Ah, 1979. According to my calculations, that was the last year of the '70s, which was the greatest decade for guitar-based rock music ever. I'd like to thank Fender, Gibson, Marshall, and everyone else who created the instruments of my enjoyment back then. A Million Vacations: Max Webster ("Paradise Skies", "A Million Vacations", "Let Go … Continue reading Ear of Newt’s Top 30 Rock Albums of 1979
Ken Russell gets freaky with The Lair of the White Worm
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON DEC. 2, 1988 By Steve Newton Ken Russell, the man who blew minds with his hallucinatory Altered States and then twisted them with his erotically charged psycho-sexual drama Crimes of Passion, has really gone out of his way to freak people out this time. With The Lair of the White Worm, a … Continue reading Ken Russell gets freaky with The Lair of the White Worm
Child’s Play is a hilarious hair-raiser that’s equal portions frolic and fear
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON DEC. 2, 1988 By Steve Newton Were you ever frightened by dolls or other inanimate objects as a kid? Maybe you woke up in the middle of the night, and thought you saw something grinning evilly at you through the darkness of your bedroom? If so, then Tom Holland's new movie Child's … Continue reading Child’s Play is a hilarious hair-raiser that’s equal portions frolic and fear
BTO to release 40th anniversary edition of Not Fragile
Universal Music Canada has just announced that Bachman-Turner Overdrive—or BTO as we liked to call 'em back in the day—will release a remastered, 40th anniversary edition of its best-selling album, Not Fragile, on March 18. That rocks. You may recall that Not Fragile—which has sold more than three and a half million copies worldwide—boasted the awesome radio … Continue reading BTO to release 40th anniversary edition of Not Fragile
John Butler ponders fierce addiction and peaceful death on Flesh & Blood
When John Butler answers his phone in New York City he’s got four words to describe the weather in the Big Frozen Apple: “Snowy, snowy, snowy, sno-weee.” It’s a far cry from the toasty beaches and rolling surf of his native Australia, and the vibe has only gotten frostier of late. It’s less than 24 … Continue reading John Butler ponders fierce addiction and peaceful death on Flesh & Blood
RoboCop remake suffers from lack of gore and scumbags
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, FEB. 12, 2014 If you're gonna remake Paul Verhoeven's satirically twisted, sci-fi/action classic RoboCop, you'd better damn well bring your "A" game. Apparently, director José Padilha didn't get that memo because—despite his best efforts—his version winds up closer to C+ territory. The movie starts off well, depicting a U.S. military intervention in 2028 titled … Continue reading RoboCop remake suffers from lack of gore and scumbags
Steve Miller will keep on rockin’ you at Hard Rock Casino Vancouver
The Hard Rock Casino Vancouver announced today that it's bringing the Steve Miller Band to town on April 12, which is good news for anyone with a hankering for old-school guitar-rock. According to the most recent setlist available, Miller is concentrating on the two albums that pretty well ruled rock radio back in the day: Fly Like an … Continue reading Steve Miller will keep on rockin’ you at Hard Rock Casino Vancouver
Kurtwood Smith broke his own bad with RoboCop’s immortal “bitches leave”
Aaron Paul is famous for saying "bitch" an awful lot in Breaking Bad, but Kurtwood Smith was totally bitchin' it up 27 years ago in Paul Verhoeven's original RoboCop. Smith played the wimpy looking but nasty-as-hell villain Clarence Boddicker with great gusto; he virtually stole the show from Peter Weller's titular crimefighter. One of the greatest moments in celluloid … Continue reading Kurtwood Smith broke his own bad with RoboCop’s immortal “bitches leave”
Watching Dean Koontz’s beloved Watchers get trashed in Vancouver
By Steve Newton I still remember the major buzz I got when I saw my first full-colour, three-page spread in famed horror mag Fangoria back in '88. It was for a Vancouver-shot movie called Watchers that I'd done a set-visit piece on, interviewing the director, stars, and FX artists--and later on, by phone, even author Dean Koontz … Continue reading Watching Dean Koontz’s beloved Watchers get trashed in Vancouver
Dean R. Koontz won’t be happy with how Watchers turned out
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON DEC. 9, 1988 By Steve Newton When novelist Dean R. Koontz was asked, after reading a screenplay based on his book Watchers, how he thought the film would turn out, he said, "I think they've done a good job with the [scary] throat-clutching parts, but the rest of it I'm not sure … Continue reading Dean R. Koontz won’t be happy with how Watchers turned out
Fan Expo Vancouver boasts Bruce Campbell, Robert Englund, and the Twisted Twins
Vancouver horror freaks may want to scoop up their tix to the upcoming Fan Expo sooner than later, because the lineup of celebrity guests at the event--which runs April 18-20 at the Convention Centre--includes a number of fright-film faves. First off, you've got Robert Englund, the man behind Freddy Krueger's gnarly face in the Nightmare on … Continue reading Fan Expo Vancouver boasts Bruce Campbell, Robert Englund, and the Twisted Twins
Ear of Newt’s Top 30 Rock Albums of 1978
I'll always remember 1978 as the year I saw Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers at the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver, when they were touring behind You're Gonna Get It. I'll also remember it for that time Thin Lizzy guitarist Scott Gorham took me backstage when the band opened for Styx at the Coliseum. Unfortunately, I'll … Continue reading Ear of Newt’s Top 30 Rock Albums of 1978
Ear of Newt’s Top 30 Rock Albums of 1977
Cheap Trick and David Bowie led the way in '77 with two albums each, and the blues was represented by Johnny Winter, Muddy Waters, and Roy Buchanan. Aja: Steely Dan ("Peg", "Deacon Blues", "Josie") American Stars n' Bars: Neil Young ("Hey Babe", "Will to Love", "Like a Hurricane") Bad Reputation: Thin Lizzy ("Opium Trail", "Bad Reputation", … Continue reading Ear of Newt’s Top 30 Rock Albums of 1977