ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JULY 15, 1983 By Steve Newton Next Wednesday (July 20) at the Pacific Coliseum original Heepsters Mick Box and Lee Kerslake on guitar and drums will be joined by bassist Trevor Bolder, keyboardist John Sinclair, and singer Peter Goalby to give us Uriah Heep '80s-style. Performing material from their … Continue reading Even the kids in Def Leppard can’t make Uriah Heep feel old
Ian Anderson goes solo while keeping Jethro Tull intact
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MARCH 2, 1984 By Steve Newton Sitting on a park bench, eyeing little girls with bad intent Snot running down his nose, greasy fingers smearing shabby clothes Hey Aqualung Longtime fans of Jethro Tull will recall the above lyrics from the unsavoury tale of a corrupt degenerate named Aqualung. That tune, with … Continue reading Ian Anderson goes solo while keeping Jethro Tull intact
Rank and File splits from Slash, connects with Everlys
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MARCH 7, 1986 By Steve Newton A lot of Rank and File's Vancouver fans were thrown for a loop when the Los Angeles-based band was booked for two nights at the Town Pump. They hadn't expected to see the Kinman brothers and company in such close surroundings, especially since … Continue reading Rank and File splits from Slash, connects with Everlys
The Go-Go’s bring the sunny sounds of Vacation to Vancouver
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, AUG. 27, 1982 By Steve Newton In contrast to the denim and T-shirt crowd [for Blue Oyster Cult] at the Coliseum Sunday, miniskirts and Hawaiian patterns were the popular thing the night before (August 21) when the Go-Go's brought their catchy brand of fun-time music up from the California … Continue reading The Go-Go’s bring the sunny sounds of Vacation to Vancouver
Marillion moves beyond cult status with Misplaced Childhood and “Kayleigh”
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MARCH 7, 1986 By Steve Newton Yessongs. Brain Salad Surgery. Selling England By the Pound. Do those album titles ring a bell? They should if you remember back to 1973. At that time, 'progressive' rock was big around the world and its foremost practitioners were British bands such as Yes, Emerson, Lake … Continue reading Marillion moves beyond cult status with Misplaced Childhood and “Kayleigh”
Clapton captured live in the ’70s on vinyl-only box set
By Steve Newton Eric Clapton freaks who think the legendary guitarist did his best work in the seventies--on vinyl!--will be happy to know that a six-piece vinyl-only box set, The Live Album Collection 1970-1980, will hit stores March 25. Universal Music Canada announced the package today, describing it as a companion piece to the nine-piece … Continue reading Clapton captured live in the ’70s on vinyl-only box set
The Witch has a goat and a lot of yak
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, FEB. 17, 2016 By Steve Newton The Witch is a smartly shot, well-acted, atmospheric fright flick that aims to shed light on humanity’s dark history of religious persecution and paranoia. There’s just way too much talking goin’ on, is all. It opens with patriarch William (Ralph Ineson) being exiled from his … Continue reading The Witch has a goat and a lot of yak
Booker T. Jones mistook his son Ted for Joe Bonamassa on YouTube
By Steve Newton When Booker T. Jones answers the phone at his Lake Tahoe home he sounds cool, calm, and collected. Mostly cool. That’s no surprise, as Jones has been producing some of the chilliest sounds around for the last 50 years or so. Ever since his instrumental combo the M.G.’s shot to fame with … Continue reading Booker T. Jones mistook his son Ted for Joe Bonamassa on YouTube
Roy Buchanan lets his soul scream in Vancouver
shoulda got Roy's autograph when I had the chance ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON FEB. 14, 1986 By Steve Newton There were some people who felt that Roy Buchanan played way too loud and not nearly enough at the Town Pump last Monday (February 10). Then there were others--like myself--who could care less about such things as … Continue reading Roy Buchanan lets his soul scream in Vancouver
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies equals yuck
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, FEB. 3, 2016 By Steve Newton The only thing worse than a novel combining Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice with zombie fiction, apparently, is a film version of the heinous mashup. I haven’t suffered such anguish at the movies since reviewing Uwe Boll’s appalling Alone in the Dark back in 2005. Pride … Continue reading Pride and Prejudice and Zombies equals yuck
Vancouver rockers, radio hosts, and record-store owners reflect on the power of Black Sabbath
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JULY 15, 1999 By Steve Newton Because of its brutal sound and satanic overtones, Black Sabbath was never as widely accepted as the Beatles or the Stones, but its influence among rock fans is incredibly far-reaching. We asked a few local hard-rock aficionados and musicians to divulge their fondest … Continue reading Vancouver rockers, radio hosts, and record-store owners reflect on the power of Black Sabbath
Roy Buchanan on turning down the Rolling Stones, loving Van Halen, and being flattered by Jeff Beck
me 'n Roy at the Town Pump, February 10, 1986 ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON FEB. 7, 1986 By Steve Newton Not many guitarists can say they were invited to join the Rolling Stones. Not many can say they turned the offer down either. But Roy Buchanan--quite possibly the best white blues guitarist in the world--can say … Continue reading Roy Buchanan on turning down the Rolling Stones, loving Van Halen, and being flattered by Jeff Beck
The Boy isn’t the worst creepy-doll flick ever made
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, JAN. 22, 2016 By Steve Newton In the realm of creepy-doll flicks, nothing tops Magic, director Richard Attenborough's riveting 1978 adaptation of William Goldman's novel about a psychotic ventriloquist. Compared to it, movies like The Boy are kids' stuff. The film opens with Greta (The Walking Dead's Lauren Cohan) enroute to a new job … Continue reading The Boy isn’t the worst creepy-doll flick ever made