By Steve Newton British author and music historian Richard Houghton just sent me an autographed copy of his new hardcover book, Thin Lizzy: A People’s History, and man does it look awesome. I haven’t read it yet, but what I can tell you is that it brings together memories of that amazing band from hundreds … Continue reading Thin Lizzy: A People’s History celebrates one of the greatest rock bands of all time
By Steve Newton Back in May of 1989 I interviewed British guitar great John Sykes, who was promoting the debut album by his power trio Blue Murder. Six years earlier Sykes had played on Thunder and Lightning, the final studio album by Thin Lizzy. So at one point in the conversation I asked him rather … Continue reading That time I asked John Sykes if he thought Thunder and Lightning ranked among the best of the Thin Lizzy albums
By Steve Newton Today I received a press release from Kayos Productions regarding an upcoming CD/DVD by one of my all-time favourite bands. The promo material started off like this: “With their driving hooks, twin lead guitars, lyrics saturated in working-class lore, and the charismatic presence of singer, songwriter, and bassist Phil Lynott, Thin Lizzy … Continue reading Phil Lynott and Thin Lizzy freaks get a primo double-shot with new concert/documentary package
By Steve Newton I interviewed John Sykes back in May of 1989, one month after the release of the self-titled debut album by Blue Murder, the power trio he put together with bassist Tony Franklin and drummer Carmine Appice. At one point in the conversation I asked the former Tygers of Pan Tang and Whitesnake … Continue reading That time Blue Murder’s John Sykes told me that Phil Lynott took him under his wing in Thin Lizzy
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
By Steve Newton I remember buying the Styx album The Grand Illusion when it came out back in 1977, but they were never one of my favourite bands. I enjoyed a few of their more rockin’ tunes (“Too Much Time on My Hands”, “Blue Collar Man [Long Nights]”), but there was also something about them–a … Continue reading That time Styx guitarist James Young told me about getting drunk with Thin Lizzy’s Phil Lynott
By Steve Newton The wicked guitar solos cranked out over the years by the various Thin Lizzy guitarists–Eric Bell, Scott Gorham, Brian Robertson, Gary Moore, Snowy White, and John Sykes–are many. But I’ve got a few faves. Definitely in my Top 10 is Robertson’s 30-second solo from “Don’t Believe a Word”, the best track on … Continue reading Brian Robertson’s wicked solo from Thin Lizzy’s “Don’t Believe a Word” played on harmonica
By Steve Newton Back in May of 1984 I did my one and only interview with Gary Moore, who’s one of my all-time favourite guitarists. Man that guy could play. I called him up in Reno, where he was touring with Rush. The previous summer he’d toured with Def Leppard after they released their breakthrough … Continue reading That time I asked Gary Moore why he thought Def Leppard got so huge so fast, unlike Thin Lizzy
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 9, 2006 By Steve Newton When the Straight tracks down Mahones singer-songwriter Finny McConnell on his cellphone in Toronto, he’s at the corner of Bloor and Yonge, on his way to pick up a van for some weekend gigs in Quebec. He’s just back from hanging out with … Continue reading The Mahones’ Finny McConnell on seeing the Pogues in Las Vegas and getting into Thin Lizzy anywhere
Robertson (left) in Motörhead By Steve Newton Back in June of 1983 I interviewed guitarist “Fast” Eddie Clarke when his band, Fastway, opened for Iron Maiden in Vancouver, along with Saxon. Clarke had quit his previous group, Motörhead, the year before, so I asked him what he thought of his replacement, former Thin Lizzy guitarist … Continue reading That time I asked “Fast” Eddie Clarke what he thought of Motörhead’s new guitarist Brian Robertson
By Steve Newton One of the biggest concert thrills of my life was seeing an on-fire Gary Moore playing guitar with Thin Lizzy when they warmed up for Styx in Vancouver on October 12, 1978. After Lizzy’s astounding set I encountered Scott Gorham hanging out in front of a concession, having a smoke, listening to … Continue reading That time I asked Gary Moore why he’d been in and out of Thin Lizzy so many times
By Steve Newton I’ve just been watching the TV news, and apparently there’s quite an uproar among Celine Dion fans because she wasn’t included in Rolling Stone‘s new list of “The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.” Well, here’s another uproar for ya: why the hell isn’t Phil Lynott’s name on the list? You know, … Continue reading Rolling Stone shockingly omits Phil Lynott from its Top 200 singers list. And Paul Rodgers too!
By Steve Newton Concrete Blonde were a pretty great L.A. rock band from the mid-’80s. I interviewed singer, bassist, and main songwriter Johnette Napolitano back in June of 1990, three weeks after the release of the group’s most popular album, 1990’s Bloodletting, which featured the hit “Joey”. That album was produced with Chris Tsangarides, who’d … Continue reading That time I asked Johnette Napolitano about Concrete Blonde covering Thin Lizzy
