Joe Blanton’s raunchier side asserted itself on the Royal Court of China’s Geared & Primed

  ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 2, 1990 By Steve Newton When the Royal Court of China's debut album hit the record racks three years ago, it took a few people by surprise. By the daintiness of the band's name, possible buyers might be forgiven for taking it as yet another panty-waist British synth duo churning … Continue reading Joe Blanton’s raunchier side asserted itself on the Royal Court of China’s Geared & Primed

Rick Rizzo thinks Eleventh Dream Day sounds better live because of the sonicness of the guitars

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, APRIL 25, 1991 By Steve Newton Some bands just aren’t happy unless they’re recording in the fanciest, most expensive studios around. Then there are bands like Chicago’s Eleventh Dream Day, which laid down the tracks for its latest album in a Kentucky tobacco barn. The band members had to … Continue reading Rick Rizzo thinks Eleventh Dream Day sounds better live because of the sonicness of the guitars

David Gogo drinks “anything that’s liquid” and uses the empty glass for a slide in Vancouver

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SEPT. 19, 1991 By Steve Newton Does 22-year-old David Gogo have what it takes to become Canada’s next blues-rock guitar hero? Can his name be mentioned along with the likes of Jeff Healey, Colin James, and Tony “Wild T” Springer? That question could be on a few minds these days, especially in … Continue reading David Gogo drinks “anything that’s liquid” and uses the empty glass for a slide in Vancouver

Tony “Wild T” Springer isn’t worried about being pegged as a Hendrix clone any more

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MAY 30, 1991 By Steve Newton The first thing you see when you scan Tony “Wild T” Springer & the Spirit’s Warner Music bio isn’t a background on the Trinidad-born, Toronto-based blues-rocker, or even some over-zealous copywriter’s frothings, but a quote from Jeff Healey, who claims that guitarist Wild … Continue reading Tony “Wild T” Springer isn’t worried about being pegged as a Hendrix clone any more

The Belko Experiment fails, though not for lack of dying

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 12, 2017 By Steve Newton The Belko Experiment looks great on paper if you're a devotee of scary movies. It's directed by Aussie Greg McLean, who blew horror fans away with his Outback-set psycho-killer debut Wolf Creek back in 2005. And it's written by James Gunn, who worked wonders helming the comically gory Slither in 2006 before hitting it … Continue reading The Belko Experiment fails, though not for lack of dying

That time Gord Downie told me that he thought the Tragically Hip was a success from day one

By Steve Newton As I mentioned in a blog last month, the last time I interviewed Gord Downie he got a little "cunty" (his word) when I brought up the subject of how the Tragically Hip hadn't enjoyed nearly the same level of success in the States as it had in Canada. After that minor … Continue reading That time Gord Downie told me that he thought the Tragically Hip was a success from day one

Sonny Greenwich Jr. thinks that Bootsauce’s Baculis is a better bassist than Flea

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON OCT. 4, 1990 By Steve Newton Some rock critics will go to any lengths to describe the sound of a band as diverse as Montreal’s Bootsauce. Take Mike Marrone of the Hard Report, who came up with this hearty interpretation: “Captain Beefheart meets The The on Shriekback street beauty.” “Holy smokes!” says … Continue reading Sonny Greenwich Jr. thinks that Bootsauce’s Baculis is a better bassist than Flea

Moe Berg on leaving Edmonton, loving Rundgren, and the Pursuit of Happiness’s One Sided Story

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 12, 1990 By Steve Newton When Moe Berg left Edmonton for Toronto five years ago, the city of the Oilers didn’t exactly react like it was losing The Great One. There wasn’t a big hullabaloo in the press, nor were there many tears shed, either by Berg himself or the gaggle … Continue reading Moe Berg on leaving Edmonton, loving Rundgren, and the Pursuit of Happiness’s One Sided Story

For my first-ever caricature I became a rocker with a Flying V

By Steve Newton The night before last I went to the Georgia Straight's 50th anniversary bash. For those out of the loop, the Georgia Straight is the weekly Vancouver newspaper that I've worked at for 35 years. The Straight was founded as a counter-culture publication in 1967, the Summer of Love, and has managed to … Continue reading For my first-ever caricature I became a rocker with a Flying V

Blitzspeer’s Phil Caivano says the New York metal scene kicks L.A.’s poser ass

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 11, 1991 By Steve Newton In the rock journalism biz, it’s sometimes fun to get your interviewee a little riled. Like when Blitzspeer vocalist Phil Caivano calls from New York and has to respond to the sly query about whether the metal scene in the Big Apple is any more potent … Continue reading Blitzspeer’s Phil Caivano says the New York metal scene kicks L.A.’s poser ass

Newt’s Top 10 albums of 1991

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 1991 By Steve Newton Rap and dance music made strong inroads in 1991, but the year wasn’t a total write-off. The sacred power of the electric guitar could still be heard above the soulless clatter of MC Moronitis and DJ Jerkaround. Danny Gatton 88 Elmira St.  Fellow scribe … Continue reading Newt’s Top 10 albums of 1991

That time Yngwie Malmsteen told me that he was inspired by Stephen King, H.P. Lovecraft, and Leonardo da Vinci

By Steve Newton Yngwie Malmsteen is famous for his blistering speed on the fretboard, but his choice of reading material isn’t nearly as well known. The first time I interviewed the Swedish guitar legend, back in 1985, he had recently released his second solo album, Marching Out, which included a thank you to Stephen King. Turns … Continue reading That time Yngwie Malmsteen told me that he was inspired by Stephen King, H.P. Lovecraft, and Leonardo da Vinci