By Steve Newton Drum legend Tommy Aldridge has played with some of the greatest rock guitarists of all time: Gary Moore, Steve Vai, Randy Rhoads, Pat Travers, Tony MacAlpine, Scott Gorham, John Sykes. Heck, even his first band of note, Black Oak Arkansas, featured some pretty heavy-duty pickers. When I interviewed Aldridge back in 2001 … Continue reading That time Tommy Aldridge told me that Randy Rhoads was the most talented guitarist he ever played with
That time Walter Trout told me that his spirit was in his Stratocaster
By Steve Newton I interviewed blues-rock guitar wizard Walter Trout back in 2003, before he played a gig at Vancouver's much-missed blues mecca, the Yale Hotel. At one point in the conversation he told me about his fierce, undying love for his 1973 "Strat-o-caster". Have a listen: To hear my full, 24-minute interview with Walter … Continue reading That time Walter Trout told me that his spirit was in his Stratocaster
That time I asked Poison Ivy what inspired the Cramps’ “Bikini Girls with Machine Guns”
By Steve Newton Back in April of 1990 I did my first interview with Cramps guitarist Poison Ivy Rorschach, in advance of a show at the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver. At the time the band was touring behind its new Stay Sick album, which she produced herself, and which included the song "Bikini Girls with Machine Guns", … Continue reading That time I asked Poison Ivy what inspired the Cramps’ “Bikini Girls with Machine Guns”
That time I asked Midnight Oil’s Rob Hirst if, six weeks after 9/11, “U.S. Forces” was off the setlist
By Steve Newton Sometimes it's fun when you're searching through your stacks of cassettes packed with interviews you've done since 1982 and you find one that captures a crucial moment in history. I just came across an interview I did with Midnight Oil drummer and cosongwriter Rob Hirst that was dated October 26, 2001, which … Continue reading That time I asked Midnight Oil’s Rob Hirst if, six weeks after 9/11, “U.S. Forces” was off the setlist
That time Tommy Aldridge told me why Black Oak Arkansas wasn’t mentioned in his bio
By Steve Newton When it came to hard rock drummers in the '70s, there were a couple who particularly turned my crank. One was Cozy Powell, mainly for his work with Rainbow, and the other was Tommy Aldridge, mainly for his work with Black Oak Arkansas and the Pat Travers Band. (In the '80s he'd … Continue reading That time Tommy Aldridge told me why Black Oak Arkansas wasn’t mentioned in his bio
Eric Clapton stopped the car when he heard Stevie Ray Vaughan’s guitar solo on “Let’s Dance”
By Steve Newton Where were you when you first heard Stevie Ray Vaughan's killer guitar playing on David Bowie's 1983 hit single, "Let's Dance"? It was definitely the type of thing that caught your ear, because you sure as shit didn't hear much Albert King-style soloing on commercial radio up until that point. According to … Continue reading Eric Clapton stopped the car when he heard Stevie Ray Vaughan’s guitar solo on “Let’s Dance”
Album review: Whitesnake, Slip of the Tongue (1989)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 8, 1989 By Steve Newton David Coverdale sure knows how to make good use of his previously recorded tunes. First he had a huge hit with a revamped version of "Here I Go Again", and now he's resurrected a nine-year-old British hit called "Fool for Your Loving" and … Continue reading Album review: Whitesnake, Slip of the Tongue (1989)
That time Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes told me he wasn’t here to make Bruce Fairbairn or Bob Rock famous
By Steve Newton There's been a lot of buzz in the music world lately about the Black Crowes--in particular formerly feuding brothers Chris and Rich Robinson--getting back together for a 30th anniversary tour. So I figured I'd celebrate the good news by digging up the old Swing C-90 cassette I used to record my interview … Continue reading That time Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes told me he wasn’t here to make Bruce Fairbairn or Bob Rock famous
That time I asked Buddy Guy about the greatest musical moment of his life and it turns out there’s a few
By Steve Newton I've been fortunate enough to have interviewed Buddy Guy five times so far, and every time I did I was psyched to chat with him. In case you didn't know, that dude can play! And he was playing particularly well the first time I talked to him, back in 1991, just after … Continue reading That time I asked Buddy Guy about the greatest musical moment of his life and it turns out there’s a few
That time Mark Farner of Grand Funk told me how he became a born-again Christian
By Steve Newton Man, if there's one song I remember fondly from the summer of 1973 it's Grand Funk's "We're An American Band". To my 16-year-old ears that 3 1/2-minute song had everything: a wicked, cowbell-drenched drum intro, killer guitar licks, funky-ass bass lines, and rowdy, party-hearty lyrics to die for. "Out on the road … Continue reading That time Mark Farner of Grand Funk told me how he became a born-again Christian
That time Jennifer Batten told me that she thought Jeff Beck was the greatest guitarist who ever lived
By Steve Newton Jennifer Batten is an astounding guitar player, as anyone who's seen her perform with Michael Jackson or, later on, Jeff Beck will attest. I interviewed Batten in 2002, a year after seeing her play with Beck at the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver on his You Had It Coming tour. Before that show … Continue reading That time Jennifer Batten told me that she thought Jeff Beck was the greatest guitarist who ever lived
That time I asked Dale Krantz-Rossington if it was rough being a mom and a rocker at the same time
By Steve Newton Anybody who's raised a coupla kids will tell ya: it's rough. I've raised a coupla kids and lemme tell ya: it's rough. But it's still the best thing in the world. Now raising a coupla kids while rockin' and rollin' with your guitar-legend hubby Gary Rossington, that's gotta be a challenge as … Continue reading That time I asked Dale Krantz-Rossington if it was rough being a mom and a rocker at the same time
That time Mike Fraser told me what it was like recording AC/DC without Malcolm Young
By Steve Newton There were a lot of rumours circulating back in 2018--some started by yours truly--about AC/DC making a new album in Vancouver with Mike Fraser. And those rumours were proven true with the release in November 2020 of Power Up. The band's previous album, 2014's Rock or Bust, was the first one not … Continue reading That time Mike Fraser told me what it was like recording AC/DC without Malcolm Young