ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JUNE 5, 2008 By Steve Newton New Guitar Summit is an ongoing jazz project featuring guitarists Duke Robillard, Gerry Beaudoin, and Jay Geils, who some may remember as the guitarist for a kick-ass ’70s blues-rock band out of Detroit that turned lame in the ’80s and made hit records … Continue reading Album review: Robillard/Beaudoin/Geils, New Guitar Summit (2008)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JULY 30, 2009 By Steve Newton I saw the original Jeff Healey Band play numerous times in the ’80s at Vancouver venues like the Yale and the 86 Street Music Hall. While always blown away by the searing talent of the young blind dude with the Strat on his … Continue reading Album review: Jeff Healey, Songs from the Road (2009)
By Steve Newton Canadian rock legend Randy Bachman has accomplished a helluva lot in his musical career. For one thing, how many musicians can say that they’ve reached the top in two different bands? Before Bachman-Turner Overdrive was ruling the airwaves in the mid-seventies, he’d already hit the big time with the Guess Who, whose … Continue reading That time Randy Bachman told me what it felt like when the Guess Who’s “American Woman” hit number one
By Steve Newton Canada doesn’t seem to have an overabundance of rock-guitar heroes. Sure, you’ve got your Lenny Breau when it comes to jazz, and your Jeff Healey if you’re talkin’ blues. But when it comes to Canadian rock-guitar heroes, I can’t think of tons. Alex Lifeson, Kim Mitchell… Obviously Neil Young, but isn’t he … Continue reading That time Guess Who guitarist Randy Bachman told me about creating the riff for “American Woman”
lauren marshall photo By Steve Newton I’ve interviewed at least two guitar legends who liked touring with Joe Cocker. Back in 1990 I talked to Stevie Ray Vaughan about his coheadlining tour with Cocker, and he was right into it. Then in 2001 the Guess Who was sharing a bill with the gravelly voiced Brit, … Continue reading That time I called up the Guess Who’s Randy Bachman and he raved about touring with Joe Cocker
By Steve Newton Everybody has their favourite Guess Who tune, I reckon. Some go for the riff-driven rocker “American Woman”. Others might appreciate the piano-based ballad “These Eyes”. Me, I’m an “Undun” kinda guy. When I interviewed Guess Who guitarist Randy Bachman back in 2001 I told him that his jazz-tinged 1969 B-side was tops … Continue reading That time I told Randy Bachman that my fave Guess Who song was “Undun”
Matt Andersen plays the Hollywood By Steve Newton Matt Andersen: blues-roots singer-songwriter and guitarist from the Maritimes plays two shows with his band the Big Bottle of Joy, with guests the Hello Darlins. April 5 and 6 at the Hollywood Theatre. Big Sugar: Toronto blues-rock band led by singer-guitarist Gordie Johnson. April 15 at the … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 Metro Vancouver concerts in April
Little Richard: I Am Everything screens at VIFF Centre By Steve Newton FRIDAY: legendary L.A. punk-rockers Fear, featuring frontman Lee Ving, play the Vogue Theatre, with guests Dayglo Abortions and the Vicious Cycles. FRIDAY: the City of Delta and Vancouver Chamber Music Society present New York City’s Zodiac Trio–clarinetist Kliment Krylovskiy, pianist Riko Higuma, and … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 (or 12) things to do in Metro Vancouver this weekend, April 21 to 23
Paul Pigat and Kevin Breit play Blue Frog Studios By Steve Newton MONDAY: screening at the Rio Theatre of director Ari Aster’s deeply disturbing 2018 horror flick Hereditary, about an American family suffering a nightmarish breakdown. TUESDAY: rootsy Vancouver folk-rock band Just a Season, featuring singer-songwriter and guitarist Scott Smith from Terminal Station, plays tunes … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 (or 15) things to do in Metro Vancouver this week, April 17 to 21
By Steve Newton As I mentioned yesterday, since the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has just announced its seven inductees for the Class of 2023, my own little institution located in the wilds of British Columbia–Newt’s Rock Hall–is gonna counter with seven different inductees of its own. And of course mine will be better. … Continue reading Newt’s Rock Hall inducts Dick Dale, Soundgarden, the Guess Who, the Replacements, Bad Company, Mahogany Rush, the Edgar Winter Group, and the Stray Cats
By Steve Newton Back in April of 1997 I did my first interview with Rush bassist-vocalist Geddy Lee. At the time the group was touring behind its Test for Echo album, and that tour marked the first time Rush had taken the “An Evening With” approach, where there is no opening act and it’s just … Continue reading That time Geddy Lee told me that Rush had 4,000 albums
bev davies photo By Steve Newton I did my first interview with Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford back in May of 1984, when Judas Priest was touring behind its Defenders of the Faith album. At one point in the conversation I mentioned how one of Priest’s songs from two years earlier, “You’ve Got Another Thing … Continue reading That time back in ’84 when Judas Priest’s Rob Halford told me that metal was a young musical force
By Steve Newton I’ve interviewed Mick Mars a couple of times. The first time was way back in 1985 when Mötley Crüe was touring behind its Theatre of Pain album. The following excerpt is from my second interview with Mars, which happened in March of 1999, when the original lineup had reunited after recording one … Continue reading That time Mötley Crüe guitarist Mick Mars told me that the music he loves most is blues-based stuff like Edgar and Johnny Winter
