ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 6, 2018 By Steve Newton In A Quiet Place, Lee Abbott—played by director, co-writer, and executive producer John Krasinski—has it rough. He lives in a post-apocalyptic world teeming with fierce alien monsters that hunt humans through sound. The slightest noise will have them racing towards you out of nowhere, and then … Continue reading A Quiet Place delivers horror with heart
Album review: Tony MacAlpine, Edge of Insanity (1987)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, FEB. 20, 1987 By Steve Newton Tony MacAlpine is the recent discovery of talent promoter and Guitar Player magazine columnist Mike Varney, and what a find he is. On Edge of Insanity, MacAlpine performs 11 songs that feature him on guitar--with no vocals to get in the way--and he comes up … Continue reading Album review: Tony MacAlpine, Edge of Insanity (1987)
Album review: Bad Company, Fame and Fortune (1986)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 26, 1986 By Steve Newton Mott the Hoople and Free were two of the best rock bands Britain ever produced, so it was only fitting that when their members joined forces in 1974 as Bad Company, the band was quickly labeled a supergroup. And it was pretty super … Continue reading Album review: Bad Company, Fame and Fortune (1986)
Mick Ronson’s little sister Maggi liked my post on her legendary bro
By Steve Newton A lot of people are considering deleting their Facebook accounts these days, but I've got at least one good reason to keep mine intact. Just today I received a Facebook message from Maggi Ronson, the younger sister of one of my all-time guitar heroes, Mick Ronson. She was responding to my posting … Continue reading Mick Ronson’s little sister Maggi liked my post on her legendary bro
That time Mick Ronson told me he was a rocker, as if I didn’t know
By Steve Newton I watched that documentary on Mick Ronson, Beside Bowie, the other day, and it inspired me to digitize another snippet off my first interview with Ronno, from 1988. You're welcome, fellow Ronson freaks! The conversation happened on September 9, '88, in advance of a show by the Hunter-Ronson Band at Vancouver's 86 … Continue reading That time Mick Ronson told me he was a rocker, as if I didn’t know
Album review: Robert Cray, Strong Persuader (1986)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 26, 1986 By Steve Newton When Robert Cray joined blues giants Albert Collins and Johnny Copeland for last year's magnificent Showdown! album, it was as if the young guitarist had stepped out of nowhere to join the ranks of the blues' top veteran performers. With his new album, … Continue reading Album review: Robert Cray, Strong Persuader (1986)
Album review: John Fogerty, Eye of the Zombie (1986)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 21, 1986 By Steve Newton John Fogerty found himself with a hard act to follow after 1985's top-notch Centerfield album. While his new LP. Eye of the Zombie, is far from being a bad record, it still doesn't contain any tracks that match Centerfield's title track or "The Old Man … Continue reading Album review: John Fogerty, Eye of the Zombie (1986)
Album review: Stray Cats, Rock Therapy (1986)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 14, 1986 By Steve Newton Before Brian Setzer went solo with The Knife Feels Like Justice, one of the most consistently fine rock albums of '86, and before Slim Jim Phantom and Lee Rocker joined up with guitar ace Earl Slick to produce two albums as Phantom, Rocker & … Continue reading Album review: Stray Cats, Rock Therapy (1986)
Album review: Peter Gabriel, So (1986)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, AUG. 8, 1986 By Steve Newton Anyone who saw or heard Peter Gabriel's performance at the recent Amnesty International concert must admit that he was one of the show's major treats. Two of the songs he performed, "Red Rain" and "Sledgehammer", are included on his great new album So. … Continue reading Album review: Peter Gabriel, So (1986)
Todd Kerns promises the most classic of Canadian classic-rock at Toque’s Juno Fest shindig
By Steve Newton Whenever Todd Kerns hits Vancouver--whether it's playing bass with Slash or fronting the Age of Electric--I try to get out and cheer him on. Dude's hugely talented and nice as hell. I stand by my claim that he's "the most rockin' Canadian bass player of the 21st century." Kerns won't be handling … Continue reading Todd Kerns promises the most classic of Canadian classic-rock at Toque’s Juno Fest shindig
Album review: AC/DC, Who Made Who (1986)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 12, 1986 By Steve Newton This latest offering from Aussie ear-busters AC/DC is the official soundtrack of the new Stephen King film Maximum Overdrive. So is it music to watch possessed trucks run people over by? You betcha. Actually, Who Made Who is more of a compilation album … Continue reading Album review: AC/DC, Who Made Who (1986)
Unsane is as crazy good as iPhone-shot psycho-thrillers get
By Steve Newton There’s a lot to fear around the world at this particular moment in time, and we’re not just talking spiders and snakes. There’s the ongoing fear of your kids getting shot while they’re attending high school. There’s the newer fear of coming in contact with a deadly Russian nerve agent while you’re … Continue reading Unsane is as crazy good as iPhone-shot psycho-thrillers get
Back to the ‘Wack: Newt signs Gord Downie book in Chilliwack
By Steve Newton In case you haven't heard, my first book came out last month. It's called Gord Downie, and it's about a poetic Canadian guy who rocked his ass off for decades and won over his home country before bravely succumbing to brain cancer and winning over his home country even more. When the … Continue reading Back to the ‘Wack: Newt signs Gord Downie book in Chilliwack