ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 19, 1991 By Steve Newton When it comes to progressive rock bands from the ’70s, there’s no middle ground—people either love ’em or hate ’em. Fans of groups like Yes, King Crimson, and Genesis point to the musical skill involved in performing the tunes; detractors tend to cite … Continue reading Queensryche’s Geoff Tate praises the “real musicians” of prog-rock
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, AUG. 12, 2004 By Steve Newton Local metal legend Devin Townsend will be the main attraction when his eponymous hardcore group headlines the Showroom Cabaret on Saturday (August 14), but the headbangers in the crowd who get there early enough to see opening act Soulbender might recognize a few other well-respected … Continue reading Queensryche guitarist Michael Wilton does double duty in Soulbender
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, SEPT. 30, 2004 By Steve Newton The 1980s aren’t generally regarded as great years for hard rock, thanks mainly to the scores of hair-farmer bands that–capitalizing on the then-new music-video craze–made headbands, spandex, and bright-red leather jackets a common sight. Queensryche spent its fair share of time at the hairdresser’s, but … Continue reading Queensryche resurrects prog-metal storytelling
By Steve Newton Back in February of 1984 I interviewed Simon Townshend, the 23-year-old kid brother of Pete Townshend from the Who. The younger Townshend was touring behind his debut album, the Pete-produced Sweet Sound, and trying to distance himself from the shadow of his 16-years-older bro. At one point in the conversation I asked … Continue reading That time Simon Townshend told me what it was like growing up with one of the world’s most famous rock guitarists for a brother
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, 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 … Continue reading Aldo Nova on touring with Blue Öyster Cult, covering Coney Hatch, and the new Subject…Aldo Nova
By Steve Newton Way back in March of 1986 Marillion keyboardist Mark Kelly called me up from a tour stop in Quebec City. As the interview kicked off he told me that his band was opening for Rush there, which caught me off guard. I figured Rush, which was touring behind its Power Windows album, … Continue reading That time Mark Kelly told me that Marillion were touring with Rush and I questioned the matchup
By Steve Newton When I interviewed metal vocalist John Bush back in August of 1993 he was touring with Anthrax, who had released their first album with him, Sound of White Noise, three months earlier. The 30-year-old Bush, formerly of Armored Saint, had been brought in to replace the fired Joey Belladonna, who had sung … Continue reading That time new Anthrax vocalist John Bush told me that he thought the band’s weakest link had always been its singer
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
By Steve Newton I interviewed original Guns N’ Roses drummer Steven Adler back in August of 2011, the same year he appeared in Season 5 of Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew. At the time he was heading to Vancouver for a club show with his own band, Adler’s Appetite, performing originals and the tunes he … Continue reading That time Steven Adler told me that he wished he’d checked out Iron Maiden when Guns N’ Roses opened for them in the ’80s
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 16, 1983 By Steve Newton America, the masters of mellow, have just released their 13th album. Produced by Russ Ballard, Your Move continues the collaboration between Dewey Bunnell and Gerry Beckley that began in 1970 when–along with Dan Peek–they had a huge hit in their first single, “A … Continue reading America’s Dewey Bunnell says “A Horse with No Name” is all about the feeling of the desert
By Steve Newton Mick Ronson is one of my favourite guitar players of all time. He’s an underrated musical genius, and I can’t fathom why the dimwits down at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame refuse to even nominate him. Those twits in Cleveland really burn my ass. Anyway, for my second interview with … Continue reading That time I called Mick Ronson up in Oklahoma and asked him how the tour with Ian Hunter was going
By Steve Newton Tom Morello is one of those activist-minded musicians who use their talent to bring attention to important causes they feel strongly about, and I admire that a lot. Morello is best known for his tenure with the political rock band Rage Against the Machine and then with Audioslave, but I interviewed him … Continue reading That time Tom Morello told me that he looks at guitars as collaborators
By Steve Newton Metro Vancouver has spawned quite a few wicked guitar players, and I’ve been lucky to have interviewed a bunch. Some of my faves include Shaun Verreault, Dave Martone, Scott Smith, Don Alder, Russell Marsland, Lindsay Mitchell, Todd Taylor, Erol Sora, Devin Townsend, Harris Van Berkel, the late Scotty Hall, and the ever-lovin’ … Continue reading That time primo Vancouver picker Paul Pigat told me about getting turned on to Danny Gatton
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 20, 1985 By Steve Newton Former Heart guitarist Roger Fisher, and his new band 10 Bulls, had their Vancouver debut at Club Soda this summer. The most surprising thing about their performance was the fact that nearly all their songs–with the exception of maybe five–were covers! I mean, … Continue reading Roger Fisher moves on from Heart-break with new band 10 Bulls and hopes for a record deal
By Steve Newton I interviewed 23-year-old Jakob Dylan back in February of 1993, five months after the release of the Wallflowers‘ self-titled debut album. That was three years before his band struck it rich with the quadruple-platinum Bringing Down the Horse CD and number-one hit “One Headlight”. At one point in the conversation I said … Continue reading That time Jakob Dylan told me that his dad wasn’t a lightweight
By Steve Newton Back in August of 1985 I did my first interview with Stevie Ray Vaughan, just before the release of his third studio album, Soul to Soul. He was on a tour that would bring him to Vancouver’s Commodore Ballroom for two shows, on August 29 and 31. When he picked up the … Continue reading That time I called up Stevie Ray Vaughan and he said he had to leave for soundcheck in five minutes
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, APRIL 22, 1983 By Steve Newton The last time the Spinners were in Vancouver was way back in the sixties, when they came through here with the Marvin Gaye Revue. But lovers of the group’s unmistakable brand of funky R&B still have a chance to catch the spirit of … Continue reading Henry Fambrough says he could never think about being without the Spinners
By Steve Newton Back in December of 1990 I interviewed Hawkwind guitarist and founding member Dave Brock. I called him up in Cleveland, where his space-rock band was touring behind its latest album, Space Bandits. At one point in the conversation I asked Brock if Hawkwind was influenced by prog groups like Pink Floyd and … Continue reading That time Dave Brock told me that Hawkwind wasn’t influenced by anybody
