By Steve Newton I wouldn’t say that the Allman Brothers were as great, back in 1994, as they were when Duane was in the band, but holy crap were they still a smokin’ hot band! A lot of that smoke was conjured up by Warren Haynes, who Dickey Betts brought with him when the band … Continue reading That time I asked Warren Haynes how long he thought the Allman Brothers might stay together
By Steve Newton I’ve said it before, and I’ll probly say it again: I wish I could have interviewed Warren Zevon more than once. But as the pesky fates would have it, I only got to the chat with the masterful songwriter and awesome human one time, back in January of 1992, when he was … Continue reading That time Warren Zevon told me about his cool-looking mascot, Old Velvet Nose
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 11, 1986 By Steve Newton One of the most talked about lineup changes in rock these days involves Van Halen’s switch from David Lee Roth to Sammy Hagar. “Nobody could replace Diamond Dave”, said some, while others pointed to the fine work Hagar did with influential metal band Montrose. Well the … Continue reading Album review: Van Halen, 5150 (1986)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 8, 1987 By Steve Newton “What are your favourite bands?” I get asked that a lot, and it’s a tough question. For someone who listens to a lot of different records, favourite bands come and go. But for me, probably the most endearing rock group is Thin Lizzy. And it’s not just because their music was so … Continue reading Album review: Gary Moore, Wild Frontier (1987)
chris cameron photo ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MARCH 25, 1988 By Steve Newton Some guys have it and some guys don’t. A great band, that is. Springsteen had one when he played here in 1984. And the latest hero of the American heartland, John Cougar Mellencamp, had one at the sold-out Coliseum last Saturday (March 19). Mellencamp was definitely the … Continue reading John Cougar Mellencamp sells seats, not principles, in Vancouver
kevin statham photo ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MARCH 18, 1988 By Steve Newton One of the most memorable concerts of this scribbler’s young life was seeing Kiss at the Commodore Ballroom just after the release of its second album, Hotter Than Hell. A bunch of my buddies and I had crammed into a rented van and driven up … Continue reading Kiss struggles on stage in 1988, can’t rekindle the magic of Alive! from ’75
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 12, 1986 By Steve Newton This latest offering from Aussie ear-busters AC/DC is the official soundtrack of the new Stephen King film Maximum Overdrive. So is it music to watch possessed trucks run people over by? You betcha. Actually, Who Made Who is more of a compilation album … Continue reading Album review: AC/DC, Who Made Who (1986)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 2, 1985 By Steve Newton For their ninth album–and their first on Capitol Records–Heart have utilized the talents of celebrated producer Ron Nevison (Led Zeppelin, the Who), and come up with a catchy collection of heavy-duty rock tunes and soaring ballads. The rockers take up the bulk of this self-titled LP, rugged … Continue reading Album review: Heart, Heart (1985)
So what are these four black guys doing playing in a straightforward, heavy-duty rock band? They’re crossing barriers…
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 2, 1984 By Steve Newton My choice for best instrumental rock album of the year–so far–has got to be this new release by former Dixie Dregs guitarist Steve Morse. With accompaniment from bassist Jerry Peek and drummer Rod Morgenstein, Morse unleashes some of the tastiest riffs imaginable, melding … Continue reading Album review: Steve Morse, The Introduction (1984)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON FEB. 12, 1988 By Steve Newton Old Diamond Dave had his hands full surpassing his 1986 LP Eat ‘Em and Smile, but with this new one, Skyscraper, he’s certainly done just that. In his first endeavour as producer Roth has come up with a brilliantly played and varied hard-rock album that should turn … Continue reading Album review: David Lee Roth, Skyscraper (1988)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 20, 1995 By Steve Newton Canadian guitar-rock heroes the Tragically Hip took all of Vancouver by surprise on July 12 when they announced a last-minute concert that night at the wee Railway Club (capacity 176). When word went out over local rock station 99.3 the Fox that 75 wristbands for the … Continue reading The Tragically Hip causes traffic havoc before getting messy with a surprise gig at Vancouver’s wee Railway Club
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, APRIL 22, 1983 By Steve Newton Gary Moore is an astounding rock guitarist, capable of wrenching the most scintillating and unique licks imaginable from six strings. His brief stints with Colosseum II and Thin Lizzy showed him to be a versatile and technically superior player, and on Corridors of … Continue reading Album review: Gary Moore, Corridors of Power (1983)
