Gordon Downie goes Fully Completely Canadian on new Tragically Hip album

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 26, 1992 By Steve Newton If there were a CRTC regulation that based Canadian content on actual lyrics as opposed to the citizenship of a song’s composer, the Tragically Hip would be the darlings of CanCon advocates across the country. On their new album, Fully Completely, the Hipsters mention everything from … Continue reading Gordon Downie goes Fully Completely Canadian on new Tragically Hip album

Bill Payne says that Little Feat is playing beautifully and still comes up with twists and turns

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 15, 2002 By Steve Newton Bill Payne has been singing and playing keyboards in Little Feat since the band’s inception in 1969, but he’s still learning new things about the music biz—like how to do the business yourself. Recently the group launched its own label out of North Carolina, Hot Tomato … Continue reading Bill Payne says that Little Feat is playing beautifully and still comes up with twists and turns

Cheap Trick hooks up with Mötley Crüe members to play AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell” in Vancouver

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MARCH 2, 1989 By Steve Newton Back in the late ’70s, one of this scribbler’s favourite pastimes was throwing Cheap Trick’s In Color album on the turntable and cranking ‘er up. The band’s thoroughly rockin’ power-pop was just the right brain lube between heavy bouts of exam cramming. At … Continue reading Cheap Trick hooks up with Mötley Crüe members to play AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell” in Vancouver

Jeff Beck, the world’s greatest rock guitarist, knocks the socks off a sold-out crowd in Vancouver

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, OCT. 28, 2011 By Steve Newton British guitar legend Jeff Beck blew away the sold-out crowd at the Centre in Vancouver last night, performing his Stratified renditions of everything from the Beatles’ “A Day in the Life” to The Wizard of Oz‘s “Over the Rainbow”. But his amazing licks wouldn’t have seemed … Continue reading Jeff Beck, the world’s greatest rock guitarist, knocks the socks off a sold-out crowd in Vancouver

Issues with Bob Rock and Sharon Osbourne leave the Quireboys Bitter Sweet & Twisted

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 27, 1993 By Steve Newton After Bob Rock hit the big time by producing Motley Crue’s No. 1 album, Dr. Feelgood—and then accomplished the incredible feat of making former thrash-masters Metallica a mainstream rock-radio fave—it seemed the Vancouver producer could do no wrong. And although Rock’s reputation as a producer with … Continue reading Issues with Bob Rock and Sharon Osbourne leave the Quireboys Bitter Sweet & Twisted

Dickey Betts rambles into Vancouver with a “wicked” Warren Haynes on slide

By Steve Newton On April 2, 1989, southern-rock legend Dickey Betts brought his new band to Vancouver for a show at the 86 Street Music Hall. One of the coolest things about that gig was that it was the Vancouver debut of 28-year-old guitarist Warren Haynes, who would go on to huge acclaim as the driving … Continue reading Dickey Betts rambles into Vancouver with a “wicked” Warren Haynes on slide

My interview with Stevie Ray Vaughan the month before his death

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 19, 1990 By Steve Newton On the honker from Montreal, Stevie Ray Vaughan is a tad disoriented. It’s 7:30 p.m. his time, but he’s still rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “I just woke up,” he explains. “Hope I’m not late. I looked at my watch and realized that I didn’t … Continue reading My interview with Stevie Ray Vaughan the month before his death

The Black Crowes are from Atlanta, but 23-year-old frontman Chris Robinson says that he never cared for southern rock

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 9, 1990 By Steve Newton Chris Robinson, of Atlanta, Georgia, was nine years old when southern-rock heroes Lynyrd Skynyrd recorded the historic live album One More from the Road at that city’s Fox Theatre. Robinson was a little young for concerts at the time, but even if he’d been of age, … Continue reading The Black Crowes are from Atlanta, but 23-year-old frontman Chris Robinson says that he never cared for southern rock

Rik Emmett embarks on solo career after unhappy breakup of Triumph

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON OCT. 4, 1990 By Steve Newton Following Ted Nugent is not an enviable prospect for anybody, but Terrible Ted opened for yours truly—in the journalistic sense, anyway—just last week. As guest host for Detroit rock station WRIF’s morning show, the Nuge—who had once jammed on a Zeppelin tune with Rick Emmett and … Continue reading Rik Emmett embarks on solo career after unhappy breakup of Triumph

The Pursuit of Happiness leaves Todd Rundgren for The Downward Road

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 1, 1993 By Steve Newton Recalling the televised carnage of last year’s L.A. riots, it’s hard to believe that a happy-go-lucky Canadian band was simultaneously recording its breezy, good-time pop music within shooting distance of the scary stuff. A grungy thrash or hardcore rap band laying down a soundtrack for anarchy, … Continue reading The Pursuit of Happiness leaves Todd Rundgren for The Downward Road

Tom Cochrane and Red Rider dangle a plastic shark over the Northern Pikes in Vancouver

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MARCH 10, 1989 By Steve Newton It used to seem that nearly all the best rock ‘n’ roll bands came from either Britain or the U.S. Then came the Aussie invasion. Now, it’s Canada’s turn. WIth killer acts like Jeff Healey, Blue Rodeo, Colin James, Art Bergmann, the Pursuit of Happiness, the … Continue reading Tom Cochrane and Red Rider dangle a plastic shark over the Northern Pikes in Vancouver

Steve Vai talks Frank Zappa, dream states, blowjobs, and Passion & Warfare

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 7, 1990 By Steve Newton In rock guitar circles, Steve Vai is the type of personality that Entertainment Tonight might giddily term hot. Walk into any magazine shop, glance at the rock ’n’ roll section, and chances are you’ll see the handsome, raven-haired guitarist grinning wickedly from a cover or two, his … Continue reading Steve Vai talks Frank Zappa, dream states, blowjobs, and Passion & Warfare

Steve Earle on cops, bikers, jail, Ted Bundy, and The Hard Way

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON OCT. 11, 1990 By Steve Newton Steve Earle’s got a headache—a real doozie. The whirlwind promotional tour that brought him to Vancouver’s Georgian Court Hotel has taken its toll, and while this scribbler waits in the lobby, Earle’s up in his room, downing aspirins to ease the pain brought on by countless … Continue reading Steve Earle on cops, bikers, jail, Ted Bundy, and The Hard Way