By Steve Newton Back in November of 1990 I did an interview with Nigel Mogg, bassist for the Quireboys (who were known in North America as the London Quireboys.) At the time the band was touring behind its debut album, A Bit of What You Fancy, which was a rollicking platter full of Faces-style boogie … Continue reading That time Nigel Mogg of the Quireboys told me about being the nephew of Phil Mogg from UFO
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 5, 1992 By Steve Newton Happy Man singer/guitarist Jay Homenchuk has been involved with Vancouver’s independent rock scene for a number of years—either as a guitar roadie for Brilliant Orange or as a member of Green House and his current group. Born and raised in Lotusland, he’s seen … Continue reading Happy Man’s Jay Homenchuk and Graham Brown were Born to Entertain
By Steve Newton In celebration of the Georgia Straight turning 50 this year, I figured I’d offer a roundup of the 50 top Vancouver concerts I’ve reviewed while writing for the paper since 1982. Maybe you made it out to a couple yourself! Although I doubt you weaseled your way backstage at the Orpheum in ’93 to … Continue reading My 50 fave Vancouver concerts of all time (so far)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, AUG. 30, 2001 By Steve Newton When the London Quireboys blasted onto the music scene in 1990 with the swaggering boogie-blues hit “7 O’Clock”, originality wasn’t their stock-in-trade. They took their musical cues directly from Rod Stewart and the Faces, and even looked the part with their scarecrow hairdos … Continue reading The Faces-loving London Quireboys still like to have a tipple
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 16, 1990 By Steve Newton Rock critics are human too—they make mistakes. Like when I first saw the London Quireboys via their video for “7 O’clock”. I figured they were just too much of a blatant Faces rip-off—right down to the guitarist’s Ron Wood-type top hat. I even turned down the … Continue reading The London Quireboys pulverize Vancouver (and Long John Baldry) with irresistible barroom boogie
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MAY 27, 1993 After Bob Rock hit the big time by producing Motley Crue’s No. 1 album, Dr. Feelgood—and then accomplished the incredible feat of making former thrash-masters Metallica a mainstream rock-radio fave—it seemed the Vancouver producer could do no wrong. And although Rock’s reputation as a producer with … Continue reading Issues with Bob Rock and Sharon Osbourne leave the Quireboys Bitter Sweet & Twisted
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 19, 1990 By Steve Newton There are some bands out there that are just made to play in bars—they have that certain something that demands you sip a frosty cold one while wallowing in their raucous boogie noise. The Beat Farmers are one of those, the Georgia Satellites another. And a … Continue reading The Quireboys pride themselves on “proper” rock ‘n’ roll
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, DEC. 9, 2004 By Steve Newton Believe it or not, Rod Stewart used to rock. You wouldn’t know it from those snoozy Great American Song Book volumes he’s released in the last few years, but at one point the gravelly-voiced crooner fronted the world’s greatest party band: the Faces. That group was only … Continue reading The only thing missing from Faces box set is a big honkin’ bottle of JD
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 27, 1995 By Steve Newton When you’re guitar god Slash from Guns N’ Roses and you’re looking for a singer, you get to take your pick. Many hopefuls tried out for the lead-vocalist position in Slash’s Snakepit, including King’s X crooner Doug Pinnick, Spike from the London Quireboys, and former Little … Continue reading With the Big 3-0 looming, Slash figures that “it’s happy hour somewhere”
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, APRIL 13, 2006 WHEN MANVILS FRONTMAN Mike Manville and lead guitarist Mark Parry show up for an interview at the Georgia Straight, only one of them looks ready to rock. The woolly brown sweater Manville’s chosen for the occasion doesn’t seem stage-worthy, but-resplendent in a pinstriped blazer set off by a scarf … Continue reading Manvils hammer it home
Some of my interviews, arranged alphabetically, from AC/DC to ZZ Top AC/DC Malcolm Young & Brian Johnson, 1983 AEROSMITH Joe Perry, Sept. 2010 AEROSMITH Steven Tyler, 1997 AEROSMITH Joe Perry, 1997 AEROSMITH Tom Hamilton, 1994 AEROSMITH Joe Perry, 1988 AEROSMITH Tom Hamilton, 1983 THE ALAN PARSONS PROJECT Lenny Zakatek, 1983 ALDO NOVA 1983 TOMMY ALDRIDGE 2001 … Continue reading interviews
So, yeah, I’ve reviewed a few shows over the years. IRON MAIDEN at Rogers Arena, Sept. 3, 2019 SONNY LANDRETH at the Rio Theatre, Aug. 24, 2019 BAND OF FRIENDS at the Fox Cabaret, Dec. 18, 2018 DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS at the Imperial, Feb. 2, 2018 ROGER WATERS at Rogers Arena, Oct. 28, 2017 GUNS N’ ROSES … Continue reading concert reviews
