Search Results for: Mountain

The Aristocrats’ Guthrie Govan on the influence of Joe Satriani and Zal Cleminson

By Steve Newton Back in 2015 I interviewed guitarist Guthrie Govan, who–while not nearly as well known as the Satrianis and Vais of the world–is equally monstrous when it comes to technical ability and musical inventiveness. He plays in an instrumental rock-fusion trio called the Aristocrats, which made its debut Vancouver appearance at the Rickshaw Theatre. … Continue reading The Aristocrats’ Guthrie Govan on the influence of Joe Satriani and Zal Cleminson

My first Judas Priest interview: Screaming for Vengeance Tour, 1982

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 5, 1982 By Steve Newton If there ever was a music devised to torture grandmothers, it would probably sound a lot like Judas Priest, a band that fuses the meanest of lyrics and nastiest of guitar sounds to create what can only be described as raunch. Though more recently the band … Continue reading My first Judas Priest interview: Screaming for Vengeance Tour, 1982

Drum great Terry Bozzio livens up Omar and the Howlers’ Big Delta

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SEPT. 26, 2002 By Steve Newton If you’re a blues-rock guitarist-vocalist looking for a guy to play drums with you, you could do worse than have Terry Bozzio—renowned skinbasher for Jeff Beck—living three doors down. At least that’s what Kent Omar Dykes—the Omar in Omar and the Howlers—discovered recently. “He’s my neighbour, … Continue reading Drum great Terry Bozzio livens up Omar and the Howlers’ Big Delta

2nd annual Burnaby Blues Fest suits yard apes and beer drinkers alike

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 26, 2001 By Steve Newton As any local fan will tell you, the Vancouver area has needed a full-fledged blues festival for so long that it hurts. Harmonica ace and CFMI Sunday Blues radio-show host Stormin’ Norm Casler tried getting an annual all-day blues fest going at Granville Island a few … Continue reading 2nd annual Burnaby Blues Fest suits yard apes and beer drinkers alike

Guitarists from Exodus, Exciter, and Metal Church weigh in on the heaviness of metal in 1985

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 2, 1985 By Steve Newton Blue Oyster Cult‘s Tyranny and Mutation. Aerosmith‘s Rocks. UFO’s Phenomenon. The Montrose debut. Back in the early to mid-’70s those albums forged a sound that critic Lester Bangs called “heavy metal”. They were dynamic and forceful, fast, loud, and proud. The bands that made them had … Continue reading Guitarists from Exodus, Exciter, and Metal Church weigh in on the heaviness of metal in 1985

That time Guthrie Govan told me that the Aristocrats recreated Eddie Van Halen’s echo from Fair Warning at L.A.’s Sunset Sound

By Steve Newton In 2015 I interviewed Guthrie Govan of the Aristocrats, but there wasn’t enough room in the paper to include all the cool shit the guitar genius had to say to me. So I banged out one blog on the influence of Joe Satriani and Zal Cleminson, and then another one on how … Continue reading That time Guthrie Govan told me that the Aristocrats recreated Eddie Van Halen’s echo from Fair Warning at L.A.’s Sunset Sound

Dracula Untold is patently ridiculous, and not in a good way

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON OCT. 10, 2014 By Steve Newton Dracula Untold is so patently ridiculous that it’s hard to even fathom how it came to be. Did some billionaire producer on meth sit through a Lord of the Rings marathon and declare: “That would be so much better with vampires!”? After a rambling prologue describing how … Continue reading Dracula Untold is patently ridiculous, and not in a good way

Joe Bonamassa wanted Deep Purple and Free in the Rock Hall “before f***ing Green Day”

By Steve Newton When American guitar hero Joe Bonamassa called me up back in 2015 in advance of a Vancouver double-header we mostly talked about his new live album, Muddy Wolf at Red Rocks. But since I also see it as my duty to slag the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame whenever necessary–which is … Continue reading Joe Bonamassa wanted Deep Purple and Free in the Rock Hall “before f***ing Green Day”

Major-label horror stories led the String Cheese Incident to go indie

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON OCT. 10, 2002 By Steve Newton In the early 1990s, String Cheese Incident guitarist Bill Nershi, an avowed ski bum in Telluride, Colorado, decided he wanted to tackle a new mountain. He bought an old school bus, fixed it up, and moved to the ski town of Crested Butte, Colorado, where he … Continue reading Major-label horror stories led the String Cheese Incident to go indie

54•40 walks the walk with first indie release since the ’80s

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 31, 2003 By Steve Newton Although they started out in the early ’80s as indie artists on MoDaMu Records, local guitar-rockers 54•40 have been signed to major labels since 1986, first with Warner Bros. and then with Columbia/Sony. But with its 10th studio album, Goodbye Flatland, the band has let go … Continue reading 54•40 walks the walk with first indie release since the ’80s

The Donnas love horror, wish Freddie Krueger would Spend the Night

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON OCT. 24, 2002 By Steve Newton When yours truly hooks up via cell with Donnas vocalist Brett Anderson, she’s in the band’s bus as it winds through the Colorado mountains en route to Salt Lake City and the first of four shows with New York City hotshots the Strokes. It’s movie time, … Continue reading The Donnas love horror, wish Freddie Krueger would Spend the Night

Steven Tyler screeches like a budgie from hell as Aerosmith rocks Vancouver on the Pump tour

By Steve Newton On March 17, 1990, Aerosmith played the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver. At the time the band was still putting out pretty decent albums; six months earlier it had released Pump, which boasted rockin’ numbers like “Monkey on My Back”, “Young Lust”, and “The Other Side”. This was before it sold out for … Continue reading Steven Tyler screeches like a budgie from hell as Aerosmith rocks Vancouver on the Pump tour