Tag: 2000

Limblifter’s Ryan Dahle gets his T. Rex on for Bellaclava

"You know when you feel like you’re gonna have, like, a nervous breakdown or something? Walking’s good for that. And it’s a long walk, too.”

A killer album is the best revenge for the Headstones’ Hugh Dillon

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 20, 2000 By Steve Newton Technical difficulties have been gnawing away at me lately. First, the automatic garage door at our house doesn’t feel like opening; next thing our freaky cat, Toonces, sets off the burglar alarm we just got. Now, 20 minutes into an interview with Headstones vocalist Hugh Dillon, … Continue reading A killer album is the best revenge for the Headstones’ Hugh Dillon

Ray Bonneville hits his stride with Juno-winning Gust of WInd

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 6, 2000 By Steve Newton Only two songs into Ray Bonneville’s new CD, Gust of Wind, and I’m starting to think: “This guy reminds me of someone.” There’s a familiar timbre to his laid-back vocals, and the gently percolating blues rings a bell. I’ve got it! Eric Clapton, circa 1977. When … Continue reading Ray Bonneville hits his stride with Juno-winning Gust of WInd

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

Wacky NRBQ celebrates the phenomenon of the tap-dancing bats

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON FEB. 24, 2000 By Steve Newton If there were such a thing as the Illustrated Dictionary of Pop-Rock, you could probably look up the word whimsical and see a picture of Toronto’s clown princes of pop, the Barenaked Ladies. Or maybe not. Nowadays that spot may be filled by NRBQ, who—with new … Continue reading Wacky NRBQ celebrates the phenomenon of the tap-dancing bats

Blue Öyster Cult’s “Reaper” writer says death is on everybody’s mind

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON FEB. 10, 2000 By Steve Newton Ever wonder why classic-rock stations often play the hell out of a ’70s band’s old hits, but won’t even touch its current material, no matter how strong it is? I have. I’m especially curious about why local FM station CFMI Rock 101 totally ignored the latest … Continue reading Blue Öyster Cult’s “Reaper” writer says death is on everybody’s mind

The Northern Pikes’ reunion sabotaged by awful sound at the Commodore

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, FEB. 3, 2000 I’ve always been a sucker for rock ’n’ roll reunions. If a band I used to like gets back together—especially with all its former members intact—I say “Right on!” When I heard the Northern Pikes, one of my fave Canuck-pop groups from the ’80s, were touring … Continue reading The Northern Pikes’ reunion sabotaged by awful sound at the Commodore

The Northern Pikes reunite and hit the road with Walkmans on

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JAN. 20, 2000 Fans of the Northern Pikes must have been pleasantly surprised when they picked this paper up a couple of issues back and saw that the long-gone band was booked to play the Commodore Ballroom next Friday (January 28). The Saskatoon pop-rock quartet hasn’t performed live in … Continue reading The Northern Pikes reunite and hit the road with Walkmans on

Bill Henderson says Chilliwack ripped off its name for the First Nations vibe

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JAN. 6, 2000 By Steve Newton It’s a bit weird coming from a small town that has the same name as a popular ’70s rock band. When you admit to having been born and bred in Chilliwack, there’s always some joker who’ll wonder aloud, “Hey, isn’t that where that ‘Crazy Talk’ band … Continue reading Bill Henderson says Chilliwack ripped off its name for the First Nations vibe

Vancouver bug wrangler Brad McDonald loves cockroaches, fears babies

“The most [cockroaches] we’ve used so far is 200, but I’ve heard today we’re gonna have 300 out for a scene, so that’s a fair chunka bugs.”

Horror review: The Watcher

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 14, 2000 Poor Keanu Reeves. Even though he’s starred in such blockbuster action flicks as Speed and The Matrix, he’s never been able to live down the role he was born to play: that of empty-headed California dude Bill in Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. Dogstar, the rock … Continue reading Horror review: The Watcher