Category: canuck rock

Mike Downie’s epic love-letter to his brother Gord focuses on friendships, families, and fans

Stayed up till the wee hours of the morning watching the new documentary on the Tragically Hip, which started streaming on Prime Video today (September 20).

Vancouver blues-rocker Colin James injured in car accident, cancels U.S. tour dates

By Steve Newton According to that old April Wine song, "Rock N' Roll is a Vicious Game". It can be a dangerous one, too, as Colin James recently discovered. The Vancouver-based blues-rocker was injured in a car crash while on tour Sunday (Sept. 15), according to a statement posted on his Facebook page yesterday. Fortunately, … Continue reading Vancouver blues-rocker Colin James injured in car accident, cancels U.S. tour dates

Stephen King’s imagination gets the better of him as he mistakes Jeff Healey’s scary guitar licks for slide

By Steve Newton The other night as I was finishing off Stephen King's new collection of stories, You Like it Darker, the first sentence of the book's afterword caught my attention. "One day while I was taking my morning walk," writes King, "listening to the Jeff Healey Band playing 'Highway 49' and thinking of nothing … Continue reading Stephen King’s imagination gets the better of him as he mistakes Jeff Healey’s scary guitar licks for slide

Prime Video releases trailer for Mike Downie’s four-part doc The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal

By Steve Newton Today Prime Video released the official trailer for The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal, a four-part documentary directed by Mike Downie, older brother of late Hip frontman Gord Downie. The 256-minute film will premiere at this year's Toronto International Film Festival next month before its release on Prime. "Director Mike Downie assembles … Continue reading Prime Video releases trailer for Mike Downie’s four-part doc The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal

Toronto tunesmith Gary O’ rocks out on his own after penning hits for .38 Special and Molly Hatchet

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SEPT. 28, 1984 By Steve Newton Florida rockers .38 Special had a banner year in '83, but they didn't achieve it entirely on their own. Both of their hit singles, "Back Where You Belong" and "One Time for Old Times", came from the pen of Toronto tunesmith Gary O'Connor. O'Connor--or Gary 'O, … Continue reading Toronto tunesmith Gary O’ rocks out on his own after penning hits for .38 Special and Molly Hatchet

Toronto’s Urgent sets its sites on Western Canada’s more traditional rock ‘n’ roll fans

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 15, 1984 By Steve Newton "They're more traditional rock and rollers," says Urgent bassist-vocalist Doug Baynham of the Western Canadian record-buying public. "Chances are we'll even try to break out of there, if the album really picks up. "We'll probably be out there before we go anywhere else," he adds, "'cause … Continue reading Toronto’s Urgent sets its sites on Western Canada’s more traditional rock ‘n’ roll fans

Darkroom’s signing to WEA Canada helped fellow Edmonton bands get exposure too

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 18, 1983 By Steve Newton Darkroom are an Edmonton-based new-wave band comprised of singer Jim Gray, bassist Jeff Schmidt, drummer Tim Palmar, guitarist Alan Marks, and keyboardist/guitarist Wolf Radke. Early last summer the group was signed to WEA Music of Canada, and engineer Howard Steele was brought in from Los Angeles … Continue reading Darkroom’s signing to WEA Canada helped fellow Edmonton bands get exposure too

Hells yeah: the Tragically Hip to release box-set edition of breakthrough 1989 LP Up to Here

By Steve Newton When I did the first of my five interviews with Tragically Hip frontman Gord Downie, on September 28, 1989, I was pretty psyched to talk to the 25-year-old rocker. Three weeks earlier the band had released its first full-length LP, Up To Here, and I couldn't get enough of rowdy, riff-driven tunes … Continue reading Hells yeah: the Tragically Hip to release box-set edition of breakthrough 1989 LP Up to Here

Orphan plugged in to New York City’s Power Station to record new Lonely at Night album

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON OCT. 28, 1983 By Steve Newton "It's been really good," says Orphan singer-bassist Chris Burke-Gaffney of the response his band has received on their current tour with Toronto. "But," he explains over the phone from Prince George, "in a place like this, where they only have an AM station, I doubt if … Continue reading Orphan plugged in to New York City’s Power Station to record new Lonely at Night album

Randy Bachman raves about seeing Neil Young & Crazy Horse last night

By Steve Newton One of the best concerts I've ever seen was Neil Young & Crazy Horse at the Pacific Coliseum on April 17, 1991. That was seven months after the band had released its stellar album, Ragged Glory, and it was kicking major ass, with Young accompanied by rhythm guitarist Frank Sampedro, bassist Billy … Continue reading Randy Bachman raves about seeing Neil Young & Crazy Horse last night

Teenaged Victoria blues-rockers Seventh Stone tour with Big Sugar and open for Jimmie Vaughan

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JAN. 19, 1995 By Steve Newton Jerry Doucette said it best back in the ’70s when his hit boogie tune, “Mama Let Him Play”, urged parents to let their youthful offspring play some rock ’n’ roll. Fortunately for 18-year-old guitarist-vocalist Dallin Paul, his folks took this approach three years ago when he … Continue reading Teenaged Victoria blues-rockers Seventh Stone tour with Big Sugar and open for Jimmie Vaughan

The Tragically Hip have a new book coming out that might even be better than mine!

By Steve Newton The Tragically Hip has just announced that it will be releasing a book this fall titled This Is Our Life, published by the U.K.-based Genesis Publications and told through the band members' own words. It will first be made available for the hardcore Hip freaks as a deluxe hand-crafted book and record … Continue reading The Tragically Hip have a new book coming out that might even be better than mine!