Eric Carr claims he’s still a fox as Kiss recruits Mark St. John and unleashes Animalize

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SEPT. 28, 1984 By Steve Newton It was a snowy and cold January afternoon in 1975 when several high school friends and I headed off to the second Vancouver appearance of an up-and-coming rock band named KISS. Almost all of us had our well-worn copy of the group’s first album and tunes … Continue reading Eric Carr claims he’s still a fox as Kiss recruits Mark St. John and unleashes Animalize

Surf-guitar legend Dick Dale mimics the screams of his lions and tigers

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 15, 1993 By Steve Newton For more than 30 years he’s been known as the King of Surf Guitar—he invented the “surf sound” in 1956—but nowadays Dick Dale tends to downplay that title. The 56-year-old guitar legend has just released his first album of new music in 18 years, Tribal Thunder, … Continue reading Surf-guitar legend Dick Dale mimics the screams of his lions and tigers

ZZ Top’s Vancouver fans wimp out while that little ol’ band from Texas delivers

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON OCT. 4, 1990 By Steve Newton ZZ Top has always been one of the coolest bands in the land. Those wacky beards, those nifty suits, those fuzzy guitars—not to mention those barnstormin’ boogie tunes that make you wanna rock ’n’ roll all night and party every day. But after last Tuesday’s (October … Continue reading ZZ Top’s Vancouver fans wimp out while that little ol’ band from Texas delivers

Warren Haynes on the Allman Brothers reunion, Dickey Betts’ signature sound, and Where It All Begins

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON OCT. 27, 1994 By Steve Newton Word on the street is that the Allman Brothers Band is playing some of the finest, most intense gigs of its illustrious career. And according to people who have seen the group recently, it’s not just the best-known members—Dickey Betts and Gregg Allman—who are making things … Continue reading Warren Haynes on the Allman Brothers reunion, Dickey Betts’ signature sound, and Where It All Begins

Stevie Ray Vaughan tops my Top 10 albums of 1983

It’s always fun getting your Top 10 albums of the year list together. My list for 2013 went out earlier this month, including longtime faves like Gov’t Mule, Steve Earle, Buddy Guy, Sabbath, and Satch. But when I was rustling around in my boxes of old Georgia Straights recently I came across my Top 10 … Continue reading Stevie Ray Vaughan tops my Top 10 albums of 1983

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

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

Malcolm Young calls Powerage his favourite AC/DC album backstage in Vancouver

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 26, 2001 By Steve Newton There are three things that are inevitable in this world: death, taxes, and a ringing in your ears after seeing AC/DC. As I write this review, it’s been two hours since the Aussie rockers left the Coliseum stage in a flurry of golden confetti, and the … Continue reading Malcolm Young calls Powerage his favourite AC/DC album backstage in Vancouver

Interviewing Jeff Beck, the world’s greatest living rock guitarist

As long as he’s got those magic fingers, you can bet that Jeff Beck will be searching for fresh ways to communicate through six strings.

Jeff Beck’s astonishing Vancouver show crushes the myth that Clapton is God

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SEPT. 23, 1999 By Steve Newton Apart from an arena show with Rod Stewart in the ’80s, it had been nearly 25 years since fans of Jeff Beck last saw him play here, so the anticipatory vibe that surged through the Queen E around 9 p.m. last Saturday (September 18) was understandable. … Continue reading Jeff Beck’s astonishing Vancouver show crushes the myth that Clapton is God

Mike Campbell’s instro-rock medley steals the show from Tom Petty in Vancouver

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SEPT. 9, 1999 By Steve Newton I’ve seen Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers perform in Vancouver four times now. The first time—one of the most memorable concert experiences of my life—was at the Commodore Ballroom in ’78, just after the release of the band’s sophomore album, You’re Gonna Get It. The second … Continue reading Mike Campbell’s instro-rock medley steals the show from Tom Petty in Vancouver

Al Walker’s ’72 Strat has been carved up by the best

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, APRIL 18, 1991 Al Walker’s blues-rock trio, Rock Party, came about as close as you can get to taking home the top prize in last year’s Demo Listen Derby battle of the bands. And if it weren’t for the type of headgear that judge Paul Dean wore to the … Continue reading Al Walker’s ’72 Strat has been carved up by the best

Robben Ford bounces back from exhaustion, brings the Blue Line to Vancouver

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, OCT. 12, 1995 I’ve been reviewing bands in the Georgia Straight since 1982—“Geez, when’s that old hack gonna pack it in?”—but this is the first time I’ve reviewed a gig at Richard’s on Richards. Since its inception, the upscale downtown club has been prone to hiring nondescript Top 40 … Continue reading Robben Ford bounces back from exhaustion, brings the Blue Line to Vancouver