ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 7, 1995 By Steve Newton Blues Traveler singer-harpist John Popper may be the most awe-inspiring harmonica player in the world of rock, but what really makes him special is the way he couples the mastery of his instrument with truly outstanding vocals. There aren’t that many virtuoso instrumentalists … Continue reading John Popper’s speedy harp licks in Vancouver bring to mind Jan Hammer on Jeff Beck’s Wired tour
Aussie songwriting great Paul Kelly hits 40 and treads into Deeper Water
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 23, 1995 By Steve Newton Ever wonder what happened to the Aussie Invasion? Back in the early- to mid-’80s it seemed as if a band wasn’t on top unless it was from Down Under. Two-hit wonders Men at Work kick-started the worldwide interest in the music of koala country in ’82 … Continue reading Aussie songwriting great Paul Kelly hits 40 and treads into Deeper Water
Junkhouse’s Tom Wilson believes there’s a Birthday Boy in all of us
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 30, 1995 By Steve Newton If you happened to see the Beatles Anthology series on the tube last week, you’re probably aware that the Fab Four quit touring in 1966 and became just a recording act. That move worked out alright for them—but it probably wouldn’t suit Hamilton, Ontario, rockers Junkhouse. … Continue reading Junkhouse’s Tom Wilson believes there’s a Birthday Boy in all of us
Southern Culture on the Skids: the finest in high-cholesterol, toe-sucking geek rock since 1985
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 16, 1995 By Steve Newton “High-cholesterol, toe-sucking geek rock.” That’s how singer-guitarist Rick Miller describes the œuvre of his band, Southern Culture on the Skids. And he’s mighty proud of it, too. Miller’s been striving to produce the finest in high-cholesterol, toe-sucking geek rock ever since forming the band back in … Continue reading Southern Culture on the Skids: the finest in high-cholesterol, toe-sucking geek rock since 1985
Skydiggers look forward to getting into a groove with Road Radio and Warner
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 9, 1995 When a couple of Skydiggers show up at the Georgia Straight office to chat about their latest CD, I’m expecting to see at least one goatee, but instead I get sideburns (courtesy bassist Ronnie Von Johnnie) and long, straggly hair (courtesy singer-guitarist Peter Cash). The guy … Continue reading Skydiggers look forward to getting into a groove with Road Radio and Warner
Warren Haynes’ “Star-Spangled Banner” evokes the beauty of the States, not its bombs
Anyone who knows the Newt knows that I'm crazy about Warren Haynes, guitarist-vocalist-songwriter for Gov't Mule and the Allman Brothers Band. Everything he touches musically is magic to me, and I write about it whenever I can. As such, I heard a lot I liked in this reverb-heavy version of "The Star-Spangled Banner", which he … Continue reading Warren Haynes’ “Star-Spangled Banner” evokes the beauty of the States, not its bombs
UFO sightings and mining disasters fuel Weeping Tile’s Cold Snap
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 9, 1995 By Steve Newton Only six years ago, Kingston, Ontario, was a place best-known for its contrasting institutions of promise and penance (Queens University, Kingston Penitentiary), but the Tragically Hip’s breakthrough Up to Here album put a quick stop to that. The Hip’s burgeoning popularity has put … Continue reading UFO sightings and mining disasters fuel Weeping Tile’s Cold Snap
The Smalls sound nice and chunky on Waste & Tragedy
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 9, 1995 By Steve Newton Some rock bands dream about being popular enough to play large venues but whine about getting booked in the little, out-of-the-way places on the way up. Not the Smalls, though. You won’t get any complaints out of them when they see locations like … Continue reading The Smalls sound nice and chunky on Waste & Tragedy
Seven Mary Three blasts straight outta Florida with American Standard
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 9, 1995 By Steve Newton As soon as I saw the title of Seven Mary Three’s debut release, American Standard, I felt an affinity for the Florida-based guitar-rock quintet. I’ve got a U.S.-made Stratocaster myself; no cheapjack Japanese copy for this kid. And none for 7M3 lead vocalist–guitarist … Continue reading Seven Mary Three blasts straight outta Florida with American Standard
WolfCop would be painful to watch even without the Gowan
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, JUNE 4, 2014 WolfCop looks like it could have been a hoot to make, because judging by the finished product, nobody involved—from the director on down to the FX lackey spattering fake blood around—seemed to give a rat’s ass about how the Canadian horror-comedy turned out. It’s got the look and feel … Continue reading WolfCop would be painful to watch even without the Gowan
Quadrophenia: Live in London gets primo packaging in a collector’s edition
By Steve Newton I've long posited that the Who's Quadrophenia is the greatest rock album of all time. The 1973 double-disc captured the British rock quartet at its creative peak, firing on all cylinders, and—thanks to Pete Townsend's songwriting skills—told a thoroughly engrossing tale of a young man's struggle for identity amid the Mods vs. Rockers turmoil … Continue reading Quadrophenia: Live in London gets primo packaging in a collector’s edition
Doc Neeson calls Angel City’s comparisons to AC/DC “a bonus”
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MARCH 22, 1985 By Steve Newton "We were driving around L.A. yesterday," relates Angel City vocalist Doc Neeson, "and we passed this fantastic crowd of about 20 or 30 black guys--a conga band. So I stopped. Then one of them grabbed a hold of our lead guitarist! And to us, culturally, you're … Continue reading Doc Neeson calls Angel City’s comparisons to AC/DC “a bonus”
Cosmic encounters inspire Locoweed’s Scott Towaij to get a message out
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 2, 1995 Vancouver’s homegrown talent pool has never been stronger than it is right now, but there’s a lot to be said for musicians who bring their talent here from other places, too. The most prominent transplants to Vancouver are folks such as Sarah McLachlan, k.d. lang, and … Continue reading Cosmic encounters inspire Locoweed’s Scott Towaij to get a message out