bev davies photo By Steve Newton On January 21, 1984, B.B. King was in the midst of a two-week stand at the Plazazz Showroom in North Vancouver, and I got the thrill of my blues-loving life when I sat down with him in his hotel room and asked him a bunch of questions. Some of … Continue reading B.B. King plays Vancouver in 1984, Newt gets the scoop (and a photo)
By Steve Newton I’ve interviewed a lot of incredible bluesmen over the years, including Stevie Ray Vaughan, Albert King, Albert Collins, and Roy Buchanan. But far and away the nicest was B.B. King. Famed Vancouver punk-rock photographer Bev Davies snapped this shot of me ‘n’ B.B. in his hotel room at the Plazazz Showroom in … Continue reading B.B. King: The nicest bluesman I ever met
By Steve Newton Guns N’ Roses were probably the biggest rock band in the world–or was fighting it out with U2 for that title–when this telling photo was snapped backstage in the early ’90s sometime. The thing I remember most about meeting Slash was when he offered me a guzzle from the bottle of Jack … Continue reading That time I turned down a swig of Slash’s JD at a Guns N’ Roses gig
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 25, 2013 By Steve Newton When a veteran rocker calls in the midst of doing a major North American tour, it’s pretty common for him to use terms like amazing and awesome in response to the journalist’s tried-and-true icebreaker: “So, how’s the tour going?” But when Jason Newsted rings in from … Continue reading Ex-Metallica bassist Jason Newsted says that, with his new band, you work twice as hard for half as much
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 12, 1993 By Steve Newton In last week’s paper we ran a little panel discussion wherein various local music experts put forth their thoughts on the pros and con of ’70s rock. Strong melodies, simplicity, and a positive outlook were pointed to as favourable aspects of that musical era, while the … Continue reading It’s ’70s-rock heaven as Blue Öyster Cult, Wishbone Ash, Uriah Heep, and Nazareth play Vancouver
He caught my attention again when he started peeing all over the stage and then aimed his weenie at the poor folks in the front row.
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 5, 1993 By Steve Newton Whatever happened to Steve Hackett? Good question. Considering how visible all four of his former bandmates in Genesis have been, Hackett has been conspicuously absent from the music scene. Or at least it seems that way here in North America. But in actual fact, the 43-year-old … Continue reading Steve Hackett says that everyone he’s ever played with in Genesis has managed to write at least one incredible song
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 28, 2005 By Steve Newton My earliest memory of drinkin’ beer goes back to when I was about seven or eight. Don’t panic, I wasn’t wasted. I just recall sampling the warm dregs of my dad’s Black Label stubby while watching an Original Six NHL game on the tube. It was … Continue reading Zakk Wylde says that Dimebag Darrell is keeping the beer on ice up in God’s tavern
Some of my interviews, arranged alphabetically, from AC/DC to ZZ Top AC/DC Malcolm Young & Brian Johnson, 1983 AEROSMITH Joe Perry, Sept. 2010 AEROSMITH Steven Tyler, 1997 AEROSMITH Joe Perry, 1997 AEROSMITH Tom Hamilton, 1994 AEROSMITH Joe Perry, 1993 AEROSMITH Joe Perry, 1988 AEROSMITH Tom Hamilton, 1983 THE ALAN PARSONS PROJECT Lenny Zakatek, 1983 THE ALARM … Continue reading interviews
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON OCT. 12, 2011 By Steve Newton When it comes to politically motivated rockers, you won’t find many more motivated than Tom Morello. Whether blasting out the intense guitar work that propels Rage Against the Machine’s anticorporate rap-metal agenda or taking on the Woody Guthrie–inspired folk-balladeer persona of his solo project, the Nightwatchman, … Continue reading Activist-rocker Tom Morello says that the people who run this world don’t deserve to
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JAN. 31, 2007 By Steve Newton When the Dixie Chicks asked Pete Yorn if he wanted to collaborate with them, they didn’t have to ask twice. After he met the ultratalented Texas trio at an after-Grammy party in New York City, they invited him out to Austin to write songs for what … Continue reading Pete Yorn gets into Warren Zevon and enjoys his time as a Chicks magnet
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JAN. 6, 1984 By Steve Newton British supergroup Genesis–lead vocalist-drummer Phil Collins, keyboardist Tony Banks, and guitarist-bassist Mike Rutherford–will be appearing at the Pacific Coliseum this Monday, January 9. They will be joined in concert by touring members Daryl Stuermer on guitar and Chester Thompson on drums. I spoke to Rutherford over … Continue reading Mike Rutherford looks at his watch and says Genesis will probably make it through tonight’s show
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 19, 1985 By Steve Newton When legendary guitarist Eric Clapton steps before the Coliseum audience Saturday (July 27) he will be fronting a stellar group of musicians. Bassist Donald “Duck” Dunn is something of a legend himself among musicians, having played with Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Booker T and the … Continue reading My one and only interview with bass legend Donald “Duck” Dunn
