By Steve Newton Back in 2016 I had a nice chat with German guitar maestro Uli Jon Roth. As we were talking about Uli Jon Roth's Ultimate Guitar Experience--the tour he was on with Jennifer Batten and Andy Timmons--I mentioned a previous guitar tour he was part of, the G3 European Tour of 1998. That … Continue reading Uli Jon Roth recalls the friction between Joe Satriani and Michael Schenker on the 1998 G3 European tour
Tag: 1998
On the Vancouver set of Peter Benchley’s Creature with a shark that can walk
By Steve Newton Back in 1997 I did a set-visit piece for Fangoria on the local filming of Peter Benchley's Creature, a TV-movie based on theJaws author's 1994 novel, White Shark. The sea-beast in question was not content just taking out swimmers in the ocean; it actually walked on land too. Yeah, sounded pretty hokey to me too—even with the … Continue reading On the Vancouver set of Peter Benchley’s Creature with a shark that can walk
Genesis box set goes heavy on The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 17, 1998 By Steve Newton Before paying the hefty list price for this boxed set, you’ll want to make sure you’re a big fan of Genesis’s 1974 double album, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, because a live version of it—recorded at L.A.’s Shrine Auditorium in January of … Continue reading Genesis box set goes heavy on The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
There’s plenty of room to keep your weed in the Queen box if you toss the two duds
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 17, 1998 By Steve Newton Don’t let the oversized imitation-velvet box fool you—this cheaply designed collection is nothing more than a digitally remastered reissue of the band’s first eight studio albums. Unlike in most boxed sets, there’s nothing previously unreleased here, nothing rare, nothing live. Instead of paying … Continue reading There’s plenty of room to keep your weed in the Queen box if you toss the two duds
Mott the Hoople box set is definitely worth the extra dollars
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 24, 1998 By Steve Newton This long-awaited, three-disc Mott the Hoople box--All the Young Dudes: The Anthology-- is only available as a British import, but for die-hard fans of the distinctive and innovative glam-era band it’s definitely worth the extra dollars. As well as the group’s biggest hits … Continue reading Mott the Hoople box set is definitely worth the extra dollars
Tab Benoit says there’s only one Stevie Ray Vaughan, and he’s gone
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 3, 1998 The biggest obstacle to conducting a phone interview with a touring musician is pinpointing precisely where the artist will be at a particular time. Which city, which hotel, which room, and—if they’re big shots like Robert Plant—which alias they’re using that day. The promotions arm of … Continue reading Tab Benoit says there’s only one Stevie Ray Vaughan, and he’s gone
Susan Tedeschi just enjoys being a musician, pretty much
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 3, 1998 By Steve Newton When Susan Tedeschi’s cell phone rings in an L.A. hotel room, a female voice answers, but it isn’t the one I’m looking for. It’s actually Tedeschi’s mom, who, in a very motherly way, explains that her daughter’s in the bathtub. Sounding concerned that … Continue reading Susan Tedeschi just enjoys being a musician, pretty much
Fastball’s “The Way” is arguably the catchiest pop tune of 1998
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 26, 1998 By Steve Newton Fastball’s “The Way” is arguably the catchiest pop tune of the year. The bouncy ditty about a couple who wake up one day and hit the road, leaving their past lives (and current children) behind for “an exit to eternal summer slacking”, became … Continue reading Fastball’s “The Way” is arguably the catchiest pop tune of 1998
Robbie Fulks tears a strip off the Nashville scene on Let’s Kill Saturday Night
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 26, 1998 Singer-songwriter-guitarist Robbie Fulks is an up-front kind of guy. He lets people know how he feels, and when he’s feeling pissed off, look out. The object of his wrath was Nashville a couple of years back, when Fulks—unimpressed by his treatment there at the hands of … Continue reading Robbie Fulks tears a strip off the Nashville scene on Let’s Kill Saturday Night
Dave Wyndorf says “clever Weezer-type music” caused him to rock out on Powertrip
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 12, 1998 By Steve Newton Dave Wyndorf likes the company of Zombies. As the songwriter-vocalist-guitarist for New Jersey hard-rockers Monster Magnet, he spent many nights on tour with White Zombie; now that that group has split up, he’s spending many nights on tour with Rob Zombie. But a … Continue reading Dave Wyndorf says “clever Weezer-type music” caused him to rock out on Powertrip
Rob Zombie says the breakup of White Zombie was “a long, slow, gradual decay”
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 12, 1998 By Steve Newton Two months ago a press release from Universal Music hummed in on the Georgia Straight fax machine, bearing the news that White Zombie had “collectively decided to disband”. It seemed like quite a surprise at the time that the New York band’s 13-year … Continue reading Rob Zombie says the breakup of White Zombie was “a long, slow, gradual decay”
Talking Ry Cooder, Ronnie Montrose, and the Allmans with Gov’t Mule’s Warren Haynes
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 12, 1998 By Steve Newton Bluesman Luther Allison, folk-pop troubadour Jeff Buckley, fingerstyle-guitar innovator Michael Hedges, and jazz drummer Tony Williams might seem unlikely heroes for a southern-rock band, but they’re who Gov’t Mule’s new CD, Dose, is dedicated to. Between the time the band started recording Dose … Continue reading Talking Ry Cooder, Ronnie Montrose, and the Allmans with Gov’t Mule’s Warren Haynes
Gordie Johnson draws inspiration from Eddie Kramer and kudos from Bruce Fairbairn for Big Sugar’s Heated
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 12, 1998 By Steve Newton During a recent interview with famed local rock producer Bruce Fairbairn, I asked him if he’d heard any current albums that had blown him away, production-wise. It only took him a couple of seconds to come up with Heated, the latest CD from … Continue reading Gordie Johnson draws inspiration from Eddie Kramer and kudos from Bruce Fairbairn for Big Sugar’s Heated