Search Results for: Kiss

Yes guitarist Steve Howe says Chet Atkins was–and is–his number one

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 26, 2001 By Steve Newton When Yes guitarist Steve Howe calls from Reno, Nevada, it’s not to brag about how well he’s been doing at the blackjack tables. Although he and his bandmates—vocalist Jon Anderson, bassist Chris Squire, and drummer Alan White—have been holed up in the gambling mecca for two … Continue reading Yes guitarist Steve Howe says Chet Atkins was–and is–his number one

Blue Öyster Cult’s Buck Dharma likes making people strain to hear

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JAN. 24, 2002 By Steve Newton As a metal-crazed teen in the ’70s, I was obsessed with Long Island hard-rockers Blue Öyster Cult. I used to blow all my lawn-mowing money on their albums and play them at ear-busting volume for hours on end, even though I had trouble making out the … Continue reading Blue Öyster Cult’s Buck Dharma likes making people strain to hear

Robin Trower talks Procol Harum, Hendrix, and blues, says “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”

photo courtesy the newt ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MARCH 11, 1990 By Steve Newton You know how some recording artists make you think of old times, and help you crystallize visions from the past? Well, when I think of Robin Trower, I picture a mid-’70s high-schooler cruising the main drag of Chilliwack in a wood-grained Monaco … Continue reading Robin Trower talks Procol Harum, Hendrix, and blues, says “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”

Patterson Hood on the Drive-By Truckers’ Southern Rock Opera and the true meaning of Skynyrd

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JAN. 30, 2003 By Steve Newton It doesn’t seem likely in today’s musical climate that any band would record a 90-minute concept album about 1970s rock and southern U.S. culture, focusing on the legend of doomed Dixie rock act Lynyrd Skynyrd. It’s even more unlikely that such a CD would get critical … Continue reading Patterson Hood on the Drive-By Truckers’ Southern Rock Opera and the true meaning of Skynyrd

Dead Surf Kiss is a twisted embryo of melody and metal

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 28, 1991 By Steve Newton A rather impressive promo package was dropped off at the office last week. It contained the new Dead Surf Kiss CD and tape, a band photo, shiny silver stickers with green lizards on them, and a bio. But this wasn’t your typical “drummer Joe met guitarist … Continue reading Dead Surf Kiss is a twisted embryo of melody and metal

Galactic Cowboys meld melodicism and raunch on At the End of the Day

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JAN. 21, 1999 By Steve Newton Few bands straddle the line between pop and metal as skillfully as the Galactic Cowboys. On the Texas quartet’s latest CD, At the End of the Day, they meld melodicism and raunch so winningly that it’s hard to tell if these Cowboys are … Continue reading Galactic Cowboys meld melodicism and raunch on At the End of the Day

Buddy Guy brings me down when he forgets to just be Buddy

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, OCT. 3, 2002 By Steve Newton Buddy Guy spent a good portion of his concert at the Commodore last Friday (September 27) paying tribute to the legends of the blues, performing in the various styles of John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. It was … Continue reading Buddy Guy brings me down when he forgets to just be Buddy

Gene Simmons says Kiss putting makeup on for money is akin to wearing diapers

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON DEC. 10, 1992 By Steve Newton The job of interviewing Kiss co-founder Gene Simmons is not an easy one, seeing as there are so many things a ’70s rock fan wants to ask the millionaire God of Thunder. You want to glean his views on the price of riches and fame and delve … Continue reading Gene Simmons says Kiss putting makeup on for money is akin to wearing diapers

Fretmaster Don Ross exposes the Newt to the wonders of acoustic-guitar wizardry

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 29, 2001 By Steve Newton Guitar gods—I can’t get enough of ’em. There’ve always been lots of slots in my CD stacks reserved for fret masters who balance boggling technique with high degrees of feel. Because I’m mostly a rock and blues fan, the vast majority of guitarists I’ve worshipped have … Continue reading Fretmaster Don Ross exposes the Newt to the wonders of acoustic-guitar wizardry

The Word gets the Newt off his ass and down to the Commodore to hear “Joyful Sounds” and Hendrix

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JAN. 24, 2002 By Steve Newton A few hours before the Word took the stage at the Commodore last Saturday (January 19), I was reclining in my cozy New West living room, barely awake. The idea of driving downtown in the pissing rain to see a band that wasn’t … Continue reading The Word gets the Newt off his ass and down to the Commodore to hear “Joyful Sounds” and Hendrix

David Lindley says its serious time for the oud

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 8, 2002 By Steve Newton A while back I made one of my regular visits to Zulu Records and noticed that they were giving stuff away. Not great stuff—there were no limited-edition Hellecasters CDs or Jeff Beck bootlegs—but in the box of vinyl castoffs and local cassettes was Win This Record, … Continue reading David Lindley says its serious time for the oud

AC/DC studio ace Mike Fraser is happy Phil Rudd doesn’t tickle the drums

Today is the big day for AC/DC fans, when the Aussie blues-metal legends release their new album Rock or Bust. The band has been making a lot of headlines in the past few months, though not the positive kind you’d expect from a group that has, for over 40 years, been giving the world some of … Continue reading AC/DC studio ace Mike Fraser is happy Phil Rudd doesn’t tickle the drums