ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MAY 17, 2001 By Steve Newton Hordes of rock guitarists have been influenced by Jimi Hendrix, but only a few would claim that he was influenced by them. According to Guitar Shorty’s latest bio, in the ’60s Hendrix would go AWOL from the U.S. Army in order to catch … Continue reading Guitar Shorty says Jimi Hendrix used to go AWOL to catch his gigs
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 25, 2000 By Steve Newton Last February, Edmonton guitar-rockers the smalls found a unique way to celebrate their 10 years together: they kicked off a month-long European tour with a few dates in that popular wintertime destination, Bosnia-Herzegovina. When bassist-songwriter Corby Lund calls from outside of Winnipeg with the claim that … Continue reading After scary times in Bosnia the smalls set their sights on Texas
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 26, 2001 By Steve Newton There are three things that are inevitable in this world: death, taxes, and a ringing in your ears after seeing AC/DC. As I write this review, it’s been two hours since the Aussie rockers left the Coliseum stage in a flurry of golden confetti, and the … Continue reading Malcolm Young calls Powerage his favourite AC/DC album backstage in Vancouver
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 23, 1984 By Steve Newton Back about ten years ago, one of the coolest things for a Chilliwack high school student to do was cruise up and down the town’s main drag–preferably in a Dodge Dart–and play eight-track tapes as close to the distortion level as possible. And as I recall, … Continue reading Dan McCafferty reveals the story behind Nazareth’s “Vancouver Shakedown”
By Steve Newton On December 19, 1989, Ian Hunter and Mick Ronson played the 86 Street Music Hall in Vancouver. For me, it didn’t get any better than that. I’d been a huge fan of Hunter ever since I first heard his old band, Mott the Hoople, and Ronson…well, if you liked David Bowie in … Continue reading Ian Hunter and Mick Ronson tour behind YUI Orta, so the Newt talks to Ronno
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON OCT. 20, 1989 By Steve Newton What’s the most important element in a new band as far as making it in rock goes? Some might say financial backing, although when you look at groups like Kiss or the Sex Pistols it’s pretty clear that image and/or hype are as effective as big … Continue reading 25-year-old Gordon Downie talks “38 Years Old” on the Tragically Hip’s Up to Here tour
Sarzo, far left, with Quiet Riot ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 5, 1983 By Steve Newton Formed in 1975 by Kevin DuBrow and the late Randy Rhoads (who died in a plane crash last year while a member of the Ozzy Osbourne band), Quiet Riot were one of the leading Los Angeles rock bands during the … Continue reading Rudy Sarzo on playing with Randy Rhoads, life after Ozzy, and the return of Quiet Riot
kevin statham photos ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 1, 2000 By Steve Newton Nobody rocks like Flea. As soon as the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ hyperkinetic bassist stepped on the GM Place stage last Sunday (May 28), he started churning out monstrous hard-funk licks, and he didn’t slow down until the gig was over. And when … Continue reading Chili Peppers bring heat to Vancouver with pogoing Flea after Dave Grohl gets his nipple pinched
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON FEB. 15, 2001 By Steve Newton Like most teenage guitar-rock freaks in the ’70s, I was big on Aerosmith. I made every effort to see them if they got within driving range of Chilliwack; I even hauled my skinny hick ass out to Seattle when they played the cavernous Kingdome on the … Continue reading Interviewing Jeff Beck, the world’s greatest living rock guitarist
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 2, 2000 By Steve Newton Psychosexual. Psychosomatic. Psychobabble. Psychobilly? You’ll find all but the last word in Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, because California demento-rockers the Cramps coined the term psychobilly themselves back in the mid-’70s. Since then it has become synonymous for many with twisted Cramps tunes like … Continue reading The Cramps’ Ivy Rorschach could be happy just sittin’ on a porch, playing guitar
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON OCT. 6, 1989 By Steve Newton You might have seen the movie Fame–or the TV series that followed it–which traced the exploits of young students at Manhattan’s renowned High School of the Performing Arts. With all the dancing in the streets that went on, you’d figure anyone enrolled in the institution was having … Continue reading Steve Stevens on covering Sweet, working with Ted Templeman, and becoming an Atomic Playboy
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN EXPERIENCE HENDRIX MAGAZINE, MAY/JUNE 1998 By Steve Newton Teenage blues-rocker Kenny Wayne Shepherd has a great story about how he got inspired to take up guitar. It has something to do with him, as a little kid, watching Stevie Ray Vaughan perform from atop one of the Texas guitar legend’s amp cases. … Continue reading Teenage slide-guitar ace Derek Trucks says his goal is not to play like Duane Allman
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 18, 2000 By Steve Newton I’ve yet to be bitten by the techno bug. You won’t find any discs by the Chemical Brothers or Crystal Method in my collection, or any stashes of Ecstasy in my dresser drawer. But after listening to the new Joe Satriani CD, Engines of Creation, I’m … Continue reading Joe Satriani takes a techno turn on new Engines of Creation
