ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, OCT. 13, 2005 By Steve Newton Loitering in the hallway of a hoity-toity Burrard Street hotel, waiting to chat with rock critic and pop-culture author Chuck Klosterman, I'm struck by the opulence of the five-star accommodations. It just doesn't seem suited to my interview subject, even if he is from New … Continue reading Chuck Klosterman defends his love of Mötley Crüe
Glenn Tipton says that Rory Gallagher made him pick up the guitar
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, OCT. 20, 2005 By Steve Newton Judas Priest guitarist Glenn Tipton waited 12 years for original vocalist Rob Halford to hook back up with his band. But when the Straight calls him at his room in a swanky Ottawa hotel, he can't spare 12 minutes to talk about the reunion. Now … Continue reading Glenn Tipton says that Rory Gallagher made him pick up the guitar
Nashville Pussy’s Ruyter Suys saw KISS in Vancouver on the Dynasty tour, with Loverboy opening
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, OCT. 20, 2005 By Steve Newton Nashville Pussy lead guitarist Ruyter Suys was born and raised in Vancouver, but for the last six years she's called Atlanta, Georgia, home. Her current location makes perfect sense once you sample the raunchy southern-fried boogie on her band's new CD, Get Some!. … Continue reading Nashville Pussy’s Ruyter Suys saw KISS in Vancouver on the Dynasty tour, with Loverboy opening
Anything goes for Cinemuerte curator Kier-La Janisse
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, OCT. 27, 2005 By Steve Newton Standing amidst the rows of horror rentals at Cambie's Black Dog Video, Kier-La Janisse hunts for a title she'd consider watching. It takes a little while-she's already seen a lot of them-but then her eyes fall on the spine of a DVD called Barbed Wire … Continue reading Anything goes for Cinemuerte curator Kier-La Janisse
54-40 thrives on new blood
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, OCT. 20, 2005 During Dave Genn's last year of high school, U2's The Joshua Tree, the Cure's The Head on the Door, and the Smiths' The Queen Is Dead were discs that drew heavy rotation on his personal play list. And right up there was the self-titled major-label debut by local … Continue reading 54-40 thrives on new blood
Judas Priest in 2005 makes it seem like ’85 all over again
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, OCT. 23, 2005 Twenty years or so ago, I took a good old Chilliwack buddy to see Judas Priest at the Pacific Coliseum, so we thought it might be cool to relive the mid-'80s heyday of the NWBM (New Wave of British Metal) by checking out the band one more time. … Continue reading Judas Priest in 2005 makes it seem like ’85 all over again
Priestess worships at the altar of Angus Young
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, NOV. 17, 2005 By Steve Newton You may have seen the brilliant Saturday Night Live skit where Christopher Walken portrays a legendary producer in the studio with Blue Oyster Cult, imploring them to use more cowbell in "(Don't Fear) The Reaper". "I've got a fever, and the only prescription is more … Continue reading Priestess worships at the altar of Angus Young
Colin James shines bright on the talent-packed Limelight
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, NOV. 24, 2005 By Steve Newton On Limelight, his new, Juno Award-worthy CD, Colin James pulls off a sharp cover of Bob Dylan's "Watchin' the River Flow", but the coolest thing about that track is what happens at the end of it. Just as the final strains of the 12-bar-blues number … Continue reading Colin James shines bright on the talent-packed Limelight
Old-school Sora is all about the classic rock
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, DEC. 8, 2005 If Erol Sora had released his new album, Demented Honour, 30 years ago, he'd have been an instant superstar, touring the world, packing 20,000-seat arenas, and drowning in chicks, champagne, and caviar. At least that's the impression you get from the CD's boisterously catchy opener, "Guilty". The singer, … Continue reading Old-school Sora is all about the classic rock
Stephen King calls Marah America’s best unknown rock band
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, FEB. 2, 2006 By Steve Newton Not only is Stephen King among the world's most popular writers, he also has good taste in music. He's long been known as a devotee of AC/DC and the Ramones, and when it came time to choose a pseudonym to put on the covers of … Continue reading Stephen King calls Marah America’s best unknown rock band
Modelos keep their cowboy-surf succinct
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MARCH 2, 2006 By Steve Newton Back in the late '80s, when Modelos guitarists Joe Rotundo and Mike Kenney attended high school together in Fort Erie, Ontario, they couldn't have guessed they'd be playing in a Vancouver cowboy-surf instrumental band one day. At Ridgeway Crystal Beach high school they were more into … Continue reading Modelos keep their cowboy-surf succinct
Rez guitarist Scotty Hall got neck-tapping tips from Harvey Mandel
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, MARCH 16, 2006 By Steve Newton Although Rez may be the finest guitar-based instrumental-rock CD ever to come out of Vancouver, the original meeting of the duo behind it was rather inauspicious. Guitarist Scotty Hall and drummer-keyboardist Phil Robertson hooked up when Hall attended a rehearsal for Idle Eyes, the blatantly commercial … Continue reading Rez guitarist Scotty Hall got neck-tapping tips from Harvey Mandel
Roger Taylor says Queen hooked up with Paul Rodgers by accident
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 6, 2006 By Steve Newton Chilliwack was the perfect place for a rock-crazed teenager to grow up during the '70s. Not only could you crank "Free Bird" at full blast without fear of recrimination, but the big-city destination of Vancouver's Hastings & Renfrew was only an hour away. Whether it was … Continue reading Roger Taylor says Queen hooked up with Paul Rodgers by accident