ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 12, 1999 By Steve Newton Despite the plot similarities—both movies are about teenage twits hell-bent on seeing their greasepaint-laden glam-rock idols in the flesh—Detroit Rock City is no Wayne’s World. For starters, Wayne’s World had two talented comedians, Saturday Night Live’s Mike Myers and Dana Carvey. Detroit Rock City has the … Continue reading Detroit Rock City is juvenile, crass, and loud, just like KISS itself
Fred Eaglesmith makes a living in music without selling his soul
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JULY 29, 1999 By Steve Newton From the sound of his new 50-Odd Dollars CD—which includes gritty, rough-edged tracks like “Blue Tick Hound”, “Ten Ton Chain”, and “Georgia Overdrive”—you wouldn’t expect that Ontario tunesmith Fred Eaglesmith is best-known in folk circles. He sounds more like a cross between Neil … Continue reading Fred Eaglesmith makes a living in music without selling his soul
Vancouver’s cotton-candy crowd goes gaga for Goo Goo
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JULY 29, 1999 I didn’t realize the vast majority of Goo Goo Dolls fans were teenagers until I got to GM Place last Saturday (July 24) and discovered that the food concessions were pushing candy floss more aggressively than beer. I guess I should have known, considering how the … Continue reading Vancouver’s cotton-candy crowd goes gaga for Goo Goo
Growing up in Buffalo, the Goo Goo Dolls are almost Canadian
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JULY 22, 1999 By Steve Newton “Kick him in the throat!” isn’t quite the phrase you expect to hear from a guy who’s just exchanged wedding vows, but that’s what my brother-in-law Cam was yelling scant hours after tying the knot on a beach in Powell River last month. … Continue reading Growing up in Buffalo, the Goo Goo Dolls are almost Canadian
Guitar legend Rick Derringer has soloed for everyone from Alice Cooper to Air Supply
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 22, 1999 By Steve Newton When most people hear the name Rick Derringer, they probably think of his ’70s hit “Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo”, which typified the randy guitar-boogie of the free-love era. Others may remember him for “Hang On Sloopy”, the 1965 sing-along number Derringer did with his first … Continue reading Guitar legend Rick Derringer has soloed for everyone from Alice Cooper to Air Supply
Robert Cray’s Rykodisc debut is a paean to sixties soul
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JULY 8, 1999 By Steve Newton Robert Cray isn’t known for covering other people’s material, but on his latest CD, Take Your Shoes Off, he was happy to take on Willie Dixon’s “Tollin’ Bells”, as well as the 1964 Solomon Burke chestnut “Won’t You Give Him (One More Chance)”. … Continue reading Robert Cray’s Rykodisc debut is a paean to sixties soul
Magic Sam gave Magic Slim his nickname, told him to get his own style
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 1, 1999 By Steve Newton There are few blues guitarists around today who can match the fire and passion of Buddy Guy, but Morris “Magic Slim” Holt is right up there with the best of them. As can be heard on Magic Slim & the Teardrops’ latest CD, Black Tornado, the … Continue reading Magic Sam gave Magic Slim his nickname, told him to get his own style
R.L. Burnside keeps his fridge chained shut and his blues cool as hell
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 24, 1999 By Steve Newton On the back cover of his latest CD, Come On In, Mississippi bluesman R.L. Burnside is pictured standing in his modest kitchen, strumming a Stratocaster and gazing toward his fridge—which is chained shut. Since Burnside has been known to distill his own moonshine, you might think … Continue reading R.L. Burnside keeps his fridge chained shut and his blues cool as hell
Eddy Clearwater took Magic lessons on Chicago’s West Side
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 24, 1999 By Steve Newton Eddy “The Chief” Clearwater chose a good guy to hang with when he moved to Chicago’s West Side in 1950. As a budding, 15-year-old bluesman, Clearwater became close friends with Magic Sam, the legendary West Side guitarist who died of a heart attack at the age … Continue reading Eddy Clearwater took Magic lessons on Chicago’s West Side
Sonny Rhodes’ journey to the lap-steel guitar started with a one-stringed Stella
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JUNE 17, 1999 By Steve Newton Ya gotta like interviewing those old blues guys, ’cause they’ve seen some things and have a few tales to tell. Often all it takes to get them going is an innocent little query like: “So, when did you pick up your first guitar?” … Continue reading Sonny Rhodes’ journey to the lap-steel guitar started with a one-stringed Stella
Flamenco guitarist Ottmar Liebert was entranced by Santana’s “Samba Pa Ti” as a kid
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JUNE 10, 1999 By Steve Newton When Ottmar Liebert calls the Georgia Straight from his home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, it sounds as if the popular flamenco guitarist is living in a bird sanctuary. There’s a constant chirping in the background, the likes of which I haven’t heard … Continue reading Flamenco guitarist Ottmar Liebert was entranced by Santana’s “Samba Pa Ti” as a kid
Perfecting the lost art of the backstage meet ‘n’ greet at John Mellencamp in Vancouver
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 20, 1999 By Steve Newton I like John Mellencamp, but my sister Julie and cousin Cory are crazy about him, so I did some serious scroungin’ and wangled three backstage passes to meet the Indiana rocker before he went on stage at GM Place last Saturday (May 15). Now, for those … Continue reading Perfecting the lost art of the backstage meet ‘n’ greet at John Mellencamp in Vancouver
John Mellencamp cuts back on smokes, ramps up songwriting after heart attack
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MAY 13, 1999 By Steve Newton John Mellencamp had the biggest-selling album of 1982 with American Fool, which boasted such huge radio hits as “Hurts So Good” and “Jack and Diane”. I interviewed him in advance of a show at the PNE Forum that year, and at the time … Continue reading John Mellencamp cuts back on smokes, ramps up songwriting after heart attack