Flamenco guitar ace Jesse Cook tries to be as accessible as possible

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, APRIL 17, 1997 By Steve Newton When Canadian flamenco-pop sensation Jesse Cook was a small child, he spent time in southern France and Spain, which may have been where the seed of his attraction to flamenco was planted. Then again, you’ve gotta wonder how much musical influence a three-year-old … Continue reading Flamenco guitar ace Jesse Cook tries to be as accessible as possible

18-year-old Kenny Wayne Shepherd recalls being seven and watching Stevie Ray Vaughan from Stevie’s amp case

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON DEC. 28, 1995 By Steve Newton If a longhaired, bearded, beer-bellied guy in a teal Precidia pulls up next to you on a rain-soaked Vancouver street, there’s a good chance it’ll be me. And if the unmistakable strains of Stevie Ray Vaughan’s guitar are escaping the vehicle’s minute confines, you’ll know it’s … Continue reading 18-year-old Kenny Wayne Shepherd recalls being seven and watching Stevie Ray Vaughan from Stevie’s amp case

It Comes at Night oozes paranoia and dread

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 7, 2017 By Steve Newton First you had the awesome Get Out blowing scary-movie fans away with its shockingly sly take on racism in America. And now you've got It Comes at Night and its gloomy commentary on the Trump-inspired fear of outsiders. Socially reflective horror is back bigly, baby! But while Get … Continue reading It Comes at Night oozes paranoia and dread

That time Def Leppard’s Steve Clark told me that Pyromania set the standard for a lot of groups

By Steve Newton Some Def Leppard fans think the band was at its best when Steve Clark was in the lineup. I'm one of them. I interviewed Clark back in 1988 when the band was selling out arenas worldwide, touring behind its massively popular Hysteria album. At one point in the conversation I mentioned a quote from … Continue reading That time Def Leppard’s Steve Clark told me that Pyromania set the standard for a lot of groups

That time J.J. Cale told me that he was an old man by the time he made his first album

By Steve Newton Man, I just love listening to my old tapes of me talkin' with J.J. Cale. It's not as great as listening to his music, obviously, but there's something about J.J.'s Oklahoma accent--if there is such a thing--and his laidback tone that just makes me feel good. Here's a short audio excerpt from my … Continue reading That time J.J. Cale told me that he was an old man by the time he made his first album

That time I called Roy Buchanan up at his house and he raved about his new Bluesmaster guitar

  By Steve Newton Man, I sure have been lucky as far as interviewing great guitarists go. Sometimes--in the case of guys like Joe Satriani, Buddy Guy, Dickey Betts, and Joe Bonamassa--I get to interview them a bunch of times. Other times--with deceased legends like Link Wray, Albert King, Gary Moore, and Danny Gatton--I consider … Continue reading That time I called Roy Buchanan up at his house and he raved about his new Bluesmaster guitar

Annihilator’s Jeff Waters wants to see Van Halen, Kiss, Slayer, and Ozzy (with Randy Rhoads) in a club tonight

By Steve Newton Had a nice chat with Annihilator's Jeff Waters a couple days ago, in advance of his show at the Rickshaw Theatre in Vancouver on June 15. It had been a while. The last time I interviewed him was back in 1990, when his then-Vancouver-based band had just released its second (and most … Continue reading Annihilator’s Jeff Waters wants to see Van Halen, Kiss, Slayer, and Ozzy (with Randy Rhoads) in a club tonight

That time Tal Wilkenfeld told me about her switching from guitar to bass

By Steve Newton Anyone who's aware of the monstrous talent of Tal Wilkenfeld only knows her for her skills on the bass guitar, which she's used to showcase her abilities with the likes of Jeff Beck, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, and scores of other famous players. But when she first came over to the States from … Continue reading That time Tal Wilkenfeld told me about her switching from guitar to bass

That time Leslie West told me that Eddie Van Halen inspired him to get back into guitar after rehab

By Steve Newton In the Year of Our Lord, 1974, Mountain was one of my favourite bands. Back then I played the crap out of their new live album, Twin Peaks, marvelling at how totally rockin' a cowbell could sound on "Mississippi Queen". And Leslie West's guitar playing wasn't too bad either. Four years later another American … Continue reading That time Leslie West told me that Eddie Van Halen inspired him to get back into guitar after rehab

That time blues legend Otis Rush told me that he was always tryin’

By Steve Newton I've interviewed a lot of legendary blues guitarists over the years. B.B. King, Albert King, Buddy Guy, Albert Collins, Stevie Ray Vaughan--they don't get much more famous than that. But I've also managed to score time with lesser-known blues artists who--though not as familiar to the average music fan--have been very influential … Continue reading That time blues legend Otis Rush told me that he was always tryin’

Terror titan Wes Craven on the horrors of family and being cast in the role of the scary guy

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 7, 1991 By Steve Newton “Where do you get your ideas from?” Horror director Wes Craven must have heard that question a thousand times. It seems that everybody wants to know how he came up with the character of Freddy Kreuger, or how he was able to withstand … Continue reading Terror titan Wes Craven on the horrors of family and being cast in the role of the scary guy