ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON DEC. 4, 1987 By Steve Newton The raunchy guitar sounds of the '70s were all the rage at the Commodore last weekend (November 27 and 28), with British boogiemeisters Foghat headlining over Florida-based southern rockers the Outlaws. But it was the triple-guitar attack of the openers that was the real highlight both nights. I'd … Continue reading The Outlaws’ triple-guitar attack outshines Foghat’s boogie-blues in Vancouver
Blues-rocker Candye Kane puts aside her porno past
“It was kind of the perfect song for me, just being a big woman and celebrating my size. I mean, I am a whole lotta love.”
Guitar legend Warren Haynes admits he’s “a Gibson guy”, but still likes to play a Fender now and then
texastengu photo By Steve Newton When you see a promotional image of Warren Haynes, or an in-concert shot, the American guitar legend is almost always clutching a Les Paul. So I was kinda surprised to see that on the most recent Gov't Mule album, Revolution Come...Revolution Go, there's a photo of him in the CD … Continue reading Guitar legend Warren Haynes admits he’s “a Gibson guy”, but still likes to play a Fender now and then
Album review: Steve Earle, Jerusalem (2002)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 14, 2002 By Steve Newton In the liner notes to Jerusalem, Steve Earle refers to the likes of activists Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, and Abbie Hoffman as Americans who insisted on asking “the hardest questions in our darkest hours”. With the terrifying possibility of another Gulf War around the … Continue reading Album review: Steve Earle, Jerusalem (2002)
Album review: Santana, Shaman (2002)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 7, 2002 By Steve Newton Two songs into the new Carlos Santana CD, Shaman, I couldn’t decide whether I loved the album or despised it. Things start off just fine with the old-school, tribal-Latin workout, “Adouma”, cowritten by Angelique Kidjo, which is lit white-hot by the guitar god’s … Continue reading Album review: Santana, Shaman (2002)
Album review: Peter Wolf, Sleepless (2002)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 21, 2002 By Steve Newton I used to think Peter Wolf was supercool back in the ’70s, when he was fronting Boston-based party rockers the J. Geils band and delivering killer albums like Bloodshot and Live: Full House. I lost interest in the guy when the J. … Continue reading Album review: Peter Wolf, Sleepless (2002)
Album review: Steve Earle, Sidetracks (2002)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 18, 2002 By Steve Newton It’s a testament to the unremitting quality of Steve Earle’s music that this collection of—not outtakes, but, as he calls them, previously unreleased “stray tracks” is just as worthy as any of his previous CDs. Sidetracks also demonstrates the impressive range of Earle’s material, showing … Continue reading Album review: Steve Earle, Sidetracks (2002)
Album review: Various Artists, Big Bad Love Soundtrack (2002)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JULY 25, 2002 By Steve Newton This is my favourite soundtrack album of the year, so far; I must have played it 20 times already. It’s essentially a showcase for the rough-hewn backwoods boogie of North Mississippi hill-country blues artists Robert Belfour, T-Model Ford, Junior Kimbrough, and R. … Continue reading Album review: Various Artists, Big Bad Love Soundtrack (2002)
Album review: Black Sabbath, Past Lives (2002)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, OCT. 10, 2002 By Steve Newton I like collecting guitar picks. Whenever I’m near the stage and some six-string legend tosses out one of those wee plastic nubs, I’ll do what it takes to nab it. My most highly prized catch is a plain orange Ronnie Montrose pick … Continue reading Album review: Black Sabbath, Past Lives (2002)
Yes guitarist Steve Howe says that the respect he has for classical musicians is above all others
By Steve Newton Interviewing amazing guitar players is one of my favourite things to do, and Yes guitarist Steve Howe has always been one of the best in my books. I've chatted with him three times, in 1998, 2001, and then 2017, before the latest version of Yes played Vancouver's Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Steve's always … Continue reading Yes guitarist Steve Howe says that the respect he has for classical musicians is above all others
Steve Earle takes Exit O back to Vancouver and delivers another hell-raisin’ good time
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 27, 1987 By Steve Newton Whenever Steve Earle hits town, you're pretty well guaranteed a hellraisin' good time. It happened at his Vancouver debut last May at the 86 Street Music Hall, and then again last Thursday (November 19) when he and his rip-snortin' band the Dukes returned to the Expo … Continue reading Steve Earle takes Exit O back to Vancouver and delivers another hell-raisin’ good time
Malcolm Young: the five best quotes I ever got from AC/DC’s rhythm master
By Steve Newton The hard-rock world lost one of its most beloved artists on November 18, 2017, when AC/DC rhythm-guitarist Malcolm Young passed away at the age of 64. Ill health had forced him to leave the band in 2014, and to be confined to a nursing home, where he suffered from dementia. I only met … Continue reading Malcolm Young: the five best quotes I ever got from AC/DC’s rhythm master
Album review: Bernard Allison, Storms of Life (2002)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, OCT. 17, 2002 By Steve Newton So I was upstairs at A&B Sound on Seymour recently, searching for the new DVD release of that fab vampire flick Near Dark—which is so new they didn’t have it yet—when a rowdy slide-guitar tune caught my attention. One of the store’s … Continue reading Album review: Bernard Allison, Storms of Life (2002)