That time Colin Hay told me that he thought Men at Work were a success story when they were playing Melbourne pubs

By Steve Newton I interviewed Men at Work frontman Colin Hay back in October of 1983, when the Aussie group was touring behind its second album, Cargo, the followup to its hugely successful debut, Business as Usual (the one with "Down Under" and "Who Can It Be Now?"). (Strangely enough, when the band got to … Continue reading That time Colin Hay told me that he thought Men at Work were a success story when they were playing Melbourne pubs

Bonnie Tyler skips the heartache and goes straight for the glory with “Total Eclipse of the Heart”

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 10, 1983 By Steve Newton Bonnie Tyler? You mean that Welsh girl who used to sing about heartaches in a gravelly, Rod Stewart-type voice. She still around? After her four years absence from the charts, there must be a lot of people who've written Bonnie Tyler off as something of a … Continue reading Bonnie Tyler skips the heartache and goes straight for the glory with “Total Eclipse of the Heart”

That time I asked Mark Kelly if it bothered him when people compared Marillion to Genesis

Marillion's Fish and Genesis' Tony Banks get it By Steve Newton As a prog-rock fan who was crazy about bands like Yes and Genesis in the seventies, it made sense that I liked Marillion in the '80s. I interviewed Marillion keyboardist Mark Kelly back in March of 1986, when the band was touring behind its … Continue reading That time I asked Mark Kelly if it bothered him when people compared Marillion to Genesis

Seattle’s Dynette Set tops Vancouver’s b-Sides and Modernettes at Youth Explosion #3

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 18, 1982 By Steve Newton Seattle's Dynette Set stole the show at last Saturday's (June 12) Youth Explosion #3 in the West End Community Centre. The show, put on by CITR and the Community Centre, saw the popular Vancouver club act the b-Sides headlining, rockers the Modernettes backing them up, and … Continue reading Seattle’s Dynette Set tops Vancouver’s b-Sides and Modernettes at Youth Explosion #3

Jeff Germain says Regina’s Queen City Kids have to work twice as hard as big city bands

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 18, 1982 By Steve Newton Canada's prairies are most famous for producing one thing: wheat. But recently a sound has been heard emanating from the nether regions of Canada's hinterland--the sound of crashing drums and furious guitars. The 'breadbasket' of the country is no longer a place where whirling combines and … Continue reading Jeff Germain says Regina’s Queen City Kids have to work twice as hard as big city bands

Album review: Sora, Desire and Truth (2010)

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MAY 27, 2010 By Steve Newton It’s been five long years since Vancouver rock vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist extraordinaire Erol Sora blew me away with his Demented Honour album, but from the sound of his new CD, Desire and Truth, he’s still Vancouver's answer to Gary Moore. In other words, Sora knows how to … Continue reading Album review: Sora, Desire and Truth (2010)

Album review: Rob Zombie, Hellbilly Deluxe 2 (2010)

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, FEB. 18, 2010 By Steve Newton On Hellbilly Deluxe 2, hard-rocking horror auteur Rob Zombie combines his love of low-budget fright flicks and grinding metal the same way he did on his debut solo album, 1998’s Hellbilly Deluxe. Well, not quite the same way. While his first post-White Zombie release … Continue reading Album review: Rob Zombie, Hellbilly Deluxe 2 (2010)

Album review: Rod Stewart, Soulbook (2009)

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JAN. 22, 2010 By Steve Newton I heard a rumour a while back that the Faces might be getting back together. I remember seeing them at Pacific Coliseum in the ’70s—with Foghat opening up!—and they were a raggedy-ass rock ’n’ roll machine. Ronnie Wood was blasting out that wonderful … Continue reading Album review: Rod Stewart, Soulbook (2009)

Album review: Joe Perry, Have Guitar, Will Travel (2009)

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JAN. 7, 2010 By Steve Newton A minute-and-a-half into “We’ve Got a Long Way to Go”, the opening track on Joe Perry’s new solo album, Have Guitar, Will Travel, the rock legend from Boston reminds you just what it was about his playing that hooked you in the first … Continue reading Album review: Joe Perry, Have Guitar, Will Travel (2009)

Album review: Damon Fowler, Sugar Shack (2009)

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 11, 2009 By Steve Newton Damn those blasted CDs scattered all over my desk! When I was searching the mess last week for potential entries to my Top 10 list of 2009 I somehow managed to overlook this stunning release by singer, songwriter, and guitarist extraordinaire Damon Fowler. Whether … Continue reading Album review: Damon Fowler, Sugar Shack (2009)

Album review: Colin James, Rooftops and Satellites (2009)

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 27, 2009 By Steve Newton Methinks Colin James has been listening to a little too much ZZ Top of late. Don’t get me wrong—I can play the Texas boogiemeisters’ first five albums all day long and still have a hankering for more Tres Hombres. But on “Man’s Gotta Be a Stone”, the … Continue reading Album review: Colin James, Rooftops and Satellites (2009)

Album review: Lynyrd Skynyrd, God & Guns (2009)

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, By Steve Newton In the very first Payback column the Straight ever published I was called a “Skynyrd-loving moron” by a ticked-off Lou Reed fan, and—thanks to incessant reminders from caring colleagues Mike Usinger and John Lucas—have never been allowed to forget it. In a way I was proud of the label, though, … Continue reading Album review: Lynyrd Skynyrd, God & Guns (2009)