Tag: 2014

Queen guitarist Brian May blows the Newt away in Vancouver

photos by "Jet" Sutherland ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, JUNE 26, 2014 By Steve Newton Freddie Mercury is a hard act to follow, there's no doubt about that. The Queen frontman possessed one of the greatest voices in rock, and anyone who's seen him live at his peak in the seventies can testify that he was … Continue reading Queen guitarist Brian May blows the Newt away in Vancouver

Malmsteen then and now: interviewing Yngwie in 1985 and 2014

By Steve Newton Swedish guitar hero Yngwie Malmsteen turns 51 on Monday, two days after his appearance in Vancouver tomorrow (June 28) as part of the Guitar Gods show at the River Rock Show Theatre. He's caused quite a commotion in the hard-rock world in the last half-century or so. Why, just last week he … Continue reading Malmsteen then and now: interviewing Yngwie in 1985 and 2014

Yngwie Malmsteen puts Ritchie Blackmore rumours to rest, praises Nicolo Paganini and Uli Jon Roth

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JUNE 25, 2014 By Steve Newton Yngwie Malmsteen likes to wear all black on-stage and play fast as hell on a Fender Strat through a wall of cranked Marshall amps, so you might think that Ritchie Blackmore is his hero. “Okay, let’s correct that,” says Malmsteen when I mention … Continue reading Yngwie Malmsteen puts Ritchie Blackmore rumours to rest, praises Nicolo Paganini and Uli Jon Roth

Fans of early Queen will flip for Live at the Rainbow ’74

By Steve Newton I f***in' love early Queen. That crazy guitar tone Brian May had on the band's self-titled 1973 debut album was unlike anything I'd ever heard before. It kinda freaked me out, in a wonderful way. The fantasy elements and heavy prog stylings of the 1974 Queen 2 concept album also won me over big time, and … Continue reading Fans of early Queen will flip for Live at the Rainbow ’74

Yee-haw! Allman Brothers to release southern-rock masterpiece At Fillmore East as box set

By Steve Newton Southern-rock fans saddened by word that the Allman Brothers will perform their final concerts this year should brighten at the news that an historic deluxe-edition box set is on its way. Yesterday the band announced on its website that a six-disc package titled The 1971 Fillmore East Recordings will be released by … Continue reading Yee-haw! Allman Brothers to release southern-rock masterpiece At Fillmore East as box set

WolfCop would be painful to watch even without the Gowan

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, JUNE 4, 2014 WolfCop looks like it could have been a hoot to make, because judging by the finished product, nobody involved—from the director on down to the FX lackey spattering fake blood around—seemed to give a rat’s ass about how the Canadian horror-comedy turned out. It’s got the look and feel … Continue reading WolfCop would be painful to watch even without the Gowan

Doc Neeson calls Angel City’s comparisons to AC/DC “a bonus”

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MARCH 22, 1985 By Steve Newton "We were driving around L.A. yesterday," relates Angel City vocalist Doc Neeson, "and we passed this fantastic crowd of about 20 or 30 black guys--a conga band. So I stopped. Then one of them grabbed a hold of our lead guitarist! "And to us, culturally, you're … Continue reading Doc Neeson calls Angel City’s comparisons to AC/DC “a bonus”

Blue Wild Angel: Jimi Hendrix Live At The Isle of Wight to be released on Blu-ray

By Steve Newton As if the news about Brian Setzer's upcoming rockabilly CD weren't enough to keep guitar freaks satiated today, now comes word from Sony Music that its Legacy Recordings imprint will release Blue Wild Angel: Jimi Hendrix Live At The Isle of Wight on Blu-ray on June 17. In August of 1970 the legendary guitarman performed … Continue reading Blue Wild Angel: Jimi Hendrix Live At The Isle of Wight to be released on Blu-ray

Brian Setzer returns to a Stray Cats vibe with Rockabilly Riot: All Original

By Steve Newton Universal Music Canada has announced that former Stray Cat and current shit-hot guitar slinger Brian Setzer will release a straight-ahead rockabilly album on August 12. Titled Rockabilly Riot: All Original, the disc will feature 12 Setzer-penned tracks performed in the company of pianist Kevin McKendree, bassist Mark Winchester, and drummer Noah Levy. That … Continue reading Brian Setzer returns to a Stray Cats vibe with Rockabilly Riot: All Original

Pink Floyd’s Division Bell gets the 20th anniversary box set treatment

By Steve Newton Those folks down at the Pink Floyd boxed-set factory are at it again. Two years ago they put together a deluxe Immersion edition of The Wall that was to die for, and now comes news that the band's last studio album, 1994's The Division Bell, will be released June 30 in a 20th anniversary set … Continue reading Pink Floyd’s Division Bell gets the 20th anniversary box set treatment

Horror review: Godzilla

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, MAY 16, 2014 The kid in me—the one that's loved monster movies ever since being deliciously terrified by It! The Terror From Beyond Space's guy in a 1958 rubber suit—was really looking forward to the new Godzilla movie. But the kid in me was hugely disappointed by the latest take on the legendary Lizard … Continue reading Horror review: Godzilla

Muddy Waters didn’t want George Thorogood’s “Bad to the Bone”, but Bo Diddley did

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 30, 2014 By Steve Newton When you interview rockers on the road you always try to find out where they’re located, so you can write “When so-and-so calls from wherever” and establish a setting for the conversation. But when I contact blues-rocker George Thorogood--who plays the Hard Rock Casino Vancouver this … Continue reading Muddy Waters didn’t want George Thorogood’s “Bad to the Bone”, but Bo Diddley did