ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, FEB. 12, 1988 By Steve Newton Die-hard McCartney fans whose record collections aren’t already jammed with his solo and Wings projects may want to consider this two-album set featuring the biggest hits (but not necessarily best songs) of the “cutest” Beatle. When McCartney is in prime songwriting form he can still … Continue reading Album review: Paul McCartney, All the Best (1987)
By Steve Newton Nineteen-seventy-five was one hell of an awesome year for rock. That was when Floyd released Wish You Were Here, Zep dropped Physical Graffiti, and Lizzy unleashed Fighting.And a band named Wings, featuring ex-Beatle Paul McCartney, joined the fray with a 13-track monster titled Venus and Mars. Man, I played the crap out of that album. From the … Continue reading Paul McCartney & Wings deluxe-edition box sets are pretty sweet
photo by rebecca blissett ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, NOV. 26, 2012 By Steve Newton Pretty well all of the world’s biggest pop and rock acts have played Vancouver since the ’60s. The Rolling Stones, the Who, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, U2, Guns N’ Roses—our city has played host to … Continue reading Paul McCartney leaves Vancouver’s Beatles fans with little to complain about
By Steve Newton Groundworks Marketing announced today that a new Paul McCartney tribute album will be released on November 17, and that it will feature some of my fave artists from the seventies, including Alice Cooper, Steve Miller, Heart, Bad Company’s Paul Rodgers, Montrose‘s Sammy Hagar, the Who’s Roger Daltrey, and Cheap Trick’s Robin Zander and … Continue reading The Art of McCartney boasts ’70s rockers Heart, Steve Miller, Sammy Hagar, and the Coop
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, AUG. 28, 1997 By Steve Newton Back in the late ’60s, British blues-rock crooner Paul Rodgers wrapped his gravel ’n’ honey vocals around a simple, bludgeoning Paul Kossoff guitar riff and rock history was made. Twenty-seven years after its release, Free’s “All Right Now” has joined an elite club … Continue reading For Paul Rodgers, everything stems from playing live
I’ve always enjoy asking guitar heroes which players they’d most like to jam with if they could pick anyone, living or dead. And the last one I interviewed, George Thorogood, had a pretty interesting bucket list. “Well you can’t jam with Robert Johnson ’cause he didn’t need anybody,” replied the 64-year-old blues-rocker. And I can’t jam with Elmore … Continue reading George Thorogood wants to rock with McCartney and play the blues with Dylan
By Steve Newton Remember when the last track on an album would finish and you’d wish the music would just never end? Me too. “All Right Now” (Fire and Water, Free, 1970) “American Girl” (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, 1976) “Another Star” (Songs in the Key of Life, Stevie Wonder, … Continue reading The 70 greatest closing tracks of the ’70s
By Steve Newton Remember how you’d set the needle down on the opening track of a new rock album and the first tune would just blow you the funk away? Me too. “(Ain’t Nothin’ But a) House Party” (Bloodshot, J. Geils Band, 1973) “All the Way From Memphis” (Mott, Mott the Hoople, 1973) “Already Gone” … Continue reading The 70 greatest opening tracks of the ’70s
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 23, 1988 By Steve Newton Horror is big stuff nowadays. Why, just flick your TV on any night and chances are you’ll come across War of the Worlds, Monsters, Tales from the Dark Side, or Freddy’s Nightmares. Walk into most any video store and you just might find … Continue reading Clive Barker on making movies, writing books, and the state of horror in 1988
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, APRIL 18, 1986 By Steve Newton The Everly Brothers’ second “comeback” album is a worthy successor to their first, EB84. The latter album sported a nice hit single written by Paul McCartney (“On the Wings of a Nightingale”), and once more Phil and Don have carefully chosen other people’s … Continue reading Album review: The Everly Brothers, Born Yesterday (1986)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 11, 1987 By Steve Newton Remember that neat movie from 1970, The Magic Christian, which starred Peter Sellers and Ringo Starr and was a cutting farce on the lengths people would go to to get money? And remember that film’s nifty theme song, “Come and Get It”, which sounded like … Continue reading Badfinger’s Joey Molland on working with the Beatles and dealing with the fallout of suicide
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 13, 1987 By Steve Newton What scares you? Spiders? Sharp knives? The dentist? The threat of nuclear holocaust? Count me in on all the above, and add another: Clive Barker’s writing. Like Count Floyd used to say: “It’s scary stuff, kids!” At 35, Clive Barker is being touted … Continue reading Horror superstar Clive Barker on having the world by the balls at 35
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)
Aerosmith: Honkin’ on Bobo (2004) Eric Clapton: Me and Mr. Johnson (2004) Jimi Hendrix: Axis Outtakes (2003) ZZ Top: Mescalero (2003) Nickelback: The Long Road (2003) Joe Jackson Band: Volume 4 (2003) Led Zeppelin: How the West Was Won (2003) Yardbirds: Birdland (2003) Jimmy Thackery: Guitar (2003) Various Artists: We’re a Happy Family, A Tribute … Continue reading album reviews
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JULY 18, 1986 By Steve Newton The Legends of Rock and Roll series, which takes place Sundays at the Expo Theatre, has had some pretty dismal moments so far. But with acts like The Ventures, Chuck Berry, and Ray Charles still to come, the token appearances of people like … Continue reading The Everly Brothers get legendary in Vancouver with the help of guitar great Albert Lee
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, DEC. 11, 2013 By Steve Newton Whatever happened to the Gangnam style? Gov’t Mule Shout! Mule fans got a double dose of their favourite southern-flavoured blues/jam-rock outfit this time around, as all 11 tracks on Shout! were rerecorded on a second disc with a stellar cast of guest singers, including Ben Harper, … Continue reading Newt’s Top 10 albums of 2013
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 13, 1985 By Steve Newton Long John Baldry is a giant among British blues-rockers–and that’s not only because he stands 6 feet 7-1/2 inches tall. In his 26-year career the singer has played with stars such as Mick jagger, Rod Stewart, and Elton John, among many others, and … Continue reading Long John Baldry on Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, David Bowie–and Dale Martindale of Images in Vogue
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, AUG. 5, 1983 By Steve Newton Formed in 1975 by Kevin DuBrow and the late Randy Rhoads (who died in a plane crash last year while a member of the Ozzy Osbourne band), Quiet Riot were one of the leading Los Angeles rock bands during the late seventies. Boasting … Continue reading Rudy Sarzo on Randy Rhoads, life after Ozzy, and the return of Quiet Riot
