ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, AUG. 23, 1990 By Steve Newton When Swedish guitar whiz Yngwie Malmsteen burst onto the hard-rock scene in ’84 with the Rising Force album, he took a lot of people by surprise—and it wasn’t just his funny name (pronounced “Ing-vay”) that did it. Malmsteen was a classically influenced speed-demon, … Continue reading Album review: Yngwie Malmsteen, Eclipse (1990)
kirk west photo By Steve Newton Warren Haynes is one of my alltime favourite guitarists, singers, and songwriters, so any chance I get to interview him I take. I’ve chatted with him five times for stories on Gov’t Mule, and once–back in 1994–when he was speaking as a member of the fabled Allman Brothers Band. … Continue reading Warren Haynes says he’s open to playing with former Allman Brothers bandmate Dickey Betts again
kirk west photo By Steve Newton If you’re a dedicated fan of the Allman Brothers Band, you no doubt own a copy of their historic 1971 live album, At Fillmore East. Of course, that double disc was highlighted by the amazing slide-guitar talents of Duane Allman, who died in a motorcycle crash three months after its … Continue reading That time I asked Dickey Betts if it was tough picking tunes for the Allman Brothers’ live album of ’92
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SEPT. 4, 1987 By Steve Newton Heart has come a long way from the days when they used to play high-school dances and small-town community halls across B.C. They drew 12,000 fans to the Pacific Coliseum last Friday (August 28), and the predominance of David Bowie and Huey Lewis t-shirts in … Continue reading Heart singer Ann Wilson’s passionate wails can still send a shiver up the spine in 1987
By Steve Newton Back in 1997 I did my one and only interview with guitar legend Link Wray, and man was that cool. He’s always been one of those players who never got the credit he deserved, considering how influential he was. Those boneheads down at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame haven’t even … Continue reading That time Link Wray told me why he became a rocker
Three American guitar heroes unite for a tour that sees each of them performing a separate set before they combine on a three-song jam-o-rama.
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, AUG. 31, 2017 By Steve Newton The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is notorious for taking forever to induct bands that almost everyone but the institution’s voting members thinks are overdue for entry. There was much frustration among rock fans—especially of the Canuck persuasion—when the mighty Rush kept getting shunned, … Continue reading Yes guitarist Steve Howe on playing at 70 and the tragedy of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
jeremy williams photo ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SEPT. 15, 2017 By Steve Newton The Tedeschi Trucks Band played Vancouver last summer, in the midst of the U.S. presidential campaign, and in advance of the show I interviewed singer Susan Tedeschi. Knowing that she and hubby-guitarist Derek Trucks were big fans of Barack Obama—and had actually performed … Continue reading Warren Haynes confronts a fractured America on Gov’t Mule’s Revolution Come…Revolution Go
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 17, 1987 By Steve Newton Little Steven Van Zandt has carved out a significant niche for himself in the music world by putting his politics front and centre on his records. But it was not always so for the former member of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, who plays a central role … Continue reading Little Steven Van Zandt’s social conscience rings loud and clear on Freedom–No Compromise
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, OCT. 27, 1994 By Steve Newton For a while it looked like a minor riot might break out on the Granville Mall last Sunday night, even with our cup-fumbling Canuckleheads out of action. But only a few disgruntled Cult fans among the estimated 2,000 to 3,000 turned away from … Continue reading Disgruntled Cult fans pelt Commodore door with donations at surprise Food Bank benefit
I only got to interview Chris Cornell once, but I came away from that conversation with an impression of him as a very thoughtful guy.
By Steve Newton Anyone who’s aware of the monstrous talent of Tal Wilkenfeld only knows her for her skills on the bass guitar, which she’s used to showcase her abilities with the likes of Jeff Beck, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, and scores of other famous players. But when she first came over to the States from … Continue reading That time Tal Wilkenfeld told me about her switching from guitar to bass
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON DEC. 28, 1995 By Steve Newton If a longhaired, bearded, beer-bellied guy in a teal Precidia pulls up next to you on a rain-soaked Vancouver street, there’s a good chance it’ll be me. And if the unmistakable strains of Stevie Ray Vaughan’s guitar are escaping the vehicle’s minute confines, you’ll know it’s … Continue reading 18-year-old Kenny Wayne Shepherd recalls being seven and watching Stevie Ray Vaughan from Stevie’s amp case
