By Steve Newton Hey, how about another audio excerpt from an old interview I did with one of my fave guitarists, Dickey Betts? Back in 1992 I was talkin’ to Dickey about the Allmans’ latest album, An Evening With the Allman Brothers Band: First Set. The disc’s cover photo, taken by the inimitable Kirk West, … Continue reading That time Dickey Betts told me how sweet the buses were that the Allman Brothers toured in
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON DEC. 11, 1987 By Steve Newton Remember that neat movie from 1970, The Magic Christian, which starred Peter Sellers and Ringo Starr and was a cutting farce on the lengths people would go to to get money? And remember that film’s nifty theme song, “Come and Get It”, which sounded like the Beatles but … Continue reading Badfinger’s Joey Molland on working with the Beatles and dealing with the fallout of suicide
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, OCT. 11, 1990 By Steve Newton Has AC/DC ever put out a bad record? I doubt it. But their efforts haven’t all been great, either. The band’s latest, the Vancouver-made (and grammatically incorrect) The Razors Edge falls somewhere between the band’s strongest (Powerage, Back in Black) and weakest … Continue reading Album review: AC/DC, The Razors Edge (1990)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 6, 1987 By Steve Newton John Mayall knows blues guitarists. And it’s no wonder since he’s played with the best of them–guys like Eric Clapton and Mick Taylor. But the two lead players he brought with him to the Commodore last Thursday (October 29) were so hot that they literally stole … Continue reading John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers slay Vancouver with smokin’ guitarists Montoya and Trout
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MARCH 25, 1983 By Steve Newton Dedicated to the memory of Randy Rhoads, the first album by his former band is one heavy chunk of vinyl. “Metal Health”, “Slick Black Cadillac”, and “Breathless” are all excellent, bang-your-head crotch rockers, but the album’s most outstanding cuts are the bluesy “Don’t Want to Let … Continue reading Album review: Quiet Riot, Metal Health (1983)
Sora: Desire and Truth (2009) Rob Zombie: Hellbilly Deluxe 2 (2009) Rod Stewart, Soulbook (2009) Joe Perry: Have Guitar, Will Travel (2009) Damon Fowler, Sugar Shack (2009) Lynyrd Skynyrd: God & Guns (2009) John Fogerty: The Blue Ridge Rangers Rides Again (2009) The Bottle Rockets: Lean Forward (2009) Various Artists: True Blood, Music from the … Continue reading album reviews
By Steve Newton Interviewing amazing guitar players is one of my favourite things to do, and Yes guitarist Steve Howe has always been one of the best in my books. I’ve chatted with him three times, in 1998, 2001, and then 2017, before the latest version of Yes played Vancouver’s Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Steve’s always … Continue reading Yes guitarist Steve Howe says that the respect he has for classical musicians is above all others
kevin statham photo ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 6, 1987 By Steve Newton Devoted fans of serious music should make a point of being as far away as possible from the 86 Street Music Hall this Tuesday (November 10). However, those with less cultivated tastes–and a penchant for rowdy, party-time country rock with … Continue reading The Beat Farmers’ Country Dick Montana offers tips for men and insight into The Pursuit of Happiness
By Steve Newton The most popular story I ever posted on Ear of Newt–until I broke the news about AC/DC being spotted in Vancouver back in 2018–was the one from 2014 with the headline Yngwie Malmsteen calls Ibanez guitars “a bad copy” of the Strat and says Les Pauls are “furniture”. For some reason people–mostly guitar … Continue reading Caught on tape: that time Strat fanatic Yngwie Malmsteen trash-talked Ibanez and Les Paul guitars
texastengu photo By Steve Newton When you see a promotional image of Warren Haynes, or an in-concert shot, the American guitar legend is almost always clutching a Les Paul. So I was kinda surprised to see that on the most recent Gov’t Mule album, Revolution Come…Revolution Go, there’s a photo of him in the CD … Continue reading Guitar legend Warren Haynes admits he’s “a Gibson guy”, but still likes to play a Fender now and then
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)
kirk west photo By Steve Newton I love talking to Warren Haynes. Apart from being one of my fave guitarists, he’s just such a cool, cool guy. I did my sixth interview with Haynes in 2017, when Gov’t Mule was playing a show at Vancouver’s Vogue Theatre. At one point in the interview I had … Continue reading Warren Haynes says that playing guitar with Derek Trucks comes naturally, “like drinkin’ water”
kevin kane photo By Steve Newton I called Steve Howe up at a Yes tour stop in San Diego in 2017 and had a nice chat with the British guitar wizard, who I’ve adored ever since first hearing him go to town on “Roundabout” back in the seventies. During our conversation I asked Steve about … Continue reading Yes guitarist Steve Howe on paying tribute to bass god Chris Squire at the Rock Hall
