By Steve Newton Back in June of 1988 Tesla frontman Jeff Keith called me up from his home in Sacramento in advance of his band's Canadian tour with Def Leppard. Early in the interview I asked Keith what the group had been up to since releasing its debut album, Mechanical Resonance, a year and a … Continue reading That time Jeff Keith called me up and told me what Tesla had been up to since releasing its debut album
Category: american made
Animotion looks past current “Obsession” in hopes of avoiding one-hit wonder status
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 5, 1985 By Steve Newton "The first time I heard it I knew it would be a hit," says Animotion drummer Frenchy O'Brien, speaking of the group's smash debut single, "Obsession". The tune was originally recorded by its writers, Michael Des Barres and Holly Knight, for the movie A Night in … Continue reading Animotion looks past current “Obsession” in hopes of avoiding one-hit wonder status
That time Night Ranger’s Jack Blades called me up from ZZ Top’s Eliminator tour with fresh memories of scorpion hell
By Steve Newton Night Ranger bassist-vocalist and main songwriter Jack Blades called me up from a truck stop in New Mexico back on January 13, 1984. At the time--two months before the band released its big hit "Sister Christian"--Night Ranger was opening for ZZ Top on the hugely successful Eliminator Tour, with sold-out shows all … Continue reading That time Night Ranger’s Jack Blades called me up from ZZ Top’s Eliminator tour with fresh memories of scorpion hell
Drivin’ n’ Cryin’s Kevn Kinney took the “i” out of his name when he was a punk rocker
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 9, 1989 By Steve Newton Kevn Kinney is the lead vocalist, chief songwriter, and coguitarist for Atlanta, Georgia's Drivin' n' Cryin', but he's as surprised as anyone that he's even ended up in a band. As he explained to me from Oklahoma City last week, Kinney was the odd man out … Continue reading Drivin’ n’ Cryin’s Kevn Kinney took the “i” out of his name when he was a punk rocker
That time I asked House of Lords singer James Christian if there was a lot of pressure living up to Gene “Moneybags” Simmons’ hype
By Steve Newton I interviewed House of Lords frontman James Christian back in November of 1988, when the band was enthusiastically hyping its new, self-titled debut LP. The quintet--which also featured keyboardist Gregg Giuffria from Angel--was signed to Gene Simmons' own label, Simmons Records, so there was a big promotional push on the album. At … Continue reading That time I asked House of Lords singer James Christian if there was a lot of pressure living up to Gene “Moneybags” Simmons’ hype
Laura Branigan says the real essence of her music is the emotion
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 19, 1983 By Steve Newton Laura Branigan's appearance at the recent Superfest '83 concert in Empire Stadium was one of the brightest spots of that ill-fated event. I spoke to the New York singer--whose hit single "Gloria' became a #1 chartbuster in the U.S. last year--just before her visit to Vancouver. … Continue reading Laura Branigan says the real essence of her music is the emotion
John Oates plugs new Hall & Oates book, says things could be worse for pop music’s most successful duo
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON DEC. 7, 1984 By Steve Newton With some 40 million records sold worldwide, Daryl Hall and John Oates are probably the most popular duo in contemporary music. In 13 years the two have garnered nine gold and five platinum albums, with their songs topping not only pop, but adult contemporary, R&B, and … Continue reading John Oates plugs new Hall & Oates book, says things could be worse for pop music’s most successful duo
James Ingram on backing up Ray Charles, working with Quincy Jones, and his new hit single “Yah Mo B There”
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON DEC. 23, 1983 By Steve Newton In 1981 Quincy Jones' album The Dude received a record 12 Grammy nominations and became one of the most consistently impressive LPs ever made. The singer on three of The Dude's tunes--the funky title track and romantic ballads "Just Once" and "One Hundred Years"--was a fellow … Continue reading James Ingram on backing up Ray Charles, working with Quincy Jones, and his new hit single “Yah Mo B There”
Tanya Tucker isn’t ashamed to tell anybody that she’s a country singer
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MARCH 4, 1983 By Steve Newton Although only 24, singer/actress Tanya Tucker has already spent half her life in the fast lane of the entertainment business. And the title of her latest album, Changes, is a testimony to what she has gone through since stepping into the spotlight at … Continue reading Tanya Tucker isn’t ashamed to tell anybody that she’s a country singer
That time I asked Steve Earle if he thought the United States would ever live down the invasion of Iraq
By Steve Newton I've interviewed Steve Earle six times between 1987 and 2012, because I think he's one of the greatest singer-songwriters of all time. The last time I chatted with him he was touring behind his 14th studio album, I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive, which included the song "Little Emperor", a … Continue reading That time I asked Steve Earle if he thought the United States would ever live down the invasion of Iraq
Steve Earle says that he makes an embarrassing amount of money for a borderline Marxist
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 6, 2012 By Steve Newton The itinerary for Steve Earle’s North American summer tour isn’t quite what you’d expect for a singer-songwriter of his legendary status. Of the 39 dates that span May 31 to August 26, no less than 14 occur in B.C. and Alberta, including such unglamorous venues as … Continue reading Steve Earle says that he makes an embarrassing amount of money for a borderline Marxist
That time I asked Ed Roland if he was shocked by the massive popularity of Collective Soul’s current hit, “Shine”
By Steve Newton Back in June of 1994 Collective Soul frontman Ed Roland called me up from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. At the time his band was touring behind its debut album, Hints Allegations, and Things Left Unsaid, which opened with the riff-driven, five-minute guitar opus "Shine". That song would claim the top spot on the … Continue reading That time I asked Ed Roland if he was shocked by the massive popularity of Collective Soul’s current hit, “Shine”
Chaka Khan says you have to follow your heart, and trust it
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 24, 2022 By Steve Newton On the phone from her home in Santa Monica, Chaka Khan ponders the question of when she first discovered her love of music. It doesn't take her long to decide that she can't remember, exactly. "I must have been born with that," she says. "I think … Continue reading Chaka Khan says you have to follow your heart, and trust it