By Steve Newton Whenever Todd Kerns hits Vancouver–whether it’s playing bass with Slash or fronting the Age of Electric–I try to get out and cheer him on. Dude’s hugely talented and nice as hell. I stand by my claim that he’s “the most rockin’ Canadian bass player of the 21st century.” Kerns won’t be handling … Continue reading Todd Kerns promises the most classic of Canadian classic-rock at Toque’s Juno Fest shindig
By Steve Newton One of my alltime fave Canadian bands, the Age of Electric, is playing Vancouver’s Commodore Ballroom tomorrow (March 24). They played the Commodore 11 months ago as well, and it was one of the most consistently rockin’ gigs I’d ever seen at the historic venue. Before that show I did a phone interview … Continue reading 29 minutes of shootin’ the shit with Age of Electric’s Todd Kerns, the most rockin’ Canadian bass player of the 21st century
By Steve Newton I was interviewing Todd Kerns a couple weeks ago in advance of the Age of Electric show at the Commodore tonight (April 30), and had an evil thought. Since Kerns is well known as the bassist for Slash, just how far would he go to steal the coveted bass gig in Guns N’ Roses … Continue reading Guns N’ Roses bassist Duff McKagan needn’t fear a Tonya Harding from Slash bassist Todd Kerns
By Steve Newton Some rock bands from decades past really push it when it comes to authenticity. Often you’ll see a group that’s touring under its old moniker with only one or two original members. Or maybe there’ll just be one—who also happens to be the drummer. (I’m talkin’ to you, Foghat!) It’s a rarity … Continue reading Todd Kerns feels like the Age of Electric are on a mission from god
By Steve Newton I was interviewing Todd Kerns a few days ago in advance of his gig with the Age of Electric in Vancouver next weekend, and naturally–since he’s the bassist for Slash–the conversation headed in to Guns N’ Roses territory. I asked him what he thought of GN’R singer Axl Rose taking Brian Johnson‘s … Continue reading Slash bassist Todd Kerns thinks it’s “surreal” that Axl Rose is in AC/DC
Todd Kerns, recently declared to be “the Most Rockin’ Canadian Bassist of the 21st Century“, performed with his band SMK&C (Slash featuring Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators) on the Howard Stern Show yesterday. That’s a long way from his birthplace of Estevan, Saskatchewan. But anybody who’s been following the lanky rocker’s career with wicked Vancouver … Continue reading Todd Kerns, the most rockin’ Canadian bassist of the 21st century, appears on Howard Stern
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, NOV. 10, 2004 By Steve Newton Strolling into the living room of Todd Kerns’s Burnaby townhouse is a bit like entering a ’70s-rock museum. The first thing you see is an array of fine electric guitars, including an AC/DC–style Gibson SG; the second is a set of Kiss action figures atop … Continue reading A Solo Todd Kerns Is Open to Beautiful Disasters
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, AUG. 21, 2011 By Steve Newton A couple of weeks ago former Guns N’ Roses drummer Steven Adler called from L.A. to promote his gig at Venue this Thursday (August 25), and ended up chatting up a storm. Since then former Vancouverite Todd Kerns–who plays here the same night at the Media Club–checked … Continue reading Todd Kerns speaks on playing bass with Slash and living the rock ‘n’ roll fantasy
If the setlist from Slash‘s show in San Francisco two nights ago is any indication, his Vancouver fans are in for a whole lotta GN’R action tonight. During his show at the Fillmore the top-hatted guitar hero led his group the Conspirators, featuring vocalist Myles Kennedy, in no less than six Guns N’ Roses numbers, including … Continue reading Slash’s Vancouver gig tonight promises plenty of Guns N’ Roses–and the return of Todd “Dammit” Kerns
jeff sutherland photos By Steve Newton Everybody’s favourite Canadian guitar-rock band from the ’90s–well, mine anyway–kicked off its 15-date Canadian tour with a show at the Commodore last night. Last April all four original members of the Age of Electric–singer-guitarists Todd Kerns and Ryan Dahle, bassist John Kerns, and drummer-vocalist Kurt Dahle–reunited for their first … Continue reading The Age of Electric kicks off Canadian tour with killer Vancouver gig
adrian o’brien photo By Steve Newton Let’s face it: straight-up, melodic, guitar-driven rock ‘n’ roll has been taking a shit-kicking of late. In the age of evil EDM and the dreaded DJ it’s hard to find a guitar-bass-drums combo that’ll knock you out with a show that’s electrifying from beginning to end. It happened at the … Continue reading The Age of Electric reunites in a blaze of guitar-rock glory and brotherly love
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, DEC. 10, 2014 By Steve Newton One of the biggest music stories of 2014 concerned the trials and tribulations of AC/DC, which had one original member retire due to dementia and another facing criminal charges. The return of Pink Floyd after two decades also made a few headlines—or garnered a ton … Continue reading Newt’s Top 10 albums of 2014
AC/DC Rock or Bust With the help of Langley’s Mike Fraser as engineer and mixer, the Australian hard-rock icons create a fitting follow-up to 2008’s hugely successful Black Ice album. Its first-ever album without stalwart rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young shows the band in fine, swaggering form. Pink Floyd The Endless River The prog-rock legends’ first album in … Continue reading The Newt’s top 10 albums of 2014: yep, AC/DC’s on there
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JULY 5, 2001 A silver Keith Richards–style skull ring catches the glare of the dressing-room lights as Todd Kerns wraps his fist around a can of Coke. The blue and red dragon etched on his right bicep, a ringer for Ozzy Osbourne’s chest tattoo, quivers slightly as he … Continue reading Static in Stereo sets the controls for the heart of the seventies
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JULY 4, 1996 Most rockers would be happy being in one major-label recording band, touring around the country and heading into the studio when the time is right to make another album. But after spending seven years in Age of Electric, and getting signed to MCA Records in Canada … Continue reading One band ain’t enough for Limblifter and Age of Electric’s Ryan Dahle
INTERVIEWS WITH VANCOUVER TALENT AGE OF ELECTRIC blasts pure pop on Make a Pest a Pet (1997) Guitar idol DON ALDER finds one fan at a time (2012) ANNIHILATOR’s Jeff Waters is getting into the “old hard-rock stuff” again (1990) LONG JOHN BALDRY on Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Davie Bowie–and Images in Vogue (1985) ART … Continue reading from the ‘hood
photo by Rebecca Blissett By Steve Newton You know that stereotype of the lazy rock musician who sleeps till noon, then sits around the rest of the day waiting to play a gig at night? Well, it sure as hell doesn’t fit Ryan Dahle. For most of his 44 years, the singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and … Continue reading Limblifter’s Ryan Dahle developed his skill set out of survival
DBT photo by the Newt For me, it’s always a good year for concerts when the Drive-By Truckers can be included in the year-end wrap-up, and their performance at the Vogue Theatre on April 22 was one of the two best gigs I attended in 2014. It helped that the Alabama/Georgia-based band was touring behind one … Continue reading Ear of Newt’s top five Vancouver concerts of 2014
photos by Jet Sutherland By Steve Newton As I write this it’s been over 12 hours since Slash left the stage at Hard Rock Casino Vancouver, and my ears are still ringing loudly. It sounds like rock ‘n’ roll. Holy crap was that an awesome show! I’ve been reviewing rock gigs for nearly 35 years, and … Continue reading Slash, Myles Kennedy, and the Conspirators deliver the concert of a lifetime in Vancouver
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MAY 8, 1997 By Steve Newton Age of Electric is a unique band, in more ways than one. First off, it’s comprised of two sets of brothers: you’ve got your Kernses (singer Todd and bassist John) and your Dahles (guitarist Ryan and drummer Kurt). The only other band with … Continue reading Age of Electric blasts pure pop on Make a Pest a Pet
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, OCT. 7, 2004 When Limblifter leader Ryan Dahle drops by the Straight office for an interview, it’s almost as if he knows more folks at the paper than I do. While fixing himself a cuppa joe in the kitchen, Dahle runs into the paper’s effervescent promo queen Christine MacKay, who he apparently knows … Continue reading Limblifter Gets User-Friendly
