ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MAY 8, 2003 By Steve Newton You might think, since the current version of the Yardbirds includes only two founding members of the pioneering ’60s Brit-rock act—rhythm guitarist Chris Dreja and drummer Jim McCarty—that the latest installment is just trying to cash in on the group’s famous name. One … Continue reading Album review: Yardbirds, Birdland (2003)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JUNE 5, 1997 By Steve Newton The folks behind previous Jeff Beck, Ace Frehley, and Stevie Ray Vaughan tribute CDs deliver a fourth laudatory project, which pays its respects to the estimable Queen catalogue while allowing an all-star lineup of hard-rock guitarists to get their fret-hopping jollies. The list … Continue reading Album review: Various Artists, Dragon Attack: A Tribute to Queen (1997)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 30, 2018 By Steve Newton When Joe Satriani phones from his home in the San Francisco Bay Area, he apologizes right away for being a few minutes late with the scheduled call. He explains that he was playing his guitar, composing a song, and lost track of time. That’s when it’s … Continue reading Joe Satriani on the intricacies of amplification and producer Mike Fraser’s “perfect set of ears”
By Steve Newton I was only nine when the first Doors album came out in January of 1967, so I didn’t run out and buy it. But I sure remember them playing the hell out of “Light My Fire” on the radio when it was released as a single four months later. Damn I loved … Continue reading The Doors announce 50th anniversary deluxe edition of killer debut album
By Steve Newton FULL DISCLOSURE: I’ve worked at the Georgia Straight since ’82 so, yeah, I could be a little biased. I didn’t grow up in Vancouver. I hail from the small Fraser Valley community of Chilliwack, best known for ice storms in the winter, Cultus Lake in the summer, and the rock band Chilliwack … Continue reading You can tell a book by its covers: The Georgia Straight–A 50th Anniversary Celebration
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 3, 1988 By Steve Newton I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I heard that Edgar Winter and Leon Russell were going to share the same stage, but I did know that I should definitely be there. I was aware that Winter was something of a wildman–prone to leaping about … Continue reading Edgar Winter and Leon Russell knock ’em down and drag ’em out in Vancouver
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 1, 1988 By Steve Newton Patrick Swayze may be one of the sexiest movie stars around today, but he can’t play mean blues guitar. Jeff Healey might not be your typical matinee idol, but he can play mean blues guitar–as anyone at the Town Pump will discover this weekend (July 1 … Continue reading Jeff Healey on playing a bar-band guitarist in Roadhouse and “marvellous” star Patrick Swayze
By Steve Newton If you’ve been checking out Ear of Newt much in the last couple years, you likely noticed that I really enjoy posting audio excerpts from my four interviews with Dickey Betts. As I’ve been saying all along, he’s one of my fave guitarists, but I like hearing his down-home southern drawl almost as … Continue reading That time Dickey Betts told me that he liked the Allman Brothers’ opening act, Blues Traveler, “a whole lot”
By Steve Newton The most popular story I ever posted on Ear of Newt–until I broke the news about AC/DC being spotted in Vancouver back in 2018–was the one from 2014 with the headline Yngwie Malmsteen calls Ibanez guitars “a bad copy” of the Strat and says Les Pauls are “furniture”. For some reason people–mostly guitar … Continue reading Caught on tape: that time Strat fanatic Yngwie Malmsteen trash-talked Ibanez and Les Paul guitars
kevin statham photo ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 7, 1988 By Steve Newton Being a rock critic is not all fun and games. “Sure, Steve,” you’re probably saying, “all those free concerts and backstage brewskies must be real tough.” Okay, so there are worse occupations, but like anything else it can get boring. You become pretty … Continue reading Def Leppard makes a triumphant in-the-round return to Vancouver on the Hysteria tour
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 3, 1988 By Steve Newton The politics of rockin’ can be tough on new bands just getting used to the tour circuit. Take for example Guns N’ Roses, who are on the road in support of their first album, and opening for Iron Maiden, who’ve toured the world for 10 years … Continue reading Backstage with Slash and Bruce Dickinson as Guns N’ Roses open for Iron Maiden in Vancouver
By Steve Newton When it comes to unheralded guitar geniuses, Danny Gatton is right up there. He’s never achieved the fame of a Clapton, Beck, or Page, but in-the-know guitar freaks realize that he’s worthy of comparison, talent-wise. I only got to interview Gatton once, back in April of 1993, before he came to Vancouver … Continue reading That time I called up Danny Gatton while he was sorting through his Roy Buchanan tapes
I watched that documentary on Mick Ronson the other day, and it inspired me to digitize another snippet off my first interview with Ronno.
