Brit Floyd guitarist agrees with Roy Buchanan that Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour is just a bluesman at heart

Brit Floyd’s Damian Darlington By Steve Newton Back in April of 1988 I did my second and final interview with American blues-guitar great Roy Buchanan, just four months before he was found dead in a jail cell in Fairfax County, Virginia. At one point in the conversation I asked Buchanan about his recent tour in … Continue reading Brit Floyd guitarist agrees with Roy Buchanan that Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour is just a bluesman at heart

Nick Rhodes talks new Duran Duran spinoff Arcadia, working with David Gilmour and the “wild” Grace Jones

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON FEB. 21, 1986 By Steve Newton I went to a Duran Duran concert once. Once! But I didn’t stay very long; the noise in the Pacific Coliseum was unbearable. And it wasn’t because the band was playing too loud. It was their fans who were making all the racket: several thousand young … Continue reading Nick Rhodes talks new Duran Duran spinoff Arcadia, working with David Gilmour and the “wild” Grace Jones

22 minutes on the phone with Brit Floyd’s Damian Darlington, talking Pink Floyd, David Gilmour, prog rock, and lasers

By Steve Newton I called up Brit Floyd guitarist, vocalist, and musical director Damian Darlington at his home in the county of Cheshire, England, a couple of weeks ago. I wanted to get the scoop on his group, which is regarded as the world’s best Pink Floyd tribute band, in advance of its Vancouver show … Continue reading 22 minutes on the phone with Brit Floyd’s Damian Darlington, talking Pink Floyd, David Gilmour, prog rock, and lasers

Brit Floyd’s Damian Darlington got hooked on Pink Floyd at age 13

By Steve Newton Brit Floyd guitarist-vocalist and musical director Damian Darlington got his first guitar as a Christmas present when he was 11 years old, but it took him a couple of years before he really got into it. In the meantime, he bought his first-ever album (Eagles Live), which was followed by the purchase … Continue reading Brit Floyd’s Damian Darlington got hooked on Pink Floyd at age 13

Pink Floyd’s 20 best songs, from wicked to freakin’ awesome

By Steve Newton Man, it sure is hard trying to pick Pink Floyd’s #1 song. I’m still not even sure if I got it exactly right or not. 20. “Mother” (The Wall, 1979) 19. “Learning to Fly” (A Momentary Lapse of Reason, 1987) 18. “Run Like Hell” (The Wall, 1979) 17. “Brain Damage” (Dark Side … Continue reading Pink Floyd’s 20 best songs, from wicked to freakin’ awesome

Gibson picked the top 50 guitar solos of all time, and boy did they ever blow it

Geez, even Jimi knew Johnny ruled. By Steve Newton Back in September of 2010 Gibson.com posted what it felt were the 50 greatest guitar solos of all time, and boy did they ever blow it. Most conspicuous by his absence is Texas blues-rock legend Johnny Winter. I for one am getting sick and tired of … Continue reading Gibson picked the top 50 guitar solos of all time, and boy did they ever blow it

Glamour Puss guitarist Travis Furlong wanted David “Honeyboy” Edwards to sign his Gibson ES-347

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED BY THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 13, 2003 By Steve Newton Wire & Wood, the latest CD by New Brunswick blues-rockers Glamour Puss, features a photo of guitarist-vocalist Travis Furlong’s 1979 Gibson ES-347 laid out on a bar. If you look closely, you can see that it has been signed by such legendary pickers … Continue reading Glamour Puss guitarist Travis Furlong wanted David “Honeyboy” Edwards to sign his Gibson ES-347

My nephew Jeff didn’t mind getting a Pink Floyd box set for his 50th birthday

shey gonzales photo By Steve Newton A bunch of us got together in Penticton over the weekend to gather around an old friend and celebrate the upcoming 50th birthday of my nephew Jeff. He’s a big Pink Floyd fan. He’s got Pink Floyd artwork all over his house. He even took me to see Roger … Continue reading My nephew Jeff didn’t mind getting a Pink Floyd box set for his 50th birthday

That time Geddy Lee told me that Rush had 4,000 albums

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

That time back in ’84 when Judas Priest’s Rob Halford told me that metal was a young musical force

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

That time Mötley Crüe guitarist Mick Mars told me that the music he loves most is blues-based stuff like Edgar and Johnny Winter

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

That time I asked Neil Finn what inspired him to write one of my all-time favourite tunes, Crowded House’s “Don’t Dream It’s Over”

By Steve Newton I did my first interview with Crowded House frontman Neil Finn back in August of 1998, when he was touring behind his debut solo album, Try Whistling This. I’d been a fan of Crowded House since the 1986 release of its first album, which featured one of the most beautiful pop songs … Continue reading That time I asked Neil Finn what inspired him to write one of my all-time favourite tunes, Crowded House’s “Don’t Dream It’s Over”

That time ex-Thin Lizzy guitarist John Sykes told me about being fired from Whitesnake by David Coverdale

Sykes (right) and Coverdale in happier times By Steve Newton Back in May of 1989 I interviewed English guitar hero John Sykes, who you may know for his fiery fretwork on the final Thin Lizzy album, Thunder and Lightning. Two years before we did that interview Whitesnake had released its self-titled album, the one that … Continue reading That time ex-Thin Lizzy guitarist John Sykes told me about being fired from Whitesnake by David Coverdale