ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON OCT. 28, 1983 By Steve Newton The best things in music, like the best things in life, often go unnoticed. And Robin Trower is one of them. The British blues-rocker has been putting out exceptional albums for ten years now--the most notable being Bridge of Sighs, Victims of the Fury, and his collaboration … Continue reading Album review: Robin Trower, Back It Up (1983)
Album review: Thin Lizzy, Thunder and Lightning (1983)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 29, 1983 By Steve Newton One of the biggest disappointments in hard rock this year is the news that Thin Lizzy--after 14 years and many fine, albeit underrated albums--is calling it quits. Ever since 1974's magical Vagabonds of the Western World, Phil Lynott and Co. have been churning out some of the … Continue reading Album review: Thin Lizzy, Thunder and Lightning (1983)
Album review: Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, Texas Flood (1983)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 5, 1983 By Steve Newton Supposedly, David Bowie kicked Stevie Ray Vaughan out of his touring band because the guitarist insisted that the Thin White Duke let him play some of his own tunes in concert. If you ask me, it's a good thing Bowie objected, because Vaughan is such a fine … Continue reading Album review: Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, Texas Flood (1983)
Album review: Larry Carlton, Friends (1983)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JULY 1, 1983 By Steve Newton One of the reigning monarchs of L.A. session guitarists, Larry Carlton has played with some of the best in the world. and now, on his third self-produced LP Friends, he's gathered some of the best in the world to play with him. Bassist … Continue reading Album review: Larry Carlton, Friends (1983)
Album review: Blackfoot, Siogo (1983)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 24, 1983 By Steve Newton Former Uriah Heep keyboardist Ken Hensley has become the fifth Blackfoot member on their sixth studio album, Siogo. While I was a little worried that the overpowering organ sound he'd often wielded in his former band might drown out the gritty guitars of Rickey Medlocke and … Continue reading Album review: Blackfoot, Siogo (1983)
Album review: Santana, Havana Moon (1983)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JUNE 3, 1983 By Steve Newton The Fabulous Thunderbirds, the Tower of Power horns, Booker T. Jones, Willie Nelson. All fine artists, but what do they have in common? The new Carlos Santana album, that's what. Guitarist Jimmie Vaughan, drummer Fran Christina, bassist Keith Ferguson, and harmonica man Kim Wilson--the Fabulous … Continue reading Album review: Santana, Havana Moon (1983)
Mötley Crüe’s debut album gets double duty on Music to Crash Your Car To, Volume 1
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 18, 2003 By Steve Newton Eighties L.A. glam-rockers Mötley Crüe borrowed well from their ’70s New York counterparts, KISS. The Crüe took a bit of KISS’s makeup and leather outfits, and a lot of its penchant for on-stage theatrics. Both groups had a habit of recording horrible ballads … Continue reading Mötley Crüe’s debut album gets double duty on Music to Crash Your Car To, Volume 1
Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues overflows with deathless blues classics
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 18, 2003 By Steve Newton Many music fans have discovered the beauty of the blues while uncovering the roots of rock, yours truly included. Twenty-some-odd years ago I got set on that course by a pedal-steel guitarist and country-bluegrass performer named Smokin’ Joe Michno. As a dedicated hard-rock … Continue reading Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues overflows with deathless blues classics
Motörhead’s Stone Deaf Forever! box set brings the ear-busting goods
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 18, 2003 By Steve Newton So I was hangin’ out in the vicinity of the Straight music editor’s desk—since that’s usually where the CDs go before being parcelled out to the various scrounging contributors—and along comes the shiny new expanded edition of the David Bowie boxed set, Sound … Continue reading Motörhead’s Stone Deaf Forever! box set brings the ear-busting goods
Album review: Iron Maiden, Piece of Mind (1983)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JUNE 3, 1983 By Steve Newton The music on Iron Maiden's Piece of Mind is about as mean and nasty as the expression on their mascot Eddie's tortured face. Iron Maiden's greatest strengths have always been the nimble and precise fingers of lead guitarists Dave Murray and Adrian Smith, and on songs … Continue reading Album review: Iron Maiden, Piece of Mind (1983)
Album review: UFO, Making Contact (1983)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, APRIL 15, 1983 By Steve Newton While we're on the subject of riff-riddled hard rock, take into consideration the latest UFO release, Making Contact. The man who now holds Michael Schenker's old position on lead guitar, Paul Chapman, is no lightweight when it comes to intense blues bastardization. UFO … Continue reading Album review: UFO, Making Contact (1983)
Album review: Gary Moore, Corridors of Power (1983)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, APRIL 22, 1983 By Steve Newton Gary Moore is an astounding rock guitarist, capable of wrenching the most scintillating and unique licks imaginable from six strings. His brief stints with Colosseum II and Thin Lizzy showed him to be a versatile and technically superior player, and on Corridors of … Continue reading Album review: Gary Moore, Corridors of Power (1983)
Album review: Accept, Midnight Highway (1983)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MARCH 25, 1983 By Steve Newton Judas Priest and Scorpions I can handle, but these guys are even raunchier than them! Both Jorg Fischer and Wolf Hoffman are werewolves on guitar, driving home with furious abandon the basic message behind songs like "Breaker", "Helldriver", and "Son of a Bitch". I … Continue reading Album review: Accept, Midnight Highway (1983)