ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 1, 1985 By Steve Newton “By purchasing this album, you will be helping to ensure that Greenpeace can continue its campaign to protect the natural world.” That’s what it says on the back cover of the new Greenpeace benefit album, and that’s reason enough to dig into your pockets and help … Continue reading Album review: Various Artists, Greenpeace (1985)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, FEB. 17, 2000 By Steve Newton It’s high noon (or thereabouts) in Texas when Cliff Jones, who’s lounging in his band’s tour bus outside the Austin Music Hall, answers his cellphone. He’s playing there that night—if he makes it past sundown in one piece. “I’ve never been to Texas … Continue reading Cliff Jones doesn’t think Texas cowboys will appreciate Gay Dad’s “Limey faggot look”
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, FEB. 17, 1984 By Steve Newton “As soon as I got Pete involved at the production level, and not the musical, it was as if I’d stood up and said, ‘Look, I’m Simon Townshend. My brother Pete just happens to be producing my album. If you don’t like it, … Continue reading Simon Townshend says that if people don’t like his brother Pete producing his LP, they can stuff it
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 I’ve just been watching the TV news, and apparently there’s quite an uproar among Celine Dion fans because she wasn’t included in Rolling Stone‘s new list of “The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.” Well, here’s another uproar for ya: why the hell isn’t Phil Lynott’s name on the list? You know, … Continue reading Rolling Stone shockingly omits Phil Lynott from its Top 200 singers list. And Paul Rodgers too!
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 15, 1988 By Steve Newton Music and money. The two don’t always go hand in hand. Just ask your typical Vancouver musician. But when they do mix in this city, chances are there’s a guy named Bruce Allen bringing them together. Raymond May, the latest upstart to come out of the … Continue reading Vancouver’s Raymond May shoots for the big time with Bruce Allen-backed debut LP
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 21, 1986 By Steve Newton John Fogerty found himself with a hard act to follow after 1985’s top-notch Centerfield album. While his new LP. Eye of the Zombie, is far from being a bad record, it still doesn’t contain any tracks that match Centerfield‘s title track or “The Old Man … Continue reading Album review: John Fogerty, Eye of the Zombie (1986)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 8, 1985 By Steve Newton “The Authority Song” from last year’s Uh-Huh album was one of my fave rock tunes of 1984, right up there with Van Halen’s “Panama” and the Pretenders’ “Back On the Chain Gang”. But I wasn’t too crazy about the album on a whole. … Continue reading Album review: John Cougar Mellencamp, Scarecrow (1985)
By Steve Newton Back in early 1984 I did an interview with Mark Hollis of British synth-pop band Talk Talk. I wasn’t really into synth-pop–I was more into Iron Maiden, Scorpions, and Van Halen–but I took the assignment because Talk Talk was promoting its new album, It’s My Life, and was planning to visit my … Continue reading It’s My Life, and it’s my unpublished 1984 interview with Mark Hollis of Talk Talk
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)
By Steve Newton Maybe, like me, you were lucky enough to catch the Stray Cats when they played the Commodore back in ’82. Or perhaps you saw them when they were on that bill at GM Place in 2007 with the Pretenders and ZZ Top. But if you’re one of those sad sacks who’ve never seen the Stray … Continue reading Stray Cats Live at Rockpalast finds the rockabilly revivalists at their ballsy best
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON FEB. 24, 2000 By Steve Newton It didn’t take animal-rights activist Chrissie Hynde long to start preaching at the Orpheum last Saturday (February 19). Just a couple of songs into the Pretenders’ nearly two-hour show, she gave a nice big “Fuck you!” to everyone who wears leather or fur, or eats meat. … Continue reading Chrissie Hynde targets meat-eaters and lumberjacks at the Pretenders’ Vancouver show
all crappy iPhone photos by the Newt By Steve Newton Nobody really expects a millionaire rock star to, after breaking his leg falling off a stage, design a special chair–or “rock throne”, if you will–that allows him to get around like royalty on stage. Is it a burning need to rock out that compels a fellow … Continue reading The Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl rides the rock throne to glory at a hellraising show in Vancouver
