By Steve Newton Back in April of 2003 I did my first interview with pedal-steel virtuoso Robert Randolph, who was just 24 at the time. At one point in the conversation I asked him about the time five years earlier when somebody gave him a tape of Stevie Ray Vaughan, which made a huge impression … Continue reading That time Robert Randolph told me that he was inspired by the passion and soul of Stevie Ray Vaughan
That time the B-52s’ Keith Strickland told me that Lux Interior of the Cramps suggested “Rock Lobster” as their first single
By Steve Newton Back in March of 2008 I interviewed B-52s guitarist and founding member Keith Strickland. Strickland had taken over on lead guitar after the 1985 AIDS death of Ricky Wilson, but originally he was the band's drummer. That's him pounding away on "Rock Lobster", the decidedly kooky debut single that brought the band … Continue reading That time the B-52s’ Keith Strickland told me that Lux Interior of the Cramps suggested “Rock Lobster” as their first single
That time David Johansen of the New York Dolls told me my son was gonna need a shrink
By Steve Newton When I heard the sad news that original New York Dolls guitarist Syl Sylvain had died of cancer three days ago, it made me remember how much I adored the Dolls as a teenager in the seventies. It also got me thinking about any New York Dolls interviews I might have done … Continue reading That time David Johansen of the New York Dolls told me my son was gonna need a shrink
AC/DC dropped fake American dollar bills on its fans during the 1990-’91 Razors Edge world tour, and I’ve still got mine
By Steve Newton It's not too often you take home a free souvenir from an AC/DC concert. Most likely you'll be dropping $40 for a t-shirt, $25 for a tour program, and maybe seven or eight bucks for a "Have a Drink on Me" shotglass or a "Highway to Hell" keychain. Mind you, if you're … Continue reading AC/DC dropped fake American dollar bills on its fans during the 1990-’91 Razors Edge world tour, and I’ve still got mine
That time Nathan Followill told me that the Kings of Leon didn’t know a right way or a wrong way to play rock ‘n’ roll when they started
By Steve Newton I interviewed Kings of Leon drummer Nathan Followill on September 19, 2003, exactly one month after the release of the band's debut album, Youth and Young Manhood. Exactly five years after that--on September 19, 2008--the band released its fourth album, Only by the Night, which spawned the hit single "Sex on Fire" … Continue reading That time Nathan Followill told me that the Kings of Leon didn’t know a right way or a wrong way to play rock ‘n’ roll when they started
That time I asked Leslie West if he was excited to hook up with Jack Bruce in West, Bruce & Laing
By Steve Newton Most of the music news regarding the passing last month of guitar legend Leslie West has focused on his work with Mountain, and justifiably so, since that band recorded timeless tracks like "Mississippi Queen" and "Nantucket Sleighride" and "Theme for an Imaginary Western". But after Mountain produced those gems West and Mountain … Continue reading That time I asked Leslie West if he was excited to hook up with Jack Bruce in West, Bruce & Laing
That time Todd Kerns told me that AC/DC replacing Brian Johnson with Axl Rose was the most surreal thing he’d heard in a long time
By Steve Newton I've interviewed Todd Kerns a few times, because he's one of my favourite Canadian rockers. A few years ago I actually dubbed him "The Rockingest Canadian Bass Player of the 21st Century," partly because of his unwavering enthusiasm on stage. The title didn't really catch on in the media, but I stand … Continue reading That time Todd Kerns told me that AC/DC replacing Brian Johnson with Axl Rose was the most surreal thing he’d heard in a long time
Ten weeks after Randy Rhoads’ death Ozzy told me that the fallen guitar hero could do anything
By Steve Newton I did my first interview with Ozzy Osbourne in early June of 1982, ten weeks after his beloved guitarist, Randy Rhoads, perished in a fiery plane crash at the age of 25. No wonder he sounded bummed out. Rhoads' place on the Diary of a Madman Tour had been taken first by … Continue reading Ten weeks after Randy Rhoads’ death Ozzy told me that the fallen guitar hero could do anything
That time Leslie West told me that Ozzy Osbourne said Mountain really turned him on to American rock
By Steve Newton If you liked Black Sabbath in the seventies, you probably liked Mountain as well. Both bands were well versed in the art of the killer riff. Sabbath's Tony Iommi and Mountain's Leslie West were good buddies, as West told me during an interview in 2002. He also said that Ozzy Osbourne once … Continue reading That time Leslie West told me that Ozzy Osbourne said Mountain really turned him on to American rock
That time I asked Bill Payne if Little Feat had any thoughts of calling it quits when Lowell George died
By Steve Newton Just finished watching the documentary Little Feats: The Life & Times of Lowell George on Amazon Prime and that got me thinking about that time back in August of 2002 when I interviewed Little Feat keyboardist Bill Payne. Payne had cofounded the band with singer-guitarist and main songwriter Lowell George back in … Continue reading That time I asked Bill Payne if Little Feat had any thoughts of calling it quits when Lowell George died
That time Ratt’s Robbin Crosby told me that Jethro Tull winning the metal Grammy in ’89 was “bullshit’
By Steve Newton Few award presentations in the history of rock music have caused as much controversy as the one that took place at the Grammys back on February 6, 1989. That was when Jethro Tull's Crest of a Knave album won the Grammy for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance, shockingly beating out the odds-on favourite, … Continue reading That time Ratt’s Robbin Crosby told me that Jethro Tull winning the metal Grammy in ’89 was “bullshit’
Leslie West’s absence from the Rock Hall is as shocking as the exclusion of Rory, Johnny, and Link
By Steve Newton Since the news hit yesterday about the death of beloved guitar legend Leslie West, accolades have been pouring in from some of the world's finest pickers. "Leslie's playing and sound was just superb," said Tony Iommi, whose band Black Sabbath used to open for West's group Mountain. "One of the GOAT," declared … Continue reading Leslie West’s absence from the Rock Hall is as shocking as the exclusion of Rory, Johnny, and Link
Leslie West dead at 75: the Mountain man leaves a legacy of timeless guitar riffs and killer tone
By Steve Newton 2020 is apparently not done taking our guitar heroes. After the devastating death of Eddie Van Halen on October 6 of this year, now we've lost another six-string legend in Leslie West. As I reported yesterday, West had been on a ventilator the last couple of days, after his heart gave out, … Continue reading Leslie West dead at 75: the Mountain man leaves a legacy of timeless guitar riffs and killer tone