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
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
On March 2, 1989, Tom Cochrane and Red Rider played Vancouver’s Orpheum Theatre with guests the Northern Pikes, a band from Saskatoon that I liked almost as much as the headliner. Red Rider was touring behind its latest album, Victory Day, which featured the singles “Good Times”, “Big League”, and the title track. This was two … Continue reading Tom Cochrane and Red Rider dangle a plastic shark over the Northern Pikes in Vancouver
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON OCT. 11, 1990 By Steve Newton Steve Earle’s got a headache—a real doozie. The whirlwind promotional tour that brought him to Vancouver’s Georgian Court Hotel has taken its toll, and while this scribbler waits in the lobby, Earle’s up in his room, downing aspirins to ease the pain brought on by countless … Continue reading Steve Earle on cops, bikers, jail, Ted Bundy, and The Hard Way
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON FEB. 28, 1991 By Steve Newton It’s been a long seven-year wait for Vancouver Scorpions fans, but the dry spell is nearly over. Germany’s veteran hard-rockers—who haven’t performed here since the Love at First Sting tour of 1984—will be in town for a Saturday (March 2) gig at the Pacific Coliseum. And … Continue reading Scorpions pull Vancouver hitmaker Jim Vallance into their Crazy World
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 19, 1990 By Steve Newton On the honker from Montreal, Stevie Ray Vaughan is a tad disoriented. It’s 7:30 p.m. his time, but he’s still rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “I just woke up,” he explains. “Hope I’m not late. I looked at my watch and realized that I didn’t … Continue reading My interview with Stevie Ray Vaughan the month before his death
LONNIE MACK July 18, 1941 – April 21, 2016 GLENN FREY Nov. 6, 1948 – Jan. 18, 2016 DALE “BUFFIN” GRIFFIN Oct. 24, 1948 – Jan. 17, 2016 DAVID BOWIE Jan. 8, 1947 – Jan. 10, 2016 LEMMY KILMISTER Dec. 24, 1945 – Dec. 28, 2015 SMOKIN’ JOE KUBEK Nov. 30, 1956 – Oct. 11, … Continue reading Obits
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 11, 1983 By Steve Newton Eddie Van Halen calls him “fantastic”. Gary Moore says “he’s frightening. He’s definitely dangerous and getting better all the time.” Carlos Santana gives him “more credit than anyone for just pure expression in soloing.” Journey’s Neil Schon says: “If you play guitar and ever think you’re … Continue reading Guitar phenom Allan Holdsworth says he’s not impressed by flash
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, JULY 16, 2008 By Steve Newton Like many of today’s top blues-rock guitarists, Tinsley Ellis was hugely influenced by the six-string action of the early Rolling Stones. He recalls being particularly entranced by the fretwork of Brian Jones on the Stones’ 1965 cover of Willie Dixon’s “Little Red Rooster”. “I heard … Continue reading Tinsley Ellis shed blood en route to blues mastery
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, SEPT. 5, 2007 By Steve Newton When the Straight calls up Tim Green of the Fucking Champs, the San Francisco–based guitarist is on vacation with his girlfriend, visiting his dad and stepmom in Maine. He says they’re not too far from Bangor, the fabled hometown of Stephen King, which kinda makes … Continue reading Major keys keep Champs’ instro-metal upbeat
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON FEB. 17, 1984 By Steve Newton On the strength of their third album, Hammer on a Drum, Vancouver’s Payola$ have been nominated in nine categories of 1984’s CARAS -sponsored Tribute to West Coast Music. As well as Group of the Year and Album of the Year, the group has two tunes in … Continue reading The Payola$’ Paul Hyde talks coproducer Mick Ronson and rock idols Ian Hunter and Alex Harvey
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON FEBRUARY 11, 1994 By Steve Newton Guns N’ Roses may well be the most popular hard-rock band in the world. It’s certainly one of the most controversial, having made headlines recently with the much-publicized inclusion of an uncredited Charles Manson song on its latest recording, The Spaghetti Incident? There’s also singer Axl … Continue reading Slash says that the original Guns N’ Roses lineup “just stopped rocking”
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JAN. 6, 1984 By Steve Newton British supergroup Genesis–lead vocalist-drummer Phil Collins, keyboardist Tony Banks, and guitarist-bassist Mike Rutherford–will be appearing at the Pacific Coliseum this Monday, January 9. They will be joined in concert by touring members Daryl Stuermer on guitar and Chester Thompson on drums. I spoke to Rutherford over … Continue reading Mike Rutherford looks at his watch and says Genesis will probably make it through tonight’s show
