By Steve Newton Back in 1990 I did the first of my eight interviews with American guitar wizard Joe Satriani. At the time Satch was touring behind his Flying in a Blue Dream album, which is one fine batch of tunes. At one point in the conversation I asked him about a quote in Kerrang! … Continue reading That time Joe Satriani told me why Neil Young was such a great guitarist
That time Deep Purple’s Roger Glover told me what Ritchie Blackmore was really like as a person
By Steve Newton I did my second interview with Roger Glover back in March of 1985, when Deep Purple's "Mark II" lineup had reunited and the band was touring behind its Perfect Strangers album. At one point in the conversation I asked Glover about the band's legendary guitarist, Ritchie Blackmore, and his reputation for being … Continue reading That time Deep Purple’s Roger Glover told me what Ritchie Blackmore was really like as a person
Powerage is the only AC/DC album better than Back in Black
steve newton photo By Steve Newton There was a lotta fuss being made in the rock-music world back on July 25, 2020, when AC/DC's Back in Black celebrated its 40th anniversary. But where was all the commotion on June 19, 2018, when Powerage hit the Big Four-Oh? Now that was cause for celebration! Don't get … Continue reading Powerage is the only AC/DC album better than Back in Black
Peter Green shunned the guitar-hero status of Clapton, Beck, and Page, but Mick Fleetwood says “he was the guy”
Steve Newton Sad news for music fans today. Peter Green, the British guitarist who made a name for himself with his stunning work in the Bluesbreakers and Fleetwood Mac, has passed away at the age of 73. Long before the pop-minded duo of Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham put their radio-friendly stamp on Fleetwood Mac, … Continue reading Peter Green shunned the guitar-hero status of Clapton, Beck, and Page, but Mick Fleetwood says “he was the guy”
That time the Goo Goo Dolls’ John Rzeznik told me that his big sister first turned him on to music
By Steve Newton I did my first interview with Goo Goo Dolls singer-guitarist John Rzeznik three months after the release of A Boy Named Goo, when the band was headed to Vancouver for a club gig. This was just three months before the release of the hit single "Name", which shot the Goo to the … Continue reading That time the Goo Goo Dolls’ John Rzeznik told me that his big sister first turned him on to music
That time I called up Albert Collins and asked what attracted him to the blues
By Steve Newton Sometimes when I'm feeling a little down, uncertain about the future, I like to go through my piles of interview cassettes, pick something out, and just listen to bits of conversations I had with legendary bluesmen decades ago. Fight the blues with the blues, I reckon. Here's what it sounded like back … Continue reading That time I called up Albert Collins and asked what attracted him to the blues
That time Steve Hackett told me about hearing Queen’s demo tapes and thinking Genesis’ label should sign them
By Steve Newton Before Queen became one of the top rock bands on the planet, they were just another struggling band trying to score a record deal. That's how Steve Hackett remembers it, anyway. When I interviewed the former Genesis guitarist back in 1993 I asked him about his relationship with Queen guitarist Brian May, … Continue reading That time Steve Hackett told me about hearing Queen’s demo tapes and thinking Genesis’ label should sign them
54-40 guitarist Dave Genn recalls his chance meeting with Stevie Ray Vaughan just weeks before his tragic death
By Steve Newton One of my favourite guitar-hero memories involves that time back in the early '80s when I went backstage at Vancouver's Pacific Coliseum and met Stevie Ray Vaughan. I'll never forget it because he signed my vinyl copy of Texas Flood, and when I shook his hand it felt like a freakin' vice! … Continue reading 54-40 guitarist Dave Genn recalls his chance meeting with Stevie Ray Vaughan just weeks before his tragic death
That time Randy Bachman told me what it felt like when the Guess Who’s “American Woman” hit number one
By Steve Newton Canadian rock legend Randy Bachman has accomplished a helluva lot in his musical career. For one thing, how many musicians can say that they've reached the top in two different bands? Before Bachman-Turner Overdrive was ruling the airwaves in the mid-seventies, he'd already hit the big time with the Guess Who, whose … Continue reading That time Randy Bachman told me what it felt like when the Guess Who’s “American Woman” hit number one
That time 24-year-old Grace Potter told me that she wasn’t too young to appreciate the Allman Brothers
By Steve Newton The first time I ever saw Grace Potter perform live I was blown away. Her band the Nocturnals opened for Gov't Mule in Vancouver, and she joined the Mule on a killer version of "Honky Tonk Women", displaying a whole lotta soul. A couple months later, in January of 2008, I interviewed … Continue reading That time 24-year-old Grace Potter told me that she wasn’t too young to appreciate the Allman Brothers
That time Zakk Wylde told me that he’d always be Ozzy Osbourne’s guitarist
By Steve Newton If Randy Rhoads hadn't died in that tragic plane crash in 1982, do you think he'd still be playing with Ozzy Osbourne? I kinda doubt it. He was so fiercely talented that I bet he would have left heavy-metal in the dust and moved on to creating adventurous, technically mind-boggling instrumental music … Continue reading That time Zakk Wylde told me that he’d always be Ozzy Osbourne’s guitarist
That time Chris Cornell told me about the beauty of what it is that he gets to do
By Steve Newton Back in December of 2008 I did my one and only interview with Chris Cornell. At the time he was touring behind his solo album, Carry On, which I thought had some great songs. I was asking him about some of the lyrics from my fave track on the album, "Killing Birds", … Continue reading That time Chris Cornell told me about the beauty of what it is that he gets to do
That time Yngwie Malmsteen told me that no guitar could possibly do what the Stratocaster does
By Steve Newton Yngwie Malmsteen is synonymous with the Fender Stratocaster. Since the get-go he's proclaimed the superiority of Leo Fender's classy creation. He's even gone so far as to compare the competition to "bad copies" and "furniture". So when I interviewed him back in 2014 I asked him if he'd ever been tempted to … Continue reading That time Yngwie Malmsteen told me that no guitar could possibly do what the Stratocaster does