By Steve Newton I did my first interview with Crowded House frontman Neil Finn back in August of 1998, when he was touring behind his debut solo album, Try Whistling This. I'd been a fan of Crowded House since the 1986 release of its first album, which featured one of the most beautiful pop songs … Continue reading That time I asked Neil Finn what inspired him to write one of my all-time favourite tunes, Crowded House’s “Don’t Dream It’s Over”
That time I asked Bruce Dickinson what the backwards message was on Maiden’s new Piece of Mind LP
By Steve Newton Way back in June of 1983 I did my second Iron Maiden interview, following up the previous year's chat with the soon-to-be-replaced drummer Clive Burr with a conversation featuring 24-year-old frontman Bruce Dickinson. At one point in the interview I asked Dickinson about the backwards message that could be heard between the … Continue reading That time I asked Bruce Dickinson what the backwards message was on Maiden’s new Piece of Mind LP
Newt’s top 10 (or 15) things to do in Metro Vancouver this week, December 5 to 9
Chunky Shrapnel screens at the Rio By Steve Newton MONDAY: The Invisible Orange presents Claudio Simonetti’s Goblin, performing the live score of Dario Argento’s Suspiria, at the Rickshaw Theatre. MONDAY: the Vancouver Canucks take on the Montreal Canadians in National Hockey League action at Rogers Arena. MONDAY TO FRIDAY: the City of Vancouver's annual Festival of Lights is a winter wonderland … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 (or 15) things to do in Metro Vancouver this week, December 5 to 9
Nick Rhodes talks new Duran Duran spinoff Arcadia, working with David Gilmour and the “wild” Grace Jones
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON FEB. 21, 1986 By Steve Newton I went to a Duran Duran concert once. Once! But I didn't stay very long; the noise in the Pacific Coliseum was unbearable. And it wasn't because the band was playing too loud. It was their fans who were making all the racket: several thousand young … Continue reading Nick Rhodes talks new Duran Duran spinoff Arcadia, working with David Gilmour and the “wild” Grace Jones
That time the Headstones’ Hugh Dillon told me about his fascination with the characters in “Tweeter and the Monkey Man”
By Steve Newton Back in January of 1994 I did my first interview with Headstones vocalist Hugh Dillon. At the time his group was touring behind its debut album, Picture of Health, the one with that supercool version of the Traveling Wilburys' "Tweeter and the Monkey Man". At one point in the conversation I asked … Continue reading That time the Headstones’ Hugh Dillon told me about his fascination with the characters in “Tweeter and the Monkey Man”
Midnight Oil’s inspiration helps Seattle’s Candlebox to ignite with chart-topping debut
In 1983, Midnight Oil released an album called 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1, which included a song with the lyric "boxed in like candles".
Paul Shaffer says that jamming with James Brown was the highlight of his career
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON FEB. 9, 2022 By Steve Newton Sometimes it's the little things in life that matter. Or the stories behind them. Like Paul Shaffer's barely noticeable appearance in the 1988 Christmas comedy Scrooged. At one point in the film Shaffer is seen performing in a New York City street band, playing keyboards along … Continue reading Paul Shaffer says that jamming with James Brown was the highlight of his career
Newt’s top 10 things to do in Metro Vancouver this weekend, Dec. 2 to 4
Headstones play the Commodore By Steve Newton FRIDAY: Vancouver guitarists Tony D (MonkeyJunk) and Paul Pigat (Cousin Harley) perform two dinner shows at 2nd Floor Gastown (Water St. Cafe). FRIDAY: the Rogue Folk Club presents local gypsy-jazz group Van Django performing its 10th annual Cool Yule Christmas show, with vocalist L.J. Mounteney and guitarist-vocalist Andy Hillhouse. … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 things to do in Metro Vancouver this weekend, Dec. 2 to 4
That time Mick Ronson told me that Steve Jones got pulled from the Hunter-Ronson tour because his album fell off the charts
By Steve Newton Back in December of 1989 I did my second interview with Mick Ronson, one of the greatest rock guitarists ever. At the time he was touring with Ian Hunter in support of their amazing YUI Orta album, released two months before. At one point in the conversation I asked Ronson how it … Continue reading That time Mick Ronson told me that Steve Jones got pulled from the Hunter-Ronson tour because his album fell off the charts
That time I asked Albert Collins which blues artists he liked listening to, and he mentioned three biggies
By Steve Newton Way back in September of 1985 I did my one and only interview with blues legend Albert Collins, the "Master of the Telecaster". He was getting ready for a tour that would bring him to Vancouver for two nights at a Gastown nightclub called the Town Pump. At one point in the … Continue reading That time I asked Albert Collins which blues artists he liked listening to, and he mentioned three biggies
That time ex-Thin Lizzy guitarist John Sykes told me about being fired from Whitesnake by David Coverdale
Sykes (right) and Coverdale in happier times By Steve Newton Back in May of 1989 I interviewed English guitar hero John Sykes, who you may know for his fiery fretwork on the final Thin Lizzy album, Thunder and Lightning. Two years before we did that interview Whitesnake had released its self-titled album, the one that … Continue reading That time ex-Thin Lizzy guitarist John Sykes told me about being fired from Whitesnake by David Coverdale
Metallica announces new album to be released on my birthday, but won’t play Vancouver on world tour
By Steve Newton Metallica, arguably the world's greatest-ever heavy-metal band, has announced that it will release its next album on my birthday. The Bay Area headbangers will unleash their 12th studio album, 72 Seasons, on April 14, 2023. “72 seasons," says Metallica singer-guitarist James Hetfield in a press release. "The first 18 years of our … Continue reading Metallica announces new album to be released on my birthday, but won’t play Vancouver on world tour
That time Tommy Aldridge called me up from the Whitesnake tour and explained how it was different working for David Coverdale than Ozzy Osbourne
In April of 1990 Tommy Aldridge called me up from the road in Minneapolis, where he was playing that night with his latest band, Whitesnake.