The Pursuit of Happiness leaves Todd Rundgren for The Downward Road

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 1, 1993 By Steve Newton Recalling the televised carnage of last year’s L.A. riots, it’s hard to believe that a happy-go-lucky Canadian band was simultaneously recording its breezy, good-time pop music within shooting distance of the scary stuff. A grungy thrash or hardcore rap band laying down a soundtrack for anarchy, … Continue reading The Pursuit of Happiness leaves Todd Rundgren for The Downward Road

Alex Van Halen on Hagar and Roth, the magic of Eddie, and finding Balance with Bruce Fairbairn

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SEPT. 7, 1995 By Steve Newton Sometimes it seems as if there are two kinds of people in the world: David Lee Roth folks and Sammy Hagar folks. Dave folks are kind of a wild bunch—they prefer their music with a raw edge, full of primitive, howling vocals and finger-numbing guitar solos. … Continue reading Alex Van Halen on Hagar and Roth, the magic of Eddie, and finding Balance with Bruce Fairbairn

Mark Farner’s current “God rock” set doesn’t include Grand Funk’s “We’re an American Band”

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SEPT. 12, 1991 By Steve Newton Usually when this scribbler prepares for an interview, he starts by listening to the artist’s tape or CD, perusing its liner notes, scanning a record company bio, and maybe reading some press clippings. But for a chat with former Grand Funk Railroad singer/guitarist Mark Farner, getting … Continue reading Mark Farner’s current “God rock” set doesn’t include Grand Funk’s “We’re an American Band”

With the Big 3-0 looming, Slash figures that “it’s happy hour somewhere”

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 27, 1995 By Steve Newton When you’re guitar god Slash from Guns N’ Roses and you’re looking for a singer, you get to take your pick. Many hopefuls tried out for the lead-vocalist position in Slash’s Snakepit, including King’s X crooner Doug Pinnick, Spike from the London Quireboys, and former Little … Continue reading With the Big 3-0 looming, Slash figures that “it’s happy hour somewhere”

Gordon Downie goes Fully Completely Canadian on new Tragically Hip album

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 26, 1992 By Steve Newton If there were a CRTC regulation that based Canadian content on actual lyrics as opposed to the citizenship of a song’s composer, the Tragically Hip would be the darlings of CanCon advocates across the country. On their new album, Fully Completely, the Hipsters mention everything from … Continue reading Gordon Downie goes Fully Completely Canadian on new Tragically Hip album

Dickey Betts figures Duane Allman is playing “Dreams” in heaven with Hendrix and the guys from Skynyrd

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 8, 1991 By Steve Newton Back in the halcyon days of the early ’70s, there was a choice collection of albums that one gang of air-guitar-playing Chilliwack Junior High rockheads used to foam over. There was Deep Purple’s Machine Head, J. Geils’ Full House, Alice Cooper’s Billion Dollar Babies, Foghat’s Energized, Nazareth’s … Continue reading Dickey Betts figures Duane Allman is playing “Dreams” in heaven with Hendrix and the guys from Skynyrd

Def Leppard’s Vivian Campbell never wanted to be Joe Guitar Hero

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SEPT. 24, 1992 By Steve Newton When Def Leppard guitarist/co-founder Steve Clark died of a drug overdose in 1991—six years after drummer Rick Allen lost his left arm in a New Year’s Eve car accident—rumours were rampant as to who would replace him in one of the world’s most successful and least … Continue reading Def Leppard’s Vivian Campbell never wanted to be Joe Guitar Hero

The Doobie Brothers’ Tom Johnston recalls being nuts in the ’70s

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 6, 1991 By Steve Newton The five members of the Doobie Brothers that pull into the Pacific Coliseum on Friday (June 7) will be the same five guys that posed nearly naked on the racy (for 1972) fold-out sleeve of the breakthrough Toulouse Street album. They’re also the same gang that … Continue reading The Doobie Brothers’ Tom Johnston recalls being nuts in the ’70s

Philly’s Cinderella finds a bluesier vibe on Heartbreak Station

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MARCH 28, 1991 By Steve Newton Mandolin, Jew’s harp, pedal steel guitar—those aren’t the kind of instruments you normally find in a hard-rock band’s arsenal. But you’ll find those and plenty more being utilized to great effect on the latest Cinderella album, because the band with the cutesy name has come a … Continue reading Philly’s Cinderella finds a bluesier vibe on Heartbreak Station

Ozzy Osbourne live in ’82: midgets, executioners, and maybe a dead bat

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 18, 1982 By Steve Newton As anyone at his June 10 Coliseum show could have figured out, subtlety is not Ozzy Osbourne‘s claim to fame. Whereas most acts open with the drawing of a curtain, Ozzy opens with the dropping of one. And while most performers stroll onstage accompanied by a … Continue reading Ozzy Osbourne live in ’82: midgets, executioners, and maybe a dead bat

Dave Brock says Hawkwind’s space-rock wasn’t influenced by anyone

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON DEC. 13, 1990 By Steve Newton Hawkwind may just well be the ultimate cult band. The British progressive/space metal act has released more than 20 albums since its inception in 1969—and sold millions. Yet ask the person next to you if they’ve ever actually heard the band—least of all bought one of … Continue reading Dave Brock says Hawkwind’s space-rock wasn’t influenced by anyone

Now that he’s in Guns N’ Roses Dizzy Reed can buy drinks for all his freennz

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 13, 1992 By Steve Newton Some hard-rock bands like to boast about not using keyboards; they take pride in sticking with the trusty old guitar-bass-drums ideal. Guns N’ Roses might have been such a band in its early days, but when it came time to record its ground-breaking Use Your Illusion … Continue reading Now that he’s in Guns N’ Roses Dizzy Reed can buy drinks for all his freennz

Rik Emmett embarks on solo career after unhappy breakup of Triumph

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON OCT. 4, 1990 By Steve Newton Following Ted Nugent is not an enviable prospect for anybody, but Terrible Ted opened for yours truly—in the journalistic sense, anyway—just last week. As guest host for Detroit rock station WRIF’s morning show, the Nuge—who had once jammed on a Zeppelin tune with Rick Emmett and … Continue reading Rik Emmett embarks on solo career after unhappy breakup of Triumph