By Steve Newton I've interviewed American singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Alvin, a founding member of the Blasters, four times over the years, 'cause he's just plain great. This is the first time, back in November of 1991, when he was touring behind his second solo album, Blue Blvd. At one point in the conversation I … Continue reading That time Dave Alvin told me what it was like being in the Pleasure Barons with Country Dick Montana and Mojo Nixon
Jeff Golub follows in the footsteps of Jeff Beck and Ronnie Wood playing guitar with Rod Stewart
"I don't sing--I've got the kind of voice where, as soon as I start singing in the shower, people bang on the walls."
Newt’s top 10 things to do in Vancouver this week, April 15 to 19
The Black Crowes play the Queen E. By Steve Newton MONDAY: screening at the Rio Theatre of South Korean director Jae-hyun Jang‘s folkloric, occult thriller Exhuma, the highest grossing Korean film of 2024, so far. MONDAY TO FRIDAY: True Tribal: Contemporary Expressions of Ancestral Tattoo Practices explores 30-plus years of Indigenous tattooing from around the … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 things to do in Vancouver this week, April 15 to 19
Rolling Stones guitarist Ron Wood gets on stage with the Black Crowes and makes Faces
By Steve Newton When the Black Crowes burst on to the music scene in 1990 with their hit album, Shake Your Moneymaker, it was pretty clear that their main musical influence was Faces, the British rock quinted fronted by Rod Stewart, and featuring current Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood on guitar. Well, last night at L.A.'s … Continue reading Rolling Stones guitarist Ron Wood gets on stage with the Black Crowes and makes Faces
Joss Stone says that she wants to open doors with soul and spread the music far and wide
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SEPT. 26, 2012 By Steve Newton It must be pretty sweet being Joss Stone these days. When I hook up with the 25-year-old millionaire soul-pop superstar she’s on her cell at a café in Brussels, Belgium, where she’s doing some TV shows and concerts. The next day, Stone will be popping over … Continue reading Joss Stone says that she wants to open doors with soul and spread the music far and wide
BTO booking at the PNE sets off search for ’70s-rock souvenir
By Steve Newton Yesterday the Pacific National Exhibition announced the lineup for its Summer Night Concerts series at the Pacific Coliseum, and when I saw that Bachman-Turner Overdrive was booked to play on August 20, I had an old-school PNE flashback. Way back in the summer of 1975 a teenaged me had driven in from … Continue reading BTO booking at the PNE sets off search for ’70s-rock souvenir
Newt’s top 10 (or 15) things to do in Vancouver this weekend, April 12 to 14
Dawn of the Dead screens at the Rio By Steve Newton FRIDAY: Comedy Here Often? presents standup comedy by Cassidy Furman, Jake Spencer, and headliner Rachel Schaefer at 604 Studios. FRIDAY: former Jr. Gone Wild and Brilliant Orange member Graham Brown leads his rock quartet at the Princeton Pub. Here's my interview with Brown from … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 (or 15) things to do in Vancouver this weekend, April 12 to 14
10 minutes on the phone with 29-year-old Steve Vai in 1990
By Steve Newton Steve Vai is one of those guitarists where you watch him play and you're like: "How the hell does he do that!?" This is the first interview I did with him, when he was only 29, touring with Whitesnake, and had just released his solo album Passion and Warfare. During the first … Continue reading 10 minutes on the phone with 29-year-old Steve Vai in 1990
The top 10 musician jokes targeting classical players: prepare to chuckle
By Steve Newton A few years ago I came across an old photocopy of a list of "Musician Jokes" that somebody at work had laid on me. Some of them made me chuckle out loud, so I'm passing them on to others who might need a good laugh. Most of the jokes are at the … Continue reading The top 10 musician jokes targeting classical players: prepare to chuckle
Newt’s top 10 (or 15) things to do in Vancouver this week, April 8 to 12
HUMP! Film Fest is at the Rio By Steve Newton MONDAY: Scottish pirate-metal quintet Alestorm performs tunes from latest album, Seventh Rum of a Seventh Rum, at the Commodore Ballroom. MONDAY: the Vancouver Canucks take on the Vegas Golden Knights in National Hockey League action at Rogers Arena. MONDAY TO FRIDAY: True Tribal: Contemporary Expressions of … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 (or 15) things to do in Vancouver this week, April 8 to 12
Charitable comic Graham Clark’s propensity for helping others came mostly from his mom
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON DEC. 8, 2021 By Steve Newton You could say that Graham Clark's path to standup comedy was partly paved in vinyl. His father owned an array of comedy records that the chuckle-hungry child would immerse himself in, LPs by the likes of Steve Martin, Woody Allen, and Monty Python. "And even Cheech and Chong," … Continue reading Charitable comic Graham Clark’s propensity for helping others came mostly from his mom
Barney Bentall finds something to live for after years of working the Vancouver club scene
liam regan photo ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON OCT. 7, 1988 By Steve Newton Things are going well for Vancouver's Barney Bentall these days. The 28-year-old rocker and his band, the Legendary Hearts, have a hit on their hands, a self-titled debut album on Epic Records that has sold 45,000 copies in Canada in three months. The … Continue reading Barney Bentall finds something to live for after years of working the Vancouver club scene
Newt’s top 10 things to do in Metro Vancouver this weekend, April 5 to 7
The Big Lebowski screens at the Rio By Steve Newton FRIDAY: the Rogue Folk Club presents performances by Canadian singer-songwriters Cara Luft and Shari Ulrich at Mel Lehan Hall at St. James. FRIDAY: the Vancouver Warriors take on the Halifax Thunderbirds in National Lacrosse League action at Rogers Arena. FRIDAY: late-night screening at the Rio Theatre … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 things to do in Metro Vancouver this weekend, April 5 to 7