Category: sound and vision

Wes Craven’s 1991 horror hoot The People Under the Stairs gets collectible Blu-ray release today

By Steve Newton Scream Factory, the horror arm of the Shout! Factory home video and music company, is releasing a collector's edition Blu-ray of terror titan Wes Craven's The People Under the Stairs today.  Bonus features include: Audio Commentary With Writer/Director Wes Craven Audio Commentary With Actors Brandon Adams, A.J. Langer, Sean Whalen And Yan Birch House Mother … Continue reading Wes Craven’s 1991 horror hoot The People Under the Stairs gets collectible Blu-ray release today

Stray Cats Live at Rockpalast finds the rockabilly revivalists at their ballsy best

By Steve Newton Maybe, like me, you were lucky enough to catch the Stray Cats when they played the Commodore back in '82. Or perhaps you saw them when they were on that bill at GM Place in 2007 with the Pretenders and ZZ Top. But if you're one of those sad sacks who've never seen the Stray … Continue reading Stray Cats Live at Rockpalast finds the rockabilly revivalists at their ballsy best

Rolling Stones super-deluxe box set falls short without Keith Richards mini cut-out

By Steve Newton The Rolling Stones snubbed Vancouver when it came time to book their current Zip Code Tour, which could very well be the group's last major trek outside the nursing home. But hardcore fans who've been bawling about that omission for months now can take some comfort in the fact that the money … Continue reading Rolling Stones super-deluxe box set falls short without Keith Richards mini cut-out

Imagine all of John Lennon’s studio albums in a vinyl box set

By Steve Newton Last weekend's enormously successful Record Store Day was proof that--all around the world--vinyl is the preferred format for serious music fans in 2015. Three days after that joyous celebration of the 12-inch platter, Universal Music Canada has announced that John Lennon, arguably the greatest pop songwriter of all time, will be lauded … Continue reading Imagine all of John Lennon’s studio albums in a vinyl box set

Roger Waters to rerelease Jeff Beck-bolstered album Amused to Death

By Steve Newton Roger Waters fans—and Jeff Beck freaks—have reason to rejoice today, as Legacy Recordings has announced the reissue, in various remastered forms, of Waters' solo album Amused to Death. That was the 1992 disc that concerned itself with society's obsession with entertainment, in particular its addiction to TV. Obviously, folks' current preoccupation with screens of all … Continue reading Roger Waters to rerelease Jeff Beck-bolstered album Amused to Death

Roxy Music vinyl box offers a second shot at ’70s art-rock

By Steve Newton I wasn't the artsiest rock-music fan to grow up in Chilliwack in the seventies; there was way too much Molly Hatchet in my vinyl diet for that. But every now and then I'd venture beyond guitar-based boogie and try something a little more involved, like Roxy Music. I remember buying Stranded when it came … Continue reading Roxy Music vinyl box offers a second shot at ’70s art-rock

Good news for those who can’t get enough Bad Company

By Steve Newton If you were type of rock fan in the '70s who thought it was the end of the world when guitarist Mick Ralphs left Mott the Hoople--only to be blown away when he formed a supergroup called Bad Company with singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke (from Free) and bassist Boz … Continue reading Good news for those who can’t get enough Bad Company

Yes box set a worthy investment for hardcore fans only

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 19, 2002 By Steve Newton Boy, you sure can catch a lotta flak from the hipsters in the Straight’s editorial department by keeping a five-disc Yes boxed set sitting on your desk for a coupla days. “If I ever hear ‘Owner of a Lonely Heart’ again, it’ll be … Continue reading Yes box set a worthy investment for hardcore fans only

Rod Stewart box set captures his post-Faces hits and the odd clunker

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 19, 2002 By Steve Newton Before Rod the Mod became the kind of guy who would release a CD of golden-oldie pop standards called It Had to Be You—and then shamelessly plug it on Larry King Live—he was quite a ferocious rock crooner. Nothing will ever match the … Continue reading Rod Stewart box set captures his post-Faces hits and the odd clunker

Thin Lizzy box set is a fitting tribute to hard-rock poet Phil Lynott

I became aware of Thin Lizzy after reading a rave review of 1973’s Vagabonds of the Western World in my mag of choice at the time, Circus.

Capitol Records 60th Anniversary box gets the Newt’s noggin noddin’

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 19, 2002 By Steve Newton To celebrate 60 years in business, Capitol Records has released an ambitious, six-CD boxed set, with each disc containing 16 tunes from one particular decade, spanning the ’40s to the ’90s. Not surprisingly, some of my fave pop and rock tunes of all … Continue reading Capitol Records 60th Anniversary box gets the Newt’s noggin noddin’

Led Zeppelin’s best album, Physical Graffiti, to get deluxe box-set treatment

By Steve Newton Led Zeppelin announced the other day that it will release a super-deluxe boxed-set edition of its best album, 1975's Physical Graffiti. Fvckin-AAA! The package--newly remastered by Jimmy Page and featuring previously unreleased tracks--will hit stores on February 24, 40 years to the day after the release of the original. In case you forgot what … Continue reading Led Zeppelin’s best album, Physical Graffiti, to get deluxe box-set treatment