Rolling Stones super-deluxe box set falls short without Keith Richards mini cut-out

By Steve Newton The Rolling Stones snubbed Vancouver when it came time to book their current Zip Code Tour, which could very well be the group's last major trek outside the nursing home. But hardcore fans who've been bawling about that omission for months now can take some comfort in the fact that the money … Continue reading Rolling Stones super-deluxe box set falls short without Keith Richards mini cut-out

Newt’s Rock Hall inducts Deep Purple, Rory Gallagher, Johnny Winter, Iron Maiden, and Link Wray

By Steve Newton Okay, it has finally come to this. After years of slagging the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for its inconceivable ignorance of the best rock music from the past, I've gone ahead and established my own institution to pay tribute to the stellar artists the RRHOF deems unworthy. Based somewhere near … Continue reading Newt’s Rock Hall inducts Deep Purple, Rory Gallagher, Johnny Winter, Iron Maiden, and Link Wray

Mötley Crüe spring up like leather-clad trap-door spiders to wow Vancouver on the Dr. Feelgood tour

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 14, 1990 By Steve Newton As far as musical integrity and depth go, Mötley Crüe is not in the same hard-rock league as bands like Aerosmith, Van Halen, or Scorpions. But when it comes to putting on a rowdy, consistently exciting show, these four L.A. dudes do have what it takes. … Continue reading Mötley Crüe spring up like leather-clad trap-door spiders to wow Vancouver on the Dr. Feelgood tour

Joe Satriani recalls birthday boy Les Paul making fun of his whammy bar

By Steve Newton Tomorrow is a big day for fans of electric guitar: that's the day that legendary guitarist, inventor, and innovator Les Paul would have turned 100. The celebration of Paul's legacy includes a big event at the Hard Rock Café in New York’s Times Square, featuring performances by Joe Bonamassa, Steve Vai, Warren Haynes, Steve Miller, Joan … Continue reading Joe Satriani recalls birthday boy Les Paul making fun of his whammy bar

NRBQ tars and feathers a Cabbage Patch Kid just for kicks in Vancouver

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 14, 1985 By Steve Newton "Are you having a good time?" asked Terry Adams. And the capacity crowd at Club Soda--who obviously were--answered with a resounding 'Yes!". "Yes what?!" countered bassist Joey Spampinato. And that's the way it was last Thursday--with the New Rhythm & Blues Quartet (NRBQ) making fun of … Continue reading NRBQ tars and feathers a Cabbage Patch Kid just for kicks in Vancouver

Insidious: Chapter 3 gets the horror franchise back on track

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, JUNE 5, 2015 By Steve Newton The first Insidious movie was quite impressive, boasting plenty of genuinely creepy scares before slipping into silliness in its final act. Two years later its 2013 followup, Insidious: Chapter 2, proved a major disappointment, flawed from the get-go. The new Insidious: Chapter 3, a prequel set "a … Continue reading Insidious: Chapter 3 gets the horror franchise back on track

Whitesnake brings the power of Deep Purple to Vancouver

kevin statham photo By Steve Newton I never got to see David Coverdale sing “Burn” with Deep Purple–I wasn’t old enough to travel down to the Ontario Motor Speedway to see them coheadline California Jam with Emerson, Lake & Palmer back in ’74–so it was pretty cool to see him do it with Whitesnake at … Continue reading Whitesnake brings the power of Deep Purple to Vancouver

Squeeze carries on undeterred after Jools Holland opts for his “Mr. Showbiz caper”

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 25, 1990 By Steve Newton The liner notes to Squeeze's new live album, A Round and a Bout, contain a precise itinerary of the 892 concerts that the band has performed around the world since forming in '74. There are early shows at the Camden Girls School and after that the … Continue reading Squeeze carries on undeterred after Jools Holland opts for his “Mr. Showbiz caper”

Whitesnake’s Purple Tour offers equal servings of Burn and Stormbringer, one bite of Come Taste the Band

By Steve Newton I was never that crazy about Whitesnake during it's mid-'80s heyday, when it went the power-ballad route with hits like "Is This Love". Sure, I enjoyed ogling Tawny Kitaen on the hood of a car as much as the next guy, but I much preferred Whitesnake in the late '70s/early '80s, when … Continue reading Whitesnake’s Purple Tour offers equal servings of Burn and Stormbringer, one bite of Come Taste the Band

Jesse Cook collects three “amazing” takes from Tommy Emmanuel’s creativity tap for “Tommy and Me”

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 27, 2015 By Steve Newton Last week I scored a copy of the new CD from Canadian nuevo-flamenco guitarist Jesse Cook, One World, and before even cracking it open I got a nice surprise. The track listing on the back cover revealed the inclusion of one featuring Tommy Emmanuel, the Australian fingerstyle … Continue reading Jesse Cook collects three “amazing” takes from Tommy Emmanuel’s creativity tap for “Tommy and Me”

Krokus warms up with Tom Allom and finds blood and guts on Headhunter

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JUNE 17, 1983 By Steve Newton Swiss rockers Krokus recently released a new album of scorching heavy metal, Headhunter, and they play Vancouver sometime this summer. I spoke to the group's vocalist Marc Storace recently, and gained a few insights into the new LP and the Swiss music scene … Continue reading Krokus warms up with Tom Allom and finds blood and guts on Headhunter