Album review: Jethro Tull: The Jethro Tull Christmas Album (2003)

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 11, 2003 By Steve Newton Despite its title, this is not your typical Christmas recording. There are no “Jingle Bells” or “Frosty the Snowman”, although there is a jazzy instrumental version of “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”. British prog-rock veterans Jethro Tull choose mainly to integrate classic holiday … Continue reading Album review: Jethro Tull: The Jethro Tull Christmas Album (2003)

Jethro Tull guitarist Martin Barre on the legacy of Aqualung

By Steve Newton Legendary rock guitarist Martin Barre of Jethro Tull fame was touring B.C. in July with a crack band, performing the Aqualung album in its entirety. He called me from a friend’s house near Nanaimo and filled me in on the tour. SN: First off I wanted to ask a little bit about Aqualung, … Continue reading Jethro Tull guitarist Martin Barre on the legacy of Aqualung

Jethro Tull guitarist Martin Barre says it’s “outrageous” that Johnny Winter isn’t in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

go Johnny, go! By Steve Newton A couple months ago I interviewed legendary rock guitarist Martin Barre, best known for his work on all of Jethro Tull‘s top albums and hits. At one point in the conversation we got to talking about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which has famously refused to induct … Continue reading Jethro Tull guitarist Martin Barre says it’s “outrageous” that Johnny Winter isn’t in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

I freakin’ love Uriah Heep’s live version of “Circus” with Ian Anderson on flute

By Steve Newton I was just searching around on YouTube for Uriah Heep‘s “Magician’s Birthday”, ’cause I needed a music-from-high-school fix, when I came across a concert video I’d never seen before, posted on the UriahHeepNetwork channel. It shows the band performing what is probably my favourite Heep song, the beautiful “Circus”, off the Sweet … Continue reading I freakin’ love Uriah Heep’s live version of “Circus” with Ian Anderson on flute

That time Ratt’s Robbin Crosby told me that Jethro Tull winning the metal Grammy in ’89 was “bullshit’

By Steve Newton Few award presentations in the history of rock music have caused as much controversy as the one that took place at the Grammys back on February 6, 1989. That was when Jethro Tull‘s Crest of a Knave album won the Grammy for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance, shockingly beating out the odds-on favourite, … Continue reading That time Ratt’s Robbin Crosby told me that Jethro Tull winning the metal Grammy in ’89 was “bullshit’

That time I asked Ian Anderson how Jethro Tull’s show went last night and it took him a while to answer

By Steve Newton I did my second interview with Jethro Tull mainman Ian Anderson in October of 1992, a month after the band had released its live album A Little Light Music. When I called him up in L.A. I asked him how the show had gone there the previous night, but he’s not the … Continue reading That time I asked Ian Anderson how Jethro Tull’s show went last night and it took him a while to answer

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 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

Looks like my old buddy Ferg got to see Van Halen with David Lee Roth

By Steve Newton After more than 40 years as a professional music writer, lord knows I’ve seen a lot of concerts. But one of the bands I really regret not seeing live was Van Halen with David Lee Roth. Oh sure, I saw them with Sammy Hagar a few times–at Vancouver’s BC Place Stadium in … Continue reading Looks like my old buddy Ferg got to see Van Halen with David Lee Roth

Rock Hall finally inducts Link Wray, can Johnny Winter and Rory Gallagher be far behind?

By Steve Newton After ten years of my complaining about Link Wray not being in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the boneheads who run the high-falutin’ joint in Cleveland finally caved and decided to induct him, in the “musical influence” division. It’s about freakin’ time. Wray, who pretty well invented the raunchy guitar … Continue reading Rock Hall finally inducts Link Wray, can Johnny Winter and Rory Gallagher be far behind?

Corey Hart garners compliments from Billy Joel and Eric Clapton as new single “Sunglasses at Night” hits the charts

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 4, 1984 By Steve Newton Gazing out the 32nd-floor window of his Denman Inn suite onto an early West End evening, 22-year-old Corey Hart seems happy and at ease with himself. And well he should be. Eastern Canada’s answer to Bryan Adams, Hart is a singer/songwriter with enough talent and time … Continue reading Corey Hart garners compliments from Billy Joel and Eric Clapton as new single “Sunglasses at Night” hits the charts

Eddie Van Halen’s favourite AC/DC album was Powerage

By Steve Newton I’ve long held the opinion that AC/DC’s Powerage is their best album. Keith Richards agrees, and he knows a thing or two about rockin’. And more importantly, Malcolm Young himself has named Powerage as Number One. When I met Young backstage after an AC/DC show in Vancouver back in 2001 I mentioned that … Continue reading Eddie Van Halen’s favourite AC/DC album was Powerage

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