hans sipma photo, circa 1984 ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 3, 1983 By Steve Newton "An interesting thing about our band," says Questionaires vocalist Mike Jacobs, "is that we were semi-late bloomers. We were really pretty old for some of us to be starting careers in music. At 26 or 27, that's where I really gave … Continue reading The Questionaires survive member changes and the recession to bring genuine R&B to Vancouver clubs
Newt’s top 10 (or 15) things to do in Vancouver this weekend, July 26 to 28
Alejandro Escovedo plays the Pearl By Steve Newton FRIDAY: Comedy Here Often? features standup comedy at 604 Studios by Michaela Chung, Mike Greenwood, Smaranda Luna, Tyler Boissonnault, and headliner Joey Comisso. FRIDAY: the Cool Blues Show at Fort Langley Community Park features performances by Tom Lavin & Powder Blues, Rick Estrin and the Nightcats, Miss … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 (or 15) things to do in Vancouver this weekend, July 26 to 28
That time Alvin Youngblood Hart told me about covering Black Oak Arkansas and playing with the Allman Brothers
By Steve Newton Back in May of 2000 I interviewed American bluesman Alvin Youngblood Hart while he was touring behind his third album, the Jim Dickinson-produced Start With the Soul. That disc saw Hart rocking out more than on his previous releases, one of which, Territory, won a DownBeat magazine award for best blues album … Continue reading That time Alvin Youngblood Hart told me about covering Black Oak Arkansas and playing with the Allman Brothers
Big Medicine’s Hawk loves fellow Vancouver bands the Villains, b-sides, and Red Herring
len mackave photo ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 29, 1985 By Steve Newton "People are very surprising," says Hawk, lead singer/songwriter/rhythm guitarist from Big Medicine. "They show their true colours when you look different, you know. But friends are friends in spite of what you look like, and the same goes for music too--if people enjoy … Continue reading Big Medicine’s Hawk loves fellow Vancouver bands the Villains, b-sides, and Red Herring
Newt’s top 10 (or 15) things to do in Vancouver this week, July 22 to 26
Art Bergmann plays the Rickshaw By Steve Newton MONDAY: Music on Main presents The Tempest Project, in which audiences are led through the Vancouver Playhouse on a roving, Shakespeare-inspired musical adventure under the direction of David Pay. MONDAY: screening at the Cinematheque of It’s Such a Beautiful Day, Austin-based indie animator Don Hertzfeldt's collection of three … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 (or 15) things to do in Vancouver this week, July 22 to 26
Remembering Foghat, the kings of ’70s boogie (along with Status Quo)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SEPT. 10, 2010 By Steve Newton Man, if I wasn't already on the outs with the Pitchfork-reading hipster crowd, this blog'll surely get me off their Christmas lists. But hey, it's been 35 years since British blues-rockers Foghat released their platinum-selling album Fool For the City and scored a hit with one of the last … Continue reading Remembering Foghat, the kings of ’70s boogie (along with Status Quo)
Vancouver rockers Crisis find steady club work but want to record and take over the world next week
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 8, 1983 By Steve Newton "It was actually pretty simple," says Gary Langen, describing how he came to be the newest member of Vancouver's hard-rocking club act Crisis. "I just picked up the phone, called the booking agent, and said 'Hi, does anybody need a drummer?'" That phone call has proven … Continue reading Vancouver rockers Crisis find steady club work but want to record and take over the world next week
Toronto tunesmith Gary O’ rocks out on his own after penning hits for .38 Special and Molly Hatchet
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SEPT. 28, 1984 By Steve Newton Florida rockers .38 Special had a banner year in '83, but they didn't achieve it entirely on their own. Both of their hit singles, "Back Where You Belong" and "One Time for Old Times", came from the pen of Toronto tunesmith Gary O'Connor. O'Connor--or Gary 'O, … Continue reading Toronto tunesmith Gary O’ rocks out on his own after penning hits for .38 Special and Molly Hatchet
Newt’s top 10 (or 15) things to do in Vancouver this weekend, July 19 to 21
Steve Dawson plays the Van Folk Fest By Steve Newton FRIDAY: late-night screening at the Rio Theatre of director Philip Kaufman's 1978 horror remake Invasion of the Body Snatchers, starring the late Canadian acting great Donald Sutherland. FRIDAY AND SATURDAY: Canadian improvisor Colin Mochrie of TV's Whose Line Is It Anyway? performs two Arts Club … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 (or 15) things to do in Vancouver this weekend, July 19 to 21
That time Nicolette Larson told me that her mystery lead-guitar player was Eddie Van Halen
By Steve Newton Today (July 17, 2024) would have been American pop vocalist Nicolette Larson's 72nd birthday. She was best known for "Lotta Love", the catchy, Neil Young-penned #1 single she recorded on her 1978 debut album, Nicolette. Sadly, the beautifully gap-toothed singer with the astonishingly long hair passed away on December 16, 1997, as … Continue reading That time Nicolette Larson told me that her mystery lead-guitar player was Eddie Van Halen
Ron Haywood and Stripes bring the funk–and a Vegas-style showband vibe–to Vancouver
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MARCH 9, 1984 By Steve Newton What do you get when you combine a singer from Nashville, a saxman from New Orleans, a drummer from Montreal, a bassist from Comox, and a guitarist and keyboardist from San Francisco? Well, in the case of Ron Haywood and Stripes, you get a tight and … Continue reading Ron Haywood and Stripes bring the funk–and a Vegas-style showband vibe–to Vancouver
Molly Hatchet’s 20 best songs, from wicked to freakin’ awesome
By Steve Newton Skynyrd had "Free Bird". The Outlaws had "Green Grass and High Tides". Blackfoot had "Highway Song". And Hatchet had "Fall of the Peacemakers". 20. "Long Time'" (Flirtin' with Disaster, 1979) 19. "What's It Gonna Take?'" (No Guts...No Glory, 1983) 18. "Jukin' City" (Flirtin' with Disaster, 1979) 17. "Dreams I'll Never See" (Molly … Continue reading Molly Hatchet’s 20 best songs, from wicked to freakin’ awesome
Newt’s top 10 things to do in Vancouver this week, July 15 to 19
Vancouver Folk Fest kicks off Friday By Steve Newton MONDAY TO FRIDAY: True Tribal: Contemporary Expressions of Ancestral Tattoo Practices explores 30-plus years of Indigenous tattooing from around the world and showcases the artists who are reconnecting with traditional skin-marking practices, at the Museum of Vancouver. MONDAY TO FRIDAY: Emily Carr: A Room of Her … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 things to do in Vancouver this week, July 15 to 19