ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JAN. 15, 1988 By Steve Newton “If you grew up in the ’70s you liked Aerosmith.” That’s what R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck wrote in the liner notes to his group’s version of Aerosmith’s “Toys in the Attic” on the Dead Letter Office album. And he knew what he was talking about. Along with … Continue reading Joe Perry says that Aerosmith is playing “wicked tight” after its Permanent Vacation
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 27, 1987 By Steve Newton Whenever Steve Earle hits town, you’re pretty well guaranteed a hellraisin’ good time. It happened at his Vancouver debut last May at the 86 Street Music Hall, and then again last Thursday (November 19) when he and his rip-snortin’ band the Dukes returned to the Expo … Continue reading Steve Earle takes Exit O back to Vancouver and delivers another hell-raisin’ good time
kirk west photo By Steve Newton If you’re a dedicated fan of the Allman Brothers Band, you no doubt own a copy of their historic 1971 live album, At Fillmore East. Of course, that double disc was highlighted by the amazing slide-guitar talents of Duane Allman, who died in a motorcycle crash three months after its … Continue reading That time I asked Dickey Betts if it was tough picking tunes for the Allman Brothers’ live album of ’92
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON OCT. 30, 1987 By Steve Newton If there was one band I would have killed (well, maimed anyway) to see in its original lineup, that band would have been Lynryd Skynryd, the pride of Jacksonville, Florida, and arguably the best southern rock band to come along. That wish was shattered forever with the death … Continue reading Album review: Lynyrd Skynyrd, Legend (1987)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 16, 1998 By Steve Newton Ever since Sammy Hagar replaced David Lee Roth as Van Halen’s frontman on 1986’s 5150, the band’s legions of followers have been split into the Sam and Dave camps. Roth proponents feel his macho bravado and hog-in-heat performing style suited the group’s early music; Sammy … Continue reading Album review: Van Halen, Van Halen 3 (1998)
By Steve Newton The hard-rock world lost one of its most beloved artists on November 18, 2017, when AC/DC rhythm-guitarist Malcolm Young passed away at the age of 64. Ill health had forced him to leave the band in 2014, and to be confined to a nursing home, where he suffered from dementia. I only met … Continue reading Malcolm Young: the five best quotes I ever got from AC/DC’s rhythm master
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 6, 1987 By Steve Newton John Mayall knows blues guitarists. And it’s no wonder since he’s played with the best of them–guys like Eric Clapton and Mick Taylor. But the two lead players he brought with him to the Commodore last Thursday (October 29) were so hot that they literally stole the show from … Continue reading John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers slay Vancouver with smokin’ guitarists Montoya and Trout
Three American guitar heroes unite for a tour that sees each of them performing a separate set before they combine on a three-song jam-o-rama.
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 12, 1991 By Steve Newton I know, I know—you can’t win. Just when you’ve finally replaced all your cherished Lynyrd Skynyrd LPs with half a dozen CDs, along comes a 3-CD box set that covers the entire course of the classic southern rock band’s ill-fated career. Well, don’t … Continue reading The Definitive Lynyrd Skynyrd Collection is a must-have for hardcore Skynyrd fans
By Steve Newton The Allman Brothers‘ At Fillmore East has long been regarded as one of the finest concert albums of all time, and you won’t get any argument from me about that. But it’s not the band’s only great live LP. Back in 1992 I did my third interview with ABB guitarist Dickey Betts, … Continue reading That time I asked Dickey Betts if the Allman Brothers’ new live album captured the band as well as At Fillmore East
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, AUG. 31, 2017 By Steve Newton The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is notorious for taking forever to induct bands that almost everyone but the institution’s voting members thinks are overdue for entry. There was much frustration among rock fans—especially of the Canuck persuasion—when the mighty Rush kept getting shunned, … Continue reading Yes guitarist Steve Howe on playing at 70 and the tragedy of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Colin James: Rooftops and Satellites (2009) Sora: Desire and Truth (2009) Rob Zombie: Hellbilly Deluxe 2 (2009) Rod Stewart, Soulbook (2009) Joe Perry: Have Guitar, Will Travel (2009) Damon Fowler, Sugar Shack (2009) Lynyrd Skynyrd: God & Guns (2009) John Fogerty: The Blue Ridge Rangers Rides Again (2009) The Bottle Rockets: Lean Forward (2009) Various … Continue reading album reviews
chris cameron photo ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON OCT. 23, 1987 By Steve Newton A healthy-sized crowd of 12,000 packed the Pacific Coliseum last Friday (October 16) for a Motley Crue concert, but for a lot of people the main attraction was Whitesnake, the group that has lately taken over from Bon Jovi as the most popular hard … Continue reading Wicked Whitesnake blows corny Crue off the stage in Vancouver
