Junkhouse at the Town Pump evokes the Beat Farmers’ Glad & Greasy

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SEPT. 14, 1995 By Steve Newton It’s midnight on a Friday (September 8) at the Town Pump. The brew has been flowing freely for hours already, and the hard-rocking headlining band is about to take the stage. The crowd is definitely stoked for some good old…spoken-word performance? Apparently, Junkhouse singer-songwriter Tom Wilson … Continue reading Junkhouse at the Town Pump evokes the Beat Farmers’ Glad & Greasy

Jason Bonham says his father was a regular guy who just happened to be in Led Zeppelin

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 24, 2010 By Steve Newton John Bonham is often called the greatest rock drummer who ever lived. And whether you agree with that assessment or not—I’m a Keith Moon man, myself—you’ve gotta admit that “Bonzo” was a master of the groove. Thirty years after his alcohol-related death at the age of … Continue reading Jason Bonham says his father was a regular guy who just happened to be in Led Zeppelin

John Mellencamp cuts back on smokes, ramps up songwriting after heart attack

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 13, 1999 By Steve Newton John Mellencamp had the biggest-selling album of 1982 with American Fool, which boasted such huge radio hits as “Hurts So Good” and “Jack and Diane”. I interviewed him in advance of a show at the PNE Forum that year, and at the time Mellencamp—then known as … Continue reading John Mellencamp cuts back on smokes, ramps up songwriting after heart attack

David Lee Roth says he doesn’t regret leaving Van Halen

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 8, 1994 By Steve Newton With all the frenzied media attention and intense public speculation surrounding the O.J. Simpson case, it’s hard to keep a fair handle on the whole sordid affair. Even such trusted news sources as A Current Affair and the National Enquirer have gotten caught up in the circus. So who do … Continue reading David Lee Roth says he doesn’t regret leaving Van Halen

Pink Floyd plays Vancouver on the Division Bell tour, David Gilmour’s state-of-the-art guitars shine

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 30, 1994 By Steve Newton As streams of perked-up Pink Floyd fans strolled north across the Cambie Street bridge en route to the big white marshmallow of B.C. Place last Saturday (June 25), a lot of them were eyeing the sky. It was a fine time to revel in the postcard … Continue reading Pink Floyd plays Vancouver on the Division Bell tour, David Gilmour’s state-of-the-art guitars shine

Yngwie Malmsteen puts Ritchie Blackmore rumours to rest, praises Nicolo Paganini and Uli Jon Roth

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JUNE 25, 2014 By Steve Newton Yngwie Malmsteen likes to wear all black on-stage and play fast as hell on a Fender Strat through a wall of cranked Marshall amps, so you might think that Ritchie Blackmore is his hero. “Okay, let’s correct that,” says Malmsteen when I mention … Continue reading Yngwie Malmsteen puts Ritchie Blackmore rumours to rest, praises Nicolo Paganini and Uli Jon Roth

ZZ Top snoozes through its Rhythmeen tour stop in Vancouver

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JUNE 5, 1997 By Steve Newton Strolling over the Georgia Viaduct en route to GM Place last Sunday (June 1), I gazed down at the arena’s parking lot to see what kind of fancy tour buses ZZ Top is travelling in these days. I expected to see an outline … Continue reading ZZ Top snoozes through its Rhythmeen tour stop in Vancouver

Steve Vai on his long fingers, long feet, long arms, and…“you know”

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SEPT. 25, 1996 By Steve Newton On the cover of his Grammy-nominated Alien Love Secrets CD, Steve Vai strikes a pose while covered in metallic-blue body paint. He’s got his hands over his face and is peering out from between fingers that are so long, you’d think one of those multilimbed creatures … Continue reading Steve Vai on his long fingers, long feet, long arms, and…“you know”

Collective Soul channels Peter Gabriel-era Genesis at the Commodore in Vancouver

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 21, 1995 By Steve Newton It’s a good thing that the folks who own the Underground—that slightly twisted clothes and accessories shop located underneath the Commodore Ballroom—had the foresight to install loosely secured windows that give with vibration, because those big panes were given a serious shaking by … Continue reading Collective Soul channels Peter Gabriel-era Genesis at the Commodore in Vancouver

Metallica’s young guns of sonic mayhem slay Vancouver on the …And Justice for All Tour

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 9, 1989 By Steve Newton The Pacific Coliseum may as well have been a Roman coliseum last Wednesday (May 31), because things got about as uncivilized as they’ve ever been in the home of the Canucks. Not since the Broad Street Bullies took their orange jerseys into the crowd to bust … Continue reading Metallica’s young guns of sonic mayhem slay Vancouver on the …And Justice for All Tour

Tom Cochrane gets his Canuck on at the Commodore in Vancouver on the Ragged Ass Road tour

kevin statham photo ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MARCH 22, 1996 By Steve Newton Last July a band calling itself Red Rider—but without Tom Cochrane in the lineup—played the Commodore. Not surprisingly, the turnout was small, and not surprisingly, I wasn’t there. I’ve been a Red Rider fan since day one, but the notion of seeing the … Continue reading Tom Cochrane gets his Canuck on at the Commodore in Vancouver on the Ragged Ass Road tour

Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson talks ’70s concept albums but can’t comment on Quadrophenia

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON OCT. 23, 1997 By Steve Newton Although I have no documented proof that I’m related to either Beavis or Butthead, I do harbour a couple of hazy teenage memories that keep me pondering that possibility. The one that has me most worried goes back to Chilliwack Senior Secondary School, circa 1974. During … Continue reading Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson talks ’70s concept albums but can’t comment on Quadrophenia