AC/DC Rock or Bust With the help of Langley’s Mike Fraser as engineer and mixer, the Australian hard-rock icons create a fitting follow-up to 2008’s hugely successful Black Ice album. Its first-ever album without stalwart rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young shows the band in fine, swaggering form. Pink Floyd The Endless River The prog-rock legends’ first album in … Continue reading The Newt’s top 10 albums of 2014: yep, AC/DC’s on there
Category: sound and vision
Kansas to release deluxe CD/DVD, so you can bet “Dust in the Wind” is on there
By Steve Newton One of my earliest arena-concert memories was of seeing Bad Company on the Run with the Pack Tour at Vancouver's Pacific Coliseum back in the spring of '76, I think it was. The opening act was a prog-leaning rock band from Kansas called Kansas, who I remember most because they had a … Continue reading Kansas to release deluxe CD/DVD, so you can bet “Dust in the Wind” is on there
Paul McCartney & Wings deluxe-edition box sets are pretty sweet
By Steve Newton Nineteen-seventy-five was one hell of an awesome year for rock. That was when Floyd released Wish You Were Here, Zep dropped Physical Graffiti, and Lizzy unleashed Fighting.And a band named Wings, featuring ex-Beatle Paul McCartney, joined the fray with a 13-track monster titled Venus and Mars. Man, I played the crap out of that album. From the … Continue reading Paul McCartney & Wings deluxe-edition box sets are pretty sweet
The Tragically Hip to release super-deluxe edition of the Newt’s fave Hip album
By Steve Newton When you love the Tragically Hip as much as I do—or did, anyway, back in the '90s—it's hard to pinpoint one favourite album. But let's try anyway. My alltime fave song of theirs—the one that has given me the most chills when heard either on record or live—is "Nautical Disaster", so sometimes … Continue reading The Tragically Hip to release super-deluxe edition of the Newt’s fave Hip album
Guitar legend Jeff Beck to release new concert Blu-ray next month
By Steve Newton Hey guitar freaks: get ready for the best news you've heard all week. Eagle Rock Entertainment announced today that it will release a new Jeff Beck live Blu-ray (or DVD for you neanderthals) on November 24. Live in Tokyo will features the world's greatest living rock guitarist with his new backing band of guitarist Nicolas Meier, … Continue reading Guitar legend Jeff Beck to release new concert Blu-ray next month
David Wilcox’s whimsical boogie doesn’t warrant a 63-song box set
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 9, 1993 By Steve Newton In the early ’80s David Wilcox flew onto the Canadian music scene with Out of the Woods, a debut album that was chock-full of snappy, whimsically rocking tunes that couldn’t help but infect you with their primal, blues-driven energy. Catchy tracks such as … Continue reading David Wilcox’s whimsical boogie doesn’t warrant a 63-song box set
The Return of the Manticore box set is for devoted ELP fans only
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 9, 1993 By Steve Newton As a high schooler back in ’73, I blindly purchased a copy of Emerson, Lake & Palmer’s Brain Salad Surgery, which was highly unusual for me, since the band didn’t even have a rockin’ lead guitarist and I didn’t even do drugs. Yet … Continue reading The Return of the Manticore box set is for devoted ELP fans only
Message in a Box delivers all the great tracks the Police laid down before Sting went off by himself to be boring
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 9, 1993 By Steve Newton Now here’s one band that deserves to have its recorded output compiled in one nifty boxed set. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like the Police, the pioneering Anglo-American rock trio whose adventurous melding of pop styles and sheer musical talent made its … Continue reading Message in a Box delivers all the great tracks the Police laid down before Sting went off by himself to be boring
Ashes to Diamonds box set shines with unreleased Tom Cochrane gems
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 9, 1993 By Steve Newton This three-CD box set is a real bonus for Tom Cochrane fans who enjoyed his recent hits, “Big League” and “Life Is a Highway”, but who still believe his best musical moments occurred with his former band, Red Rider. The majority of the … Continue reading Ashes to Diamonds box set shines with unreleased Tom Cochrane gems
Led Zeppelin box gets you the best of Zep on tape or CD for one nominal price
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JAN. 3, 1991 By Steve Newton So you’re all upset because over the years you’ve invested $200 into your mint collection of Led Zeppelin LPs, only to turn around and find that vinyl is going the way of the dodo. Well, quit your bawling, ’cause now you can get … Continue reading Led Zeppelin box gets you the best of Zep on tape or CD for one nominal price
George Harrison box set stirs ’70s memories and gets Conan on the case
By Steve Newton An eight-disc George Harrison box set titled The Apple Years 1968-75 was released today, for all you post-Beatles Harrison freaks out there. I probably won't run out and buy it, since I don't have a spare hundred bucks kickin' around right now, but hearing about it made me recall the Year of Our Lord, 1973. That was … Continue reading George Harrison box set stirs ’70s memories and gets Conan on the case
Rush to issue box set with previously unreleased live footage (of John Rutsey!)
By Steve Newton If you're the type of diehard Rush freak who thinks who've seen everything the band's ever put to video, get ready for this. The Canuck prog-rock legends announced today that, on November 11, they'll be releasing R40, a 10-DVD/6-Blu-ray collector's boxed set which also includes all eight songs from a show in … Continue reading Rush to issue box set with previously unreleased live footage (of John Rutsey!)
Doobie Brothers box set suffers from some Michael McDonald-penned ditties
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 9, 1999 By Steve Newton Is a band that only put out two great albums in its 30-year career justified in releasing a four-CD, 78-track boxed set? You betcha. A lot of bands that don’t have any great albums put out boxed sets. So just the fact that … Continue reading Doobie Brothers box set suffers from some Michael McDonald-penned ditties