By Steve Newton I haven't interviewed that many drummers over the years--mainly because I like talking to guitarists more--but when Van Hagar was heading to Vancouver for a show in 1995 and the opportunity came to chat with Alex Van Halen I didn't turn it down. And boy was I glad I didn't, because he … Continue reading That time I asked Alex Van Halen about his earliest memories of jamming with Eddie
Tag: 1995
The Tragically Hip causes traffic havoc before getting messy with a surprise gig at Vancouver’s wee Railway Club
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 20, 1995 By Steve Newton Canadian guitar-rock heroes the Tragically Hip took all of Vancouver by surprise on July 12 when they announced a last-minute concert that night at the wee Railway Club (capacity 176). When word went out over local rock station 99.3 the Fox that 75 wristbands for the … Continue reading The Tragically Hip causes traffic havoc before getting messy with a surprise gig at Vancouver’s wee Railway Club
Willie Nelson bares his down-home soul on Revolutions of Time box
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 14, 1995 By Steve Newton I’ve gotta admit that I’m not a real huge country-music fan. I actually view what’s known as “new country”—that lightweight, vacuous, fabricated piffle churned out by the Nashville music mill these days—with the same jaundiced eye reserved for lowly “gangsta rap”. But there’s … Continue reading Willie Nelson bares his down-home soul on Revolutions of Time box
Dance of the Rainbow Serpent features some of Carlos Santana’s finest moments on guitar
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 14, 1995 By Steve Newton Unlike the recent Tom Petty box, this three-CD package doesn’t contain enough previously unreleased material to make it a must-have, but it does feature some of Carlos Santana’s finest moments on guitar, and you know that can’t be bad. Dance of the Rainbow … Continue reading Dance of the Rainbow Serpent features some of Carlos Santana’s finest moments on guitar
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers box set is a must-have for Pettyphiles
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 14, 1995 By Steve Newton Some boxed sets are basically just glorified greatest-hits collections, with maybe a handful of remixed or previously unreleased tracks tossed in to lure die-hard fans with bulging pockets, but the 92-track Playback isn’t one of those. While it does contain all the big … Continue reading Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers box set is a must-have for Pettyphiles
That time Gord Downie told me about the “unique” life on the road with the Tragically Hip
By Steve Newton On July 2, 1995, I did my fourth Georgia Straight interview with the Tragically Hip's Gord Downie. It had only been six months since our previous chat, and it was unusual--even back then, when newspapers were thriving--to publish two feature stories on the same band within such a short span of time. But … Continue reading That time Gord Downie told me about the “unique” life on the road with the Tragically Hip
That time Gord Downie told me that the Tragically Hip was just striving to exist in the United States
By Steve Newton When people discuss the history of the Tragically Hip, one subject that arises is how the band was unable to make it big in the States, and to garner anything resembling the same degree of commercial success that they enjoyed up in Canada. When I did my third interview with Gord Downie, … Continue reading That time Gord Downie told me that the Tragically Hip was just striving to exist in the United States
That time Gord Downie raved to me about Tragically Hip tourmates Change of Heart and the Odds
By Steve Newton One thing I figured out about Gord Downie during the five interviews I did with him between 1989 and 1995 was that he really, really likes musicians. Especially musicians who play in bands. He was always quick to rave about the new groups he'd heard lately, or maybe the ones the Tragically … Continue reading That time Gord Downie raved to me about Tragically Hip tourmates Change of Heart and the Odds
That time I told Gord Downie that the Hip’s “Nautical Disaster” made me think of Neil Young & Crazy Horse
By Steve Newton When I interviewed the Tragically Hip's Gord Downie in January of 1995 it was less than four months after the release of the band's fourth full-length album, Day for Night, and I was still playing the crap out of it. I would also play "Nautical Disaster" over and over again, until it … Continue reading That time I told Gord Downie that the Hip’s “Nautical Disaster” made me think of Neil Young & Crazy Horse
That time Gord Downie and I talked hockey after the 1994-95 NHL lockout
By Steve Newton When I interviewed Tragically Hip singer Gord Downie on January 18, 1995, it had been exactly one week since the end of the historic NHL lockout that had started the previous October. That lockout caused the 1994-1995 hockey season to be shortened from 84 games to 48, the shortest season in 53 … Continue reading That time Gord Downie and I talked hockey after the 1994-95 NHL lockout
I played Neil Young’s “I’m the Ocean” eight times on my shitty commute today
By Steve Newton My morning commute from Delta to Vancouver can really suck—mainly because of a concrete montrosity called the Alex Fraser Bridge—but every now and again I slide in a CD that makes the trip a little less painful. Today I chose Neil Young's Mirror Ball album—that awesome one from '95 that he recorded with the … Continue reading I played Neil Young’s “I’m the Ocean” eight times on my shitty commute today
Bordello of Blood sets up shop on Vancouver’s old Expo 86 site
By Steve Newton So I was looking through my collection of old Fangoria magazines last night, searching for a story I wrote to post for Halloween, and came across a set-visit piece from back in '95 on the Tales from the Crypt movie, Bordello of Blood. Now, that vampire movie really sucked, but going on … Continue reading Bordello of Blood sets up shop on Vancouver’s old Expo 86 site
John Popper’s speedy harp licks in Vancouver bring to mind Jan Hammer on Jeff Beck’s Wired tour
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 7, 1995 By Steve Newton Blues Traveler singer-harpist John Popper may be the most awe-inspiring harmonica player in the world of rock, but what really makes him special is the way he couples the mastery of his instrument with truly outstanding vocals. There aren’t that many virtuoso instrumentalists … Continue reading John Popper’s speedy harp licks in Vancouver bring to mind Jan Hammer on Jeff Beck’s Wired tour