Kenny Wayne Shepherd never played with Stevie Ray, but still has hope for Clapton

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 7, 2000 By Steve Newton When Kenny Wayne Shepherd calls the Straight on a crapping-out cellphone from the wasteland of Duluth, Minnesota, it feels like a mixed blessing. On one hand, I’m happy to chat with anyone who’s helping to keep the Strat-ified blues-raunch spirit of Stevie Ray … Continue reading Kenny Wayne Shepherd never played with Stevie Ray, but still has hope for Clapton

Steve Vai on his long fingers, long feet, long arms, and…“you know”

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SEPT. 25, 1996 By Steve Newton On the cover of his Grammy-nominated Alien Love Secrets CD, Steve Vai strikes a pose while covered in metallic-blue body paint. He’s got his hands over his face and is peering out from between fingers that are so long, you’d think one of those multilimbed creatures … Continue reading Steve Vai on his long fingers, long feet, long arms, and…“you know”

Rob Zombie’s kid brother Spider One is Powerman 5000’s superhero

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 27, 2000 By Steve Newton Powerman 5000’s current record-company bio opens with a quote from vocalist Spider One, in which he explains that “being in a band is as close as I could get to being a superhero.” Now, I’ve seen a lot of bands, but never any that were capable—U2’s … Continue reading Rob Zombie’s kid brother Spider One is Powerman 5000’s superhero

The Hoodoo Gurus’ Brad Shepherd talks Aussie rock and Magnum Cum Louder

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 3, 1989 By Steve Newton The day afer the San Francisco earthquake, Hoodoo Gurus guitarist Brad Shepherd called me from Oxford, Mississippi. His band was scheduled to play the city by the bay in two weeks, and he wasn’t even sure if the venue they were booked into was still standing. Although … Continue reading The Hoodoo Gurus’ Brad Shepherd talks Aussie rock and Magnum Cum Louder

After scary times in Bosnia the smalls set their sights on Texas

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 25, 2000 By Steve Newton Last February, Edmonton guitar-rockers the smalls found a unique way to celebrate their 10 years together: they kicked off a month-long European tour with a few dates in that popular wintertime destination, Bosnia-Herzegovina. When bassist-songwriter Corby Lund calls from outside of Winnipeg with the claim that … Continue reading After scary times in Bosnia the smalls set their sights on Texas

Southern Culture on the Skids’ Rick Miller loves Link Wray and Danelectros

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON FEB. 8, 2001 By Steve Newton True to its name, Southern Culture on the Skids has always endeavoured to promote the stereotypical lifestyles of the culturally challenged dwellers in the former Confederate states. On previous CDs like Dirt Track Date and Plastic Seat Sweat, the North Carolina roots-rockers told tales of backwoods … Continue reading Southern Culture on the Skids’ Rick Miller loves Link Wray and Danelectros

Debbie Davies holds her own with the big boys of blues

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 5, 2001 By Steve Newton When I hear the name Jay Geils nowadays, I remember how I used to whip over to an old Chilliwack High School buddy’s house at lunch hour for a quick fix of tuna on toast and the latest ’70s rock sounds. Sometimes it was Foghat’s Energized … Continue reading Debbie Davies holds her own with the big boys of blues

Teenage slide-guitar ace Derek Trucks says his goal is not to play like Duane Allman

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN EXPERIENCE HENDRIX MAGAZINE, MAY/JUNE 1998 By Steve Newton Teenage blues-rocker Kenny Wayne Shepherd has a great story about how he got inspired to take up guitar. It has something to do with him, as a little kid, watching Stevie Ray Vaughan perform from atop one of the Texas guitar legend’s amp cases. … Continue reading Teenage slide-guitar ace Derek Trucks says his goal is not to play like Duane Allman

The Fixx’s Cy Curnin talks Rupert Hine, Tina Turner, and fear-driven censorship in 1984

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON OCT. 12, 1984 By Steve Newton “It’s good fun coming up into Canada,” says Fixx vocalist Cy Curnin, who called from Ottawa last week. “You notice a difference moving from America to Canada, in that the audiences are really refreshing up here. They seem to listen a lot more, and at the … Continue reading The Fixx’s Cy Curnin talks Rupert Hine, Tina Turner, and fear-driven censorship in 1984

Kim Mitchell on the re-rise and re-fall of Max Webster

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MARCH 2, 2000 By Steve Newton If, like me, you’re a Kim Mitchell fan from way back, you may have been wondering just where the hell he’s been lately. I mean, he hasn’t played Vancouver in nine years, whereas in the ’80s he’d show up regularly to be a wild party and … Continue reading Kim Mitchell on the re-rise and re-fall of Max Webster

13 Engines are runaway locomotives at the Town Pump in Vancouver

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 15, 1991 By Steve Newton 13 Engines once played a gig in Memphis to a total of two people, which is less of a crowd than most bands get at rehearsals. But the Toronto foursome did a heckuva lot better than that at the Town Pump last week (August 7), pulling … Continue reading 13 Engines are runaway locomotives at the Town Pump in Vancouver

Bill Henderson says Chilliwack ripped off its name for the First Nations vibe

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JAN. 6, 2000 By Steve Newton It’s a bit weird coming from a small town that has the same name as a popular ’70s rock band. When you admit to having been born and bred in Chilliwack, there’s always some joker who’ll wonder aloud, “Hey, isn’t that where that ‘Crazy Talk’ band … Continue reading Bill Henderson says Chilliwack ripped off its name for the First Nations vibe

Alice Cooper proves himself the undisputed King of Nasty Rock in Vancouver

kevin statham photo ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SEPT. 16, 1999 By Steve Newton In my recent interview with Alice Cooper he claimed that the set list for his current tour “includes all of the hits”, but time constraints rarely allow a performer—especially one who’s been around for nearly 30 years—to live up to that claim. Still, even … Continue reading Alice Cooper proves himself the undisputed King of Nasty Rock in Vancouver