That time 25-year-old Paul Gilbert told me how he wangled a ride from a Mr. Big fan to see Pat Travers near Vancouver

By Steve Newton I interviewed Mr. Big guitarist Paul Gilbert back in March of 1992, when the band was in Detroit, touring behind its second album, Lean Into It. That’s the one that spawned the #1 hit single “To Be With You”, and went platinum in the States. Mr. Big was gonna be playing Vancouver … Continue reading That time 25-year-old Paul Gilbert told me how he wangled a ride from a Mr. Big fan to see Pat Travers near Vancouver

10 minutes on the phone with Dickey Betts of the Allman Brothers in 1991

By Steve Newton Back in July of 1991 I did the second of my four interviews with American guitar legend Dickey Betts of the Allman Brothers Band. Two weeks earlier the band had released its tenth studio album, Shades of Two Worlds, which Dickey had written most of the material for. Here’s the first ten minutes … Continue reading 10 minutes on the phone with Dickey Betts of the Allman Brothers in 1991

That time Nigel Mogg of the Quireboys told me about being the nephew of Phil Mogg from UFO

By Steve Newton Back in November of 1990 I did an interview with Nigel Mogg, bassist for the Quireboys (who were known in North America as the London Quireboys.) At the time the band was touring behind its debut album, A Bit of What You Fancy, which was a rollicking platter full of Faces-style boogie … Continue reading That time Nigel Mogg of the Quireboys told me about being the nephew of Phil Mogg from UFO

40 years after playing Vancouver on the World Piece Tour, Iron Maiden still brings the metal mastery

iron maiden facebook photos By Steve Newton Way back on June 29, 1983, Iron Maiden played Vancouver’s Pacific Coliseum, backed up by fellow British metal acts Saxon and Fastway. Maiden was touring behind its fourth album, Piece of Mind, so its set was peppered with songs from that LP–including “The Trooper”, which I recently voted … Continue reading 40 years after playing Vancouver on the World Piece Tour, Iron Maiden still brings the metal mastery

Living Colour’s Vernon Reid incites his X followers to give Robin Trower some social-media love

Follow the Stratmaster at @robintrower By Steve Newton One of the things I like most about guitar players–besides hearing them play–is when they help out other guitarists. Especially when the picker being aided is as amazing, yet under-appreciated, as British rocker Robin Trower. It was very cool to find out that, last Saturday (September 23), … Continue reading Living Colour’s Vernon Reid incites his X followers to give Robin Trower some social-media love

Krokus guitarist Fernando von Arb says that The Blitz producer Bruce Fairbairn is a very normal human being

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON FEB. 1, 1985 By Steve Newton Swiss heavy-metalists Krokus were scheduled to play the Commodore Ballroom late last year, but touring commitments with Sammy Hagar forced cancellation of the gig. And it’s too bad, because–since the band is touring behind their strongest LP yet–the show promised to be an exciting one for … Continue reading Krokus guitarist Fernando von Arb says that The Blitz producer Bruce Fairbairn is a very normal human being

Scott Ian on the media frenzy surrounding the Anthrax name after 9/11

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SEPT. 11, 2012 By Steve Newton A couple of weeks back I got a package in the mail containing the new CD by a metal band that was headed to town. No big whoop; happens all the time. But if I’d gotten this Fedex labeled “ANTHRAX” about 11 years ago, shit would … Continue reading Scott Ian on the media frenzy surrounding the Anthrax name after 9/11

Robert Plant keyboardist Phil Johnstone says they don’t do “Stairway to Heaven”

Johnstone on the left, Plant on the right. ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 17, 1988 By Steve Newton Let’s say you’re a songwriter with a whole bunch of tunes you want the world to hear. You’re not sure who to send them to, but you figure “What the hell”, and mail a bunch of them off … Continue reading Robert Plant keyboardist Phil Johnstone says they don’t do “Stairway to Heaven”

Jeff Healey jamming with Stevie Ray Vaughan is total blues-rock heaven

By Steve Newton I feel very blessed that my role as a music writer has allowed me to interview some of the most talented guitar players of all time. And the feeling gets more pronounced when I realize how lucky I was to chat to some of the ones that left us way too soon, … Continue reading Jeff Healey jamming with Stevie Ray Vaughan is total blues-rock heaven

That time I asked Supertramp’s Bob Siebenberg what the band was like without Roger Hodgson

By Steve Newton Back in May of 1985 I interviewed Supertramp drummer Bob Siebenberg. The conversation took place nine days before the official release of Brother Where You Bound, Supertramp’s first album without Roger Hodgson. This was an unusual interview for me, because most of them are done over the phone with musicians while they’re … Continue reading That time I asked Supertramp’s Bob Siebenberg what the band was like without Roger Hodgson

Bill O’Leary’s 1980 photo of Judas Priest’s K.K. Downing might be the most metal concert image of all time

Bill O’Leary photo By Steve Newton Just came across a photo by American concert photographer Bill O’Leary that blew me away, so I had to share it (with his permission, of course). It’s a live shot of Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing that was taken on July 3, 1980, during Priest’s British Steel Tour, at … Continue reading Bill O’Leary’s 1980 photo of Judas Priest’s K.K. Downing might be the most metal concert image of all time

That time I asked 22-year-old Jeff Healey what Patrick Swayze was like to work with on Road House

By Steve Newton I was fortunate enough to have interviewed Canadian guitar wizard Jeff Healey three times. The first time was on June 25, 1988, when he was just 22, and still three months away from releasing his incredible debut album, See the Light. Healey–who, sadly, died from cancer in 2008 at age 41–had just … Continue reading That time I asked 22-year-old Jeff Healey what Patrick Swayze was like to work with on Road House

That time back in ’84 when I asked Virgin Steele singer David DeFeis what the metal scene was like in New York

By Steve Newton I was playing some of my old interview cassettes from the ’80s a while back and came across a short conversation I had in 1984 with David DeFeis, the singer and main songwriter for New York metal band Virgin Steele. At the time he was promoting the band’s second album, 1983’s Guardians … Continue reading That time back in ’84 when I asked Virgin Steele singer David DeFeis what the metal scene was like in New York