Two years after saying goodbye to Crowded House, Neil Finn returns with solo debut

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 9, 1998 By Steve Newton After making the agonizing decision in 1996 to break up his world-famous Kiwi pop combo Crowded House, Neil Finn wasn’t exactly sure what to do next. An Aussie artist-musician friend of his suggested Finn try painting, so he spent two weeks at a beachside location doing … Continue reading Two years after saying goodbye to Crowded House, Neil Finn returns with solo debut

Gord Downie sinks the cue ball after the Hip gets a hero’s welcome on the Trouble at the Henhouse tour

kevin statham photo ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 14, 1996 By Steve Newton At a private party in Yaletown last Friday (November 8), after the first of three Tragically Hip shows at the Pacific Coliseum, vocalist Gordon Downie leaned determinedly over a pool table to set up what he hoped would be a game-winning shot. He … Continue reading Gord Downie sinks the cue ball after the Hip gets a hero’s welcome on the Trouble at the Henhouse tour

Pink Floyd plays Vancouver on the Division Bell tour, David Gilmour’s state-of-the-art guitars shine

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JUNE 30, 1994 By Steve Newton As streams of perked-up Pink Floyd fans strolled north across the Cambie Street bridge en route to the big white marshmallow of B.C. Place last Saturday (June 25), a lot of them were eyeing the sky. It was a fine time to revel … Continue reading Pink Floyd plays Vancouver on the Division Bell tour, David Gilmour’s state-of-the-art guitars shine

Carlos Santana cleans Bob Dylan’s clock in the clash of the Yankee rock titans

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 26, 1993 By Steve Newton It was the clash of the American rock titans last Sunday (August 22) at the Coliseum, and after Big Bad Bobby D. took on Carlos “The Fret Strangler” Santana in a four-hour, 15-man battle royal, only one man remained standing as a certified rock champ of … Continue reading Carlos Santana cleans Bob Dylan’s clock in the clash of the Yankee rock titans

The Scorpions and Alice Cooper bring melodic ’70s-style hard-rock to Vancouver

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 11, 1996 By Steve Newton It was such a scorcher last Sunday (July 7), I found it impossible to pull myself out of our plastic kids’ pool and get down to the Coliseum in time for the start of the Scorpions/Alice Cooper concert. I completely missed the 25-minute opening set by … Continue reading The Scorpions and Alice Cooper bring melodic ’70s-style hard-rock to Vancouver

Lars Ulrich cuddles firstborn, doubts fatherhood will make Metallica wimp out

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 27, 1998 By Steve Newton If there’s one thing you can bet on about a Metallica concert, it’s that Lars Ulrich will not pussyfoot around behind his drum kit. The diminutive Dane always plays like a man possessed, fiercely punishing the skins while his face contorts in a tortured grimace. He’s … Continue reading Lars Ulrich cuddles firstborn, doubts fatherhood will make Metallica wimp out

For Paul Rodgers, everything stems from playing live

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 28, 1997 By Steve Newton Back in the late ’60s, British blues-rock crooner Paul Rodgers wrapped his gravel ’n’ honey vocals around a simple, bludgeoning Paul Kossoff guitar riff and rock history was made. Twenty-seven years after its release, Free’s “All Right Now” has joined an elite club of records to … Continue reading For Paul Rodgers, everything stems from playing live

Blues Traveler’s wheelchair-bound John Popper displays weapons and wicked harmonica in Vancouver

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 20, 1993 By Steve Newton In the liner notes to the new Blues Traveler release, Save His Soul, John Popper is credited with “vocals, harmonica, Irish whistle, acoustic 12-string, electric guitar, 12-gauge shotgun, and 9-mm pistol”. Now, I didn’t see any shotguns or pistols at the Commodore last Thursday (May 13), but … Continue reading Blues Traveler’s wheelchair-bound John Popper displays weapons and wicked harmonica in Vancouver

Popa Chubby’s badass Big Apple life informs Booty and the Beast

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 28, 1995 By Steve Newton New York City blues-rocker Popa Chubby dedicates his latest release, Booty and the Beast, “to those who play loud and refuse to turn down”. In other words, he dedicates it to himself. “Absolutely!” spouts the 300-pound singer-guitarist from his Brooklyn digs. “What I … Continue reading Popa Chubby’s badass Big Apple life informs Booty and the Beast

Aussie songwriting great Paul Kelly hits 40 and treads into Deeper Water

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 23, 1995 By Steve Newton Ever wonder what happened to the Aussie Invasion? Back in the early- to mid-’80s it seemed as if a band wasn’t on top unless it was from Down Under. Two-hit wonders Men at Work kick-started the worldwide interest in the music of koala country in ’82 … Continue reading Aussie songwriting great Paul Kelly hits 40 and treads into Deeper Water

Blind Melon makes Soup in New Orleans but the Big Easy is “evil on a lot of levels”

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 28, 1995 By Steve Newton Although I’ve never been there, I always pictured New Orleans as a carefree, laid-back location, where the relaxed residents would happily welcome visitors into a fantasyland of down-home music, to-die-for food, and endless celebration. But in a chat with Blind Melon bassist Brad … Continue reading Blind Melon makes Soup in New Orleans but the Big Easy is “evil on a lot of levels”

Blue Öyster Cult’s Donald “Buck Dharma” Roeser on the origins of “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper”

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JAN. 23, 1997 By Steve Newton It’s hard for me to pick one all-time favourite rock band or rock album, but when it comes to my all-time fave song, that’s easy: Blue Öyster Cult’s “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper”. I suppose it helps that, when that propulsive ode to the afterlife was released … Continue reading Blue Öyster Cult’s Donald “Buck Dharma” Roeser on the origins of “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper”

Whiney False Creek residents put a damper on the Long John Baldry-topped Granville Island Blues Fest

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SEPT. 26, 1996 By Steve Newton What is it with Vancouver residents who can’t stand the sound of music emanating from an outdoor venue? I remember how the folks living in the Hastings-and-Renfrew area used to beef about the volume of daylong rock concerts at Empire Stadium in the mid-’70s, as if … Continue reading Whiney False Creek residents put a damper on the Long John Baldry-topped Granville Island Blues Fest