By Steve Newton Back in the '80s one of my jobs at a weekly newspaper in Vancouver was to cover the hard-rock/heavy metal beat. Soon after getting hired as a proofreader/typesetter in '82 I was doing articles on Priest, Scorps, Maiden, and Ozzy, which--to my utter delight--often ended up as the cover story. Metal was … Continue reading That time Graham Bonnet told me about unknown Alcatrazz guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen: “He’s one day gonna be a star”
Mick Fleetwood says he’s more expressive with his blues band than with Fleetwood Mac
Eight years before Fleetwood Mac became the multiplatinum voice of mid-’70s pop, it was a gritty blues-rock band led by Peter Green.
The Drive-By Truckers’ Mike Cooley thinks Donald Trump “might be f***in’ crazy”
"I'm pretty astute when it comes to the flaws in American culture, but the fact that this many people take this guy seriously..."
That time Rick Derringer told me that one of the favourite solos he ever played was for Air Supply
By Steve Newton Back in the seventies, Rick Derringer was one of my top rock heroes. I mean, come on, the guy wrote "Still Alive and Well". He played on 1971's Johnny Winter And Live. He produced the Edgar Winter Group's They Only Come Out at Night (my intro to Ronnie Montrose) in '72. He played … Continue reading That time Rick Derringer told me that one of the favourite solos he ever played was for Air Supply
That time Mick Fleetwood told me that Peter Green shunned the guitar-hero status of Clapton, Beck, and Page
By Steve Newton Legendary drummer Mick Fleetwood called me up a couple days ago to plug his upcoming gig at the Hard Rock Casino Vancouver, and I made sure to ask him all about his long-ago bandmate Peter Green. Fleetwood's current outfit, the Mick Fleetwood Blues Band, is performing several Green-penned songs from the early … Continue reading That time Mick Fleetwood told me that Peter Green shunned the guitar-hero status of Clapton, Beck, and Page
Duane Allman and Berry Oakley’s motorcycle deaths couldn’t keep the Midnight Rider off his bike
By Steve Newton I've been on a bit of an Allman Brothers bender of late. It started a while back when Gregg had to cancel some shows due to a "serious illness". He's feeling much better now, I've heard, but I still wanted to send good thoughts while continuously cranking out the four-CD Dreams box … Continue reading Duane Allman and Berry Oakley’s motorcycle deaths couldn’t keep the Midnight Rider off his bike
Blair Witch goes all-in on freakiness, not so much on scares
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SEPT. 17, 2016 By Steve Newton The Blair Witch Project was a huge sleeper hit when it came out in 1999. Made on the cheap, it grossed nearly $250 million worldwide, putting the found-footage horror flick on the map and paving the way for other low-budget cash cows like the Paranormal Activity … Continue reading Blair Witch goes all-in on freakiness, not so much on scares
Ever wonder why the Allman Brothers look so damn happy on the cover of At Fillmore East?
By Steve Newton The Allman Brothers' At Fillmore East is widely recognized as one of the greatest live albums in rock history. And you won't get any arguments about that from me. The band was at its peak, guitarists Duane Allman and Dickey Betts trading the type of inspired licks that would make future ABB … Continue reading Ever wonder why the Allman Brothers look so damn happy on the cover of At Fillmore East?
That time Gord Downie told me that the Tragically Hip would love to make a record every month
By Steve Newton Here's the last audio excerpt I'm gonna post from the fourth interview I did with Gordon Downie, back in July of '95. As the interview wound down I asked the legendary Canuck rocker if the Tragically Hip ever got pressure from its record label to crank records out by a particular date. … Continue reading That time Gord Downie told me that the Tragically Hip would love to make a record every month
George Benson brings smooth style and a soulful strut to Vancouver
chris cameron photo ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SEPT. 12, 1986 By Steve Newton After being rocked silly there by the likes of Kim Mitchell and George Thorogood, it was nice to mellow down easy at the Expo Theatre last Saturday (September 6) with the sophisticated uptown jazz of ace guitarist/vocalist George Benson. After an excellent 40-minute … Continue reading George Benson brings smooth style and a soulful strut to Vancouver
That time Gregg Allman told me how Allman Brothers roadie Red Dog dared him to redo “Whipping Post”
By Steve Newton When I interviewed Gregg Allman back in February of 1998 he was touring behind his fifth solo release, Searching for Simplicity. That album opened with an unplugged version of "Whipping Post", the song he wrote for the Allman Brothers' debut album in 1969, but which didn't reach its full potential until it … Continue reading That time Gregg Allman told me how Allman Brothers roadie Red Dog dared him to redo “Whipping Post”
That time Tony Iommi told me about the “loon” who wanted to stab him onstage at a Black Sabbath show
By Steve Newton This is probly the last audio excerpt I'll post from my 2007 interview with legendary Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi. Maybe one day I'll just post the whole damn conversation--and the one from 1984 as well. You'll have to keep checking back to find out, I suppose. Anyway, this excerpt I thought was … Continue reading That time Tony Iommi told me about the “loon” who wanted to stab him onstage at a Black Sabbath show
That time I asked AC/DC’s Malcolm Young and Brian Johnson what they liked listening to in their spare time
By Steve Newton When I interviewed some of the guys from AC/DC back in '83, on the eve of the Flick of the Switch tour, I asked them which groups they liked listening to in their spare time. Both Brian Johnson and Malcolm Young mentioned ZZ Top. "I just like their attitude and all ya … Continue reading That time I asked AC/DC’s Malcolm Young and Brian Johnson what they liked listening to in their spare time