Deep Purple bassist Roger Glover on the Mark II reunion and the “uncompromising” Ritchie Blackmore

By Steve Newton On April 6, 1985, A.D.–Deep Purple played Vancouver’s Pacific Coliseum on its Perfect Strangers tour. Obviously I went, because the year before Ritchie Blackmore and Roger Glover had reunited with Ian Gillan, Jon Lord, and Ian Paice to get the Mark II lineup back in action. “Highway Star”, motherfvckers! Anyway, in advance … Continue reading Deep Purple bassist Roger Glover on the Mark II reunion and the “uncompromising” Ritchie Blackmore

Interviewing Nathan Followill of Kings of Leon just before they took the throne

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SEPT. 25, 2003 By Steve Newton There’s a real buzz happening right now about Kings of Leon, a scruffy Tennessee quartet consisting of three brothers and a cousin who are winning praise for their garage-y brand of Southern-flavoured guitar rock. England’s prestigious NME put the band on the cover of its July … Continue reading Interviewing Nathan Followill of Kings of Leon just before they took the throne

Guitar heroes help the Yardbirds fly again with Birdland

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 3, 2003 By Steve Newton When the Yardbirds were recording their new Birdland CD for the guitar-oriented Favored Nations label, they made sure to feature company prez Steve Vai on the remake of their 1966 hit, “Shapes of Things”. The quintet also encouraged such six-string stalwarts as Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, Steve … Continue reading Guitar heroes help the Yardbirds fly again with Birdland

Savoy Brown guitarist Kim Simmonds always comes back to the Les Paul

photo by Markus Hagner ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MARCH 16, 2015 By Steve Newton Savoy Brown was one of the top British blues-rock acts of the early seventies, making a mark with such albums as Raw Sienna (1970), Looking In (’70), Street Corner Talking (’71), and Hellbound Train (’72). For some reason the band was off my … Continue reading Savoy Brown guitarist Kim Simmonds always comes back to the Les Paul

Joe Jackson thinks about 10 percent of music is really good stuff

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 21, 2003 By Steve Newton If you liked catchy, hook-infested pop-rock back in 1979, there’s a good chance you tapped a toe or two to Joe Jackson’s debut album, Look Sharp!. From the cynical hit single “Is She Really Going Out With Him?” to the postpunk rave-up “Got the Time”, the … Continue reading Joe Jackson thinks about 10 percent of music is really good stuff

Laid-back legend J.J. Cale tells me “there’s no hurry”

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN MARCH 1990 By Steve Newton Eric Clapton has a lot of admirers, most of them appreciative of the fine music the British guitarist has delivered over the years. But J.J. Cale has another reason for feeling indebted to Clapton, and you spell it with a dollar sign. If Clapton is indeed God, … Continue reading Laid-back legend J.J. Cale tells me “there’s no hurry”

Guitarists from Exodus, Exciter, and Metal Church weigh in on the heaviness of metal in 1985

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, AUG. 2, 1985 By Steve Newton Blue Oyster Cult‘s Tyranny and Mutation. Aerosmith‘s Rocks. UFO’s Phenomenon. The Montrose debut. Back in the early to mid-’70s those albums forged a sound that critic Lester Bangs called “heavy metal”. They were dynamic and forceful, fast, loud, and proud. The bands that … Continue reading Guitarists from Exodus, Exciter, and Metal Church weigh in on the heaviness of metal in 1985

My first Metallica interview, back when they were too heavy for me

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MARCH 15, 1985 By Steve Newton Metallica are the type of band that puts the “heavy” in heavy metal. Actually, drummer Lars Ulrich–who called me from L.A. last week–prefers to call his band’s music “speed metal” or “thrash metal”. Their sound crew are known as “The Sonic Decapitation Team”, and local metal … Continue reading My first Metallica interview, back when they were too heavy for me

Iron Maiden’s Clive Burr on Martin Birch, Ruddles, and The Number of the Beast

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 9, 1982 By Steve Newton Iron Maiden is quickly becoming one of Britain’s most popular metal bands. Last year the band sold well over a million albums with their second release, Killers, cracking the top ten in the UK, France, Germany, Japan, Sweden, and Belgium. Their latest album, The Number of … Continue reading Iron Maiden’s Clive Burr on Martin Birch, Ruddles, and The Number of the Beast

There’s always hope for Van Halen as long as Diamond Dave can bang that high note

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 26, 2003 By Steve Newton Judging by the photo montage in the booklet of David Lee Roth’s new CD, Diamond Dave, it’s clear the former Van Halen howler hasn’t jettisoned the boisterously cheesy persona he cultivated during his early-’80s solo career, when flamboyant videos for “California Girls” and “Just a Gigolo/I … Continue reading There’s always hope for Van Halen as long as Diamond Dave can bang that high note

Terry Bozzio on auditioning for Thin Lizzy and wishing he could play with Zappa again

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 29, 2003 By Steve Newton Terry Bozzio is among the most revered drummers in rock, but these days you won’t catch him tearing up the kit in concert or laying down tracks in a studio. The 52-year-old skin basher is more apt to be leading a drum clinic, like the one … Continue reading Terry Bozzio on auditioning for Thin Lizzy and wishing he could play with Zappa again

Joe Bonamassa wanted Deep Purple and Free in the Rock Hall “before f***ing Green Day”

By Steve Newton When American guitar hero Joe Bonamassa called me up back in 2015 in advance of a Vancouver double-header we mostly talked about his new live album, Muddy Wolf at Red Rocks. But since I also see it as my duty to slag the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame whenever necessary–which is … Continue reading Joe Bonamassa wanted Deep Purple and Free in the Rock Hall “before f***ing Green Day”

Buddy Guy brings me down when he forgets to just be Buddy

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, OCT. 3, 2002 By Steve Newton Buddy Guy spent a good portion of his concert at the Commodore last Friday (September 27) paying tribute to the legends of the blues, performing in the various styles of John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. It was … Continue reading Buddy Guy brings me down when he forgets to just be Buddy