Search Results for: Bob Rock

That time I asked Steve Vai if he had any desire, like his buddy Satch, to try his hand at vocals

By Steve Newton I did my first interview with American guitar legend Steve Vai on May 31, 1990, eleven days after the release of his second album, Passion & Warfare–you know, the one with “For the Love of God”. Seven months earlier Vai’s former guitar teacher, Joe Satriani, had released his third album, Flying in … Continue reading That time I asked Steve Vai if he had any desire, like his buddy Satch, to try his hand at vocals

Ear of Newt and the Tapes Archive present the Alex Van Halen 1995 interview

By Steve Newton Here’s a special treat for all you Van Halen freaks out there–even the ones who liked the Sammy years. For the first time ever the entire audio of my 1995 interview with Alex Van Halen is being offered to the public for free, thanks to a partnership between Ear of Newt and … Continue reading Ear of Newt and the Tapes Archive present the Alex Van Halen 1995 interview

That time Mötley Crüe guitarist Mick Mars told me that the music he loves most is blues-based stuff like Edgar and Johnny Winter

By Steve Newton I’ve interviewed Mick Mars a couple of times. The first time was way back in 1985 when Mötley Crüe was touring behind its Theatre of Pain album. The following excerpt is from my second interview with Mars, which happened in March of 1999, when the original lineup had reunited after recording one … Continue reading That time Mötley Crüe guitarist Mick Mars told me that the music he loves most is blues-based stuff like Edgar and Johnny Winter

That time I asked Neil Finn what inspired him to write one of my all-time favourite tunes, Crowded House’s “Don’t Dream It’s Over”

By Steve Newton I did my first interview with Crowded House frontman Neil Finn back in August of 1998, when he was touring behind his debut solo album, Try Whistling This. I’d been a fan of Crowded House since the 1986 release of its first album, which featured one of the most beautiful pop songs … Continue reading That time I asked Neil Finn what inspired him to write one of my all-time favourite tunes, Crowded House’s “Don’t Dream It’s Over”

That time I asked Richard Marx if he was hoping to sell nine million copies of his followup to Repeat Offender

By Steve Newton When I interviewed Richard Marx back in November of 1991 he was one of the most popular singer-songwriters around. His self-titled 1987 debut album had sold three million copies, and his 1989 followup, Repeat Offender–the one with “Right Here Waiting”–had moved six million copies. So, doing the math, I asked him if … Continue reading That time I asked Richard Marx if he was hoping to sell nine million copies of his followup to Repeat Offender

That time I asked Bruce Dickinson what the backwards message was on Maiden’s new Piece of Mind LP

By Steve Newton Way back in June of 1983 I did my second Iron Maiden interview, following up the previous year’s chat with the soon-to-be-replaced drummer Clive Burr with a conversation featuring 24-year-old frontman Bruce Dickinson. At one point in the interview I asked Dickinson about the backwards message that could be heard between the … Continue reading That time I asked Bruce Dickinson what the backwards message was on Maiden’s new Piece of Mind LP

That time I asked Supertramp’s Bob Siebenberg what the band was like without Roger Hodgson

By Steve Newton Back in May of 1985 I interviewed Supertramp drummer Bob Siebenberg. The conversation took place nine days before the official release of Brother Where You Bound, Supertramp’s first album without Roger Hodgson. This was an unusual interview for me, because most of them are done over the phone with musicians while they’re … Continue reading That time I asked Supertramp’s Bob Siebenberg what the band was like without Roger Hodgson

That time the Headstones’ Hugh Dillon told me about his fascination with the characters in “Tweeter and the Monkey Man”

By Steve Newton Back in January of 1994 I did my first interview with Headstones vocalist Hugh Dillon. At the time his group was touring behind its debut album, Picture of Health, the one with that supercool version of the Traveling Wilburys’ “Tweeter and the Monkey Man”. At one point in the conversation I asked … Continue reading That time the Headstones’ Hugh Dillon told me about his fascination with the characters in “Tweeter and the Monkey Man”

That time blues legend John Mayall told me why he handles his own gear and never uses roadies

By Steve Newton I did the second of my three interviews with British blues great John Mayall back in May of 1990, when he was heading to Vancouver for a show with his band the Bluesbreakers. He was touring to promote his latest album, A Sense of Place, which featured slide-guitar ace Sonny Landreth on … Continue reading That time blues legend John Mayall told me why he handles his own gear and never uses roadies

22 minutes on the phone with Brit Floyd’s Damian Darlington, talking Pink Floyd, David Gilmour, prog rock, and lasers

By Steve Newton I called up Brit Floyd guitarist, vocalist, and musical director Damian Darlington at his home in the county of Cheshire, England, a couple of weeks ago. I wanted to get the scoop on his group, which is regarded as the world’s best Pink Floyd tribute band, in advance of its Vancouver show … Continue reading 22 minutes on the phone with Brit Floyd’s Damian Darlington, talking Pink Floyd, David Gilmour, prog rock, and lasers

That time back in 1985 when Roger Glover told me about the reunited Deep Purple’s first jam session

By Steve Newton I did my second interview with Deep Purple bassist Roger Glover back in March of 1985, when the band’s Mark II lineup–composed of him, guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, singer Ian Gillan, keyboardist Jon Lord, and drummer Ian Paice–had reunited to record the Perfect Strangers album and embark on a sold-out world tour. At … Continue reading That time back in 1985 when Roger Glover told me about the reunited Deep Purple’s first jam session

That time I asked John Sykes if he thought Thunder and Lightning ranked among the best of the Thin Lizzy albums

By Steve Newton Back in May of 1989 I interviewed British guitar great John Sykes, who was promoting the debut album by his power trio Blue Murder. Six years earlier Sykes had played on Thunder and Lightning, the final studio album by Thin Lizzy. So at one point in the conversation I asked him rather … Continue reading That time I asked John Sykes if he thought Thunder and Lightning ranked among the best of the Thin Lizzy albums