WPA’s Mick Thomas recalls seeing AC/DC, Cold Chisel, and Midnight Oil play a pub in Geelong

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 21, 1990 By Steve Newton Halifax, Nova Scotia: Could those three words possibly conjure up images of a city full of alluring possibilities and untold enchantment? Well, when Mick Thomas of Australia’s Weddings Parties Anything first heard them, his imagination was piqued, and he couldn’t wait to see what the city … Continue reading WPA’s Mick Thomas recalls seeing AC/DC, Cold Chisel, and Midnight Oil play a pub in Geelong

Scorpions inflict deadliest sting yet as lead guitarist Matthias Jabs helps cause a devastating Blackout

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 16, 1982 By Steve Newton It’s a hard road, and often a long one, that leads to success in the world of heavy metal. With the exception of a few bands that luck out on their debut recordings because radio is good to them, most hard rockers fight an uphill battle … Continue reading Scorpions inflict deadliest sting yet as lead guitarist Matthias Jabs helps cause a devastating Blackout

The North Mississippi Allstars bring it on home with help from Robert Plant

There’s something be said for sticking to your roots, and on their latest album, World Boogie Is Coming, the North Mississippi Allstars really do bring it on home. They went to the heart of the Mississippi hill country on tunes by such area legends as R.L. Burnside, Junior Kimbrough, and Otha Turner, and cranked the authenticity … Continue reading The North Mississippi Allstars bring it on home with help from Robert Plant

Iron Maiden’s Clive Burr on Martin Birch, Ruddles, and The Number of the Beast

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 9, 1982 By Steve Newton Iron Maiden is quickly becoming one of Britain’s most popular metal bands. Last year the band sold well over a million albums with their second release, Killers, cracking the top ten in the UK, France, Germany, Japan, Sweden, and Belgium. Their latest album, The Number of … Continue reading Iron Maiden’s Clive Burr on Martin Birch, Ruddles, and The Number of the Beast

Steven Tyler screeches like a budgie from hell as Aerosmith rocks Vancouver on the Pump tour

By Steve Newton On March 17, 1990, Aerosmith played the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver. At the time the band was still putting out pretty decent albums; six months earlier it had released Pump, which boasted rockin’ numbers like “Monkey on My Back”, “Young Lust”, and “The Other Side”. This was before it sold out for … Continue reading Steven Tyler screeches like a budgie from hell as Aerosmith rocks Vancouver on the Pump tour

Def Leppard’s Steve Clark on the long wait for Hysteria and the legacy of Pyromania

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 17, 1988 By Steve Newton Most successful recording bands like to put an album out every year. Sometimes they’ll skip a year, to vacation in the Bahamas or release a live or best-of LP. After three years their fans start to get a bit worried, not to mention the band’s record … Continue reading Def Leppard’s Steve Clark on the long wait for Hysteria and the legacy of Pyromania

Tommy Aldridge talks Black Oak Arkansas, Whitesnake, Ozzy, and the brilliance of Randy Rhoads

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 10, 1990 By Steve Newton After several years in the rock critic biz, it’s easy for a writer to pick up the ONNTD syndrome. That’s an affliction that occurs when you request an interview with a big-name band and the record company won’t let you talk to the main member (usually … Continue reading Tommy Aldridge talks Black Oak Arkansas, Whitesnake, Ozzy, and the brilliance of Randy Rhoads

Kim Simmonds and Savoy Brown tear it up old-school in Vancouver

photos by the Newt ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MARCH 20, 2015 By Steve Newton When I interviewed blues-rock legend Kim Simmonds last week from his home outside Syracuse, New York, he revealed that there had been a time when, during his thirties, personal problems had cost him his ability to really play guitar. Lucky for him–and … Continue reading Kim Simmonds and Savoy Brown tear it up old-school in Vancouver

Savoy Brown’s Kim Simmonds was meant to play guitar

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MARCH 17, 2015 By Steve Newton Fifty years is a long time. It sounds even longer when you call it half a century. But that’s how long Kim Simmonds has been carrying on the Savoy Brown name. It’s not like he’s been keeping close track, though. “I know it’s been a while,” … Continue reading Savoy Brown’s Kim Simmonds was meant to play guitar

Red Rider releases Neruda, Tom Cochrane rails against “trendy bullshit”

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 15, 1983 By Steve Newton Red Rider plays the Commodore Ballroom Tuesday, April 19. I spoke to the group’s lead vocalist and songwriter Tom Cochrane over the phone from Toronto last Monday. I understand your group had a bus accident in the Rocky Mountains not long ago. Well we lost … Continue reading Red Rider releases Neruda, Tom Cochrane rails against “trendy bullshit”

Def Leppard’s Rick Savage on new guitarist Phil Collen, producer Mutt Lange, and the stunning success of Pyromania

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 18, 1983 By Steve Newton While it is true that Def Leppard‘s lyrical messages most often deal with the time-worn teenage pastimes of partying and getting it on, it’s not so much what they’re saying as how they’re saying it–with all the conviction and drive young hands can channel through a … Continue reading Def Leppard’s Rick Savage on new guitarist Phil Collen, producer Mutt Lange, and the stunning success of Pyromania

Leslie West recalls Woodstock and his band Mountain’s old warmup act, Black Sabbath

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 1, 2002 By Steve Newton Seventies hard-rockers Mountain didn’t waste any time in getting famous. The band—best known for the lineup of guitarist and vocalist Leslie West, drummer Corky Laing, keyboardist Steve Knight, and bassist-vocalist Felix Pappalardi (who was shot dead by his wife in ’83)—played its first gig at L.A.’s … Continue reading Leslie West recalls Woodstock and his band Mountain’s old warmup act, Black Sabbath

Jennifer Batten calls Jeff Beck “the greatest guitar player who ever lived”

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 13, 2002 By Steve Newton Any guitar freaks lucky enough to have seen Jeff Beck at the Commodore last year will rave about his top-hatted blond accompanist, whose mastery of the guitar-synth almost stole the show from the British rock legend. The waiflike lady was Jennifer Batten, who returns to Vancouver … Continue reading Jennifer Batten calls Jeff Beck “the greatest guitar player who ever lived”