Rainbow 1975, L-R: Soule, Dio, Gruber, Blackmore, Driscoll By Steve Newton Craig Gruber, former bassist for '70s rock acts Elf and Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, passed away yesterday after a battle with prostate cancer. News of Gruber's passing was posted on the Facebook page of his former Elf bandmate, keyboardist Mickey Lee Soule: Very sad to hear of … Continue reading Former Elf and Rainbow bassist Craig Gruber dies of prostate cancer at 63
Nitevigil’s leather-clad teens put North Van on the metal map at the New York Theatre
nitevigil photo by bev davies ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 3, 1985 By Steve Newton North Vancouver's Nitevigil--the teenage metal band that made the finals of the Town Pump's Spotlight '85 competition--joined Ground Zero and Death Sentence in a "Heavy Metal Rockarama" at the New York Theatre last Friday (April 26). The young headbangers displayed the … Continue reading Nitevigil’s leather-clad teens put North Van on the metal map at the New York Theatre
Neil Young’s new guitarist calls On the Beach and Tonight’s the Night his all-time Shakey faves
By Steve Newton When I interviewed Lukas Nelson last week--in advance of the gig with his band Promise of the Real in Vancouver this Saturday--we talked a lot about Neil Young. And not just 'cause we both love him. Nelson played guitar on Shakey's upcoming album, The Monsanto Years, and POTR may well be Young's next touring … Continue reading Neil Young’s new guitarist calls On the Beach and Tonight’s the Night his all-time Shakey faves
Kick Axe feels that if you can make metal work in Vancouver, you can make it work anywhere
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, APRIL 15, 1983 By Steve Newton "If people can look at a band, "say Kick Axe guitarist Larry Gillstrom, "and see that everybody's coming from the same direction and are together on it, then I think they can relate to it a lot better. At least that's what we noticed … Continue reading Kick Axe feels that if you can make metal work in Vancouver, you can make it work anywhere
Streetheart’s prairie-rock dreams “Comin’ True” on Dancing With Danger
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, FEB. 18, 1983 By Steve Newton Touring to promote their latest album Dancing with Danger, prairie-rockers Streetheart will headline this Monday's (February 21) triple-threat rock showcase at the Pacific Coliseum. Kilowatt and Vancouver's own Headpins will also perform at the event. Last year Streetheart earned a Canadian platinum award … Continue reading Streetheart’s prairie-rock dreams “Comin’ True” on Dancing With Danger
Joe Bonamassa wanted Deep Purple and Free in the Rock Hall “before f***ing Green Day”
By Steve Newton When American guitar hero Joe Bonamassa called me up back in 2015 in advance of a Vancouver double-header we mostly talked about his new live album, Muddy Wolf at Red Rocks. But since I also see it as my duty to slag the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame whenever necessary--which is … Continue reading Joe Bonamassa wanted Deep Purple and Free in the Rock Hall “before f***ing Green Day”
The Stray Cats’ Brian Setzer snarls “this ain’t no f***ing punk concert!” at the Commodore in Vancouver
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 20, 1982 By Steve Newton Talk about fun! I never thought I'd have such a bursting-out-laughing good time at the Commodore as I did in '75 when Kiss was there, but last Friday (August 13) at the Ballroom Brian Setzer, Slim Jim Phantom, and Lee Rocker--the Stray Cats--had me grinning like … Continue reading The Stray Cats’ Brian Setzer snarls “this ain’t no f***ing punk concert!” at the Commodore in Vancouver
Iron Maiden’s Clive Burr on Martin Birch, Ruddles, and The Number of the Beast
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 9, 1982 By Steve Newton Iron Maiden is quickly becoming one of Britain's most popular metal bands. Last year the band sold well over a million albums with their second release, Killers, cracking the top ten in the UK, France, Germany, Japan, Sweden, and Belgium. Their latest album, The Number of … Continue reading Iron Maiden’s Clive Burr on Martin Birch, Ruddles, and The Number of the Beast
The B-52’s make a triumphant return to Vancouver in the wake of Cosmic Thing
photo by Kevin Statham ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JAN. 26, 1990 By Steve Newton Why, on why, did the B-52's have to get booked into the Orpheum? As one of the prime providers of bouncy, shake-your-booty pop-rock, the band would have been so much better in a place where it's okay to move … Continue reading The B-52’s make a triumphant return to Vancouver in the wake of Cosmic Thing
Alice Cooper’s youthful band breathes fire into the shock-rock king’s classics in Vancouver
@shotbykevin ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JAN. 26, 1990 By Steve Newton If Alice Cooper's concert at the Coliseum last Thursday (January 18) were a horror movie--and in a way it nearly was--it might have been called The Return of Alice, Part 10: The New Blood. On his latest tour, the king of nasty … Continue reading Alice Cooper’s youthful band breathes fire into the shock-rock king’s classics in Vancouver
Imagine all of John Lennon’s studio albums in a vinyl box set
By Steve Newton Last weekend's enormously successful Record Store Day was proof that--all around the world--vinyl is the preferred format for serious music fans in 2015. Three days after that joyous celebration of the 12-inch platter, Universal Music Canada has announced that John Lennon, arguably the greatest pop songwriter of all time, will be lauded … Continue reading Imagine all of John Lennon’s studio albums in a vinyl box set
Art Bergmann plays Sexual Roulette on behalf of downtrodden rockers everywhere
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 20, 1990 By Steve Newton It's a sunny Friday afternoon on Granville Island. Art Bergmann and I are negotiating our way through armies of cars—parked and mobile—in search of a suitable spot to have a chat. "I don't have any money," confides Bergmann as we head over to the Island from … Continue reading Art Bergmann plays Sexual Roulette on behalf of downtrodden rockers everywhere
Roger Waters to rerelease Jeff Beck-bolstered album Amused to Death
By Steve Newton Roger Waters fans—and Jeff Beck freaks—have reason to rejoice today, as Legacy Recordings has announced the reissue, in various remastered forms, of Waters' solo album Amused to Death. That was the 1992 disc that concerned itself with society's obsession with entertainment, in particular its addiction to TV. Obviously, folks' current preoccupation with screens of all … Continue reading Roger Waters to rerelease Jeff Beck-bolstered album Amused to Death