ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MAY 9, 1986 By Steve Newton Few things in the world of hard rock are as moving and intense as a Ritchie Blackmore solo, and this last live gasp from his band, Rainbow, sports some of The Man in Black's wildest playing. It's a collection of mostly live tracks recorded between … Continue reading Album review: Rainbow, Finyl Vinyl (1986)
Album review: The Everly Brothers, Born Yesterday (1986)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, APRIL 18, 1986 By Steve Newton The Everly Brothers' second "comeback" album is a worthy successor to their first, EB84. The latter album sported a nice hit single written by Paul McCartney ("On the Wings of a Nightingale"), and once more Phil and Don have carefully chosen other people's … Continue reading Album review: The Everly Brothers, Born Yesterday (1986)
The Strangers: Prey at Night is routine masked-killer fare
By Steve Newton According to the on-screen message in its opening scene, The Strangers: Prey at Night was “based on true events”. It kinda makes you wonder if anyone was ever actually stalked by an axe-wielding psycho at a trailer-park swimming pool while Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart” blasted over the outdoor PA. In this … Continue reading The Strangers: Prey at Night is routine masked-killer fare
Album review: Van Halen, 5150 (1986)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 11, 1986 By Steve Newton One of the most talked about lineup changes in rock these days involves Van Halen's switch from David Lee Roth to Sammy Hagar. "Nobody could replace Diamond Dave", said some, while others pointed to the fine work Hagar did with influential metal band Montrose. Well the … Continue reading Album review: Van Halen, 5150 (1986)
Album review: Robin Trower, Beyond the Mist (1986)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MARCH 7, 1986 By Steve Newton Some people slough Robin Trower off as a Hendrix clone, without realizing that there's something special and unique about his guitar playing. Trower always seems to inject a whole lotta soul into his songs. Of course, the fact that he's had bassist/vocalists such as Jack Bruce and … Continue reading Album review: Robin Trower, Beyond the Mist (1986)
Album review: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Pack Up the Plantation (1985)
One of my fondest concert memories dates back to 1978, when Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers played the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver.
Album review: John Cougar Mellencamp, Scarecrow (1985)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 8, 1985 By Steve Newton "The Authority Song" from last year's Uh-Huh album was one of my fave rock tunes of 1984, right up there with Van Halen's "Panama" and the Pretenders' "Back On the Chain Gang". But I wasn't too crazy about the album on a whole. … Continue reading Album review: John Cougar Mellencamp, Scarecrow (1985)
Album review: ZZ Top, Afterburner (1985)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 8, 1985 By Steve Newton The "l'il ole band from Texas" have done it again. They've come up with another album's worth of unstoppable boogie -blues, and you can bet the coin they'll make off this one will keep them in Jack Daniels and real estate for many years … Continue reading Album review: ZZ Top, Afterburner (1985)
Album review: Yngwie Malmsteen’s Rising Force, Marching Out (1985)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 8, 1985 By Steve Newton Swedish guitar hero Yngwie Malmsteen has been heralded as the rock guitarist of the eighties, a successor to Eddie Van Halen and the late Randy Rhoads. And there's no doubt that Yngwie is several cuts above the typical metal guitarist. But blinding speed and technical dazzle … Continue reading Album review: Yngwie Malmsteen’s Rising Force, Marching Out (1985)
Album review: Hall & Oates: Live at the Apollo (1985)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, OCT. 18, 1985 By Steve Newton The blue-eyed Philly soul of Hall & Oates gets a Motown-y treatment on the duo's first live album, recorded last May during a benefit concert for the United Negro College Fund. Former Temptations David Ruffin and Eddie Kendrick join in for four blasts from their … Continue reading Album review: Hall & Oates: Live at the Apollo (1985)
The Shape of Water resurfaces as a ’50s monster-horror flick
By Steve Newton Long-suffering horror fans are finally getting their due. It's been 27 years since The Silence of the Lambs was chosen as Best Picture at the Oscars, but this Sunday both Get Out and The Shape of Water are in the running for the grand prize. What's that? You don't think The Shape of Water is a horror movie? But … Continue reading The Shape of Water resurfaces as a ’50s monster-horror flick
Hot Tuna goes acoustic, invites Vancouverites to record “Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning”
An acoustic concert can be quite a scary thing to those people, like myself, who thrive on raunchy guitars and rock-steady rhythms.
That time I called up Danny Gatton while he was sorting through his Roy Buchanan tapes
By Steve Newton When it comes to unheralded guitar geniuses, Danny Gatton is right up there. He's never achieved the fame of a Clapton, Beck, or Page, but in-the-know guitar freaks realize that he's worthy of comparison, talent-wise. I only got to interview Gatton once, back in April of 1993, before he came to Vancouver … Continue reading That time I called up Danny Gatton while he was sorting through his Roy Buchanan tapes