By Steve Newton Alex Lifeson called me up from a tour stop in Fresno, California, on January 25, 1992, while Rush was on the road with Primus, showcasing tunes from their latest album, Roll the Bones. I asked him about the musical progression Rush had taken over the years, his early influences on guitar, and … Continue reading 10 minutes on the phone with Alex Lifeson of Rush in 1992
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 the spring of ’97 I did my first interview with Geddy Lee of Rush. He called me up from the band’s office in Toronto and I congratulated him on the birth of his new daughter. Then I mentioned that the band was re-releasing its seventies catalog, and asked him if … Continue reading That time Geddy Lee called me up and I asked if he had fond recollections of Rush’s early days
By Steve Newton Back in April of ’97 I did my first interview with Rush bassist-vocalist Geddy Lee, while the band was touring behind its Test for Echo album. For that disc the band had brought in studio ace Andy Wallace to mix, a process that Lee had referred to in the latest Rush bio … Continue reading That time Geddy Lee told me how Rush views the mixing process
By Steve Newton I did my first interview with Rush singer-bassist Geddy Lee back in April of 1997, when the trio was touring behind its Test for Echo album. At one point I brought up the topic of the almost two-year break the band members had taken from each other in 1994, following the release … Continue reading That time I asked Geddy Lee if Rush had considered breaking up in 1994
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
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 18, 1984 By Steve Newton “I always liked the Yardbirds when I was a kid,” says metal guitar-hero Gary Moore. “I was always into Jeff Beck and everything. And apart from the fact that I like the song and the guitar, the lyrics appealed to me as well because they fitted … Continue reading Gary Moore talks covering the Yardbirds and scoring with metal while opening for Rush
By Steve Newton Back in January of 1992 I interviewed Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson while his band was touring behind its Roll the Bones album. At one point in the conversation I asked Lifeson if he ever had the desire to make a solo album, and he claimed that he didn’t. Guess he changed his … Continue reading That time Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson told me that he never had the desire to make a solo album
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 When I interviewed Richard Marx back in November of 1991 he was one of the most popular singer-songwriters around. His self-titled 1987 debut album had sold three million copies, and his 1989 followup, Repeat Offender–the one with “Right Here Waiting”–had moved six million copies. So, doing the math, I asked him if … Continue reading That time I asked Richard Marx if he was hoping to sell nine million copies of his followup to Repeat Offender
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 Please note: this list doesn’t include any of the songs Neil wrote and recorded with groups like Buffalo Springfield, CSNY, or the Stills-Young Band, so don’t come cryin’ to me that “Long May You Run” isn’t on there. 20. “Walk On” (On the Beach, 1974) 19. “I Believe in You” (After the … Continue reading Neil Young’s 20 best songs, from wicked to freakin’ awesome
5 guys from Chilliwack High’s Class of ’75 rob hall photo By Steve Newton The title track wasn’t always the best song on an album in the ’70s. But when you were standing in the record store, rabidly poring over the brand new LP by your favourite band, that title could get deeply imbedded in … Continue reading The 30 best title tracks of the ’70s, from wicked to freakin’ awesome
