By Steve Newton Vancouver music great and all-around good guy Craig Northey recently recorded a version of Art Bergmann's 1991 song "Faithlessly Yours" to show support for Bergmann's new album, The Apostate. If you want to follow Northey's lead, you can help in the creation of Art's new music via Pledge Music. Here's the original video … Continue reading Craig Northey covers Art Bergmann’s “Faithlessly Yours” to show support for The Apostate
Sinister 2 is a groan-inducing cash grab
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, AUG. 19, 2015 By Steve Newton Blumhouse Productions’ 2012 sleeper Sinister was an impressively creepy fright flick that drew much of its strength from Ethan Hawke’s convincing portrayal of Ellison Oswalt, a struggling true-crime writer who seeks inspiration by moving his unknowing family into a home where an unsolved mass murder occurred. For Sinister … Continue reading Sinister 2 is a groan-inducing cash grab
Van Halen “rock concert” flyer from early Pasadena High School gig unveiled by author Greg Renoff
By Steve Newton If you're anything like me—and by that I mean an old guy who grew up loving guitar-rock in the seventies—that first Van Halen album of '78 was one of the most amazing things ever. At the time, I could barely comprehend how raunchy it was. Eddie's guitarwork was inconceivably fierce. Diamond Dave's caveman … Continue reading Van Halen “rock concert” flyer from early Pasadena High School gig unveiled by author Greg Renoff
Ann Wilson on making the Heart album: “Lookout! Three gals and a bottle of Dubonnet!”
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 16, 1985 By Steve Newton It's been ten years since Heart recorded their debut album Dreamboat Annie at Vancouver's Mushroom Studios. At a time when Saturday Night Fever was running rampant that LP--with songs like "Magic Man" and "Crazy On You"--struck an important blow for guitar-driven rock and roll. With raven-haired … Continue reading Ann Wilson on making the Heart album: “Lookout! Three gals and a bottle of Dubonnet!”
On the Vancouver set of Peter Benchley’s Creature with a shark that can walk
By Steve Newton Back in 1997 I did a set-visit piece for Fangoria on the local filming of Peter Benchley's Creature, a TV-movie based on theJaws author's 1994 novel, White Shark. The sea-beast in question was not content just taking out swimmers in the ocean; it actually walked on land too. Yeah, sounded pretty hokey to me too—even with the … Continue reading On the Vancouver set of Peter Benchley’s Creature with a shark that can walk
Wes Craven’s 1991 horror hoot The People Under the Stairs gets collectible Blu-ray release today
By Steve Newton Scream Factory, the horror arm of the Shout! Factory home video and music company, is releasing a collector's edition Blu-ray of terror titan Wes Craven's The People Under the Stairs today. Bonus features include: Audio Commentary With Writer/Director Wes Craven Audio Commentary With Actors Brandon Adams, A.J. Langer, Sean Whalen And Yan Birch House Mother … Continue reading Wes Craven’s 1991 horror hoot The People Under the Stairs gets collectible Blu-ray release today
Joe Satriani astounds the Newt yet again with the magical Shockwave Supernova
By Steve Newton (photo too) I've been a huge Joe Satriani fan since the first time I heard him, back in '87 or so, around the time of Surfing With the Alien. I interviewed him for the first time in January of 1990 before a show at the 86 Street Music Hall in Vancouver, and have tried to … Continue reading Joe Satriani astounds the Newt yet again with the magical Shockwave Supernova
Chickenfoot guitarist Joe Satriani was into Humble Pie as a kid, missed out on Montrose
"Growing up in New York, I used to go to the Fillmore in Manhattan and I got to see Humble Pie with Steve Marriott and guys like that.”
Came across a real Creep on Netflix last night
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 9, 2015 By Steve Newton I had a hankering for a scary movie late last night so took a look at the Horror Movies section on Netflix to see what was available. The first five offerings were Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Prometheus, The Conjuring, Orphan, and World War Z, all of which … Continue reading Came across a real Creep on Netflix last night
Jason Bateman discovers his dark side in The Gift
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 5, 2015 By Steve Newton If you thought Jason Bateman could only play affable sad-sacks, prepare for a nice surprise with The Gift. The actor best known for his gentle portrayal of the put-upon Michael Bluth in Arrested Development discovers his dark side in a big way in this unsettling revenge thriller about the … Continue reading Jason Bateman discovers his dark side in The Gift
Guitarists from Exodus, Exciter, and Metal Church weigh in on the heaviness of metal in 1985
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 2, 1985 By Steve Newton Blue Oyster Cult's Tyranny and Mutation. Aerosmith's Rocks. UFO's Phenomenon. The Montrose debut. Back in the early to mid-'70s those albums forged a sound that critic Lester Bangs called "heavy metal". They were dynamic and forceful, fast, loud, and proud. The bands that made them had … Continue reading Guitarists from Exodus, Exciter, and Metal Church weigh in on the heaviness of metal in 1985
Metal gods Judas Priest to play first Vancouver shows with Rob Halford outside of a hockey rink
By Steve Newton I've been going to see Judas Priest play concerts at Vancouver hockey rinks since the 1982 Screaming for Vengeance tour hit the Pacific Coliseum, and, quite frankly, I'm sick of it. The acoustics are never any good, and you can never get close enough to see the sweat dripping off Glenn Tipton's fretboard unless you … Continue reading Metal gods Judas Priest to play first Vancouver shows with Rob Halford outside of a hockey rink
40 years ago today: Lou Reed releases Metal Machine Music, and my dumbass buddy buys it
By Steve Newton 1975 was a very good year for rock n roll. Maybe even the best. That's the year of Aerosmiith's Toys in the Attic, Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti, and Thin Lizzy's Fighting. Not to mention Ian Hunter's solo debut. Unfortunately for my high-school buddy Mike, it was also the year of Lou Reed's Metal … Continue reading 40 years ago today: Lou Reed releases Metal Machine Music, and my dumbass buddy buys it