ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MAY 1, 2003 By Steve Newton One could be excused for presuming that the “Armagideon Time” on the new John Ford CD is the same song the Clash released in ’79 as the B side to “London Calling”. After all, the members of John Ford take a fairly Clash-like … Continue reading Gordie Johnson finds where the rock is on John Ford’s Bullets for Dreamers
Robert Randolph puts Stevie Ray Vaughan passion into pedal-steel guitar
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, APRIL 10, 2003 By Steve Newton Although he’s only 24, Robert Randolph has already done much to help popularize the pedal-steel guitar, both through his recordings on the revelatory Sacred Steel series of albums and via his own group, the Family Band. And he still feels strongly indebted to … Continue reading Robert Randolph puts Stevie Ray Vaughan passion into pedal-steel guitar
The Newt’s 300 Best Rock Albums of the 1970s
By Steve Newton You had to be there. Abraxas: Santana (“Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen”, “Oye Coma Va”, “Samba Pa Ti”) 1970 A Day at the Races: Queen (“Tie Your Mother Down”, “Somebody to Love”, “Long Away”) 1976 Aerosmith: Aerosmith (“Make It”, “Dream On”, “Mama Kin”) 1973 After the Gold Rush: Neil Young (“Tell Me Why”, “Southern Man”, “When You … Continue reading The Newt’s 300 Best Rock Albums of the 1970s
Guitar champ Muriel Anderson loves Christopher Parkening, Chet Atkins and Les Paul
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, APRIL 10, 2003 By Steve Newton A lot of amazing guitarists have won the U.S. National Fingerstyle Guitar Championship since the annual contest at the Walnut Valley Festival near Wichita, Kansas, began in 1979. Champs include such acoustic-guitar stars as Peter Huttlinger, John Standefer, Steven King, and Canada’s own … Continue reading Guitar champ Muriel Anderson loves Christopher Parkening, Chet Atkins and Les Paul
The Lazarus Effect is a Flatliners ripoff unworthy of resuscitation
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, FEB. 25, 2015 By Steve Newton The Lazarus Effect reminds me a bit of that made-in-Vancouver horror flick Hideaway, in which characters that are brought back to life after being clinically dead for a while encounter weird sensations and frightening visions. It also sucks about as much. The latest low-budget offering from Blumhouse … Continue reading The Lazarus Effect is a Flatliners ripoff unworthy of resuscitation
Life’s highway carries Tom Cochrane back to Red Rider
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, APRIL 3, 2003 Tom Cochrane had his biggest hit, “Life Is a Highway”, two years after splitting up with long-time guitarist Kenny Greer and abandoning the Red Rider name. But fans who’ve followed the Ontario singer-songwriter’s storied career know that his time with Red Rider, from 1979 to ’89, … Continue reading Life’s highway carries Tom Cochrane back to Red Rider
Walter Trout has a spiritual bond with his Strat of 30 years
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MARCH 6, 2003 By Steve Newton Unless you’re really up on your rock guitarists, Walter Trout may be the biggest guitar hero you’ve never heard of. In a 1993 BBC Radio 1 poll of the top 20 players of all time, Trout came in sixth, ahead of such six-string legends as Stevie … Continue reading Walter Trout has a spiritual bond with his Strat of 30 years
Craig Northey sung, plunked, plinked, and originally thinked Giddy Up
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MARCH 3, 2003 By Steve Newton On the cover of his debut solo CD, Giddy Up, former Odds member Craig Northey is pictured on-stage in front of a huge outdoor crowd, playing guitar while kicking his left leg up to a painful-looking height. It’s the kind of acrobatic stunt … Continue reading Craig Northey sung, plunked, plinked, and originally thinked Giddy Up
Andy Powell says the Flying V has become a symbol of Wishbone Ash
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, FEB. 20, 2003 Every once in a while, when my wee home office gets too cramped from all the free CDs this job incurs, I take a deep breath and begin studying my stacks of record albums. Vinyl, baby—that’s where it used to be at. Now I scour those … Continue reading Andy Powell says the Flying V has become a symbol of Wishbone Ash
24-year-old Xavier Rudd wants to touch as many emotions as he can
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, FEB. 6, 2003 By Steve Newton I remember seeing a one-man band as a kid once, and if memory serves, it was some middle-aged joker in a funny hat, blowing on a horn, fingering a ukulele, manipulating cymbals and a bass drum with his feet. The music scene has … Continue reading 24-year-old Xavier Rudd wants to touch as many emotions as he can
The Wallflowers fail to enthrall a sell-out crowd in Vancouver
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JAN. 30, 2003 I was feeling just a tad hesitant when setting off to review the Wallflowers’ gig last Friday (January 17). For one thing, the American band’s latest CD, Red Letter Days, hadn’t thrilled me. I knew that chrome-domed guitar ace Michael Ward—who’d provided the fine fretwork on … Continue reading The Wallflowers fail to enthrall a sell-out crowd in Vancouver
Concrete Blonde’s Johnette Napolitano thinks Mick Ronson was a genius
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JAN. 23, 2003 By Steve Newton Last year, Los Angeles–bred guitar-rockers Concrete Blonde released Group Therapy, a CD that reunited the original lineup of vocalist-bassist Johnette Napolitano, ex-Sparks guitarist James Mankey, and drummer Harry Rushakoff. It was the group’s first record in almost a decade, so when Napolitano calls … Continue reading Concrete Blonde’s Johnette Napolitano thinks Mick Ronson was a genius
Robert Cray soars on spectacular sound at Hard Rock Casino Vancouver
photo by Kevin Statham By Steve Newton I've seen a lot of electric guitar-based concerts in the last 30 years or so. Heck, one of the main reasons I became a music journalist back in '82 was to see a lot of electric guitar-based concerts. (That, and to get free albums.) But I honestly can't recall … Continue reading Robert Cray soars on spectacular sound at Hard Rock Casino Vancouver