ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 12, 1986 By Steve Newton This latest offering from Aussie ear-busters AC/DC is the official soundtrack of the new Stephen King film Maximum Overdrive. So is it music to watch possessed trucks run people over by? You betcha. Actually, Who Made Who is more of a compilation album … Continue reading Album review: AC/DC, Who Made Who (1986)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JULY 17, 1997 By Steve Newton To me, John Fogerty is the ultimate rock ’n’ roller. His songwriting—as evidenced by a myriad of deathless Creedence Clearwater Revival hits and some stunning solo tunes—is untouchable. He’s one hell of a swamp-rock lead guitarist. And when it comes to singing, man—what … Continue reading Album review: John Fogerty, Blue Moon Swamp (1997)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JULY 6, 1995 By Steve Newton I’ve been a Neil Young fan ever since the Harvest days of the ’70s, when folksy, acoustic-based tunes such as “Heart of Gold” and “Old Man” were the ideal soundtrack to youthful experiments with massive consumption of Old Style in a wood-grained … Continue reading Album review: Neil Young, Mirror Ball (1995)
kevin statham photo ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 27, 1988 By Steve Newton Whether you like David Lee Roth or not, there’s one thing you’ve got to admit: the guy’s a star. It’s hard to take your eyes off him, and few did at the Pacific Coliseum last Saturday (May 21). Whether you’re ogling his sexy bod, … Continue reading David Lee Roth shows off manly biceps, a giant surfboard, and Steve Vai on the Skyscraper Tour
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 27, 1987 By Steve Newton Whenever Steve Earle hits town, you’re pretty well guaranteed a hellraisin’ good time. It happened at his Vancouver debut last May at the 86 Street Music Hall, and then again last Thursday (November 19) when he and his rip-snortin’ band the Dukes returned to the Expo … Continue reading Steve Earle takes Exit O back to Vancouver and delivers another hell-raisin’ good time
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON DEC. 4, 1987 By Steve Newton The raunchy guitar sounds of the ’70s were all the rage at the Commodore last weekend (November 27 and 28), with British boogiemeisters Foghat headlining over Florida-based southern rockers the Outlaws. But it was the triple-guitar attack of the openers that was the real highlight both nights. I’d … Continue reading The Outlaws’ triple-guitar attack outshines Foghat’s boogie-blues in Vancouver
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MARCH 25, 1983 By Steve Newton Dedicated to the memory of Randy Rhoads, the first album by his former band is one heavy chunk of vinyl. “Metal Health”, “Slick Black Cadillac”, and “Breathless” are all excellent, bang-your-head crotch rockers, but the album’s most outstanding cuts are the bluesy “Don’t Want to Let … Continue reading Album review: Quiet Riot, Metal Health (1983)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JAN. 29, 1988 By Steve Newton Prior to Aerosmith‘s local appearance last week, I’d seen the Boston band in concert three times, including a show on the massive Rocks tour that saw them headlining over Jeff Beck at the Kingdome in Seattle. Each time before, they had performed more raggedly than singer Steven … Continue reading Aerosmith is reborn as a killer live act on the Permanent Vacation tour
By Steve Newton The following is the Preface from my new coffeetable book, Gord Downie, published by Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. of New York City and currently available at Indigo, Coles, and Chapters outlets across Canada. ———————————————————————- The first time I spoke to Gord Downie he was a longhaired 25-year-old rocker touring behind his band’s first full-length … Continue reading Exclusive excerpt from my new book, Gord Downie, about the late frontman of the Tragically Hip
By Steve Newton The most popular story I ever posted on Ear of Newt–until I broke the news about AC/DC being spotted in Vancouver back in 2018–was the one from 2014 with the headline Yngwie Malmsteen calls Ibanez guitars “a bad copy” of the Strat and says Les Pauls are “furniture”. For some reason people–mostly guitar … Continue reading Caught on tape: that time Strat fanatic Yngwie Malmsteen trash-talked Ibanez and Les Paul guitars
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 2, 1984 By Steve Newton My choice for best instrumental rock album of the year–so far–has got to be this new release by former Dixie Dregs guitarist Steve Morse. With accompaniment from bassist Jerry Peek and drummer Rod Morgenstein, Morse unleashes some of the tastiest riffs imaginable, melding … Continue reading Album review: Steve Morse, The Introduction (1984)
texastengu photo By Steve Newton When you see a promotional image of Warren Haynes, or an in-concert shot, the American guitar legend is almost always clutching a Les Paul. So I was kinda surprised to see that on the most recent Gov’t Mule album, Revolution Come…Revolution Go, there’s a photo of him in the CD … Continue reading Guitar legend Warren Haynes admits he’s “a Gibson guy”, but still likes to play a Fender now and then
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON DEC. 25, 1987 By Steve Newton Since the U.S. release of Rock and Hyde’s Under the Volcano nine months ago, the album has sold more copies stateside than all of the duo’s previous work put together. That’s a fair accomplishment given that Bob Rock and Paul Hyde released four albums as the Payola$, … Continue reading Rock and Hyde gets a boost from ex-Kick Axe picker “Hitman” Harvey
