ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JULY 20, 2006 By Steve Newton It's funny, the stuff you remember, like a phone call to Vancouver rocker Barney Bentall in the early '80s. I was a cub reporter for the Straight, new on the local scene, and I rang him at home to get some details for … Continue reading Album review: Dustin Bentall, Streets With No Lights (2006)
Album review: Brian Setzer, Rockabilly Riot Vol. One: A Tribute to Sun Records (2006)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 3, 2005 By Steve Newton Brian Setzer has always shown a propensity for being hip, with it, a real cool cat who's up on the latest scene. That's why, in the early '80s, his trio the Stray Cats was at the forefront of the rockabilly revival. And when … Continue reading Album review: Brian Setzer, Rockabilly Riot Vol. One: A Tribute to Sun Records (2006)
Album review: Alice Cooper, Dirty Diamonds (2005)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 18, 2005 By Steve Newton The shrink-wrap sticker on Dirty Diamonds claims "this is the classic sound of Alice Cooper!", but that's what they said about the '70s shock-rock pioneer's previous CD, 2003's pointless The Eyes of Alice Cooper. The classic sound of Cooper is what he was doing between 1971 … Continue reading Album review: Alice Cooper, Dirty Diamonds (2005)
Album review: Audioslave, Out of Exile (2005)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JULY 14, 2005 By Steve Newton Unless you're the type of rabid music fan who scours the Straight's out-of-town concert listings, itching for stateside road trips, you probably didn't notice that Whitesnake played the Paramount Theatre in Seattle a couple of weeks back. Strangely enough, I wouldn't be surprised … Continue reading Album review: Audioslave, Out of Exile (2005)
Album review: Joe Perry, Joe Perry (2005)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JUNE 2, 2005 By Steve Newton Judging by the cover photo on the new Joe Perry solo CD, you might think that Aerosmith's guitar god has gone rockabilly or somethin'. He's pictured shaking his hips in a slick black retro-'50s suit, posing with a big, Brian Setzer-type hollow-body slung … Continue reading Album review: Joe Perry, Joe Perry (2005)
Album review: Ronnie Earl/Duke Robillard, The Duke meets the Earl (2005)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, APRIL 28, 2005 By Steve Newton Now here's a matchup made in heaven for fans of electric blues guitar. There's some serious jammin' going on in the first-ever studio pairing of the tasty American pickers, both former members of Roomful of Blues. Robillard brings the mastery of technique, while … Continue reading Album review: Ronnie Earl/Duke Robillard, The Duke meets the Earl (2005)
That time Luther Allison told me that he didn’t get the same break in Chicago as Magic Sam, Otis Rush, Freddie King, and Buddy Guy
By Steve Newton Luther Allison was one of those amazing blues artists who never quite got the fame they deserved; a powerful vocalist and a smokin' guitarist as well. I did my one and only interview with Allison in September of 1995, before he played his first-ever concert in Vancouver, and at one point in … Continue reading That time Luther Allison told me that he didn’t get the same break in Chicago as Magic Sam, Otis Rush, Freddie King, and Buddy Guy
Album review: Glenn Hughes, Soul Mover (2005)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, APRIL 21, 2005 By Steve Newton Seventies-rock fans who just can't wait for the May 3 reissue on Rhino Records of Deep Purple's 1974 Burn album can get a similar taste of the eight-track era with the new release from Glenn Hughes. As most dino-rock fanatics know, Hughes was … Continue reading Album review: Glenn Hughes, Soul Mover (2005)
Album review: Theory of a Deadman, Gasoline (2005)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, APRIL 7, 2005 By Steve Newton Sometimes you can get an impression of just how lame a record is by simply reading the song titles. If the artist or band under review can't even think of titles that haven't been used before, it's a sign of trouble. On Gasoline, … Continue reading Album review: Theory of a Deadman, Gasoline (2005)
Album review: Judas Priest, Angel of Retribution (2005)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MARCH 3, 2005 By Steve Newton Metalheads the world over have no doubt been pulling the metal-studded wristbands out of the attic in anticipation of the new Judas Priest CD, iron-lunged screamer Rob Halford's first recording with the core lineup since 1990's Painkiller. I for one have been searching around in the … Continue reading Album review: Judas Priest, Angel of Retribution (2005)
Album review: Neal Schon, I on U (2005)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, FEBRUARY 17, 2005 By Steve Newton Yeah, I know, everybody hates Journey. Even I lost interest in them after 1978's Infinity album. But don't take that much-maligned band's corporate-rock shenanigans in the '80s out on ex-Journey guitarist Neal Schon. Don't forget that he made a helluva lotta fine music with … Continue reading Album review: Neal Schon, I on U (2005)
Album review: Bryan Adams, Room Service (2004)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 30, 2004 By Steve Newton Dear Bryan: I just finished listening to your brand new CD, and, well...I know you're from North Van and everything, but listen, dude, it's time to quit writin' all those songs about girls. I hate to break it to you, but girls don't … Continue reading Album review: Bryan Adams, Room Service (2004)
Album review: Johnny Winter, I’m a Bluesman (2004)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 23, 2004 By Steve Newton The saddest thing I think I've ever seen on-stage was Johnny Winter's performance at the Commodore Ballroom a few years back. In his heyday, the albino blues-rocker was an absolutely amazing guitarist--easily up there with the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and … Continue reading Album review: Johnny Winter, I’m a Bluesman (2004)