Album review: Various Artists, We’re a Happy Family—A Tribute to Ramones (2003)

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, FEB. 27, 2003 By Steve Newton You don’t fuck with the Ramones. And one of the best ways to not fuck with them is to not change their music around; i.e., slow it down. Somebody should have pointed that obvious fact out to Marilyn Manson before they let the … Continue reading Album review: Various Artists, We’re a Happy Family—A Tribute to Ramones (2003)

Original Pennywise makeup-FX artist Bart Mixon talks Tim Curry’s look on the 1990 set of Stephen King’s It

By Steve Newton Life is full of surprises–and sometimes they’re good. Like what happened today, for instance. I was playing that old cassette tape I used to record my exclusive Fangoria interview with Tim Curry on the Vancouver set of Stephen King’s It back in 1990. I thought that all I had on there was my … Continue reading Original Pennywise makeup-FX artist Bart Mixon talks Tim Curry’s look on the 1990 set of Stephen King’s It

The curse of the old-school horror freak means that Tim Curry is still the Pennywise of choice

By Steve Newton As the only journalist invited to interview Tim Curry on the set of It back in 1990–I was the Vancouver correspondent for fabled New York horror mag Fangoria at the time–I’ve felt a connection to the two-part TV miniseries. Not that I really liked it much. I thought the acting was pretty weak … Continue reading The curse of the old-school horror freak means that Tim Curry is still the Pennywise of choice

Horror superstar Clive Barker on having the world by the balls at 35

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 13, 1987 By Steve Newton What scares you? Spiders? Sharp knives? The dentist? The threat of nuclear holocaust? Count me in on all the above, and add another: Clive Barker’s writing. Like Count Floyd used to say: “It’s scary stuff, kids!” At 35, Clive Barker is being touted as the next … Continue reading Horror superstar Clive Barker on having the world by the balls at 35

Hey, I wrote a book about Gord Downie, and it looks freakin’ awesome!

By Steve Newton After more than 35 years as a journalist, I’m finally moving up in the world. I’m gonna be an author! Yeah, that’s right. Shove over Stephen King, there’s an unstoppable new force in the publishing world. Just kidding. But I do have a damn nice-looking book comin’ out. On February 6 Indigo … Continue reading Hey, I wrote a book about Gord Downie, and it looks freakin’ awesome!

Bachman-Turner Overdrive’s Randy Bachman once tried paying a surprise visit to Stephen King

By Steve Newton Hardcore fans of Stephen King are aware that he used the pen name Richard Bachman for a number of his early novels because he was a huge fan of Bachman-Turner Overdrive. But not many BTO fans know that the band’s founding guitarist, Randy Bachman, once went looking for King in the horror … Continue reading Bachman-Turner Overdrive’s Randy Bachman once tried paying a surprise visit to Stephen King

Fears of a Clown: talking horror with Tim Curry (Pennywise) on the set of Stephen King’s It

By Steve Newton Who knew that when I stepped onto the lush green grounds of Vancouver’s Stanley Park in the summer of 1990 that I’d be writing about it three decades later. I sure the hell didn’t. I’d been assigned to write two 3,000-word set-visit stories for then-thriving horror mag Fangoria on the filming of a two-part ABC-TV miniseries … Continue reading Fears of a Clown: talking horror with Tim Curry (Pennywise) on the set of Stephen King’s It

That time I asked Tim Curry if he was a Stephen King fan and he said he liked The Shining

By Steve Newton I was lucky enough to have been the only journalist who interviewed Tim Curry on the Vancouver set of the two-part TV miniseries It, when I was covering the filming for Fangoria magazine back in 1990. One of the first questions I had for the British actor was whether or not he … Continue reading That time I asked Tim Curry if he was a Stephen King fan and he said he liked The Shining

That time Yngwie Malmsteen told me that he was inspired by Stephen King, H.P. Lovecraft, and Leonardo da Vinci

By Steve Newton Yngwie Malmsteen is famous for his blistering speed on the fretboard, but his choice of reading material isn’t nearly as well known. The first time I interviewed the Swedish guitar legend, back in 1985, he had recently released his second solo album, Marching Out, which included a thank you to Stephen King. Turns … Continue reading That time Yngwie Malmsteen told me that he was inspired by Stephen King, H.P. Lovecraft, and Leonardo da Vinci

Album review: Johnny Crash, Neighbourhood Threat (1990)

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JULY 19, 1990 By Steve Newton Just last month the World’s Greatest Rock and Roll Band (or one of ’em, anyway) was locked away in Vancouver’s Little Mountain Sound with producer Bruce Fairbairn, putting the finishing touches on its next album. No, I’m not talking about the Stones here. … Continue reading Album review: Johnny Crash, Neighbourhood Threat (1990)

New audio: Tim Curry, aka Pennywise, talks about “finding your clown face” on the 1990 set of Stephen King’s It

By Steve Newton The most popular story I ever posted on Ear of Newt was the interview I did with Tim Curry on the set of Stephen King’s It, when it was filming in my stomping grounds of Vancouver in the summer of 1990. On assignment for New York-based horror mag Fangoria, I got to … Continue reading New audio: Tim Curry, aka Pennywise, talks about “finding your clown face” on the 1990 set of Stephen King’s It

That time Tim Curry told me that he thought Rocky Horror Picture Show was a “one-shot deal”

By Steve Newton It was pretty cool being the only journalist in the world invited onto the Vancouver set of Stephen King‘s It back in 1990. At least I think I was the only one, because I haven’t seen any other articles from that time, or interviews with the cast and crew, apart fromthe ones … Continue reading That time Tim Curry told me that he thought Rocky Horror Picture Show was a “one-shot deal”

The Moody Blues’ Justin Hayward on writing “Nights in White Satin”, working with Tony Visconti, and loving Buddy Holly

Two decades ago the Moody Blues recorded “Nights in White Satin”, which would become known as a pop masterpiece in the years to come.