ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 13, 1992 By Steve Newton Some hard-rock bands like to boast about not using keyboards; they take pride in sticking with the trusty old guitar-bass-drums ideal. Guns N’ Roses might have been such a band in its early days, but when it came time to record its ground-breaking Use Your Illusion … Continue reading Now that he’s in Guns N’ Roses Dizzy Reed can buy drinks for all his freennz
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON OCT. 8, 1992 By Steve Newton There’s nothing like timing it just right, so that when you walk into a concert venue the band’s just going on stage. But sometimes that I-don’t-feel-like-waitin’ approach backfires, and you end up missing a few tunes by the group you’re all geared up to see. It’s … Continue reading Blue Rodeo doesn’t recommend taking acid at the Commodore in Vancouver
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 26, 1992 By Steve Newton If there were a CRTC regulation that based Canadian content on actual lyrics as opposed to the citizenship of a song’s composer, the Tragically Hip would be the darlings of CanCon advocates across the country. On their new album, Fully Completely, the Hipsters mention everything from … Continue reading Gordon Downie goes Fully Completely Canadian on new Tragically Hip album
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 30, 2014 By Steve Newton When you interview rockers on the road you always try to find out where they’re located, so you can write “When so-and-so calls from wherever” and establish a setting for the conversation. But when I contact blues-rocker George Thorogood–who plays the Hard Rock Casino Vancouver this … Continue reading Muddy Waters didn’t want George Thorogood’s “Bad to the Bone”, but Bo Diddley did
kevin statham photo ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JAN. 21, 1993 By Steve Newton The Rolling Stones have owned the Granville Mall of late. A couple of months back Ronnie Wood played the Commodore; now Keith Richards has ripped things up a few doors down at the Orpheum. Maybe Mick Jagger will continue the trend and drop … Continue reading Keith Richards’ other great band kicks out all the jams in Vancouver
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 19, 1993 By Steve Newton When I interviewed Aerosmith’s Joe Perry last week, the former doper explained that music was his drug of choice now, that it was capable of giving him an instant attitude change whenever he needed it. Well, last Saturday (August 14) Perry and his mates showed yours … Continue reading Aerosmith kicks major butt in Vancouver on the Get a Trip Tour
kevin statham photo ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON OCT. 7, 1993 By Steve Newton Vancouver vocalist Devin Townsend caused a minor uproar (and prompted a few letters to the editor) when I interviewed him a few weeks back. Some folks didn’t appreciate the 21-year-old’s caustic view of the music industry or his offhand remarks regarding the guitar … Continue reading Steve Vai takes Devin Townsend on in a fierce guitar duel but doesn’t let the home team win
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON DEC. 13, 1990 By Steve Newton Hawkwind may just well be the ultimate cult band. The British progressive/space metal act has released more than 20 albums since its inception in 1969—and sold millions. Yet ask the person next to you if they’ve ever actually heard the band—least of all bought one of … Continue reading Dave Brock says Hawkwind’s space-rock wasn’t influenced by anyone
Anybody out there remember the old Davy Crockett TV show, starring Fess Parker as the coonskin-capped Tennessee woodsman?
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 6, 1991 By Steve Newton The five members of the Doobie Brothers that pull into the Pacific Coliseum on Friday (June 7) will be the same five guys that posed nearly naked on the racy (for 1972) fold-out sleeve of the breakthrough Toulouse Street album. They’re also the same gang that … Continue reading The Doobie Brothers’ Tom Johnston recalls being nuts in the ’70s
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 13, 1991 By Steve Newton Only 4,000 fans showed up for the Doobie Brothers show last Friday, which is not a particularly impressive turnout for any Coliseum act, least of all one that’s sold as many albums as the Doobies. Maybe the general consensus is that the Doobies aren’t hip—or even … Continue reading Doobie Brothers deliver the goods but can’t pull a big crowd in Vancouver on the Brotherhood Tour
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON FEB. 21, 1991 By Steve Newton I wasn’t expecting such a cheery tone from Tragically Hip lead guitarist Bobby Baker when he called recently from the band’s hometown of Kingston, Ontario. When the band played Vancouver last—at the Trade & Convention Centre’s New Year’s Eve bash—the crowd pelted the band with beer … Continue reading Bobby Baker thinks the Tragically Hip are better players and songwriters on new Road Apples
kevin statham photos ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MARCH 21, 1991 By Steve Newton Oh man—talk about going back in time! There was Ted Nugent riffing out on “Cat Scratch Fever” and screeching like he had a severe case of it. There was former Styx guitarist Tommy Shaw whipping his still-blond locks every which way while churning … Continue reading Damn Yankees with the Nuge kicks ass; Bad Company without Paul Rodgers licks it
