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That time Tony Iommi told me that a second Black Sabbath album with Ian Gillan would probably turn out better than Born Again

By Steve Newton A few days ago I posted a blog that featured a snippet from my 1984 interview with Tony Iommi, in which he talked about blowing up Black Sabbath singer Ian Gillan’s boat during the recording sessions for Born Again. As any Sabbath fan knows, the band only made one album with Gillan … Continue reading That time Tony Iommi told me that a second Black Sabbath album with Ian Gillan would probably turn out better than Born Again

That time I asked AC/DC’s Malcolm Young and Brian Johnson what they liked listening to in their spare time

By Steve Newton When I interviewed some of the guys from AC/DC back in ’83, on the eve of the Flick of the Switch tour, I asked them which groups they liked listening to in their spare time. Both Brian Johnson and Malcolm Young mentioned ZZ Top. “I just like their attitude and all ya … Continue reading That time I asked AC/DC’s Malcolm Young and Brian Johnson what they liked listening to in their spare time

Newt’s Rock Hall inducts UFO, Robin Trower, Blue Öyster Cult, Mott the Hoople, and Ten Years After

By Steve Newton Tonight the much-maligned Rock and Roll Hall of Fame officially inducts Deep Purple, Cheap Trick, Steve Miller, Chicago, and, unbelievably, legendary rock ‘n’ rollers N.W.A. Now, this is better work than you commonly expect from the RRHOF, which, back in 2013, had the audacity to induct Cat Stevens instead of fellow nominee Link … Continue reading Newt’s Rock Hall inducts UFO, Robin Trower, Blue Öyster Cult, Mott the Hoople, and Ten Years After

That time Gord Downie told me about the Tragically Hip’s Saturday Night Live gig

By Steve Newton On March 25, 1995, the Tragically Hip played Saturday Night Live, when one of my fave actors, John Goodman (“Mark it zero!”), was hosting. Fellow Kingstonite Dan Aykroyd introduced the band, which surprised the hell out of peeps by not opening with a certified crowd-pleasing rocker like “New Orleans is Sinking” or … Continue reading That time Gord Downie told me about the Tragically Hip’s Saturday Night Live gig

That time Malcolm Young told me what inspired AC/DC’s “Bedlam in Belgium” and how “music tames the beast”

By Steve Newton When I interviewed Malcolm Young and Brian Johnson at their Vancouver hotel room in 1983 it was less than two months since the release of AC/DC‘s eighth internationally released studio album, Flick of the Switch. One of the more intriguing tracks on the LP, the third one to feature Johnson on vocals, was “Bedlam … Continue reading That time Malcolm Young told me what inspired AC/DC’s “Bedlam in Belgium” and how “music tames the beast”

That time Donald “Duck” Dunn told me about working with Eric Clapton and John “the Godfather” Belushi

By Steve Newton Back in 1985 Eric Clapton played a show in Vancouver, but he wasn’t doing any interviews with the likes of me. I was happy as hell just to chat with bass-guitar legend Donald “Duck” Dunn, who you may recall for his work with Booker T & the MG’s. During the course of our … Continue reading That time Donald “Duck” Dunn told me about working with Eric Clapton and John “the Godfather” Belushi

That time Craig Northey told me what he really thinks about the Hip not being big in the States

By Steve Newton I did the last of my five interviews with Gord Downie back in October of 1996, when the Tragically Hip was at its peak of popularity. At that point the latest Hip CD, Trouble at the Henhouse, had sold about 100,000 copies in the U.S., which, while a respectable number, still paled drastically … Continue reading That time Craig Northey told me what he really thinks about the Hip not being big in the States

That time AC/DC’s Malcolm Young told me that Angus’s schoolboy outfit was first meant as a “kick in the teeth”

By Steve Newton Back in ’83 when I interviewed AC/DC at a Vancouver hotel before the start of the Flick of the Switch tour I asked Malcolm Young whether Angus, as a kid, ever had to wear that schoolboy outfit he’s famous for. Turns out it was just a way to get attention more than … Continue reading That time AC/DC’s Malcolm Young told me that Angus’s schoolboy outfit was first meant as a “kick in the teeth”

That time AC/DC’s Malcolm Young told me that he just “tinkles” on lead guitar: “You can’t outdo Angus”

By Steve Newton When I interviewed AC/DC‘s Malcolm Young and Brian Johnson back in 1983 I asked Malcolm if he ever had a hankering to step out and play a lead-guitar solo once in a while. As expected, his response was along the lines of, “Why bother when you’ve got a guy like Angus around?” … Continue reading That time AC/DC’s Malcolm Young told me that he just “tinkles” on lead guitar: “You can’t outdo Angus”

Humble guitar master Allan Holdsworth always struggles to pay the rent

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 4, 1986 By Steve Newton Today he’s regarded by critics and musicians alike as one of the most distinctive guitarists in the world. He’s been the principal soloist for the likes of U.K., Gong, Bill Bruford, Soft Machine, Tony Williams’ Lifetime and Jean-Luc Ponty. And he’s one of the few players … Continue reading Humble guitar master Allan Holdsworth always struggles to pay the rent

Stevie Ray Vaughan six weeks before the crash: “I would hate to get caught playing my last gig not trying”

During the interview I asked Stevie Ray if he ever had difficulty getting inspired for a show, and his response was somewhat prophetic.

Albert Lee on going country in England and finding his “natural” gig with the Everly Brothers

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 11, 1986 By Steve Newton In the world of music, jolly old England is famous for a number of things. The Beatles for instance. And rock guitar heroes like Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, and Jeff Beck. But country music is not one of Brittania’s specialties, and it never has been. Luckily … Continue reading Albert Lee on going country in England and finding his “natural” gig with the Everly Brothers