ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 8, 1989 By Steve Newton David Coverdale sure knows how to make good use of his previously recorded tunes. First he had a huge hit with a revamped version of “Here I Go Again”, and now he’s resurrected a nine-year-old British hit called “Fool for Your Loving” and … Continue reading Album review: Whitesnake, Slip of the Tongue (1989)
By Steve Newton In April of 1990 hard-rock drum legend Tommy Aldridge called me up from the road in Minneapolis, where he was playing that night with his latest band, Whitesnake. The group was touring behind its eighth studio album, Slip of the Tongue, the one with “Fool For Your Loving 89”. I actually preferred … Continue reading That time Tommy Aldridge called me up from the Whitesnake tour and explained how it was different working for David Coverdale than Ozzy Osbourne
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MARCH 15, 1985 By Steve Newton Canadian power trio Triumph will be headlining at the Pacific Coliseum tomorrow (Saturday) night with Australia’s Angel City, in what promises to be an evening of intense, thundering rock and roll. Mssrs. Rik Emmett (guitar), Mike Levine (bass), and Gil Moore (drums) are touring behind their … Continue reading Rik Emmett ponders the pros and cons of heavy metal while Triumph tours behind Thunder Seven
By Steve Newton Way back in May of 1985 I interviewed Alain Caron, the phenomenal bassist for Quebec jazz-fusion band UZEB. His group was touring behind its second studio album, You, Be Easy, and headed to Vancouver for a two-night stand at the Commodore Ballroom. At one point in the conversation I asked Caron about … Continue reading That time I asked Alain Caron how he felt about UZEB being called “the Van Halen of jazz”
By Steve Newton Back in August of 1989 I interviewed American bass god Billy Sheehan, who was promoting the new, self-titled debut album by his latest band, Mr. Big. The previous year Sheehan had been playing with Steve Vai in David Lee Roth‘s band, so as the conversation was winding down I asked him whether–if … Continue reading That time I asked ex-David Lee Roth bassist Billy Sheehan if he would jump at the chance to join Van Halen
By Steve Newton I interviewed King’s X guitarist Ty Tabor back in June of 2001, when his funky prog-rock trio was touring behind its ninth studio album, Manic Moonlight, and headed to Vancouver for a club gig. Tabor’s solo career had recently seen him putting on several guitar clinics in Southeast Asia, where he was … Continue reading That time King’s X guitarist Ty Tabor told me that he wasn’t into chops for chops’ sake
By Steve Newton Back in March of 1993 I interviewed Phish bassist Mike Gordon, whose band was touring behind its fourth album, Rift, and heading to Vancouver for a club show. The previous year Phish had taken part in the first annual H.O.R.D.E. festival, which also included the Spin Doctors. So at one point in … Continue reading That time I asked Mike Gordon if he was amazed by the success of H.O.R.D.E. tourmates Spin Doctors
By Steve Newton Back in March of 1991 I interviewed Tom Keifer, frontman and main songwriter for Philadelphia hard-rock band Cinderella. That was less than four months after the release of the group’s third album, Heartbreak Station, which spawned the hit single “Shelter Me”. At one point in the conversation I asked Keifer what sort … Continue reading That time Cinderella’s Tom Keifer told me that, if you were in a hard-rock band, Philadelphia sucked
By Steve Newton Back in August of 1997 I did my first interview with NRBQ keyboardist-vocalist Terry Adams. His quartet–one of the world’s greatest live rock ‘n’ roll bands–was headed to Vancouver for a gig at a short-lived venue called The Gate. As the conversation was winding down I asked Adams about his penchant for … Continue reading That time NRBQ’s Terry Adams told me that the music is always best when it’s surprising
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
By Steve Newton Back in January of 1992 I interviewed Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson. At the time Rush was touring behind its latest album, Roll the Bones, and was headed to Vancouver for a show at the Pacific Coliseum. At one point in the conversation I asked the 38-year-old Lifeson if the band had ever … Continue reading That time Alex Lifeson told me that Rush had considered expanding to a four-piece in the ’70s
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
