That time Mick Ronson told me that he could live anywhere in the world

By Steve Newton I did the second of my two interviews with Mick Ronson in September of 1988, before he and Ian Hunter kicked off a tour in Vancouver. I called Mick up in New York, and at one point in the conversation I asked him whether he liked living there. He said that he … Continue reading That time Mick Ronson told me that he could live anywhere in the world

Brian Robertson’s wicked solo from Thin Lizzy’s “Don’t Believe a Word” played on harmonica

By Steve Newton The wicked guitar solos cranked out over the years by the various Thin Lizzy guitarists--Eric Bell, Scott Gorham, Brian Robertson, Gary Moore, Snowy White, and John Sykes--are many. But I've got a few faves. Definitely in my Top 10 is Robertson's 30-second solo from "Don't Believe a Word", the best track on … Continue reading Brian Robertson’s wicked solo from Thin Lizzy’s “Don’t Believe a Word” played on harmonica

Album review: Aldo Nova, Subject….Aldo Nova (1983)

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 25, 1983 By Steve Newton Those who enjoyed Aldo Nova's popular debut album should be quite satisfied with his new release. The thick keyboard/guitar sound that made songs like "Fantasy" big hits last year figures strongly on Subject...Aldo Nova. Particularly impressive is Nova's energized version of Coney Hatch's "Hey Operator", on … Continue reading Album review: Aldo Nova, Subject….Aldo Nova (1983)

Screaming Jets interview, unpublished for 30 years, shows the Aussie guitar-rockers highly skilled at pissing people off

INTERVIEW CONDUCTED SEPT. 22, 1991; STORY FIRST PUBLISHED MAY 15, 2021 By Steve Newton With a jarring, guitar-heavy sound influenced by such gritty Aussie bands as Angel City, AC/DC, and early Midnight Oil, Newcastle, Australia's Screaming Jets are capable of causing quite a ruckus. They did so on their debut album, All For One, and … Continue reading Screaming Jets interview, unpublished for 30 years, shows the Aussie guitar-rockers highly skilled at pissing people off

That time 24-year-old John Popper told me that touring with the Allman Brothers was like studying “the masters”

By Steve Newton I did my first interview with Blues Traveler singer and harmonica slinger John Popper in September of 1991, when he was just 24. That was three weeks after the release of Blues Traveler's second album, Travelers and Thieves, and three years to the month before the band released its multiplatinum Four album, … Continue reading That time 24-year-old John Popper told me that touring with the Allman Brothers was like studying “the masters”

Iron Maiden loses out to the Go-Go’s and Jay-Z as the Rock Hall’s head plunges even further up its ass

By Steve Newton Iron Maiden are one helluva rock band. If they weren't I wouldn't have interviewed them six times. But those inept turdballs down at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame seem to think that a group like the Go-Go's--who put out three studio albums in their heyday and another one 17 years … Continue reading Iron Maiden loses out to the Go-Go’s and Jay-Z as the Rock Hall’s head plunges even further up its ass

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