Search Results for: Billy Gibbons

That time I asked AC/DC’s Malcolm Young and Brian Johnson what they liked listening to in their spare time

By Steve Newton When I interviewed some of the guys from AC/DC back in ’83, on the eve of the Flick of the Switch tour, I asked them which groups they liked listening to in their spare time. Both Brian Johnson and Malcolm Young mentioned ZZ Top. “I just like their attitude and all ya … Continue reading That time I asked AC/DC’s Malcolm Young and Brian Johnson what they liked listening to in their spare time

That time Roger Glover got pissed off when I mentioned how loud Deep Purple was: “that’s a bullshit statement”

By Steve Newton Most rock freaks as old as me remember back to 1985 when Deep Purple had reunited its classic Mark II lineup and was headed out on tour behind its Perfect Strangers album. When the band set its sights on Vancouver I was pretty psyched about getting the chance to interview Roger Glover–and … Continue reading That time Roger Glover got pissed off when I mentioned how loud Deep Purple was: “that’s a bullshit statement”

That time I tried telling Albert King that Elmore James was his biggest influence

By Steve Newton When I look back over my 39-year career in music journalism, there are some folks that I’m really, really glad I got to talk to. Like Albert King. Of the three big Kings–sorry B.B. and Freddie–I think I appreciate Albert the most. There was something about the way he could wring deep, … Continue reading That time I tried telling Albert King that Elmore James was his biggest influence

That time Malcolm Young told me what inspired AC/DC’s “Bedlam in Belgium” and how “music tames the beast”

By Steve Newton When I interviewed Malcolm Young and Brian Johnson at their Vancouver hotel room in 1983 it was less than two months since the release of AC/DC‘s eighth internationally released studio album, Flick of the Switch. One of the more intriguing tracks on the LP, the third one to feature Johnson on vocals, was “Bedlam … Continue reading That time Malcolm Young told me what inspired AC/DC’s “Bedlam in Belgium” and how “music tames the beast”

That time Tony Iommi told me that a second Black Sabbath album with Ian Gillan would probably turn out better than Born Again

By Steve Newton A few days ago I posted a blog that featured a snippet from my 1984 interview with Tony Iommi, in which he talked about blowing up Black Sabbath singer Ian Gillan’s boat during the recording sessions for Born Again. As any Sabbath fan knows, the band only made one album with Gillan … Continue reading That time Tony Iommi told me that a second Black Sabbath album with Ian Gillan would probably turn out better than Born Again

That time Gord Downie told me about the Tragically Hip’s Saturday Night Live gig

By Steve Newton On March 25, 1995, the Tragically Hip played Saturday Night Live, when one of my fave actors, John Goodman (“Mark it zero!”), was hosting. Fellow Kingstonite Dan Aykroyd introduced the band, which surprised the hell out of peeps by not opening with a certified crowd-pleasing rocker like “New Orleans is Sinking” or … Continue reading That time Gord Downie told me about the Tragically Hip’s Saturday Night Live gig

Bass god Stu Hamm compares Joe Satriani to Steve Vai and raves about Jaco Pastorius

By Steve Newton Way back in October of 1991 I did an interview with bassist Stu Hamm, a giant of the four-string who was best known for his work with guitar heroes Joe Satriani and Steve Vai. He had recently released his album The Urge, and was headed to Vancouver for a club gig. At … Continue reading Bass god Stu Hamm compares Joe Satriani to Steve Vai and raves about Jaco Pastorius

That time Craig Northey told me what he really thinks about the Hip not being big in the States

By Steve Newton I did the last of my five interviews with Gord Downie back in October of 1996, when the Tragically Hip was at its peak of popularity. At that point the latest Hip CD, Trouble at the Henhouse, had sold about 100,000 copies in the U.S., which, while a respectable number, still paled drastically … Continue reading That time Craig Northey told me what he really thinks about the Hip not being big in the States

That time AC/DC’s Malcolm Young told me that Angus’s schoolboy outfit was first meant as a “kick in the teeth”

By Steve Newton Back in ’83 when I interviewed AC/DC at a Vancouver hotel before the start of the Flick of the Switch tour I asked Malcolm Young whether Angus, as a kid, ever had to wear that schoolboy outfit he’s famous for. Turns out it was just a way to get attention more than … Continue reading That time AC/DC’s Malcolm Young told me that Angus’s schoolboy outfit was first meant as a “kick in the teeth”

That time AC/DC’s Malcolm Young told me that he just “tinkles” on lead guitar: “You can’t outdo Angus”

By Steve Newton When I interviewed AC/DC‘s Malcolm Young and Brian Johnson back in 1983 I asked Malcolm if he ever had a hankering to step out and play a lead-guitar solo once in a while. As expected, his response was along the lines of, “Why bother when you’ve got a guy like Angus around?” … Continue reading That time AC/DC’s Malcolm Young told me that he just “tinkles” on lead guitar: “You can’t outdo Angus”

That time Brian Johnson joked about going deaf and Malcolm Young added that AC/DC’s fans get most of the volume

By Steve Newton The biggest news in the hard-rock world back in 2016 revolved around AC/DC having to hire Axl Rose to take the place of Brian Johnson for the remainder of its Rock or Bust World Tour. Johnson, the band’s singer since replacing Bon Scott in 1980, had to leave the band–or got tossed … Continue reading That time Brian Johnson joked about going deaf and Malcolm Young added that AC/DC’s fans get most of the volume

Humble guitar master Allan Holdsworth always struggles to pay the rent

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 4, 1986 By Steve Newton Today he’s regarded by critics and musicians alike as one of the most distinctive guitarists in the world. He’s been the principal soloist for the likes of U.K., Gong, Bill Bruford, Soft Machine, Tony Williams’ Lifetime and Jean-Luc Ponty. And he’s one of the few players … Continue reading Humble guitar master Allan Holdsworth always struggles to pay the rent