Steve Hackett says that everyone he’s ever played with in Genesis has managed to write at least one incredible song

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 5, 1993 By Steve Newton Whatever happened to Steve Hackett? Good question. Considering how visible all four of his former bandmates in Genesis have been, Hackett has been conspicuously absent from the music scene. Or at least it seems that way here in North America. But in actual fact, the 43-year-old … Continue reading Steve Hackett says that everyone he’s ever played with in Genesis has managed to write at least one incredible song

Mike Rutherford looks at his watch and says Genesis will probably make it through tonight’s show

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JAN. 6, 1984 By Steve Newton British supergroup Genesis–lead vocalist-drummer Phil Collins, keyboardist Tony Banks, and guitarist-bassist Mike Rutherford–will be appearing at the Pacific Coliseum this Monday, January 9. They will be joined in concert by touring members Daryl Stuermer on guitar and Chester Thompson on drums.  I spoke to Rutherford over … Continue reading Mike Rutherford looks at his watch and says Genesis will probably make it through tonight’s show

Aerosmith shows Vancouver it can still make it through anything

photo by the Newt ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, SEPT. 17, 2010 Thursday (September 16) was a big night in Vancouver for legendary guitar acts from the ’70s. Over on the North Shore you had Johnny Winter at the Centennial Theatre, while, downtown, Aerosmith was packing them in at Rogers Arena. I don’t know how the albino blues-rocker … Continue reading Aerosmith shows Vancouver it can still make it through anything

Chris Cornell on the rise of grunge and the job of the rock icon

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 5, 2008 By Steve Newton It’s been 17 years since the grunge revolution blasted full-throttle out of Seattle, but Chris Cornell remembers it well. As the frontman for Soundgarden, Cornell was a chief architect of the genre, which formed as a backlash to the stagnating commercial rock of the day. “At … Continue reading Chris Cornell on the rise of grunge and the job of the rock icon

The New York Dolls’ David Johansen says that the Harlots of 42nd Street were his favourite band

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 25, 2005 By Steve Newton Looking back, 1973 was a wicked fuckin’ year for American guitar-rock albums. It saw the release of Alice Cooper‘s Billion Dollar Babies, Blue Oyster Cult‘s Tyranny and Mutation, Johnny Winter‘s Still Alive and Well, and the debuts by Aerosmith, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Montrose, and the New York Dolls. … Continue reading The New York Dolls’ David Johansen says that the Harlots of 42nd Street were his favourite band

Van Halen still brings the dynamite in both hands

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, OCT. 28, 2004 By Steve Newton Much has been made of the Sam & Dave controversy in regard to American hard-rock legends Van Halen. There are those who scoff at the idea of the band existing without original vocalist David Lee Roth, while others feel that his replacement, Sammy Hagar, has … Continue reading Van Halen still brings the dynamite in both hands

B.B. King: The nicest bluesman I ever met

By Steve Newton I’ve interviewed a lot of incredible bluesmen over the years, including Stevie Ray Vaughan, Albert King, Albert Collins, and Roy Buchanan. But far and away the nicest was B.B. King. Famed Vancouver punk-rock photographer Bev Davies snapped this shot of me ‘n’ B.B. in his hotel room at the Plazazz Showroom in … Continue reading B.B. King: The nicest bluesman I ever met

Ex-Metallica bassist Jason Newsted says that, with his new band, you work twice as hard for half as much

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 25, 2013 By Steve Newton When a veteran rocker calls in the midst of doing a major North American tour, it’s pretty common for him to use terms like amazing and awesome in response to the journalist’s tried-and-true icebreaker: “So, how’s the tour going?” But when Jason Newsted rings in from … Continue reading Ex-Metallica bassist Jason Newsted says that, with his new band, you work twice as hard for half as much

Guitar phenom Allan Holdsworth says he’s not impressed by flash

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 11, 1983 By Steve Newton Eddie Van Halen calls him “fantastic”. Gary Moore says “he’s frightening. He’s definitely dangerous and getting better all the time.” Carlos Santana gives him “more credit than anyone for just pure expression in soloing.” Journey’s Neil Schon says: “If you play guitar and ever think you’re … Continue reading Guitar phenom Allan Holdsworth says he’s not impressed by flash

B-52s guitarist Keith Strickland recalls the Cramps’ Lux Interior loving “Rock Lobster”

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MARCH 26, 2008 By Steve Newton That Lux Interior sure knows a hit when he hears one. Back in the late ’70s, when the B-52s first journeyed from their native Athens, Georgia, to make the scene at underground Manhattan clubs like Max’s Kansas City and CBGB, the outrageous Cramps frontman heard them … Continue reading B-52s guitarist Keith Strickland recalls the Cramps’ Lux Interior loving “Rock Lobster”

My one and only interview with bass legend Donald “Duck” Dunn

  ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 19, 1985 By Steve Newton When legendary guitarist Eric Clapton steps before the Coliseum audience Saturday (July 27) he will be fronting a stellar group of musicians. Bassist Donald “Duck” Dunn is something of a legend himself among musicians, having played with Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Booker T and the … Continue reading My one and only interview with bass legend Donald “Duck” Dunn

Taj Mahal wasn’t so much shocked as pissed off by Jesse Ed Davis’s death

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 24, 2013 By Steve Newton When music legend Taj Mahal calls from a tour stop in Phoenix, it’s been just a few days since he played Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival at Madison Square Garden in New York. He’d been asked to play the event before, and never had the time, … Continue reading Taj Mahal wasn’t so much shocked as pissed off by Jesse Ed Davis’s death