By Steve Newton Marc Bonilla might be one of the greatest guitarists you've never heard of. I guess he's kind of like Joe Hodgson is today, except that Bonilla came on the scene 30 years ago. I interviewed him back in April of 1992, the year after he released an amazing all-instrumental debut album called … Continue reading That time guitar great Marc Bonilla told me how inspired he was by the playing of Ronnie Montrose

By Steve Newton Back in April of 2003 I did my first interview with pedal-steel virtuoso Robert Randolph, who was just 24 at the time. At one point in the conversation I asked him about the time five years earlier when somebody gave him a tape of Stevie Ray Vaughan, which made a huge impression … Continue reading That time Robert Randolph told me that he was inspired by the passion and soul of Stevie Ray Vaughan

By Steve Newton Most of the music news regarding the passing last month of guitar legend Leslie West has focused on his work with Mountain, and justifiably so, since that band recorded timeless tracks like "Mississippi Queen" and "Nantucket Sleighride" and "Theme for an Imaginary Western". But after Mountain produced those gems West and Mountain … Continue reading That time I asked Leslie West if he was excited to hook up with Jack Bruce in West, Bruce & Laing

By Steve Newton If you liked Black Sabbath in the seventies, you probably liked Mountain as well. Both bands were well versed in the art of the killer riff. Sabbath's Tony Iommi and Mountain's Leslie West were good buddies, as West told me during an interview in 2002. He also said that Ozzy Osbourne once … Continue reading That time Leslie West told me that Ozzy Osbourne said Mountain really turned him on to American rock

By Steve Newton Since the news hit yesterday about the death of beloved guitar legend Leslie West, accolades have been pouring in from some of the world's finest pickers. "Leslie's playing and sound was just superb," said Tony Iommi, whose band Black Sabbath used to open for West's group Mountain. "One of the GOAT," declared … Continue reading Leslie West’s absence from the Rock Hall is as shocking as the exclusion of Rory, Johnny, and Link

By Steve Newton 2020 is apparently not done taking our guitar heroes. After the devastating death of Eddie Van Halen on October 6 of this year, now we've lost another six-string legend in Leslie West. As I reported yesterday, West had been on a ventilator the last couple of days, after his heart gave out, … Continue reading Leslie West dead at 75: the Mountain man leaves a legacy of timeless guitar riffs and killer tone

By Steve Newton Fans of Leslie West should send thoughts and prayers to the American rock-guitar legend. Yesterday West's brother, Larry West Weinstein, posted on Facebook that Leslie was gravely ill and near death after his heart stopped, and that he was put on a ventilator. "I am asking for all your prayers," wrote Weinstein. … Continue reading Leslie West, guitar legend of Mountain fame, gravely ill after his heart stopped

By Steve Newton I did the first of my eight interviews with Joe Satriani back in January of 1990, when he was touring behind his awesome Flying in a Blue Dream album. As the conversation wound down I asked him if it was tricky controlling the acoustics at some venues, playing at the volume that … Continue reading That time Joe Satriani told me that he strove for a live sound worthy of Yes, Pink Floyd, and the Grateful Dead

By Steve Newton Ireland has spawned two of the greatest rock guitarists of all time in Rory Gallagher and Gary Moore. Yet for some unfathomable reason, neither of them have garnered the massive, worldwide fame their dedicated followers know is their due. In a perfect world, their names would be as recognizable as those of … Continue reading The best guitarist you’ve never heard of, Ireland’s Joe Hodgson, idolized Gallagher and Moore

By Steve Newton Tommy Shannon is perhaps best known as the bassist for Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, but dedicated blues-guitar freaks will also know him as the guy who brought the bottom end on Johnny Winter's first three albums. I interviewed Shannon back in 1998 when he was in the band Storyville, and … Continue reading That time bass legend Tommy Shannon told me who his favourite musician of all time was

By Steve Newton On August 18, 1990, I did my one and only interview with blues legend Albert King. I was very fortunate to have scored that interview, because a little over two years later he was gone. I called Albert up when he was on the road in Poughkeepsie, New York, and asked him … Continue reading That time I called up Albert King and asked how life was treatin’ him these days and he said “shit”

By Steve Newton I watched the 2016 Johnny Winter documentary, Down & Dirty, on Amazon Prime the other night. I quite enjoyed it; thought it was a fine representation of the albino blues master's remarkable career, especially his twilight years. It was a joy to see Winter undertake his final tour, playing the best he … Continue reading Johnny Winter documentary underscores the ineptitude of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame