By Steve Newton I normally try to avoid songs like Sam Smith's Grammy-nominated hit, "Stay With Me". It's not that I'm a hard-hearted wretch who can't stand a bit of sappiness, but, really, would it have killed the guy to throw a wailing guitar solo in there somewhere? The song is infectious, I'll admit. I … Continue reading Tom Petty lightly weighs in on Sam Smith’s ripping off of “Won’t Back Down”
Old Geezer’s still got it: Sabbath bassist arrested after altercation in Death Valley
By Steve Newton Apart from the ominous tone of its name—and the fierceness of its music—Black Sabbath as a band hasn't been known as the rowdiest of legendary rock acts. When I interviewed guitarist Tony Iommi way back in 1984 he seemed like the perfect gentleman on the phone. And despite his "let's-go-fucking-crazy!" approach to life in general, singer Ozzy … Continue reading Old Geezer’s still got it: Sabbath bassist arrested after altercation in Death Valley
The Donnas love horror, wish Freddie Krueger would Spend the Night
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, OCT. 24, 2002 By Steve Newton When yours truly hooks up via cell with Donnas vocalist Brett Anderson, she’s in the band’s bus as it winds through the Colorado mountains en route to Salt Lake City and the first of four shows with New York City hotshots the Strokes. … Continue reading The Donnas love horror, wish Freddie Krueger would Spend the Night
Stephen King’s Pet Sematary recalled by “dead” cat’s return from the grave
sadly, this is not the work of Tom Savini By Steve Newton The film version of Stephen King's terrifying 1983 novel, Pet Sematary, sucked the biggie. I reviewed it way back in the spring of 1989, describing it as "a dead dog that deserves no last rites." But according to abc7.com, some cat named Bart from out Florida way just loved … Continue reading Stephen King’s Pet Sematary recalled by “dead” cat’s return from the grave
Will Blackburn continue the upward swing of Vancouver-shot horror?
By Steve Newton I've long complained about the lack of decent horror flicks being made in and around Vancouver, but in recent years Hollywood has upped its game considerably as far as the Great Fright North is concerned. Drew Goddard's The Cabin in the Woods was cause for celebration in 2012, and more recently Alexandre Aja's Horns helped the world … Continue reading Will Blackburn continue the upward swing of Vancouver-shot horror?
Major-label horror stories led the String Cheese Incident to go indie
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, OCT. 10, 2002 By Steve Newton In the early 1990s, String Cheese Incident guitarist Bill Nershi, an avowed ski bum in Telluride, Colorado, decided he wanted to tackle a new mountain. He bought an old school bus, fixed it up, and moved to the ski town of Crested Butte, … Continue reading Major-label horror stories led the String Cheese Incident to go indie
Buddy Guy brings me down when he forgets to just be Buddy
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, OCT. 3, 2002 By Steve Newton Buddy Guy spent a good portion of his concert at the Commodore last Friday (September 27) paying tribute to the legends of the blues, performing in the various styles of John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. It was … Continue reading Buddy Guy brings me down when he forgets to just be Buddy
Drum great Terry Bozzio livens up Omar and the Howler’s Big Delta
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 26, 2002 By Steve Newton If you’re a blues-rock guitarist-vocalist looking for a guy to play drums with you, you could do worse than have Terry Bozzio—renowned skinbasher for Jeff Beck—living three doors down. At least that’s what Kent Omar Dykes—the Omar in Omar and the Howlers—discovered recently. … Continue reading Drum great Terry Bozzio livens up Omar and the Howler’s Big Delta
Robert Plant calls Shemekia Copeland, 23, “the next Tina Turner”
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 26, 2002 By Steve Newton There are a number of things that can boost an up-and-coming recording artist’s career; one of the most effective might be having Robert Plant call you “the next Tina Turner”. Blues vocalist Shemekia Copeland, 23, had no complaints when the shaggy-maned former Zepman … Continue reading Robert Plant calls Shemekia Copeland, 23, “the next Tina Turner”
Jack De Keyzer grew to like Howlin’ Wolf more than the Stones
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 19, 2002 By Steve Newton Toronto blues-rocker Jack De Keyzer spent the first decade of his life in England, when the biggest thing in pop music was Cliff Richard and the Shadows. Just before he moved to Ontario, though, the Beatles came along, and it was through the … Continue reading Jack De Keyzer grew to like Howlin’ Wolf more than the Stones
Hangin’ with Alien writer Dan O’Bannon on the Vancouver set of his 1992 Lovecraft flick
By Steve Newton Most of the Vancouver-shot movies I covered during my time as a freelancer for Fangoria magazine actually made it into theatres. One that didn't was The Resurrected, which was based on the H.P. Lovecraft novella, The Case of Charles Dexter Ward. The movie--aka Shatterbrain--went directly to video, but that's okay with me. The main reason I wanted … Continue reading Hangin’ with Alien writer Dan O’Bannon on the Vancouver set of his 1992 Lovecraft flick
Geddy Lee on Neil Peart’s personal struggles, shaping his lyrics, and loving Rush
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SEPT. 5, 2002 By Steve Newton Rush’s latest CD, Vapor Trails, may be its best recording ever, and since the Canuck prog-rock trio now has 17 studio releases to its credit, that’s saying something. But the album would never have been made if drummer-lyricist Neil Peart hadn’t had the inner strength to … Continue reading Geddy Lee on Neil Peart’s personal struggles, shaping his lyrics, and loving Rush
Sue Foley teams with Colin Linden to kick ass on Where the Action Is
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, AUG. 29, 2002 By Steve Newton Ottawa-based blueswoman Sue Foley recorded her Juno Award–winning 2000 CD, the Colin Linden–produced Love Comin’ Down, in Kingston, Ontario, but travelled down to New Orleans to mix it. On her new album, Where the Action Is, she went full-on with the southern treatment, … Continue reading Sue Foley teams with Colin Linden to kick ass on Where the Action Is