ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JAN. 17, 1985 By Steve Newton “People who can’t dig the blues, they must have a hole in the soul.” That’s how veteran bluesman Jimmy Rogers puts it–and he oughta know. For many years Rogers played guitar behind one of the most admired and influential figures in the genre, Muddy Waters. Muddy … Continue reading Former Muddy Waters guitarist Jimmy Rogers brings real blues to the Yale
@shotbykevin By Steve Newton I used to love the Scorpions–especially back in the early ’80s around the time of the Blackout album. The band was also a hoot to watch in concert, because Rudolf Schenker was a total maniac. That guy rocked! I interviewed him in February of 1991, when the band was touring behind … Continue reading That time Rudolf Schenker told me about the Scorps playing at Roger Waters’ The Wall–Live in Berlin
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
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
By Steve Newton I first heard Snowy White when he became the coguitarist in one of my favourite all-time bands, Thin Lizzy. He shared the six-string duties with Scott Gorham on the early-’80s albums Chinatown and Renegade, which weren’t my fave Lizzy discs. And I’d actually preferred the guitar-work of previous Lizzy pickers Gary Moore, … Continue reading God bless Snowy White’s guitar licks on his live version of Peter Green’s “Slabo Day”
crappy iPhone photos by the Newt By Steve Newton I’ve seen Roger Waters in concert a few times–although never with Pink Floyd, I hate to say. The first time was in June of 2007 at Vancouver’s GM Place on his Dark Side of the Moon Tour. Then I saw him in December of 2010 at the … Continue reading Roger Waters brings the best of Pink Floyd to Vancouver
Team America: World Police screens at the Rio By Steve Newton MONDAY: final day of the City of Vancouver’s annual Festival of Lights, a winter wonderland featuring more than one million lights decorating 15 acres of VanDusen Botanical Garden. Goes good with hot chocolate. MONDAY TO FRIDAY: Canyon Lights at North Vancouver’s Capilano Suspension Bridge … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 things to do in Metro Vancouver this week, January 2 to 6
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 20, 1990 By Steve Newton With such a hodgepodge of guest artists—acts as varied as Sinead O’Connor and the Scorpions, Bryan Adams and James Galway—it seemed quite likely that Roger Waters’s new live recording of The Wall would turn out as a disjointed, hit-and-miss project. But despite the … Continue reading Album review: Roger Waters, The Wall Live in Berlin (1990)
White Reaper plays the Rickshaw By Steve Newton FRIDAY: eight-piece Vancouver band Zappostrophe’ performs favourites and lesser-known works from Frank Zappa’s eclectic recordings at Frankie’s Jazz. Remember: don’t eat the yellow snow. FRIDAY: comedian, writer, and actor Tim Dillon performs standup at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre as part of Just For Laughs Vancouver. Just try … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 things to do in Metro Vancouver this weekend, Feb. 24-26
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, APRIL 24, 2003 By Steve Newton When you talk about the Winnipeg music scene, one name that tends to crop up repeatedly is Big Dave McLean. He’s a fixture of the city’s blues joints who’s been championed for years by the likes of Colin James. But Brent Parkin is … Continue reading Brent Parkin has worked the Winnipeg blues beat longer than Big Dave McLean
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 6, 1993 By Steve Newton Last Saturday night (July 31) wasn’t Vancouver’s warmest evening on record, but the heat inside the Lunatic Fringe sure made you wonder. The club’s air-conditioning had broken down two nights before, so management lugged out a couple of huge fans to keep the temperature down, but … Continue reading Annihilator tones down the thrash on new CD but still cranks up the heat on stage
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SEPT. 7, 1984 By Steve Newton After leaving his band of four years, Rainbow, Roger Glover is back again with the original lineup of seventies supergroup Deep Purple. Glover supplied the bottom end for Purple on such powerful tunes as “Smoke On the Water” and “Highway Star”, but often had to stand … Continue reading Roger Glover plugs new solo album Mask, keeps mum about Deep Purple reunion
By Steve Newton Deep Purple was one of my favourite bands in the seventies, so it was a real kick to finally interview Ian Gillan in 2006, when he called me up from a tour stop in Buffalo, en route to a gig in Vancouver. He was promoting his star-studded Gillan’s Inn album, a celebration … Continue reading Deep Purple singer Ian Gillan celebrates 40 years at the mike with the star-studded Gillan’s Inn
