ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 19, 1982 By Steve Newton The formation of the Hughes/Thrall band is somewhat of a marriage made in heaven for heavy-rock fanatics. Glenn Hughes, it will be remembered, was an essential driving force to the latter-day Deep Purple. His bass and vocal abilities highlighted the red-hot Burn and Stormbringer albums, … Continue reading Album review: Hughes/Thrall Band, Hughes/Thrall (1982)
Album review: .38 Special, Special Forces (1982)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JUNE 4, 1982 By Steve Newton Last year's Wild Eyed Southern Boys was a tough act to follow, but southern rockers .38 Special have come back strong with another album chock-full of heavy boogie numbers. Special Forces contains only two songs that aren't dominated by the slick, bluesy guitar … Continue reading Album review: .38 Special, Special Forces (1982)
Album review: Scorpions, Blackout (1982)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JUNE 4, 1982 By Steve Newton The cover art of Scorpions' new album Blackout is really quite shocking. Created by Austrian painter Gottfried Helnwein, it shows a mustachioed young man with his head completely bandaged and two steel forks protruding from the white cloth at his temples, curling menacingly into … Continue reading Album review: Scorpions, Blackout (1982)
That time Dickey Betts told me how sweet the buses were that the Allman Brothers toured in
By Steve Newton Hey, how about another audio excerpt from an old interview I did with one of my fave guitarists, Dickey Betts? Back in 1992 I was talkin' to Dickey about the Allmans' latest album, An Evening With the Allman Brothers Band: First Set. The disc's cover photo, taken by the inimitable Kirk West, … Continue reading That time Dickey Betts told me how sweet the buses were that the Allman Brothers toured in
Alice Cooper on horror, censorship, and battling the PMRC with Raise Your Fist and Yell
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 18, 1987 By Steve Newton I bought Alice Cooper's Killer album last month. That's right, I'm 30 years old, and I went out and laid down $8.99 for the record with "Dead Babies" on it. Now some people might think: "How immature. Doesn't the guy have any taste?" … Continue reading Alice Cooper on horror, censorship, and battling the PMRC with Raise Your Fist and Yell
Album review: Aerosmith, Honkin’ on Bobo (2004)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, APRIL 8, 2004 By Steve Newton The concept behind Honkin’ on Bobo—of Boston hard-rock legends Aerosmith recording an all-blues album—is enough to get any fan of ’70s guitar-boogie in a lather. (And if it doesn’t, the CD booklet’s close-up shot of some babe’s sexy midriff with a harmonica stuffed … Continue reading Album review: Aerosmith, Honkin’ on Bobo (2004)
Newt’s Top 10 albums of 2017
By Steve Newton Welcome to the old-rocker department. You won’t find much in the hip-and-happening realm here, but it’s not all about the kids, ya know. Gregg Allman Southern Blood One of the hardest-hitting musician deaths this year was southern-rock legend Gregg Allman’s passing in May of complications from liver cancer. But he left his millions … Continue reading Newt’s Top 10 albums of 2017
Album review: Eric Clapton, Me and Mr. Johnson (2004)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, APRIL 22, 2004 By Steve Newton Ten years ago, Eric Clapton issued an astounding love letter to the blues titled From the Cradle, which featured some of his most fiery electric-guitar work since the Derek and the Dominos days. Apart from two overdubs, the 16-track CD was a live, … Continue reading Album review: Eric Clapton, Me and Mr. Johnson (2004)
Badfinger’s Joey Molland on working with the Beatles and dealing with the fallout of suicide
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON DEC. 11, 1987 By Steve Newton Remember that neat movie from 1970, The Magic Christian, which starred Peter Sellers and Ringo Starr and was a cutting farce on the lengths people would go to to get money? And remember that film's nifty theme song, "Come and Get It", which sounded like the Beatles but … Continue reading Badfinger’s Joey Molland on working with the Beatles and dealing with the fallout of suicide
Newt’s Rock Hall inducts Motörhead, T. Rex, Free, the MC5, Humble Pie, and the J. Geils Band
By Steve Newton In yesterday's blog denouncing the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's continued refusal to induct Link Wray, I mentioned that today I planned to induct six acts into Newt's Rock Hall, to keep up with the Joneses (a.k.a. that other, crappier Hall in Cleveland). And since I don't like to disappoint people, … Continue reading Newt’s Rock Hall inducts Motörhead, T. Rex, Free, the MC5, Humble Pie, and the J. Geils Band
Link Wray loses to Bon Jovi as the Rock Hall’s uncanny ineptness soars
By Steve Newton If you're a fan of real rock 'n' roll you've probably already heard the bad news: Link Wray has been snubbed yet again by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And to put the poo-flavoured icing on the cake, Bon Jovi got in instead. Yeah, that's right. The eighties hair-metal band was … Continue reading Link Wray loses to Bon Jovi as the Rock Hall’s uncanny ineptness soars
Pseudo Echo rock and rolls all night and turns Vancouver into Funkytown
chris cameron photo ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 18, 1987 By Steve Newton Like most Aussie rock 'n' roll bands, Pseudo Echo shuns the fancy costume/big hairdo approach on which many British and American acts rely. Like their countrymen AC/DC, Angel City, and Midnight Oil, Pseudo Echo lets its own particular brand of music do the … Continue reading Pseudo Echo rock and rolls all night and turns Vancouver into Funkytown
Pink Floyd blows Vancouver away on its A Momentary Lapse of Reason tour
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON DEC. 18, 1987 By Steve Newton Seeing Pink Floyd live is a luxury that every rock fan should allow him or herself at least once. Yours truly took advantage of the opportunity to do just that last Thursday (December 10), along with about 44,000 other lucky dogs at B.C. Place. It was my first Floydian experience, and … Continue reading Pink Floyd blows Vancouver away on its A Momentary Lapse of Reason tour