ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON OCT. 8, 1992 By Steve Newton There’s nothing like timing it just right, so that when you walk into a concert venue the band’s just going on stage. But sometimes that I-don’t-feel-like-waitin' approach backfires, and you end up missing a few tunes by the group you’re all geared up to see. It’s … Continue reading Blue Rodeo doesn’t recommend taking acid at the Commodore in Vancouver
The Ramones stay fast and furious on Mondo Bizarro
The Ramones have come a long way since their ear-bustin’ brand of music first helped kick-start the late-’70s punk-rock craze.
George Thorogood wants to rock with McCartney and play the blues with Dylan
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 26, 2014 By Steve Newton I’ve always enjoy asking guitar heroes which players they’d most like to jam with if they could pick anyone, living or dead. And the last one I interviewed, George Thorogood, had a pretty interesting bucket list. “Well you can’t jam with Robert Johnson ’cause he didn’t need anybody,” replied … Continue reading George Thorogood wants to rock with McCartney and play the blues with Dylan
Def Leppard’s Vivian Campbell never wanted to be Joe Guitar Hero
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SEPT. 24, 1992 By Steve Newton When Def Leppard guitarist/co-founder Steve Clark died of a drug overdose in 1991—six years after drummer Rick Allen lost his left arm in a New Year’s Eve car accident—rumours were rampant as to who would replace him in one of the world’s most successful and least … Continue reading Def Leppard’s Vivian Campbell never wanted to be Joe Guitar Hero
Guitar superstar Jeff Healey steals the six-string spotlight from Robert Cray and Colin James in Vancouver
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SEPT. 10, 1992 By Steve Newton The PNE isn’t normally the type of place you’d go to save money, but Vancouver blues-rock fans who paid just $7.50 (plus fair admission) to see guitar heroes Robert Cray, Jeff Healey, and Colin James last Thursday (September 3) got themselves a heckuva good deal. They … Continue reading Guitar superstar Jeff Healey steals the six-string spotlight from Robert Cray and Colin James in Vancouver
Jason Bonham calls Led Zeppelin biography “a load of exaggerated stories”
"How can a guy who was so fucked-up on heroin and alcohol remember exactly word-for-word or situation-for-situation what happened back then?"
Emerson, Lake and Palmer pine for the days of vinyl and art-led music
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 27, 1992 By Steve Newton MONTREAL—The only band I liked in the ’70s that didn’t have a rockin’ electric guitarist was Emerson, Lake and Palmer. Over the years, I’ve wondered what it was that attracted me to the British progressive band’s unique keyboards/bass/drums format and made me happy to slide its … Continue reading Emerson, Lake and Palmer pine for the days of vinyl and art-led music
Drive-By Truckers tell of trophy tail wives taking boner-pill rides in Vancouver
photos by the newt By Steve Newton The Drive-By Truckers didn't play all of my fave DBT tunes at the Vogue last night. For example, there was no "A Ghost to Most", singer-guitarist Mike Cooley's jangley indictment of George Bush's macho posturing from the sprawling 2008 Brighter than Creation's Dark album. And neither did I get to hear my … Continue reading Drive-By Truckers tell of trophy tail wives taking boner-pill rides in Vancouver
Now that he’s in Guns N’ Roses Dizzy Reed can buy drinks for all his freennz
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 13, 1992 By Steve Newton Some hard-rock bands like to boast about not using keyboards; they take pride in sticking with the trusty old guitar-bass-drums ideal. Guns N’ Roses might have been such a band in its early days, but when it came time to record its ground-breaking Use Your Illusion … Continue reading Now that he’s in Guns N’ Roses Dizzy Reed can buy drinks for all his freennz
Fourth Estate guitar wizard Dave Beegle is nuts about Max Webster
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, AUG. 6, 1992 By Steve Newton Once in a blue moon, I’ll come across an album by a band that I’d never heard of before and be blown right away. Such was the case when local promoter Brock Armstrong turned me on to Fourth Estate, an instrumental rock band … Continue reading Fourth Estate guitar wizard Dave Beegle is nuts about Max Webster
Kim Mitchell hits 40 and just keeps getting wet with life
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 6, 1992 By Steve Newton Used to be that whenever you saw Kim Mitchell’s name on an album’s liner notes the name of his lyricist, Pye Dubois, would be right there beside it. But Dubois’ moniker is nowhere to be found on Mitchell’s latest release, Aural Fixations. Seems the long-time songwriting … Continue reading Kim Mitchell hits 40 and just keeps getting wet with life
Dickey Betts figures the Allman Brothers transcend generations
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 23, 1992 By Steve Newton Every long-time Allman Brothers fan has a favourite tune by the influential Southern rock band. Some folks tend towards the bluesy slide-guitar riff of “One Way Out”, some go hog-wild when they hear the cascading guitar intro to the band’s biggest hit, “Ramblin’ Man”, and still … Continue reading Dickey Betts figures the Allman Brothers transcend generations
Doyle Bramhall II’s dad wants his Lightnin’ Hopkins guitar back
tracy anne hart photo ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 16, 1992 By Steve Newton Anyone fortunate enough to have seen the late Stevie Ray Vaughan play knows the gifted Texas blues-rocker had that special something of which guitar legends are made. But good as he was, Vaughan would never have been able to soar to the … Continue reading Doyle Bramhall II’s dad wants his Lightnin’ Hopkins guitar back