That time I asked Def Leppard guitarist Steve Clark what he liked so much about Gibsons

By Steve Newton My nephew Jeff has been letting me borrow his Gibson Les Paul Standard for a while now, and, holy crap, is that one killer instrument! You wouldn’t have gotten an argument about that from Def Leppard guitarist Steve Clark, who used Gibson guitars to craft some of the band’s finest riffs before … Continue reading That time I asked Def Leppard guitarist Steve Clark what he liked so much about Gibsons

That time Gary Moore told me how he scored Peter Green’s ’59 Les Paul

By Steve Newton Gary Moore has been one of my fave guitarists ever since I heard him with Thin Lizzy back in the seventies. I then closely followed his hard-rock/metal solo career in the ’80s, before he got the blues bigtime in 1990. I was fortunate enough to have interviewed the legendary picker once, back in … Continue reading That time Gary Moore told me how he scored Peter Green’s ’59 Les Paul

Triumph’s Rik Emmett on the merits of the power trio and his secret song for Randy Rhoads

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON FEB. 11, 1983 By Steve Newton Triumph’s Rik Emmett is a man of many moods on guitar. Though best known for supplying the driving rhythms and rapid-fire leads that are trademarks of his group’s two-fisted sound, Emmett never hesitates delving into the subtle and contemplative realms of classical and jazz as well. On … Continue reading Triumph’s Rik Emmett on the merits of the power trio and his secret song for Randy Rhoads

That time I asked Steve Clark if he’d thought Def Leppard could carry on after Rick Allen’s accident

By Steve Newton I became a fan of Def Leppard back in 1980, as soon as I scored their debut album, On Through the Night, at a Chilliwack record store. I bought it because I liked the sound of the band name and because the album-cover art depicted a huge Les Paul being hauled by … Continue reading That time I asked Steve Clark if he’d thought Def Leppard could carry on after Rick Allen’s accident

That time J. Geils told me that his first love was jazz and he wanted to be a white Miles Davis

By Steve Newton As a teenager in the seventies, I absolutely loved the J. Geils Band. I first got turned onto them through the “Live” Full House album of ’72, which was just a smokin’ concert disc. I was crazy about their versions of old R&B/blues numbers like “First I Look at the Purse” and “Homework”, … Continue reading That time J. Geils told me that his first love was jazz and he wanted to be a white Miles Davis

The Moody Blues’ Justin Hayward on writing “Nights in White Satin”, working with Tony Visconti, and loving Buddy Holly

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JAN. 30, 1987 By Steve Newton Two decades ago the Moody Blues recorded “Nights in White Satin”. It was one of those tunes that would–like Simon and Garfunkel’s “The Sounds of Silence”–become known as a pop masterpiece in the years to come. Well, the Moody Blues are still performing the song live–as they … Continue reading The Moody Blues’ Justin Hayward on writing “Nights in White Satin”, working with Tony Visconti, and loving Buddy Holly

That time I asked Dickey Betts what song Duane Allman and the Skynyrd boys might be playing in heaven

By Steve Newton If you think I got into journalism at the age of 23–first at my hometown’s Chilliwack Progress and then, for the last 34 years, at Vancouver’s Georgia Straight–mainly so I could interview guitar heroes like Dickey Betts, you’re damn rights. I’ve loved Dickey ever since I heard him and Duane on Eat a … Continue reading That time I asked Dickey Betts what song Duane Allman and the Skynyrd boys might be playing in heaven

That time Albert King tried telling me that he wrote “As the Years Go Passing By”

By Steve Newton As a blues fan I’ve been extremely lucky to have interviewed some of the genre’s greatest talents, including B.B. King, Albert Collins, Roy Buchanan, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Buddy Guy. But I was particularly thrilled when I got to chat with Albert King, back in 1990, two years before “The Velvet Bulldozer” … Continue reading That time Albert King tried telling me that he wrote “As the Years Go Passing By”

That time I asked 18-year-old guitar star Derek Trucks who he’d most like to jam with

his wish to jam with B.B. came true By Steve Newton The first time I interviewed Derek Trucks–back in March of 1998, when he was just 18–I mentioned that he’d already played with famous folks like Bob Dylan and Buddy Guy, but wondered who else he’d most like to jam with. He mentioned a couple … Continue reading That time I asked 18-year-old guitar star Derek Trucks who he’d most like to jam with

Drummer Steve Smith gave up Journey’s arena rock to gain Vital Information

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MARCH 27, 1987 By Steve Newton It’s a long way, in musical terms, from the commercial rock of Journey to the improvisational jazz of Vital Information. But for drummer Steve Smith, who appears at the Town Pump Friday (March 27) with Vital Information, it was a route that had to be taken. … Continue reading Drummer Steve Smith gave up Journey’s arena rock to gain Vital Information

That time I asked Warren Zevon if it was more difficult to compose film scores than to make albums

By Steve Newton As I’m sure I’ve mentioned before, one of the coolest dudes I’ve ever interviewed was Warren Zevon. He was just so damn nice. And smart. And Warren freakin’ Zevon. I talked to him back in ’92 when he was touring with the Odds as his backup band, promoting a fine album called … Continue reading That time I asked Warren Zevon if it was more difficult to compose film scores than to make albums

That time Dickey Betts told me that the Allmans had “a good old time” on that porch from the Shades of Two Worlds cover

By Steve Newton When I interviewed Dickey Betts back on July 18, 1991, it was just two weeks since the Allman Brothers had released their 10th studio album, Shades of Two Worlds. That was very much “a Dickey album”, since he’d written or co-written (with fellow guitarist Warren Haynes) five of the album’s eight tracks, and also … Continue reading That time Dickey Betts told me that the Allmans had “a good old time” on that porch from the Shades of Two Worlds cover

That time Roy Buchanan told me that Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour was just a bluesman at heart

By Steve Newton I’ve been getting quite a few hits lately for a blog I posted about Danny Gatton, which included an audio excerpt from the interview I did with the underrated guitar genius back in 1993. So I figured maybe it was time to treat that particular group of Ear of Newt readers–the ones … Continue reading That time Roy Buchanan told me that Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour was just a bluesman at heart