That time ex-Thin Lizzy guitarist John Sykes told me about being fired from Whitesnake by David Coverdale

Sykes (right) and Coverdale in happier times By Steve Newton Back in May of 1989 I interviewed English guitar hero John Sykes, who you may know for his fiery fretwork on the final Thin Lizzy album, Thunder and Lightning. Two years before we did that interview Whitesnake had released its self-titled album, the one that … Continue reading That time ex-Thin Lizzy guitarist John Sykes told me about being fired from Whitesnake by David Coverdale

That time I told Tom Cochrane that I didn’t think his new “Life is a Highway” song sounded like him

By Steve Newton Tom Cochrane turned 70 the other day–on May 14, 2023–so to celebrate I digitized my third interview with him, from October 17, 1991. That was less than a month after he released the single “Life Is a Highway”, which became a massive hit. But as I pointed out to Tom about a … Continue reading That time I told Tom Cochrane that I didn’t think his new “Life is a Highway” song sounded like him

That time Geddy Lee called me up and I asked if he had fond recollections of Rush’s early days

By Steve Newton Back in the spring of ’97 I did my first interview with Geddy Lee of Rush. He called me up from the band’s office in Toronto and I congratulated him on the birth of his new daughter. Then I mentioned that the band was re-releasing its seventies catalog, and asked him if … Continue reading That time Geddy Lee called me up and I asked if he had fond recollections of Rush’s early days

That time Steve Stevens told me that Van Halen producer Ted Templeman helped him keep his sanity on Atomic Playboys

By Steve Newton Ted Templeman is one of the most successful rock-music producers in America. You could say that he is to the United States what Bruce Fairbairn was to Canada. Templeman was at the controls for such stellar albums as Montrose‘s self-titled debut, the Doobie Brothers‘ The Captain and Me, Van Morrison’s Tupelo Honey, … Continue reading That time Steve Stevens told me that Van Halen producer Ted Templeman helped him keep his sanity on Atomic Playboys

Living Colour’s Vernon Reid incites his X followers to give Robin Trower some social-media love

Follow the Stratmaster at @robintrower By Steve Newton One of the things I like most about guitar players–besides hearing them play–is when they help out other guitarists. Especially when the picker being aided is as amazing, yet under-appreciated, as British rocker Robin Trower. It was very cool to find out that, last Saturday (September 23), … Continue reading Living Colour’s Vernon Reid incites his X followers to give Robin Trower some social-media love

That time Leslie Knauer of Precious Metal told me how Donald Trump screwed her band over

By Steve Newton I interviewed Precious Metal vocalist Leslie Knauer in March of 1991, when the L.A. based glam-metal band was touring behind its third and final album. That self-titled release featured a remake of Jean Knight’s 1971 hit “Mr. Big Stuff”, and the group had shot a video for it featuring former (and possibly, … Continue reading That time Leslie Knauer of Precious Metal told me how Donald Trump screwed her band over

That time Phil Caivano of Blitzspeer told me that L.A.’s metal scene sucked compared to New York’s

By Steve Newton I interviewed Blitzspeer singer-guitarist Phil Caivano in March of 1991, when the New York City metal band was touring behind its debut album, which was actually a live EP. The quartet would break up two years later after releasing the studio album Saves, and Caivano would go on to join Monster Magnet, … Continue reading That time Phil Caivano of Blitzspeer told me that L.A.’s metal scene sucked compared to New York’s

10 minutes on the phone with Alex Lifeson of Rush in 1992

By Steve Newton Alex Lifeson called me up from a tour stop in Fresno, California, on January 25, 1992, while Rush was on the road with Primus, showcasing tunes from their latest album, Roll the Bones. I asked him about the musical progression Rush had taken over the years, his early influences on guitar, and … Continue reading 10 minutes on the phone with Alex Lifeson of Rush in 1992

That time Tony Iommi told me that he didn’t think Ozzy Osbourne needed to record Sabbath tunes for his live album

By Steve Newton Back in January of 1984 I did my first interview with Tony Iommi, while Black Sabbath was touring behind its Born Again album. Fourteen months earlier Sabbath’s former frontman, Ozzy Osbourne, had released a double live album, Speak of the Devil, which hit stores just two months before Sabbath’s own double live … Continue reading That time Tony Iommi told me that he didn’t think Ozzy Osbourne needed to record Sabbath tunes for his live album

That time I asked Canadian fingerstyle-guitar virtuoso Don Ross how he got so good

By Steve Newton I interviewed Canadian guitar virtuoso Don Ross for the first time back in 2001, when he was touring behind his Huron Street album. Ross is the only person to win the National Fingerstyle Guitar Championship twice (1988 and 1996), so yeah, he’s shit-hot. At one point in the conversation I asked him … Continue reading That time I asked Canadian fingerstyle-guitar virtuoso Don Ross how he got so good

That time Lars Ulrich called me up from Cincinnati and told me that Metallica wasn’t doing bad for a buncha drunks

By Steve Newton I did my third interview with Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich in April of 1997, when the band was touring behind its sixth studio album, the five-times-platinum Load. He called me up from backstage at Cincinnati’s Riverfront Coliseum, where the band was playing the second night of a double-header, with openers Corrosion of … Continue reading That time Lars Ulrich called me up from Cincinnati and told me that Metallica wasn’t doing bad for a buncha drunks

That time Night Ranger’s Jack Blades called me up from ZZ Top’s Eliminator tour with fresh memories of scorpion hell

By Steve Newton Night Ranger bassist-vocalist and main songwriter Jack Blades called me up from a truck stop in New Mexico back on January 13, 1984. At the time–two months before the band released its big hit “Sister Christian”–Night Ranger was opening for ZZ Top on the hugely successful Eliminator Tour, with sold-out shows all … Continue reading That time Night Ranger’s Jack Blades called me up from ZZ Top’s Eliminator tour with fresh memories of scorpion hell

That time Roger Glover called and told me that Rainbow was finished, it was time for Deep Purple (again)

By Steve Newton I did my first interview with Roger Glover back in August of 1984, two months after the release of his solo album Mask. He called me up from a “kitchen” in Vermont, and told me that he was recording an album there. At first I thought it might be another LP by … Continue reading That time Roger Glover called and told me that Rainbow was finished, it was time for Deep Purple (again)