By Steve Newton Last year's top prize for old-school guitar freaks was undoubtedly Skydog: The Duane Allman Retrospective, the seven-disc box set issued on the Rounder label. And now it looks like the biggest "oh-god-I-gotta-have-it!" item in the same category will be True to the Blues: The Johnny Winter Story, which arrives via Sony's Legacy … Continue reading Johnny Winter box set to rival last year’s stunning Duane Allman package
Paul Simon makes the Newt think of J.J. Cale in Vancouver
photo by Mrs. Newt, who loves Paul Simon Between the two of them, pop legends Paul Simon (72) and Sting (62) have recording careers that span over 90 years. And when you consider how hugely popular the two have been, both as solo artists and with the acts that first brought them fame—Simon & Garfunkel … Continue reading Paul Simon makes the Newt think of J.J. Cale in Vancouver
Horror review: The First Power
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, APRIL 20, 1990 By Steve Newton In recent years, horror moviedom's best-known villains have been masked avengers or burned-up baddies, but there has been the odd attempt to give evil a human face. Rutger Hauer did it perfectly well as the unstoppable blond phantom of The Hitcher, while Terry … Continue reading Horror review: The First Power
Horror review: Nightbreed
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MARCH 2, 1990 By Steve Newton Clive Barker told a fib. When the British writer/director came to town on a promotional visit recently, he promised that his new film, Nightbreed, would be a lot "jumpier" than his filmmaking debut, Hellraiser. Well, I dunno. It sure didn't make me jump. And … Continue reading Horror review: Nightbreed
Horror review: Night of the Demons
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 8, 1989 By Steve Newton The newspaper ads for Night of the Demons show a vampiric female demon holding a party invitation, and the caption reads: "Angela is having a party. Jason and Freddy are too scared to come... But you'll have a hell of a time." Well, … Continue reading Horror review: Night of the Demons
Horror review: A Nightmare on Elm Street 5–The Dream Child
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, AUG. 25, 1989 By Steve Newton In the original Nightmare on Elm Street, Freddy Krueger stole the show. As the new face of evil, Robert Englund's character was mean and menacing, and writer/director Wes Craven played up the unique look and style of Krueger in a film that few … Continue reading Horror review: A Nightmare on Elm Street 5–The Dream Child
John Carpenter unmasks evil Republicans in They Live
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 18, 1988 By Steve Newton With such harrowing films as The Thing, Halloween, and Escape From New York under his belt, John Carpenter has proven himself one of the world's top directors in the sci-fi/horror/thriller genres. So what's he doing making a lightweight piece of fluff like They Live? He's trying … Continue reading John Carpenter unmasks evil Republicans in They Live
Horror review: Friday the 13th Part VIII–Jason Takes Manhattan
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, AUG. 18, 1989 By Steve Newton Okay, okay--so the Friday the 13th movies are not exactly cinematic works of art. But people realize, when they lay down their money, that they're not getting The Last Emperor. They're only going to a Friday movie for two things: to see Jason … Continue reading Horror review: Friday the 13th Part VIII–Jason Takes Manhattan
The aliens don’t seem alien enough in Alien Nation
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON OCT. 28, 1988 By Steve Newton Looking at the credits for Alien Nation, fans of the horror/sci-fi thriller genres could be forgiven for foaming at the mouth. The movie was produced by Gale Anne Hurd, whose Aliens and The Terminator were landmark films in the annals of fright cinemas. Then there's director … Continue reading The aliens don’t seem alien enough in Alien Nation
David Cronenberg strives to make the realistic seem fantastic in Dead Ringers
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON OCT. 28, 1988 By Steve Newton Dead Ringers opens with a scene wherein studious young twin boys, Elliot and Beverly Mantle, are seen poring over an anatomically correct model of a woman. The twins are fascinated with female anatomy--internal female anatomy, that is. "They're so different from us," observes Beverly. "We're going … Continue reading David Cronenberg strives to make the realistic seem fantastic in Dead Ringers
Fangoria’s Vancouver correspondent gets the scoop on Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason takes Manhattan
By Steve Newton As dedicated Vancouver horror fans know, the city has had its fair share of terrible flight flicks filmed here. Some were worse than others, of course. For example, the adaptation of Dean Koontz's Watchers was way worse than the adaptation of Stephen King's It. Then again, it was way worse than anything. Except maybe Uwe … Continue reading Fangoria’s Vancouver correspondent gets the scoop on Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason takes Manhattan
ZZ Top’s been rockin’ with the same dudes for nigh on 45 years
ZZ Top is the only major rock band from the '70s that still exists in the exact same form as on its first album, and for that you've got to give the bearded wonders credit. Rush would be up for similar acclaim were it not for John Rutsey playing on their debut album before Neil … Continue reading ZZ Top’s been rockin’ with the same dudes for nigh on 45 years
The Payola$’ Paul Hyde talks coproducer Mick Ronson and rock idols Ian Hunter and Alex Harvey
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON FEB. 17, 1984 By Steve Newton On the strength of their third album, Hammer on a Drum, Vancouver's Payola$ have been nominated in nine categories of 1984's CARAS -sponsored Tribute to West Coast Music. As well as Group of the Year and Album of the Year, the group has two tunes in … Continue reading The Payola$’ Paul Hyde talks coproducer Mick Ronson and rock idols Ian Hunter and Alex Harvey