ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JUNE 17, 1997 By Steve Newton Anyone who’s been listening to mainstream rock radio lately has likely heard “The Freshmen”, a pretty little ballad by the Verve Pipe that seems based on the singer’s poignant recollections of indelible collegiate relationships. But as “The Freshmen” creator Brian Vander Ark explains … Continue reading Brian Vander Ark says everyone in the Verve Pipe loves Talking Heads
Category: american made
Something I wrote after the death of the Beat Farmers’ Country Dick Montana, who might be my dad
photo by kevin statham ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 16, 1995 By Steve Newton On Halloween day in 1987, I did my first interview with Country Dick Montana of the Beat Farmers. At the time, the big, bearded mountain of a man was looking forward to an All Hallows’ Eve gig in “some giant airplane hanger–type … Continue reading Something I wrote after the death of the Beat Farmers’ Country Dick Montana, who might be my dad
Shock-rocker Dukey Flyswatter invites horror fans to park in the Haunted Garage
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 20, 1992 By Steve Newton Screamin’ Jay Hawkins was probably the first artist to bring together elements of horror and rock ’n’ roll. Back in the late ’50s and early ’60s, he would open his concerts by rising from a coffin and letting loose with a blood-curdling scream. Alice Cooper took … Continue reading Shock-rocker Dukey Flyswatter invites horror fans to park in the Haunted Garage
Wayne Toups says Zydecajun’s foot-stompin’ music is universal
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MARCH 19, 1991 By Steve Newton People initially pick up musical instruments for all kinds of reasons. For singer/accordionist Wayne Toups, it was jealousy of an older brother’s musical abilities that caused him to pick up the multi-buttoned squeeze-box in the first place. But he laughs about that inspiration … Continue reading Wayne Toups says Zydecajun’s foot-stompin’ music is universal
Tim McConnell takes a down-to-earth approach to making music on the Havalinas’ debut album
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON FEB. 7, 1991 By Steve Newton When I interviewed the Havalinas I lucked out by procuring a ten-page promo package that gave me the facts on the members’ early days in bands like the Rockats, the Plugz, and the Cruzados, and explained the origin of the group’s name (they’re named after the … Continue reading Tim McConnell takes a down-to-earth approach to making music on the Havalinas’ debut album
Michael Penn talks lyrical inspiration, four-track recording, and his debut album March
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JULY 5, 1990 By Steve Newton As long as you keep the channel-changer handy for the first frightening sign of Michael Williams, Kim Clarke Champniss, or Rap City, flicking on MuchMusic is sometimes worth the trouble. Once in a while you come across a heavily rotated video that catches … Continue reading Michael Penn talks lyrical inspiration, four-track recording, and his debut album March
Dave Gonzalez says the Paladins are at their best when pared down
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JAN. 17, 1991 By Steve Newton When Paladins guitarist Dave Gonzales called snowbound Vancouver last week, yours truly wasn’t in a cheery mood—and it had nothing to do with the frosty mounds of white stuff entombing his car. The TV news was broadcasting live press conferences with Iraq’s foreign … Continue reading Dave Gonzalez says the Paladins are at their best when pared down
That time I called up Mojo Nixon and Country Dick Montana and we aced the art of the speakerphone
By Steve Newton Today I posted the 300th audio recording on my Patreon page, and I wanted it to be something special. So I looked around in my cassette stash and found a tape from March of 1993 that included my interview with Mojo Nixon and Country Dick Montana. At the time they were touring … Continue reading That time I called up Mojo Nixon and Country Dick Montana and we aced the art of the speakerphone
That time I asked Bill Davis of Dash Rip Rock how he felt about opening for the Cramps
By Steve Newton Dash Rip Rock were an awesome cowpunk trio from New Orleans. Actually, hold on...I just checked Wikipedia, and it looks like they're still around, so... ...let me just say that Dash Rip Rock are an awesome cowpunk band from New Orleans. I interviewed singer-guitarist Bill Davis back in March of 1992, when … Continue reading That time I asked Bill Davis of Dash Rip Rock how he felt about opening for the Cramps
That time NRBQ’s Terry Adams told me that the music is always best when it’s surprising
By Steve Newton Back in August of 1997 I did my first interview with NRBQ keyboardist-vocalist Terry Adams. His quartet--one of the world's greatest live rock 'n' roll bands--was headed to Vancouver for a gig at a short-lived venue called The Gate. As the conversation was winding down I asked Adams about his penchant for … Continue reading That time NRBQ’s Terry Adams told me that the music is always best when it’s surprising
John Doe describes X as “a rock and roll band that loves songs”
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON FEB. 3, 1984 By Steve Newton "They were so close it was scary," claims X bassist John Doe of the near-identical musician's ads he and guitarist Billy Zoom ran in a Los Angeles paper back in 1979. The eerie similarity of the two advertisements brought the players quickly together, and after meeting … Continue reading John Doe describes X as “a rock and roll band that loves songs”
That time Buddy Cage told me about replacing Jerry Garcia in New Riders of the Purple Sage
By Steve Newton I interviewed New Riders of the Purple Sage pedal-steel player Buddy Cage back in November of 2006. I got into that band back in the seventies when they had a reefer-ready radio hit called "Panama Red", which featured some pretty sweet pedal-steel from Cage. Buddy Cage was the guy who replaced Jerry … Continue reading That time Buddy Cage told me about replacing Jerry Garcia in New Riders of the Purple Sage
That time I told Bill Elm that I wished Friends of Dean Martinez had recorded Santo & Johnny’s “Sleepwalk”
By Steve Newton I usually write about loud rock and roll music, but every once in a while I get turned on to something else. Back in September of 1995 I interviewed Bill Elm, lap-steel guitarist for the instrumental group Friends of Dean Martinez. The band was formed in Tucson, Arizona as an experimental side-project by … Continue reading That time I told Bill Elm that I wished Friends of Dean Martinez had recorded Santo & Johnny’s “Sleepwalk”