ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 15, 1993 By Steve Newton When major-label recording artists do interviews to promote a new release, they usually go on about how it’s the best one they’ve ever made, how making it sapped all the artistic energy their souls could muster—that sort of thing. Then there’s Colin Linden, who plays the … Continue reading Canadian blues-roots great Colin Linden is one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet
Braving Vancouver’s seedy Granville strip for Midnight Matinee in 1988
By Steve Newton One of the first set-visit stories I did for Fangoria was back in 1988, when I went down to Vancouver's Granville Mall to cover a low-budget flick called Midnight Matinee, which is also known as just Matinee, not to be confused with Joe Dante's Matinee of 1993. The movie--which nobody bothered telling … Continue reading Braving Vancouver’s seedy Granville strip for Midnight Matinee in 1988
Hammerbox rides the second wave of the Seattle rock explosion with Numb
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, APRIL 15, 1993 By Steve Newton The moment I got my hands on the the new Hammerbox release, Numb, I became an instant fan. Later on, I would actually play the music—a brash blend of ’90s alternative guitar-rock and frenzied ’70s punk—and become even more of a devotee, but … Continue reading Hammerbox rides the second wave of the Seattle rock explosion with Numb
Blues survivor Buddy Guy tries slipping in the back door with Feels Like Rain
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 8, 1993 By Steve Newton Back in the ’60s, it is said, Jimi Hendrix was so inspired by Buddy Guy’s guitar playing that he would go to blues clubs and lay a tape recorder at Guy’s feet to capture his performances. Not only Hendrix, but rock greats such as Eric Clapton, … Continue reading Blues survivor Buddy Guy tries slipping in the back door with Feels Like Rain
The Pursuit of Happiness leaves Todd Rundgren for The Downward Road
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 1, 1993 By Steve Newton Recalling the televised carnage of last year’s L.A. riots, it’s hard to believe that a happy-go-lucky Canadian band was simultaneously recording its breezy, good-time pop music within shooting distance of the scary stuff. A grungy thrash or hardcore rap band laying down a soundtrack for anarchy, … Continue reading The Pursuit of Happiness leaves Todd Rundgren for The Downward Road
Horrific hijinx on the Vancouver set of Stephen King’s Needful Things
By Steve Newton One of the most enjoyable set visits I did during my 13-year tenure with Fangoria was for Needful Things, the adaptation of Stephen King's 1991 novel. In December of '92 I journeyed out to North Vancouver and got the scoop on the movie, with much help from the delightful duo of Canadian comedian-actress … Continue reading Horrific hijinx on the Vancouver set of Stephen King’s Needful Things
Axl stays cool and Slash plays hot as Guns N’ Roses slay Vancouver on the Use Your Illusion Tour
Brian May signed my backstage pass; Slash wasn't around ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 1, 1993 By Steve Newton The first time I saw Guns N’ Roses perform, the band was opening for Iron Maiden at the Pacific Coliseum, shortly after the release of 1987’s Appetite for Destruction debut. This was several months before tunes like … Continue reading Axl stays cool and Slash plays hot as Guns N’ Roses slay Vancouver on the Use Your Illusion Tour
Mike Gordon says Phish is happy with the current situation
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 1, 1993 By Steve Newton A lot of bands know how to play to a crowd, but not many bands know how to be played by a crowd. Vermont’s Phish is one of the latter. Band members came up with the idea of throwing beach balls out into the audience—each one … Continue reading Mike Gordon says Phish is happy with the current situation
Guelph’s King Cobb Steelie named after the death star of marbles
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MARCH 25, 1993 I’ve been thinking a lot lately about little round pieces of glass with pretty colours inside. I’ve got marbles on the brain, and it’s all because of Kevan Byrne of Guelph, Ont., who had to go and name his band King Cobb Steelie. Now, for those … Continue reading Guelph’s King Cobb Steelie named after the death star of marbles
The Pleasure Barons’ Mojo Nixon promises to catapult Country Dick to the bar
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MARCH 18, 1993 By Steve Newton Ain’t technology grand? Why, with today’s awesome tools of communication, you can phone people from your car, beep their bodies with a pager, or send dirty cartoons to them on a fax machine. Heck, you can even use a speaker-phone to talk to … Continue reading The Pleasure Barons’ Mojo Nixon promises to catapult Country Dick to the bar
Mike McDonald thinks God is a Jr. Gone Wild fan
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, FEB. 25, 1993 By Steve Newton On the back cover of the latest Jr. Gone Wild release is a black and white photograph that captures the essence of the rock ’n’ roll lifestyle. It shows a stage floor with all its trappings: the base of a microphone stand, snaking … Continue reading Mike McDonald thinks God is a Jr. Gone Wild fan
The Wallflowers’ Jakob Dylan says he’s not here to talk about his dad
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON FEB. 25, 1993 By Steve Newton I’d never heard the Wallflowers until about a week ago, when a fellow Straight contributor suggested I might like their rootsy style—the Black Crowes meet The Band. After rounding up a copy of the group’s self-titled 1992 debut, I fell under the spell of 22-year-old singer/songwriter … Continue reading The Wallflowers’ Jakob Dylan says he’s not here to talk about his dad
xtra large guitarist inspired by Keith Moon, Andy Kaufman, and pimento loaf
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, FEB. 4, 1993 By Steve Newton Before potential listeners can get to the music on the new xtra large CD, NOWiEATthem, they have to get past one freaky cover illustration. Fashioned by acclaimed American artist Mark Ryden (who did Michael Jackson’s Dangerous cover), it portrays two women being wed … Continue reading xtra large guitarist inspired by Keith Moon, Andy Kaufman, and pimento loaf