ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SEPT. 26, 2012 By Steve Newton It must be pretty sweet being Joss Stone these days. When I hook up with the 25-year-old millionaire soul-pop superstar she’s on her cell at a café in Brussels, Belgium, where she’s doing some TV shows and concerts. The next day, Stone will be popping over … Continue reading Joss Stone says that she wants to open doors with soul and spread the music far and wide
Category: across the pond
The Alarm recruits ace producer Tony Visconti and honours its Welsh roots on Change
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 3, 1989 By Steve Newton Unlike the multitude of rock bands around today whose first and foremost goal is finding a shortcut to the bank, the Alarm is one group that sets its sights a little higher. Things like fading cultures and lost languages are important to it. That's why the … Continue reading The Alarm recruits ace producer Tony Visconti and honours its Welsh roots on Change
That time Nigel Mogg of the Quireboys told me about being the nephew of Phil Mogg from UFO
By Steve Newton Back in November of 1990 I did an interview with Nigel Mogg, bassist for the Quireboys (who were known in North America as the London Quireboys.) At the time the band was touring behind its debut album, A Bit of What You Fancy, which was a rollicking platter full of Faces-style boogie … Continue reading That time Nigel Mogg of the Quireboys told me about being the nephew of Phil Mogg from UFO
Holy ’80s flashback Batman! 16 minutes on the phone with new-wave hitmaker Nik Kershaw in 1985
By Steve Newton Yesterday I went searching around in my cherished stash of interview cassettes for something really ancient to digitize before the tape itself got so old it turned to dust. I came across an interview dated April 10, 1985, with an artist named Nik Kershaw. It was recorded on a cheapo, no-name-brand cassette, … Continue reading Holy ’80s flashback Batman! 16 minutes on the phone with new-wave hitmaker Nik Kershaw in 1985
Cook da Books join Icicle Works and Frankie Goes to Hollywood in putting Liverpool back on the musical map
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 14, 1985 By Steve Newton Liverpool, England has been producing some rather electrifying bands of late. The city that grew famous for giving the world the Beatles is back in vogue with groups like Frankies Goes to Hollywood, Icicle Works, and Cook da Books--who opened Joan Armatrading's sellout show at the … Continue reading Cook da Books join Icicle Works and Frankie Goes to Hollywood in putting Liverpool back on the musical map
Annabel Lamb gave up nursing and followed her passion to The Flame
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 29, 1984 By Steve Newton "I wanted the album to sound as though it didn't necessarily come from anywhere," says British singer Annabel Lamb about her new LP The Flame. "I didn't want it to sound like a British album and I didn't want it to sound like an American album. … Continue reading Annabel Lamb gave up nursing and followed her passion to The Flame
After touring with the Police, new-wavers Re-Flex take their politics of dancing to a smaller crowd
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 20, 1984 By Steve Newton The opening slot on tour with a band as influential and heavily exposed as the Police is one that many groups would pay a pretty penny for. An up-and-coming British band named Re-Flex, whose new LP The Politics of Dancing is on the charts worldwide, were … Continue reading After touring with the Police, new-wavers Re-Flex take their politics of dancing to a smaller crowd
Love and Rockets moves on from Tones on Tail and Bauhaus
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON DEC. 4, 1987 By Steve Newton First they were in a band called Bauhaus. Then a couple of them formed Tones on Tail. And now they're known as Love and Rockets. About the only thing that has remained constant for the British trio of Daniel Ash, David J., and Kevin Haskins has … Continue reading Love and Rockets moves on from Tones on Tail and Bauhaus
Ultravox’s Billy Currie says you get in a rock band to get yours rocks off, basically
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 24, 1984 By Steve Newton Ultravox was scheduled to play Vancouver, their drummer Warren Cann's hometown last month, but they never actually made it to this fair city. In fact, they never even made it to North America. It seems that when manager Chris Morrison visited the New York office of … Continue reading Ultravox’s Billy Currie says you get in a rock band to get yours rocks off, basically
Spandau Ballet shun rock ‘n’ roll, embrace soul to strike gold with new album True
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 18, 1983 By Steve Newton Spandau Ballet are an immensely popular British band whose third album True is currently at the number 8 position on the local Top 50 chart. Last week, before their Tuesday performance at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, I called drummer John Keeble in London and asked him … Continue reading Spandau Ballet shun rock ‘n’ roll, embrace soul to strike gold with new album True
Chris de Burgh on the making of his new Getaway album and its eerie hit “Don’t Pay the Ferryman”
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 22, 1983 By Steve Newton His ability to tell captivating stories and to combine lyrical and musical nuances with easy effectiveness is what sets Ireland's Chris de Burgh apart from a lot of today's pop singer-songwriters. On his latest album, The Getaway, De burgh weaves enchanting tales of destiny, revolt, peace, … Continue reading Chris de Burgh on the making of his new Getaway album and its eerie hit “Don’t Pay the Ferryman”
Alannah Currie says that the Thompson Twins want to make music for the whole world
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 25, 1984 By Steve Newton The last time the Thompson Twins played Vancouver they were a support act for the Police. But since that visit the British trio have hit it big with their Into the Gap album--which debuted on the U.K. charts at #1--and are now full-fledged headliners in their … Continue reading Alannah Currie says that the Thompson Twins want to make music for the whole world
Poly Styrene doc is a heartfelt study of the ’70s punk-rock icon
By Steve Newton Before I watched the documentary Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché, I had no idea who Poly Styrene was. I vaguely remember hearing about a late-'70s punk band called X-Ray Spex and their quirky single "Oh Bondage Up Yours!", but I had no clue about the band's extraordinarily unique singer. Now I'm … Continue reading Poly Styrene doc is a heartfelt study of the ’70s punk-rock icon