That time Sonny Landreth told me about Mark Knopfler and Chet Atkins taking him to breakfast at a Cracker Barrel in Nashville

By Steve Newton I’ve interviewed Louisiana slide-guitar master Sonny Landreth four times, because he’s just awesome. This is the first time, when I called him up in Sacramento, California, where he was touring as the opening act for Chicago blues great Buddy Guy. Landreth was promoting his fourth studio album, South of I-10, which featured … Continue reading That time Sonny Landreth told me about Mark Knopfler and Chet Atkins taking him to breakfast at a Cracker Barrel in Nashville

10 minutes on the phone with Aerosmith’s Joe Perry in 1988

By Steve Newton Aerosmith released their first five albums while I was teenager, so I freakin’ loved Aerosmith. I played a lotta air guitar to Joe Perry‘s licks back in the day, so it was a kick to interview him for the first time in January of 1988, after the Permanent Vacation LP came out. … Continue reading 10 minutes on the phone with Aerosmith’s Joe Perry in 1988

That time Geddy Lee told me how Rush views the mixing process

By Steve Newton Back in April of ’97 I did my first interview with Rush bassist-vocalist Geddy Lee, while the band was touring behind its Test for Echo album. For that disc the band had brought in studio ace Andy Wallace to mix, a process that Lee had referred to in the latest Rush bio … Continue reading That time Geddy Lee told me how Rush views the mixing process

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 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

Cook da Books join Icicle Works and Frankie Goes to Hollywood in putting Liverpool back on the musical map

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 14, 1985 By Steve Newton Liverpool, England has been producing some rather electrifying bands of late. The city that grew famous for giving the world the Beatles is back in vogue with groups like Frankies Goes to Hollywood, Icicle Works, and Cook da Books–who opened Joan Armatrading’s sellout show at the … Continue reading Cook da Books join Icicle Works and Frankie Goes to Hollywood in putting Liverpool back on the musical map

Dan McCafferty explains the story behind Nazareth’s controversial “Vancouver Shakedown”

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOVEMBER 23, 1984 By Steve Newton Back about ten years ago, one of the coolest things for a Chilliwack high school student to do was cruise up and down the town’s main drag–preferably in a Dodge Dart–and play eight-track tapes as close to the distortion level as possible. And as I recall, … Continue reading Dan McCafferty explains the story behind Nazareth’s controversial “Vancouver Shakedown”

Great White packs ’em in like sardines in Vancouver

me ‘n Jack after the show ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 30, 1989 By Steve Newton They turned away several hundred rock-hungry fans at the doors but it was still Sardine City inside Club Soda when L.A.’s popular mainstream metallists, Great White, took the stage Monday night (June 26). People started lining up at one in … Continue reading Great White packs ’em in like sardines in Vancouver

That time 25-year-old Paul Gilbert told me how he wangled a ride from a Mr. Big fan to see Pat Travers near Vancouver

By Steve Newton I interviewed Mr. Big guitarist Paul Gilbert back in March of 1992, when the band was in Detroit, touring behind its second album, Lean Into It. That’s the one that spawned the #1 hit single “To Be With You”, and went platinum in the States. Mr. Big was gonna be playing Vancouver … Continue reading That time 25-year-old Paul Gilbert told me how he wangled a ride from a Mr. Big fan to see Pat Travers near Vancouver

Ear of Newt and the Tapes Archive present the Alex Van Halen 1995 interview

By Steve Newton Here’s a special treat for all you Van Halen freaks out there–even the ones who liked the Sammy years. For the first time ever the entire audio of my 1995 interview with Alex Van Halen is being offered to the public for free, thanks to a partnership between Ear of Newt and … Continue reading Ear of Newt and the Tapes Archive present the Alex Van Halen 1995 interview

That time I asked Alex Van Halen how much longer he expected Van Halen to keep on rocking

By Steve Newton Back in August of 1995 I interviewed Alex Van Halen, legendary skin-basher for Van Halen, while the band was touring behind its Bruce Fairbairn-produced Balance album. That tour had been dubbed “The Ambulance Tour” by Eddie, due to his hip problems and Alex rupturing three vertebrae in his neck. So as the … Continue reading That time I asked Alex Van Halen how much longer he expected Van Halen to keep on rocking

That time drum great Steve Smith told me about getting kicked out of Journey by Steve Perry

By Steve Newton Back in March of 1987 I interviewed American drummer Steve Smith, who was bringing his jazz-fusion group Vital Information to Vancouver for a club gig at the Town Pump. Before that Smith had spent seven years with Journey, and was part of that band when it hit it big with singles like … Continue reading That time drum great Steve Smith told me about getting kicked out of Journey by Steve Perry

10 minutes on the phone with Ronnie James Dio during the Sacred Heart Tour of 1985

By Steve Newton Last night on Crave I watched the Ronnie James Dio documentary Dio: Dreamers Never Die, which I thought did a fine job of detailing the heavy-metal singer’s career in music. I especially enjoyed hearing the commentary from metal musicians like Deep Purple’s Roger Glover, Quiet Riot’s Rudy Sarzo, Judas Priest’s Rob Halford, … Continue reading 10 minutes on the phone with Ronnie James Dio during the Sacred Heart Tour of 1985