Vancouver’s rough ‘n’ tumble Twisters take the Long Hard Road

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 29, 2002 By Steve Newton When the time comes to track down Brandon Isaak and get the scoop on his local blues band, the Twisters, the red-haired guitarist with the monster tone is not around. He’s up in the Yukon, where his parents own the only blues bar in Whitehorse, the … Continue reading Vancouver’s rough ‘n’ tumble Twisters take the Long Hard Road

David Gogo gives Depeche Mode a bluesy makeover on Skeleton Key

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 25, 2002 By Steve Newton David Gogo is a festive kinda guy. When he calls me up from his home in Nanaimo, he’s just returned from playing the Ottawa Blues Festival, where he got to see one of his guitar idols, Otis Rush, and shared the event’s acoustic stage with Vancouver … Continue reading David Gogo gives Depeche Mode a bluesy makeover on Skeleton Key

Joe Walsh, the Eddie Shack of rock, flies highest at the Eagles’ Vancouver show

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JUNE 20, 2002 By Steve Newton Boy, I sure took a lotta flack from the hipsters in the Straight’s editorial department for wanting to review the Eagles concert last Wednesday (June 12) at GM Place. “Woo-hoo, ‘Hotel California’!” gibed Mike Usinger, high sheriff of all things musical, before inserting … Continue reading Joe Walsh, the Eddie Shack of rock, flies highest at the Eagles’ Vancouver show

King’s X guitarist Ty Tabor is not into chops for chops’ sake

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JUNE 20, 2002 By Steve Newton When I reach King’s X guitarist Ty Tabor by phone in Cleveland, he’s just gotten back from doing several weeks of guitar clinics in Southeast Asia, helping to promote his signature series of Yamaha guitars in countries like Taiwan, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Most … Continue reading King’s X guitarist Ty Tabor is not into chops for chops’ sake

Alice Cooper tours with Trash, talks songwriting, horror, and ’70s rock

kevin statham photo ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JAN. 5, 1990 By Steve Newton When it comes to combining the finer elements of horror and hard rock, Alice Cooper rules. For more than 20 years the King of Nasty Rock has been sating his lust for the macabre and love of heavy music while wreaking havoc on … Continue reading Alice Cooper tours with Trash, talks songwriting, horror, and ’70s rock

F**k the Oscars, here’s the Fangoria Chainsaw Awards nominees

The 2015 Academy Award nominations were announced today and, as expected, the horror genre got left out in the winter cold to die a slow, painful death. When was the last time those geeks at the Academy even recognized the value of a fright flick? Sure, we all know that Kathy Bates won a Best Actress Oscar for … Continue reading F**k the Oscars, here’s the Fangoria Chainsaw Awards nominees

Jennifer Batten calls Jeff Beck “the greatest guitar player who ever lived”

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 13, 2002 By Steve Newton Any guitar freaks lucky enough to have seen Jeff Beck at the Commodore last year will rave about his top-hatted blond accompanist, whose mastery of the guitar-synth almost stole the show from the British rock legend. The waiflike lady was Jennifer Batten, who returns to Vancouver … Continue reading Jennifer Batten calls Jeff Beck “the greatest guitar player who ever lived”

Fingerstyle guitar ace Leo Kottke is deeply attracted to sloth

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JUNE 13, 2002 By Steve Newton Ever since he blasted onto the music scene with his 1969 debut on John Fahey’s tiny Takoma label, 6 and 12-String Guitar, Leo Kottke has been acknowledged as one of the greats of fingerstyle acoustic guitar. But that wasn’t his first instrument—or “victim”, … Continue reading Fingerstyle guitar ace Leo Kottke is deeply attracted to sloth

The John Butler Trio just said no to American record labels

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 23, 2002 By Steve Newton It doesn’t take long to figure out that Australian singer-songwriter and slide-guitar ace John Butler is an issue-oriented kinda guy. In the CD booklet that accompanies his trio’s latest disc, Three, one page is loaded with facts detailing the ongoing destruction of his homeland’s old-growth forests. … Continue reading The John Butler Trio just said no to American record labels

Lemmy Kilmister thinks Motörhead should have its own category by now

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 9, 2002 By Steve Newton I’ve always respected Motörhead for what it’s done over the past quarter-century to further the cause of heavy metal, and for its ability to do so, like Rush, within the confines of the power-trio format. But as far as Motörhead albums go, it’s been a while … Continue reading Lemmy Kilmister thinks Motörhead should have its own category by now

Cracker’s David Lowery on The Big Lebowski, Camper Van Beethoven, and Forever

Forever is the album title because the word looked good strung across the bottom of a photo of four folks standing around a trailer park.