That time Mötley Crüe guitarist Mick Mars told me that the music he loves most is blues-based stuff like Edgar and Johnny Winter

By Steve Newton I’ve interviewed Mick Mars a couple of times. The first time was way back in 1985 when Mötley Crüe was touring behind its Theatre of Pain album. The following excerpt is from my second interview with Mars, which happened in March of 1999, when the original lineup had reunited after recording one … Continue reading That time Mötley Crüe guitarist Mick Mars told me that the music he loves most is blues-based stuff like Edgar and Johnny Winter

That time Alex Van Halen told me that his band switched producers in ’94 because they didn’t want to make For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge Part 2

By Steve Newton When I interviewed Alex Van Halen on the phone from Boston back in August of 1995, Van Halen was touring behind its latest album, Balance, which hit #1 on the Billboard chart and sold more than three million copies in the U.S. alone. Balance had been produced by big-shot Vancouver knob-twiddler Bruce … Continue reading That time Alex Van Halen told me that his band switched producers in ’94 because they didn’t want to make For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge Part 2

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”

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 House of Lords singer James Christian if there was a lot of pressure living up to Gene “Moneybags” Simmons’ hype

By Steve Newton I interviewed House of Lords frontman James Christian back in November of 1988, when the band was enthusiastically hyping its new, self-titled debut LP. The quintet–which also featured keyboardist Gregg Giuffria from Angel–was signed to Gene Simmons‘ own label, Simmons Records, so there was a big promotional push on the album. At … Continue reading That time I asked House of Lords singer James Christian if there was a lot of pressure living up to Gene “Moneybags” Simmons’ hype

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

AC/DC expert Martin Popoff says that meeting Malcolm was one of the biggest highlights of his career

By Steve Newton A couple of weeks ago I interviewed Canadian author Martin Popoff, who is widely regarded as the world’s leading authority on all things hard rock and heavy metal. At one point in the conversation I asked Popoff–whose latest book, AC/DC at 50, looks at the history of that band through 50 milestone … Continue reading AC/DC expert Martin Popoff says that meeting Malcolm was one of the biggest highlights of his career

That time I made Albert King laugh by saying that I thought “King of the Blues” was B.B.’s title

By Steve Newton Yesterday I came across a tweet from the awesome bluesharp Twitter feed that included a couple of minutes of guitar legend Albert King tearing up it up on his Flying V in the company of Stevie Ray Vaughan. After I retweeted it, I got to thinking that maybe I should post another … Continue reading That time I made Albert King laugh by saying that I thought “King of the Blues” was B.B.’s title

Braindead Rock Hall nominates Mariah Carey and Cher, snubs Johnny and Rory yet again!

By Steve Newton It looks like Newt’s Rock Hall won’t be closing down any time soon. Three months ago I posted a blog in which I stated that, once the waaaaayyyy overdue inductions of Johnny Winter and Rory Gallagher into the official Rock and Roll Hall of Fame were announced, I’d be shuttering the underground … Continue reading Braindead Rock Hall nominates Mariah Carey and Cher, snubs Johnny and Rory yet again!

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”

That time I asked Canadian fingerstyle-guitar virtuoso Don Ross how he got so good

By Steve Newton I interviewed Canadian guitar virtuoso Don Ross for the first time back in 2001, when he was touring behind his Huron Street album. Ross is the only person to win the National Fingerstyle Guitar Championship twice (1988 and 1996), so yeah, he’s shit-hot. At one point in the conversation I asked him … Continue reading That time I asked Canadian fingerstyle-guitar virtuoso Don Ross how he got so good

Scott Ian on the media frenzy surrounding the Anthrax name after 9/11

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SEPT. 11, 2012 By Steve Newton A couple of weeks back I got a package in the mail containing the new CD by a metal band that was headed to town. No big whoop; happens all the time. But if I’d gotten this Fedex labeled “ANTHRAX” about 11 years ago, shit would … Continue reading Scott Ian on the media frenzy surrounding the Anthrax name after 9/11

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