Category: guitar heroes

That time Steve Stevens told me that Van Halen producer Ted Templeman helped him keep his sanity on Atomic Playboys

By Steve Newton Ted Templeman is one of the most successful rock-music producers in America. You could say that he is to the United States what Bruce Fairbairn was to Canada. Templeman was at the controls for such stellar albums as Montrose's self-titled debut, the Doobie Brothers' The Captain and Me, Van Morrison's Tupelo Honey, … Continue reading That time Steve Stevens told me that Van Halen producer Ted Templeman helped him keep his sanity on Atomic Playboys

Gary Moore talks covering the Yardbirds and scoring with metal while opening for Rush

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 18, 1984 By Steve Newton "I always liked the Yardbirds when I was a kid," says metal guitar-hero Gary Moore. "I was always into Jeff Beck and everything. And apart from the fact that I like the song and the guitar, the lyrics appealed to me as well because they fitted … Continue reading Gary Moore talks covering the Yardbirds and scoring with metal while opening for Rush

That time I asked Gary Rossington what happened to Allen Collins

By Steve Newton Back in 1986 I did my one and only interview with Gary Rossington, the legendary Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist who passed away yesterday at the age of 71. At the time Rossington was promoting the release of Returned to the Scene of the Crime, the debut album by his band Rossington, which also … Continue reading That time I asked Gary Rossington what happened to Allen Collins

Gary Rossington’s trusty Les Paul goes silent as Lynyrd Skynyrd’s last survivor passes on

photo by the newt By Steve Newton Sad news from the world of southern rock. Gary Rossington, the last surviving member of the original Lynyrd Skynyrd lineup, is a survivor no more. The band has announced on its Facebook page that Rossington passed away today at the age of 71. Although the cause of death … Continue reading Gary Rossington’s trusty Les Paul goes silent as Lynyrd Skynyrd’s last survivor passes on

Before he morphed into Reignwolf I asked teenaged guitarist Jordan Cook how he got into the blues

By Steve Newton Back in November of 2001 I interviewed an 18-year-old guitarist from Saskatoon named Jordan Cook. Nowadays Cook is making sizeable waves in the blues-rock world as rowdy, sweat-soaked performer Reignwolf, but back in '01 he was just touring around Canada with two teenage bandmates trying to make a name for himself. Near … Continue reading Before he morphed into Reignwolf I asked teenaged guitarist Jordan Cook how he got into the blues

That time I called up 18-year-old Derek Trucks just before he headed out on tour with Joe Satriani

By Steve Newton I did my first interview with slide-guitar legend Derek Trucks in March of 1998, when he was still just 18 years old. I called him up at his home in Jacksonville, Florida, the day before he was due in Texas to kick off a tour with Joe Satriani. He mentioned the possibility … Continue reading That time I called up 18-year-old Derek Trucks just before he headed out on tour with Joe Satriani

That time I asked Canadian fingerstyle-guitar virtuoso Don Ross how he got so good

By Steve Newton I interviewed Canadian guitar virtuoso Don Ross for the first time back in 2001, when he was touring behind his Huron Street album. Ross is the only person to win the National Fingerstyle Guitar Championship twice (1988 and 1996), so yeah, he's shit-hot. At one point in the conversation I asked him … Continue reading That time I asked Canadian fingerstyle-guitar virtuoso Don Ross how he got so good

That time Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson told me that he never had the desire to make a solo album

By Steve Newton Back in January of 1992 I interviewed Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson while his band was touring behind its Roll the Bones album. At one point in the conversation I asked Lifeson if he ever had the desire to make a solo album, and he claimed that he didn't. Guess he changed his … Continue reading That time Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson told me that he never had the desire to make a solo album

That time Mason Ruffner told me about the “special thanks” to Jimmy Page on his new Gypsy Blood album

Ruffner and Page try each other's guitars By Steve Newton I interviewed Strat-playing Texas blues-rocker Mason Ruffner back in July of 1987. At the time he was touring in support of his second album, the Dave Edmunds-produced Gypsy Blood. His music was along the same lines as his Epic Records labelmate Stevie Ray Vaughan, so I … Continue reading That time Mason Ruffner told me about the “special thanks” to Jimmy Page on his new Gypsy Blood album

That time I asked Rickey Medlocke if he and Hughie Thomasson might get to sneak a Blackfoot or Outlaws tune into Skynyrd’s set

By Steve Newton I interviewed Rickey Medlocke in 1997, the year after he'd joined Gary Rossington and Hughie Thomasson in Lynyrd Skynyrd's three-guitar lineup. While Rossington was a founding Skynyrd guitarist, and Medlocke had played drums for them in their early days, Medlocke and Thomasson had made their names in two of my other fave … Continue reading That time I asked Rickey Medlocke if he and Hughie Thomasson might get to sneak a Blackfoot or Outlaws tune into Skynyrd’s set