Colin Linden charms Vancouver with rollicking tunes from new When the Spirit Comes LP

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON OCT. 21, 1988 By Steve Newton Bryan Adams was there. I was there. My sisters and brother-in-law were there. And if you’re lucky, you were there too–at the Town Pump, that is, to see the first Vancouver appearance in a long while by Toronto’s slide guitar ace Colin Linden. One of Hogtown’s … Continue reading Colin Linden charms Vancouver with rollicking tunes from new When the Spirit Comes LP

Cook da Books join Icicle Works and Frankie Goes to Hollywood in putting Liverpool back on the musical map

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 14, 1985 By Steve Newton Liverpool, England has been producing some rather electrifying bands of late. The city that grew famous for giving the world the Beatles is back in vogue with groups like Frankies Goes to Hollywood, Icicle Works, and Cook da Books–who opened Joan Armatrading’s sellout show at the … Continue reading Cook da Books join Icicle Works and Frankie Goes to Hollywood in putting Liverpool back on the musical map

Joss Stone says that she wants to open doors with soul and spread the music far and wide

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SEPT. 26, 2012 By Steve Newton It must be pretty sweet being Joss Stone these days. When I hook up with the 25-year-old millionaire soul-pop superstar she’s on her cell at a café in Brussels, Belgium, where she’s doing some TV shows and concerts. The next day, Stone will be popping over … Continue reading Joss Stone says that she wants to open doors with soul and spread the music far and wide

Alex Van Halen: the five best quotes I ever got from Van Halen’s drum legend

By Steve Newton I haven’t interviewed that many drummers over the years, mainly because when I cover a band I shoot for the guitarist, since that’s the instrument I’m most drawn to. But after interviewing Alex Van Halen on August 6, 1995, in advance of a Van Hagar show on the Balance tour, I should … Continue reading Alex Van Halen: the five best quotes I ever got from Van Halen’s drum legend

That time Mason Ruffner told me about the “special thanks” to Jimmy Page on his new Gypsy Blood album

Ruffner and Page try each other’s guitars By Steve Newton I interviewed Strat-playing Texas blues-rocker Mason Ruffner back in July of 1987. At the time he was touring in support of his second album, the Dave Edmunds-produced Gypsy Blood. His music was along the same lines as his Epic Records labelmate Stevie Ray Vaughan, so I … Continue reading That time Mason Ruffner told me about the “special thanks” to Jimmy Page on his new Gypsy Blood album

Gary Moore talks covering the Yardbirds and scoring with metal while opening for Rush

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 18, 1984 By Steve Newton “I always liked the Yardbirds when I was a kid,” says metal guitar-hero Gary Moore. “I was always into Jeff Beck and everything. And apart from the fact that I like the song and the guitar, the lyrics appealed to me as well because they fitted … Continue reading Gary Moore talks covering the Yardbirds and scoring with metal while opening for Rush

Steven Adler still yearns to be part of a Guns N’ Roses reunion

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 17 2011 By Steve Newton In 1987, when he was 22 years old, Steven Adler had the world by the balls. He was the drummer in Guns N’ Roses, the most popular rock band at the time, whose album of that year, Appetite for Destruction, has sold more than 28 million … Continue reading Steven Adler still yearns to be part of a Guns N’ Roses reunion

Red Rider’s Symphony Sessions let Tom Cochrane retrace Procol Harum’s footsteps

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON DEC. 8, 1989 By Steve Newton “Brand new from K-Tel, it’s the chart-topping, ever popular ****-tones, captured live and in concert with the acclaimed, 65-piece !!!!-orchestra. A once-in-a-lifetime performance! It’s music history in the making!” Whenever a rock band decides to record an album with an orchestra, you can bet that all … Continue reading Red Rider’s Symphony Sessions let Tom Cochrane retrace Procol Harum’s footsteps

Great White packs ’em in like sardines in Vancouver

me ‘n Jack after the show ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 30, 1989 By Steve Newton They turned away several hundred rock-hungry fans at the doors but it was still Sardine City inside Club Soda when L.A.’s popular mainstream metallists, Great White, took the stage Monday night (June 26). People started lining up at one in … Continue reading Great White packs ’em in like sardines in Vancouver

Roger Hodgson recalls his split from Supertramp after the “miserable” Famous Last Words

doug kretchmer photo ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 2, 1998 By Steve Newton Life’s full of memorable little firsts, and sometimes they even come in pairs. I can still recall one such double-whammy from my mid-70s high school days. A few pals had convened in a schoolmate’s basement one night, and before you could say “Let’s … Continue reading Roger Hodgson recalls his split from Supertramp after the “miserable” Famous Last Words

That time Stevie Ray Vaughan told me how incredibly awesome John Hammond was

By Steve Newton When I interviewed Stevie Ray Vaughan for the second and last time, in July of 1990, he was still touring behind his fourth studio album, In Step. At one point in the conversation I mentioned that the album was dedicated to John Hammond–the famed American record producer, civil rights activist, and music … Continue reading That time Stevie Ray Vaughan told me how incredibly awesome John Hammond was

Love and Rockets moves on from Tones on Tail and Bauhaus

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON DEC. 4, 1987 By Steve Newton First they were in a band called Bauhaus. Then a couple of them formed Tones on Tail. And now they’re known as Love and Rockets. About the only thing that has remained constant for the British trio of Daniel Ash, David J., and Kevin Haskins has … Continue reading Love and Rockets moves on from Tones on Tail and Bauhaus

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”