Gallagher was his absolute idol

Newt’s top 10 things to do in Metro Vancouver this week, January 2 to 6

Team America: World Police screens at the Rio By Steve Newton MONDAY: final day of the City of Vancouver’s annual Festival of Lights, a winter wonderland featuring more than one million lights decorating 15 acres of VanDusen Botanical Garden. Goes good with hot chocolate. MONDAY TO FRIDAY: Canyon Lights at North Vancouver’s Capilano Suspension Bridge … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 things to do in Metro Vancouver this week, January 2 to 6

Newt’s top 10 things to do in Metro Vancouver this weekend, December 30 to January 1

The Big Lebowski screens at the Rio By Steve Newton FRIDAY: Mad Riddim is a drum- and bass-led groove machine mixing classic dub sensibilities with the attitude of funk and the improvisation of jazz at Guilt and Co. FRIDAY: parody ’80s hair-metal band Steel Panther (“It Won’t Suck Itself”) plays the second of two nights … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 things to do in Metro Vancouver this weekend, December 30 to January 1

Newt’s top 10 things to do in Metro Vancouver this weekend, Dec 23-25

It’s a Wonderful Life screens at the Rio By Steve Newton FRIDAY: vocalist Dawn Pemberton and bassist/bandleader Jodi Proznick lead an all-star band in joyful holiday classics in O Come All Ye Soulful at New Westminster’s Anvil Centre. FRIDAY: screening at the VIFF Centre of Neil Young: Harvest Time, Bernard Shakey’s docu-film that takes an intimate … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 things to do in Metro Vancouver this weekend, Dec 23-25

Jesse Cook puts a captivating nouveau-flamenco spin on Sting’s beautiful “Fragile”

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 10, 1998 By Steve Newton During my formative years as a rock-obsessed reader of Circus magazine, my teenage world revolved around heavy ’70s bands like Aerosmith, Montrose, Alice Cooper, and Blue Öyster Cult. I’ve adored riff-driven guitar-rock ever since, but lately I’ve been opening myself up to mellower … Continue reading Jesse Cook puts a captivating nouveau-flamenco spin on Sting’s beautiful “Fragile”

Zappa fans prepare to freak out! 50th anniversary edition of Over-Nite Sensation to include 57 unreleased and rare tracks

By Steve Newton Dedicated followers of much-missed musical maestro Frank Zappa have just been given a reason to get a little jiggy. Universal Music announced today that an 88-track, five-disc “Super Deluxe Edition” of Zappa’s 1973 Mothers of Invention album, Over-Nite Sensation, will be released on November 3. It will include four CDs and a … Continue reading Zappa fans prepare to freak out! 50th anniversary edition of Over-Nite Sensation to include 57 unreleased and rare tracks

Kenny Neal recalls getting a harmonica from swamp-blues legend Slim Harpo

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, FEB. 28, 2002 By Steve Newton A lot of today’s practicing blues artists have stories to tell about influential run-ins with pioneering bluesmen, and Kenny Neal is no exception. When he was a little kid he was handed a harmonica by swamp-blues legend Slim (“I’m a King Bee”) Harpo, … Continue reading Kenny Neal recalls getting a harmonica from swamp-blues legend Slim Harpo

The Carson Downey Band proves that the blues are alive and kickin’ in the Maritimes

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 2, 2000 By Steve Newton The Carson Downey Band has been plugging away on the Maritime blues scene for more than a decade, but things are starting to pay off for the group with the release of its debut CD, All the Way. The Nova Scotia threesome—which plays … Continue reading The Carson Downey Band proves that the blues are alive and kickin’ in the Maritimes