Search Results for: Rob Halford

That time Roger Glover got pissed off when I mentioned how loud Deep Purple was: “that’s a bullshit statement”

By Steve Newton Most rock freaks as old as me remember back to 1985 when Deep Purple had reunited its classic Mark II lineup and was headed out on tour behind its Perfect Strangers album. When the band set its sights on Vancouver I was pretty psyched about getting the chance to interview Roger Glover–and … Continue reading That time Roger Glover got pissed off when I mentioned how loud Deep Purple was: “that’s a bullshit statement”

That time Tony Iommi told me that a second Black Sabbath album with Ian Gillan would probably turn out better than Born Again

By Steve Newton A few days ago I posted a blog that featured a snippet from my 1984 interview with Tony Iommi, in which he talked about blowing up Black Sabbath singer Ian Gillan’s boat during the recording sessions for Born Again. As any Sabbath fan knows, the band only made one album with Gillan … Continue reading That time Tony Iommi told me that a second Black Sabbath album with Ian Gillan would probably turn out better than Born Again

Ever wonder why the Allman Brothers look so damn happy on the cover of At Fillmore East?

By Steve Newton The Allman Brothers’ At Fillmore East is widely recognized as one of the greatest live albums in rock history. And you won’t get any arguments about that from me. The band was at its peak, guitarists Duane Allman and Dickey Betts trading the type of inspired licks that would make future ABB … Continue reading Ever wonder why the Allman Brothers look so damn happy on the cover of At Fillmore East?

That time Ronnie James Dio told me a fib about Priest and Maiden contributing songs to Hear ‘n Aid

By Steve Newton On May 20 and 21, 1985, the charity project spearheaded by Ronnie James Dio, Hear ‘n Aid, recorded its video/single “Stars” at A&M Studios in L.A. “Stars” was a one-time collaboration featuring an array of the biggest hard rock/heavy metal artists of the ’80s. Contributing lead vocals on the track were Dio, … Continue reading That time Ronnie James Dio told me a fib about Priest and Maiden contributing songs to Hear ‘n Aid

Black Sabbath gets all Paranoid at final Vancouver gig

By Steve Newton Every Black Sabbath freak has his fave Sabbath album. I for one have long trumpeted the supreme awesomeness of 1975’s Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath. Others point to the band’s spooky self-titled debut of 1970 as its pinnacle achievement. But most of the Sabbath fans I’ve encountered tend to regard Paranoid–also released in 1970–as the heavy-metal … Continue reading Black Sabbath gets all Paranoid at final Vancouver gig

Tom Cochrane talks Red Rider, soft porn, and South Africa before opening for Van Halen in 1986

we are…two wild and crazy guys! ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, OCT. 10, 1986 By Steve Newton Nowadays, Tom Cochrane is flying high on the charts with “Boy Inside the Man”, the first single off the new album Tom Cochrane and Red Rider. The Toronto rocker will be playing songs from that record at … Continue reading Tom Cochrane talks Red Rider, soft porn, and South Africa before opening for Van Halen in 1986

That time back in ’84 when Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi told me: “If I go deaf, I go deaf”

By Steve Newton Sometimes when I interviewed heavy-metal bands in the ’80s I’d play the devil’s advocate and ask silly questions like “What do you say to people who think you’re too loud?”. Or if they were really heavy–like Black Sabbath–I’d ask them if they were worried about damaging their hearing with their music. I … Continue reading That time back in ’84 when Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi told me: “If I go deaf, I go deaf”

That time Ronnie James Dio got ticked off when I asked him about stepping into Ozzy Osbourne’s shoes in Black Sabbath

By Steve Newton There’s no denying that Ronnie James Dio did an incredible job replacing Ozzy Osbourne as the singer in Black Sabbath. The moment I heard “Neon Nights”, the opening track on Dio’s first Sabbath album, Heaven and Hell, I knew the heavy-metal stars had aligned. The music had way more power and feel … Continue reading That time Ronnie James Dio got ticked off when I asked him about stepping into Ozzy Osbourne’s shoes in Black Sabbath

That time Gord Downie told me about the Tragically Hip’s Saturday Night Live gig

By Steve Newton On March 25, 1995, the Tragically Hip played Saturday Night Live, when one of my fave actors, John Goodman (“Mark it zero!”), was hosting. Fellow Kingstonite Dan Aykroyd introduced the band, which surprised the hell out of peeps by not opening with a certified crowd-pleasing rocker like “New Orleans is Sinking” or … Continue reading That time Gord Downie told me about the Tragically Hip’s Saturday Night Live gig

That time Tony Iommi told me about wanting to play drums, losing his fingertips, and loving Django

By Steve Newton Here’s another audio excerpt from my 1984 interview with Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi, wherein he reveals that he wanted to be a drummer at first. Thank god he got over that! Iommi also talks about losing two fingertips in an industrial accident, and how he was inspired to keep on playing by … Continue reading That time Tony Iommi told me about wanting to play drums, losing his fingertips, and loving Django

That time Robert Plant assured me “young girls still whimper as I walk past”

By Steve Newton When I interviewed Robert Plant back in 1993 he was in the midst of a world tour supporting his new album Fate of Nations. I asked the 45-year-old rock god whether it had gotten easier or harder to keep up the pace of touring over the years, and he said it was … Continue reading That time Robert Plant assured me “young girls still whimper as I walk past”

Stevie Ray Vaughan six weeks before the crash: “I would hate to get caught playing my last gig not trying”

By Steve Newton I didn’t go into journalism to get rich–and if you saw my bank balance you’d know that for a fact. But whenever I look back and go “Hell yeah, I got to interview Stevie Ray Vaughan twice!” it makes me realize that the career choice has spawned some golden moments. Like that time back … Continue reading Stevie Ray Vaughan six weeks before the crash: “I would hate to get caught playing my last gig not trying”