Tag: 1999

Flamenco guitarist Ottmar Liebert was entranced by Santana’s “Samba Pa Ti” as a kid

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JUNE 10, 1999 By Steve Newton When Ottmar Liebert calls the Georgia Straight from his home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, it sounds as if the popular flamenco guitarist is living in a bird sanctuary. There’s a constant chirping in the background, the likes of which I haven’t heard … Continue reading Flamenco guitarist Ottmar Liebert was entranced by Santana’s “Samba Pa Ti” as a kid

Perfecting the lost art of the backstage meet ‘n’ greet at John Mellencamp in Vancouver

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 20, 1999 By Steve Newton I like John Mellencamp, but my sister Julie and cousin Cory are crazy about him, so I did some serious scroungin’ and wangled three backstage passes to meet the Indiana rocker before he went on stage at GM Place last Saturday (May 15). Now, for those … Continue reading Perfecting the lost art of the backstage meet ‘n’ greet at John Mellencamp in Vancouver

John Mellencamp cuts back on smokes, ramps up songwriting after heart attack

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 13, 1999 By Steve Newton John Mellencamp had the biggest-selling album of 1982 with American Fool, which boasted such huge radio hits as “Hurts So Good” and “Jack and Diane”. I interviewed him in advance of a show at the PNE Forum that year, and at the time Mellencamp—then known as … Continue reading John Mellencamp cuts back on smokes, ramps up songwriting after heart attack

Richard Buckner’s “barely earned” B.A. in English helped him drop his “Jewelbomb” gem

“Jewelbomb”, the fourth track on American alt-country singer-songwriter Richard Buckner’s Since CD, was one of my favourite tunes last year.

Heroin overdose leads to the return of the Cadillac Tramps’ tattooed thugs

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 6, 1999 By Steve Newton Five years ago, Orange County’s Cadillac Tramps released It’s Allright, an album chock-full of hyper, street-level punk rock that never quit. The album made my top 10 of ’94, but shortly afterward the group disbanded, vocalist Gabby Gaborno forming the X-Members and guitarist–main songwriter Brian Coakley … Continue reading Heroin overdose leads to the return of the Cadillac Tramps’ tattooed thugs

Motörhead’s Lemmy Kilmister says his secret to staying alive is not dyin’

bev davies photo ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 6, 1999 By Steve Newton I’ve seen some funny things at rock concerts over the years, but one of the funniest goes way back to 1981, when the original Motörhead opened for Ozzy Osbourne at the acoustically absurd Kerrisdale Arena. Lemmy Kilmister and the boys were in full … Continue reading Motörhead’s Lemmy Kilmister says his secret to staying alive is not dyin’

Smokin’ Joe Kubek thanks Jimmie Vaughan for turning him on to barbecued bologna

I knew a Smokin’ Joe once. He was a driftin’ country musician who moved into the duplex next door to my party pad in Chilliwack.

Tom Cochrane writes about things that are real and count on xray sierra

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON FEB. 18, 1999 By Steve Newton When I was 12 years old, my beloved teenage brother drowned in a slough near our home, and ever since that day I’ve felt a connection to rock music that breaches the tenuous barrier between life and death. The first few times I heard Blue Oyster … Continue reading Tom Cochrane writes about things that are real and count on xray sierra

Gordon Downie thanks Bruce Allen for making the Tragically Hip famous in Vancouver

mike chernoff photo ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MARCH 18, 1999 By Steve Newton I’ve always been mightily impressed by the Tragically Hip’s live presentation. It didn’t matter which venue I’d see them in—whether it was the wee Railway Club or sprawling T-Bird Stadium, the classic Commodore or scenic Seabird Island—I always went away fully, completely satisfied. … Continue reading Gordon Downie thanks Bruce Allen for making the Tragically Hip famous in Vancouver

Falcons guitarist Mike Beddoes says the Jaguar is the most Fender of all the Fenders

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MARCH 11, 1999 Vancouver instro-rockers the Falcons recently had their independent CD, Queen of Diamonds, chosen as best album of 1998 by the U.K.’s influential surf-music magazine Pipeline. As lead guitarist and main songwriter Mike Beddoes explains, that’s a far better reaction than he got the first time he … Continue reading Falcons guitarist Mike Beddoes says the Jaguar is the most Fender of all the Fenders

Hole’s Eric Erlandson gets pissy if you mistake Billy Corgan’s guitar for his

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON FEB. 25, 1999 By Steve Newton When Eric Erlandson cofounded Hole with Courtney Love in L.A. 10 years ago, the two rockers had one simple aim in mind. As Erlandson explains on the phone from his L.A. home, they just wanted to be a “big, huge rock band”—but only if they could … Continue reading Hole’s Eric Erlandson gets pissy if you mistake Billy Corgan’s guitar for his

Martin Bryant’s rampage inspired Jeff Lang’s gun-control plea on Cedar Grove

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON FEB. 25, 1999 By Steve Newton Two years ago I was offered a free trip to Toronto to interview Aerosmith, who were tirelessly promoting their then-new CD Nine Lives. Since I’d never been to T.O., I put on my Media Slut From Hell cap and agreed to spend some of Sony Music’s … Continue reading Martin Bryant’s rampage inspired Jeff Lang’s gun-control plea on Cedar Grove