By Steve Newton If Randy Rhoads hadn't died in that tragic plane crash in 1982, do you think he'd still be playing with Ozzy Osbourne? I kinda doubt it. He was so fiercely talented that I bet he would have left heavy-metal in the dust and moved on to creating adventurous, technically mind-boggling instrumental music … Continue reading That time Zakk Wylde told me that he’d always be Ozzy Osbourne’s guitarist
That time Chris Cornell told me about the beauty of what it is that he gets to do
By Steve Newton Back in December of 2008 I did my one and only interview with Chris Cornell. At the time he was touring behind his solo album, Carry On, which I thought had some great songs. I was asking him about some of the lyrics from my fave track on the album, "Killing Birds", … Continue reading That time Chris Cornell told me about the beauty of what it is that he gets to do
That time Yngwie Malmsteen told me that no guitar could possibly do what the Stratocaster does
By Steve Newton Yngwie Malmsteen is synonymous with the Fender Stratocaster. Since the get-go he's proclaimed the superiority of Leo Fender's classy creation. He's even gone so far as to compare the competition to "bad copies" and "furniture". So when I interviewed him back in 2014 I asked him if he'd ever been tempted to … Continue reading That time Yngwie Malmsteen told me that no guitar could possibly do what the Stratocaster does
That time Buddy Guy told me that he was a bluesman from his heart, as if I didn’t know
By Steve Newton I've interviewed Buddy Guy five times, because I freakin' love Buddy Guy. The second time we chatted was in March of 1993, three weeks after the release of his Feels Like Rain album, which featured guest appearances by Bonnie Raitt, John Mayall, and Paul Rodgers. Rodgers performed on a version of the … Continue reading That time Buddy Guy told me that he was a bluesman from his heart, as if I didn’t know
That time Mick Mars told me that I might have to listen harder to hear the sex and violence on Mötley Crüe’s new Theatre of Pain
By Steve Newton Back in November of 1985 I interviewed Mötley Crüe's Mick Mars at a Vancouver hotel before the band performed on its Theatre of Pain tour. If anybody can remember that far back they may recall that that was the same month that the RIAA (Record Industry Association of America) agreed to put … Continue reading That time Mick Mars told me that I might have to listen harder to hear the sex and violence on Mötley Crüe’s new Theatre of Pain
That time Autograph guitarist Steve Lynch told me about the crazy times touring with Van Halen
By Steve Newton Way the heck back in October of 1985 I interviewed Autograph guitarist Steve Lynch because his band was headed to Vancouver as opening act on Motley Crue's Theatre of Pain tour. Back then two-handed tapping was very popular among guitarists in hard rock and metal bands, and Lynch was among its top … Continue reading That time Autograph guitarist Steve Lynch told me about the crazy times touring with Van Halen
That time Steve Vai told me that he had to make Passion and Warfare when he did make Passion and Warfare
By Steve Newton When I did my first interview with Steve Vai, back in May of 1990, he was touring with Whitesnake while at the same time promoting his new solo album, Passion and Warfare. As he explained to me quite vehemently, it was the album that he had to make at that time. I … Continue reading That time Steve Vai told me that he had to make Passion and Warfare when he did make Passion and Warfare
The Tragically Hip’s rhythm guitarist figures I owe him 10 bucks because the Hip played a sloppy show 25 years ago
By Steve Newton Can't think of anything else to blog about right now, so I'll do this: On July 12, 1995, the Tragically Hip played a food-bank benefit at the Railway Club in Vancouver. Yesterday, to mark the 25th anniversary of that gig, I tweeted out a link to the short review of the gig … Continue reading The Tragically Hip’s rhythm guitarist figures I owe him 10 bucks because the Hip played a sloppy show 25 years ago
That time the Ventures’ Don Wilson and I shared our fondness for John Fogerty
By Steve Newton John Fogerty proudly inducted the Ventures into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008, but I learned of his affection for the instro-rock legends years before that. When I interviewed original Ventures rhythm-guitarist Don Wilson back in 1997 I asked him if he'd had a lot of people tell him … Continue reading That time the Ventures’ Don Wilson and I shared our fondness for John Fogerty
That time Randy Hansen told me about exchanging ideas and creating animal sounds with Stevie Ray Vaughan
By Steve Newton When I interviewed Jimi Hendrix tribute artist Randy Hansen back in 2001 I learned that he had known Stevie Ray Vaughan quite well. I was cool to hear Hansen reminisce about Stevie Ray opening shows for him in Austin, Texas, and the two of them creating animal sounds on guitar. Have a … Continue reading That time Randy Hansen told me about exchanging ideas and creating animal sounds with Stevie Ray Vaughan
That time I made Gordie Johnson’s day by telling him that Bruce Fairbairn admired his production work
By Steve Newton It's fun to pass on compliments sometimes. Like when I was interviewing Big Sugar frontman Gordie Johnson back in October of 1998. A couple weeks earlier I'd interviewed famed Vancouver producer-to-the-stars Bruce Fairbairn, who'd mentioned that he was impressed by the production on Big Sugar's latest album, Heated. When I told Johnson … Continue reading That time I made Gordie Johnson’s day by telling him that Bruce Fairbairn admired his production work
That time I told Tony Iommi that “Supernaut” was my fave Black Sabbath riff, and he said that it was Zappa’s too
By Steve Newton I've interviewed Tony Iommi, the Riffmaster General, twice: the first time was back in '84 when the Ian Gillan-fronted Black Sabbath was touring behind the Born Again album, and the last time was in 2007 when he was back with Ronnie James Dio in the Heaven and Hell format. As the second … Continue reading That time I told Tony Iommi that “Supernaut” was my fave Black Sabbath riff, and he said that it was Zappa’s too
That time Warren Haynes told me how he came to record the haunting “John the Revelator” on Gov’t Mule’s Dose
By Steve Newton I've interviewed Warren Haynes six times, because he's one of my favourite musicians of all time. I can't get enough of his voice, his guitar, and his songs. And even if they aren't his actual songs I'm crazy about 'em. Like when Gov't Mule recorded the traditional gospel-blues tune "John the Revelator" … Continue reading That time Warren Haynes told me how he came to record the haunting “John the Revelator” on Gov’t Mule’s Dose