Roger Fisher moves on from Heart-break with new band 10 Bulls and hopes for a record deal

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 20, 1985 By Steve Newton Former Heart guitarist Roger Fisher, and his new band 10 Bulls, had their Vancouver debut at Club Soda this summer. The most surprising thing about their performance was the fact that nearly all their songs–with the exception of maybe five–were covers! I mean, … Continue reading Roger Fisher moves on from Heart-break with new band 10 Bulls and hopes for a record deal

That time Kim Simmonds told me that Eric Clapton was the greatest white blues guitar player he’d ever seen

By Steve Newton I was a huge Foghat fan in the seventies. I couldn’t get enough of their hard-driving boogie-blues on albums like Energized and Rock and Roll Outlaws. When I learned that most of their original members had come from a band called Savoy Brown I went and checked them out as well, and … Continue reading That time Kim Simmonds told me that Eric Clapton was the greatest white blues guitar player he’d ever seen

The 70 greatest opening tracks of the ’70s

By Steve Newton Remember how you’d set the needle down on the opening track of a new rock album and the first tune would just blow you the funk away? Me too. “(Ain’t Nothin’ But a) House Party” (Bloodshot, J. Geils Band, 1973) “All the Way From Memphis” (Mott, Mott the Hoople, 1973) “Already Gone” … Continue reading The 70 greatest opening tracks of the ’70s

The 70 greatest closing tracks of the ’70s

By Steve Newton Remember when the last track on an album would finish and you’d wish the music would just never end? Me too. “All Right Now” (Fire and Water, Free, 1970) “American Girl” (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, 1976) “Another Star” (Songs in the Key of Life, Stevie Wonder, … Continue reading The 70 greatest closing tracks of the ’70s

That time Rickey Medlocke told me that he was hired to play Allen Collins’ guitar parts in Skynyrd

By Steve Newton Back in 1997 Lynyrd Skynyrd was headed to Vancouver for a show with Paul Rodgers and Kenny Wayne Shepherd, so you bet your ass I was gonna go. I was also gonna interview Rickey Medlocke, who had rejoined the band to play guitar alongside founding member Gary Rossington and former Outlaws picker … Continue reading That time Rickey Medlocke told me that he was hired to play Allen Collins’ guitar parts in Skynyrd

That time I asked Rickey Medlocke about rejoining Lynyrd Skynyrd–and why he’d left in the first place

By Steve Newton Lynyrd Skynyrd was one of my fave bands in the seventies, but I never got to see them live with Ronnie, to my infinite regret. I did get to see them for the first time in Vancouver back in ’97 on the Legends Tour, and that was cool because the lineup at … Continue reading That time I asked Rickey Medlocke about rejoining Lynyrd Skynyrd–and why he’d left in the first place

That time Joe Satriani told me that Jeff Beck’s Blow By Blow was just the kind of music his generation wanted to hear

By Steve Newton Man, was 1975 the best year for guitar-based rock or what? That’s the year I graduated high school, and spent countless hours cramming my head with riffs from LPs like Thin Lizzy‘s Fighting, Led Zeppelin’s Physical Graffiti, Bad Company‘s Straight Shooter, Heart‘s Dreamboat Annie, and the self-titled debuts by Ian Hunter, the … Continue reading That time Joe Satriani told me that Jeff Beck’s Blow By Blow was just the kind of music his generation wanted to hear

The Outlaws’ triple-guitar attack outshines Foghat’s boogie-blues in Vancouver

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON DEC. 4, 1987 By Steve Newton The raunchy guitar sounds of the ’70s were all the rage at the Commodore last weekend (November 27 and 28), with British boogiemeisters Foghat headlining over Florida-based southern rockers the Outlaws. But it was the triple-guitar attack of the openers that was the real highlight both nights. I’d … Continue reading The Outlaws’ triple-guitar attack outshines Foghat’s boogie-blues in Vancouver

Album review: Molly Hatchet, No Guts…No Glory (1983)

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MARCH 4, 1983 By Steve Newton Easily the best hard-rock album I’ve heard yet this year, Molly Hatchet’s No Guts…No Glory even outdoes their earlier blockbusters Flirtin’ With Disaster and Beatin’ the Odds. Growling vocalist Danny Joe Brown is back in the Hatchet lineup after fronting his own band for … Continue reading Album review: Molly Hatchet, No Guts…No Glory (1983)

Album review: Foghat, Return of the Boogie Men (1995)

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MARCH 30, 1995 By Steve Newton Foghat were the gods of boogie when I was a teen—at least they were when Status Quo wasn’t hogging the old turntable. Over time, the band’s obtuse, party-hearty approach came to represent all that was lacking in the decade’s rock scene, but … Continue reading Album review: Foghat, Return of the Boogie Men (1995)

American Dog guitarist Steve Theado bounces back from highway hell

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MAY 22, 2003 By Steve Newton The rock ’n’ roll life has its share of bumps along the road, like the rough ride that American Dog guitarist Steve Theado took in January of last year. He was driving home from a gig in his home state of Ohio late … Continue reading American Dog guitarist Steve Theado bounces back from highway hell

That time I asked Dickey Betts if the Allman Brothers were the originators of “southern rock”

By Steve Newton I’ve been a big fan of “southern rock” since I first heard the Allman Brothers Band‘s version of “One Way Out” on the Eat a Peach album back in high school. Some of my other fave bands in the seventies were Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Outlaws, Molly Hatchet, and Blackfoot. So when I … Continue reading That time I asked Dickey Betts if the Allman Brothers were the originators of “southern rock”

Dickey Betts ponders an Allman Brothers reunion and wonders what Duane would think of the music scene in 1989

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MARCH 31, 1989 By Steve Newton Southern rock. The raw bite of the blues tempered by a free-wheelin’, down-home country feel. Gruff, unencumbered vocals and soaring, twin lead guitars. Songs about ramblin’ men, poison whiskey, and Saturday night specials. You have no choice: ya gotta like it. Unfortunately, in … Continue reading Dickey Betts ponders an Allman Brothers reunion and wonders what Duane would think of the music scene in 1989