ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MARCH 2, 2000 By Steve Newton If, like me, you’re a Kim Mitchell fan from way back, you may have been wondering just where the hell he’s been lately. I mean, he hasn’t played Vancouver in nine years, whereas in the ’80s he’d show up regularly to be a … Continue reading Kim Mitchell on the re-rise and re-fall of Max Webster
Vancouver metal band Empyria gets raves in Europe and Japan
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MARCH 2, 2000 It’s dark and dingy in the downstairs “rock room” of Ken Firomski’s Queensborough home, but he doesn’t mind. Firomski’s a heavy-metal bassist, and those guys aren’t always drawn to the sunny side of life. The walls and ceiling are plastered with posters of HM gods like … Continue reading Vancouver metal band Empyria gets raves in Europe and Japan
Wacky NRBQ celebrates the phenomenon of the tap-dancing bats
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, FEB. 24, 2000 By Steve Newton If there were such a thing as the Illustrated Dictionary of Pop-Rock, you could probably look up the word whimsical and see a picture of Toronto’s clown princes of pop, the Barenaked Ladies. Or maybe not. Nowadays that spot may be filled by … Continue reading Wacky NRBQ celebrates the phenomenon of the tap-dancing bats
Chrissie Hynde targets meat-eaters and lumberjacks at the Pretenders’ Vancouver show
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON FEB. 24, 2000 By Steve Newton It didn’t take animal-rights activist Chrissie Hynde long to start preaching at the Orpheum last Saturday (February 19). Just a couple of songs into the Pretenders’ nearly two-hour show, she gave a nice big “Fuck you!” to everyone who wears leather or fur, or eats meat. … Continue reading Chrissie Hynde targets meat-eaters and lumberjacks at the Pretenders’ Vancouver show
The Fixx’s Cy Curnin talks Rupert Hine, Tina Turner, and fear-driven censorship in 1984
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON OCT. 12, 1984 By Steve Newton "It's good fun coming up into Canada," says Fixx vocalist Cy Curnin, who called from Ottawa last week. "You notice a difference moving from America to Canada, in that the audiences are really refreshing up here. They seem to listen a lot more, and at the … Continue reading The Fixx’s Cy Curnin talks Rupert Hine, Tina Turner, and fear-driven censorship in 1984
Steve Stevens on covering Sweet, working with Ted Templeman, and becoming an Atomic Playboy
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON OCT. 6, 1989 By Steve Newton You might have seen the movie Fame--or the TV series that followed it--which traced the exploits of young students at Manhattan's renowned High School of the Performing Arts. With all the dancing in the streets that went on, you'd figure anyone enrolled in the institution was having … Continue reading Steve Stevens on covering Sweet, working with Ted Templeman, and becoming an Atomic Playboy
Dracula Untold is patently ridiculous, and not in a good way
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, OCT. 10, 2014 By Steve Newton Dracula Untold is so patently ridiculous that it’s hard to even fathom how it came to be. Did some billionaire producer on meth sit through a Lord of the Rings marathon and declare: “That would be so much better with vampires!”? After a rambling prologue describing … Continue reading Dracula Untold is patently ridiculous, and not in a good way
AC/DC’s new album will ROCK! It says so right in the song titles!
Yesterday AC/DC released the song titles for its highly anticipated new album, and by all accounts the Aussie blues-metal legends will continue to rock. It's right there in the titles: "Rock the House", "Rock the Blues Away", "Got Some Rock & Roll Thunder", and the title track, "Rock or Bust". It appears that the nasty … Continue reading AC/DC’s new album will ROCK! It says so right in the song titles!
The Tragically Hip to release super-deluxe edition of the Newt’s fave Hip album
By Steve Newton When you love the Tragically Hip as much as I do—or did, anyway, back in the '90s—it's hard to pinpoint one favourite album. But let's try anyway. My alltime fave song of theirs—the one that has given me the most chills when heard either on record or live—is "Nautical Disaster", so sometimes … Continue reading The Tragically Hip to release super-deluxe edition of the Newt’s fave Hip album
Blue Öyster Cult’s “Reaper” writer says death is on everybody’s mind
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, FEB. 10, 2000 By Steve Newton Ever wonder why classic-rock stations often play the hell out of a ’70s band’s old hits, but won’t even touch its current material, no matter how strong it is? I have. I’m especially curious about why local FM station CFMI Rock 101 totally … Continue reading Blue Öyster Cult’s “Reaper” writer says death is on everybody’s mind
Guitar legend Jeff Beck to release new concert Blu-ray next month
By Steve Newton Hey guitar freaks: get ready for the best news you've heard all week. Eagle Rock Entertainment announced today that it will release a new Jeff Beck live Blu-ray (or DVD for you neanderthals) on November 24. Live in Tokyo will features the world's greatest living rock guitarist with his new backing band of guitarist Nicolas Meier, … Continue reading Guitar legend Jeff Beck to release new concert Blu-ray next month
Creepy-doll flick Annabelle has more potent scares than The Conjuring
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, OCT. 6, 2014 I've been a sucker for creepy-doll flicks ever since that ventriloquists' dummy from Magic put its unblinking spell on me back in 1978. The genre has had its ups (Child's Play) and downs (Dead Silence), but it gets a major boost with Annabelle, a prequel to last year's over-rated The Conjuring. Married couple … Continue reading Creepy-doll flick Annabelle has more potent scares than The Conjuring
Tusk goes off the rails as a crazed body-horror trainwreck
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, OCT. 1, 2014 Kevin Smith’s podcast-spawned Tusk has to be one of the most insane horror-comedies I’ve ever seen. Considering how supergonzo it is, I’m surprised I didn’t like it more. The movie opens with self-absorbed L.A. podcaster Wallace (Justin Long) and his best friend, Teddy (Haley Joel Osment), in the midst of … Continue reading Tusk goes off the rails as a crazed body-horror trainwreck