ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 6, 1995 By Steve Newton When Matthew Sweet checks in from his L.A. abode for an afternoon chat, I’ve got a fair supply of questions lined up. I want to uncover the acclaimed pop rocker’s thoughts about his place on the Another Roadside Attraction megatour, which comes to UBC’s Thunderbird Stadium … Continue reading Matthew Sweet wishes his records were as loose as Neil Young’s
Gordon Downie says opening for the Rolling Stones is like being a golf caddy
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JULY 6, 1995 By Steve Newton In 1995, it’s as if the Tragically Hip can do no wrong. Late last February, the Ontario guitar-rockers played a Pacific Coliseum gig that sold out in 20 minutes flat. Not long after that, you could have flicked on Saturday Night Live and … Continue reading Gordon Downie says opening for the Rolling Stones is like being a golf caddy
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers leave Vancouver reeling with a two-hour barrage of cannonball rock
kevin statham photo ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 11, 1995 By Steve Newton Some rock bands have a magical way of winning over a crowd straightaway, and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers are a prime example. I saw them do it back in ’78 at the Commodore on the You’re Gonna Get It tour, and they … Continue reading Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers leave Vancouver reeling with a two-hour barrage of cannonball rock
A small world helped Brother Cane score tour with Slash’s Snakepit
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 4, 1995 By Steve Newton While more than 40 singers auditioned for the lead-vocalist job in Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash’s solo band, Snakepit, probably just as many bands would have lined up to try out for the prestigious opening spot on that group’s tour. When that bill hits the sold-out … Continue reading A small world helped Brother Cane score tour with Slash’s Snakepit
With the Big 3-0 looming, Slash figures that “it’s happy hour somewhere”
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 27, 1995 By Steve Newton When you’re guitar god Slash from Guns N’ Roses and you’re looking for a singer, you get to take your pick. Many hopefuls tried out for the lead-vocalist position in Slash’s Snakepit, including King’s X crooner Doug Pinnick, Spike from the London Quireboys, and former Little … Continue reading With the Big 3-0 looming, Slash figures that “it’s happy hour somewhere”
Robert Plant says the Eagles are bored, Don Henley thinks Plant should keep his shirt on
It looks like there's a bit of a feud brewing between a couple of seventies-rock heavyweights. While doing interviews to promote the upcoming release of expanded Led Zeppelin reissues, Robert Plant held fast to his opinion that the band should not reunite simply to make a shipload more money. "Do you know why the Eagles … Continue reading Robert Plant says the Eagles are bored, Don Henley thinks Plant should keep his shirt on
After partying on the Black Crowes tour, the Jayhawks mellow out with Tom Petty
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, APRIL 27, 1995 By Steve Newton Here’s a tip for new bands trying to get ahead in today’s music biz: make sure that when any important industry types call and you put them on hold, your music is what they hear while they’re waiting. It worked for the Jayhawks, … Continue reading After partying on the Black Crowes tour, the Jayhawks mellow out with Tom Petty
Rivers run deep on Sonny Landreth’s South of I-10
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 13, 1995 By Steve Newton Unless you’re a devoted follower of critically acclaimed slide guitarists—or the type of music fan that analyzes the musician credits on CD liner notes—you might not have heard of Louisiana singer-songwriter-guitarist Sonny Landreth. He’s been around for a long time, though, and he’s even been up … Continue reading Rivers run deep on Sonny Landreth’s South of I-10
Extreme borrows from the Addams Family to get by at the Commodore
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 13, 1995 By Steve Newton Extreme must be caught in a time warp or something. At times the group seems to have a fair handle on the thrashy grunge-funk style popular today, then you blink and it sounds like one of those really bad big-hair bands from the mid-’80s. The result … Continue reading Extreme borrows from the Addams Family to get by at the Commodore
Joe Walsh, the Eddie Shack of rock ‘n’ roll, helps the Eagles soar in Vancouver
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MARCH 30, 1995 By Steve Newton I have to admit, I was feeling a tad cynical as I took my seat for the Eagles concert on Monday (March 27). Like most everybody else who grew up loving rock music in the ’70s, I had a soft spot in my … Continue reading Joe Walsh, the Eddie Shack of rock ‘n’ roll, helps the Eagles soar in Vancouver
Duke Robillard finds a sense of balance with Temptation
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MARCH 2, 1995 By Steve Newton Some music-crazy kids will do anything to get their youthful paws on their first electric guitar. They’ll beg, borrow, or steal. Or, if they’re like Duke Robillard, they’ll pull a fast one. As a 14-year-old in Providence, Rhode Island, he came up with a highly original … Continue reading Duke Robillard finds a sense of balance with Temptation
The Tragically Hip’s Gord Downie finds humour in “The Inevitability of Death”
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, FEB. 16, 1995 By Steve Newton The Tragically Hip don’t always do things the way other rock groups do, and maybe that’s why folks love ’em so much. For starters, the band got its road manager, of all people, to write its official MCA Records bio. Instead of the … Continue reading The Tragically Hip’s Gord Downie finds humour in “The Inevitability of Death”
Interviewing Jeff Goldblum and Alicia Silverstone on the set of Dean Koontz’s Hideaway
By Steve Newton Vancouver has not been kind to Dean Koontz. First you had his awesome 1987 suspense novel, Watchers, being turned into a godawful Corey Haim vehicle up here in 1988. Then seven years later you had his fine 1982 supernatural thriller, Hideaway, becoming the type of B.C.-shot trainwreck he tried to sue to … Continue reading Interviewing Jeff Goldblum and Alicia Silverstone on the set of Dean Koontz’s Hideaway