That time I told Tom Cochrane that I didn’t think his new “Life is a Highway” song sounded like him

By Steve Newton Tom Cochrane turned 70 the other day–on May 14, 2023–so to celebrate I digitized my third interview with him, from October 17, 1991. That was less than a month after he released the single “Life Is a Highway”, which became a massive hit. But as I pointed out to Tom about a … Continue reading That time I told Tom Cochrane that I didn’t think his new “Life is a Highway” song sounded like him

That time Tom Cochrane railed against the “trendy bullshit” in pop music after Red Rider released Neruda

By Steve Newton I’ve interviewed Canadian rocker Tom Cochrane half a dozen times over the years. I was a fan long before he hit it big with “Life is a Highway” in 1991. The first time we talked was in April of 1983, three months after the release of Red Rider’s fine Neruda album, the … Continue reading That time Tom Cochrane railed against the “trendy bullshit” in pop music after Red Rider released Neruda

Newt’s top 10 (or 12) things to do in Vancouver this week, Dec. 12 to 16

Just a Season plays Guilt & Co. By Steve Newton MONDAY: screening at the Rio Theatre of Chunky Shrapnel, a feature-length live music documentary from the Australian psychedelic rock band King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard. Love that name. MONDAY TO FRIDAY: the City of Vancouver’s annual Festival of Lights is a winter wonderland featuring more than one million lights decorating 15 … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 (or 12) things to do in Vancouver this week, Dec. 12 to 16

Newt’s top 20 things to do in Vancouver this weekend, Dec. 16-18

Keithmas XIII is at the Rickshaw By Steve Newton FRIDAY: Canadian rock legend Tom Cochrane performs at the Pacific Coliseum as part of the PNE Winter Fair, which includes holiday-themed food and beverages, an outdoor marketplace, live kids’ shows, and ice-skating in the Agrodome. If Cochrane doesn’t play “Life is a Highway” you should ask … Continue reading Newt’s top 20 things to do in Vancouver this weekend, Dec. 16-18

That time Geddy Lee told me how Rush views the mixing process

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

That time I asked John Fogerty if “Fortunate Son” was a favourite tune of his

By Steve Newton I did my first interview with American rock legend John Fogerty back in August of 1997, when he was touring behind his fifth solo studio album, Blue Moon Swamp. Two nights earlier he’d performed on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, so at one point in the conversation I asked him if … Continue reading That time I asked John Fogerty if “Fortunate Son” was a favourite tune of his

Ten years after Van Halen’s 1984, David Lee Roth ponders how condom use changes lyrical content

By Steve Newton Back in 1994 I did my first interview with David Lee Roth while he was promoting his Nile Rodgers-produced Your Filthy Little Mouth album. At one point in the conversation Roth started discussing how the changing times over the past decade–since his last album with Van Halen, 1984–had affected his life and, … Continue reading Ten years after Van Halen’s 1984, David Lee Roth ponders how condom use changes lyrical content

That time I asked Alex Van Halen how much longer he expected Van Halen to keep on rocking

By Steve Newton Back in August of 1995 I interviewed Alex Van Halen, legendary skin-basher for Van Halen, while the band was touring behind its Bruce Fairbairn-produced Balance album. That tour had been dubbed “The Ambulance Tour” by Eddie, due to his hip problems and Alex rupturing three vertebrae in his neck. So as the … Continue reading That time I asked Alex Van Halen how much longer he expected Van Halen to keep on rocking

That time I suggested to guitar great Steve Stevens that he might want to cover Deep Purple’s “Highway Star”

By Steve Newton Back in September of 1989 I interviewed American guitar great Steve Stevens, who was touring behind his debut solo album, Atomic Playboys. That LP included a cover of the 1975 Sweet song “Action”, which Stevens said he thought was a Queen song at first. At one point in the conversation I asked … Continue reading That time I suggested to guitar great Steve Stevens that he might want to cover Deep Purple’s “Highway Star”

That time Kim Mitchell described guitar wanking by comparing Joe Satriani to Eddie Van Halen

By Steve Newton I did my fourth interview with Canadian rock-guitar great Kim Mitchell back in July of 1992, when he was touring behind his Aural Fixations album. He’d hired a new batch of musicians to accompany him–because Tom Cochrane had lured some of his regular band members away–and while he was describing how the … Continue reading That time Kim Mitchell described guitar wanking by comparing Joe Satriani to Eddie Van Halen

That time I asked Ozzy Osbourne if “Crazy Train” was an autobiographical song

By Steve Newton I did my first interview with Ozzy Osbourne back in June of 1982, when he was touring behind his Diary of a Madman LP. Just a few months earlier he’d lost his guitar player, the legendary Randy Rhoads, in a bizarre plane crash. At one point in the conversation I asked Ozzy … Continue reading That time I asked Ozzy Osbourne if “Crazy Train” was an autobiographical song

Rick Santers makes power trio Triumph a power quartet on The Sport of Kings Tour

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON DEC. 26, 1986 By Steve Newton When Canadian power trio Triumph plays the Pacific Coliseum this Sunday (December 28), its long-time fans will be in for a bit of a surprise. For the first time in its 12-year career, the group will be sporting a fourth member, Toronto guitarist Rick Santers. Santers, … Continue reading Rick Santers makes power trio Triumph a power quartet on The Sport of Kings Tour

Guitar wizard David Gogo on his new debut LP and the undeniable influence of Stevie Ray Vaughan

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 14, 1994 By Steve Newton If there’s a rock ’n’ roll heaven, you know they’ve got a helluva band…and I like to think that there are at least three guitarists in the lineup: Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix, and Randy Rhoads. And when I picture Vaughan, I see him doing his … Continue reading Guitar wizard David Gogo on his new debut LP and the undeniable influence of Stevie Ray Vaughan