That time I asked Danny Gatton what Washington, D.C. was like as a music city to grow up in

By Steve Newton I interviewed Telecaster master Danny Gatton back in April of 1993 before he appeared at a Music West event in Vancouver. I called him up at his home in Washington, D.C., and at one point in the conversation I asked him what the U.S. capital was like as a music city to … Continue reading That time I asked Danny Gatton what Washington, D.C. was like as a music city to grow up in

That time Ronnie James Dio told me that he thought Black Sabbath’s Mob Rules was a better album than Heaven and Hell

By Steve Newton Black Sabbath impressed a lot of people in April of 1980 when it released Heaven and Hell, its first album with Ronnie James Dio on vocals. I was one of those people. So I was pretty surprised when, while I was interviewing him in 1985, Dio told me that he thought Sabbath's … Continue reading That time Ronnie James Dio told me that he thought Black Sabbath’s Mob Rules was a better album than Heaven and Hell

That time Iron Maiden guitarist Dave Murray told me that growing up in poverty gave him an edge

By Steve Newton I've interviewed the members of Iron Maiden six times so far: the late Clive Burr once, Bruce Dickinson once, Steve Harris once, and Dave Murray three times. I'm cool with that. I always like chattin' with the guitarists best. This was my last interview with Murray, when the band was in the … Continue reading That time Iron Maiden guitarist Dave Murray told me that growing up in poverty gave him an edge

Huey Lewis plugs new LP Sports, says he learned to play harp by imagining he was Paul Butterfield

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 25, 1983 By Steve Newton "We just stopped at a bus stop on tour last year and got Hank Williams' Greatest Hits," explains Huey Lewis over the phone from San Francisco. Two days prior to the start of his North American tour, Lewis is commenting on the inclusion of Williams' "Hony … Continue reading Huey Lewis plugs new LP Sports, says he learned to play harp by imagining he was Paul Butterfield

Album review: Rainbow, Bent Out of Shape (1983)

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, OCT. 21, 1983 By Steve Newton While not as impressive as last year's Straight Between the Eyes, Rainbow's new album is still likely to please old Deep Purple diehards like myself, who can't seem to get enough of Ritchie Blackmore's furious and fast Stratocations. "The man in black" is … Continue reading Album review: Rainbow, Bent Out of Shape (1983)

Michael Hutchence says INXS hopes to fill up the space between Men at Work and the Birthday Party

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 27, 1983 By Steve Newton INXS (pronounced 'in excess') are a six-piece modern-rock band from Sydney, Australia. The group's third album, Shabooh Shoobah, was released last year and hit Top Five in Australia, becoming the group's third gold album Down Under. The members of INXS are vocalist Michael Hutchence, saxman Kirk … Continue reading Michael Hutchence says INXS hopes to fill up the space between Men at Work and the Birthday Party

That time slide-guitar ace Ellen McIlwaine told me that Johnny Winter showed her how to go in her own direction

By Steve Newton Back in 2001 I interviewed Alberta-based blues singer-songwriter and guitarist Ellen McIlwaine before a club gig in Vancouver. Realizing she's best known for her slide-guitar expertise, I asked her who her biggest influences were on slide, and wasn't surprised to hear that Johnny Winter was one of her heroes. Have a listen: … Continue reading That time slide-guitar ace Ellen McIlwaine told me that Johnny Winter showed her how to go in her own direction

Bon Jovi tours behind debut album, frontman Jon Bon Jovi claims it’s “not your typical opening act”

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 27, 1984 By Steve Newton "Before the album came out we'd play anywhere with anyone at any time," says Jon Bon Jovi. "We were just happy to be playing. But now that we're out in support of a hit record it's a lot nicer--and a lot more luxurious than six guys … Continue reading Bon Jovi tours behind debut album, frontman Jon Bon Jovi claims it’s “not your typical opening act”

Yngwie Malmsteen shreds on what he once called “a piece of furniture”: the Gibson Les Paul

By Steve Newton One of my most popular posts on Ear of Newt is the one where Yngwie Malmsteen calls Ibanez guitars "a bad copy" of the Strat and says Les Pauls are "furniture". Well, if you ever wondered what the Swedish Fender freak would sound like shredding on a piece of furniture, here ya … Continue reading Yngwie Malmsteen shreds on what he once called “a piece of furniture”: the Gibson Les Paul

That time Derek Trucks told me about watching a hip Barack Obama mouth Howlin’ Wolf lyrics

By Steve Newton I've interviewed slide-guitar master Derek Trucks three times so far, including back in 1999 when he was only 20 years old. We had our second conversation 13 years later, when he was touring with his wife Susan and their 11-piece band, Tedeschi Trucks. Four months earlier Trucks had performed for Barack Obama … Continue reading That time Derek Trucks told me about watching a hip Barack Obama mouth Howlin’ Wolf lyrics

That time J.D. Fortune told me about the pressure of competing in the reality show Rock Star: INXS

By Steve Newton I interviewed INXS vocalist J.D. Fortune in January of 2006, two weeks before the band kicked off a North American Tour in Vancouver. The Canadian singer had earned the frontman position with the Aussie group the year before by winning the 11-week reality-TV competition Rock Star: INXS. So at one point in … Continue reading That time J.D. Fortune told me about the pressure of competing in the reality show Rock Star: INXS

John Kay says he couldn’t hope to leave a Steppenwolf concert alive without playing “Born to Be Wild”

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 27, 1984 By Steve Newton Back in the summer of 1968 you could hardly turn on the radio without hearing the surging power chords and menacing vocals of "Born to Be Wild", a song that became an anthem for the carefree life and a harbinger of seventies hard-rock. But in 1972, … Continue reading John Kay says he couldn’t hope to leave a Steppenwolf concert alive without playing “Born to Be Wild”