ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MARCH 20, 1997 By Steve Newton Last Sunday night (March 16) I had three pretty good reasons for not wanting to drag my butt off a comfy couch and head downtown in the rain to review a rock show at the Rage. First off, I was tuckered out after the previous night’s … Continue reading Josh Homme’s grinding overdrive helps Screaming Trees wake up Vancouver on a Sunday night
kevin statham photo ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 14, 1996 By Steve Newton At a private party in Yaletown last Friday (November 8), after the first of three Tragically Hip shows at the Pacific Coliseum, vocalist Gordon Downie leaned determinedly over a pool table to set up what he hoped would be a game-winning shot. He … Continue reading Gord Downie sinks the cue ball after the Hip gets a hero’s welcome on the Trouble at the Henhouse tour
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 15, 1997 By Steve Newton Although I’m usually too lazy to bother fiddling with LPs these days, those old black beauties sure do come in handy when I’m preparing to interview a band that’s been around as long as Rush. Shuffling through my prized rows of plastic-enclosed 12-inchers, I come across … Continue reading Geddy Lee on the music of the ’70s, the Order of Canada, and the full-time job of Rush
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 13, 1997 By Steve Newton When Ventures cofounder Bob Bogle walked onto a Seattle used-car lot one afternoon in 1959, he wasn’t expecting to form the nucleus of what would become the world’s top-selling instrumental-rock band—he was just looking for some new wheels. Fortunately, he ran into aspiring rhythm guitarist Don … Continue reading Ventures guitarist Don Wilson on the origin and influence of “Walk, Don’t Run”
On the phone from his Boston home, Earl comes off as an artist driven as much by compassion for others as by a personal joy in making music.
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 26, 1993 By Steve Newton It was the clash of the American rock titans last Sunday (August 22) at the Coliseum, and after Big Bad Bobby D. took on Carlos “The Fret Strangler” Santana in a four-hour, 15-man battle royal, only one man remained standing as a certified rock champ of … Continue reading Carlos Santana cleans Bob Dylan’s clock in the clash of the Yankee rock titans
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 5, 1994 By Steve Newton When I was in my early 20s, I made what for me was a major investment. I bought a near-new, shiny black Fender Stratocaster. The fact that I couldn’t even play guitar at the time didn’t matter; I figured anything that cool-looking had to sound good, … Continue reading Aussie guitar wizard Tommy Emmanuel on playing with Chet Atkins and looking after Lenny Breau
kevin statham photo ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 11, 1995 By Steve Newton Some rock bands have a magical way of winning over a crowd straightaway, and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers are a prime example. I saw them do it back in ’78 at the Commodore on the You’re Gonna Get It tour, and they … Continue reading Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers leave Vancouver reeling with a two-hour barrage of cannonball rock
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 11, 1996 By Steve Newton That Flea guy is a real character. For my phone interview with the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ wildman bassist, I was instructed to call and ask for Mr. Ugly Stupid, the moniker Flea goes by when he’s on the road. But I started feeling a tad … Continue reading Chili Peppers bass god Flea won’t answer to Mr. Ugly Stinky
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 16, 1996 By Steve Newton The members of London, Ontario, rock quartet Buffalo Brothers come from all over the largest of the Canuck provinces. Drummer Glen Gamble grew up in Brantford, bassist Jeff Fountain hails from North Bay, keyboardist Michael Bonnell calls Sault Sainte Marie home, and singer-guitarist Shaun Sanders is … Continue reading Ontario’s Buffalo Brothers pay the price for that sweet Hammond B-3 sound
The real-life events portrayed in Walking Tall took place not far from where DBT vocalist-guitarist Patterson Hood grew up in north Alabama.
kevin statham photo ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 25, 1991 By Steve Newton The chameleon-like Neil Young has traveled through a kaleidoscope of musical styles over the years, switching effortlessly (and with varying degrees of success) between acoustic folk, bare-bones country, futuristic techno-bop, rockabilly, and whatever else happened to pique his interest at the time. But … Continue reading Neil Young & Crazy Horse create a gorgeous, gut-wrenching guitar noise on the Smell the Horse Tour
On the Saturday afternoon when Tom Wilson calls from his Hamilton home, he’s still buzzing from a wild gig the previous night in Quebec City.
