By Steve Newton If you're fan of hard rock and metal you've no doubt already heard that Martin Birch, the preeminent producer of loud rock, passed away recently at the age of 71. I've interviewed my fair share of hard-rock producers, including the formerly Vancouver-based triumvirate of Bruce Fairbairn, Bob Rock, and Mike Fraser, but … Continue reading Martin Birch’s finest moments with Iron Maiden, Deep Purple, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, and Blue Öyster Cult
Tag: Blue Oyster Cult
Martin Birch, producer of unforgettable hard-rock/metal albums, dies at 71
By Steve Newton It's a sad day for fans of '70s and '80s hard-rock and heavy-metal. Martin Birch, who produced and/or engineered more popular metal albums than most anyone, died earlier today at the age of 71. Birch produced such monumental loud-rock albums as Rainbow's Rising, Black Sabbath's Heaven and Hell, Blue Oyster Cult's Fire … Continue reading Martin Birch, producer of unforgettable hard-rock/metal albums, dies at 71
That time I asked Buck Dharma how he came up with the classic riff for Blue Öyster Cult’s “(Don’t Fear) the Reaper”
By Steve Newton "(Don't Fear) the Reaper" might be my favourite song of all time. Or maybe it's tied with John Lennon's "Imagine". Either way, I freakin' love that song. Several times over the years I've felt a tweak of pleasure along the top of my skull when I hear that song, coinciding with the … Continue reading That time I asked Buck Dharma how he came up with the classic riff for Blue Öyster Cult’s “(Don’t Fear) the Reaper”
God bless Donald “Buck Dharma” Roeser’s guitar solo on Blue Öyster Cult’s “Burnin’ For You”
By Steve Newton Back in June of 1981 Blue Öyster Cult released it's eight studio album, Fire of Unknown Origin, and I immediately snapped it up, just like I'd done with their previous nine discs (including the two live albums). I'd been absolutely crazy about B.O.C. ever since I'd bought Tyranny and Mutation because of … Continue reading God bless Donald “Buck Dharma” Roeser’s guitar solo on Blue Öyster Cult’s “Burnin’ For You”
The 70 greatest opening tracks of the ’70s
By Steve Newton Remember how you'd set the needle down on the opening track of a new rock album and the first tune would just blow you the funk away? Me too. "(Ain't Nothin' But a) House Party" (Bloodshot, J. Geils Band, 1973) "All the Way From Memphis" (Mott, Mott the Hoople, 1973) "Already Gone" … Continue reading The 70 greatest opening tracks of the ’70s
Album review: Blue Öyster Cult, Imaginos (1988)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 9, 1988 By Steve Newton Few rock 'n' roll bands can fuse raunchy guitars and menacing vocals and still come up with really beautiful music. But New York's Blue Öyster Cult has done that on more than a dozen albums since 1972. The latest boasts the same hard-hitting, … Continue reading Album review: Blue Öyster Cult, Imaginos (1988)
Album review: Various Artists, Axe Masters–Legends of Rock Guitar
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JULY 19, 1985 By Steve Newton Now this is more like it--heavy metal with class. But then any album that features the playing of metal martyr Randy Rhoads can't lose. Rhoads is included via Ozzy Osbourne's first solo hit "Crazy Train". And he's in good company. "Axe masters" K.K Downing … Continue reading Album review: Various Artists, Axe Masters–Legends of Rock Guitar
Album review: Blue Öyster Cult, Extraterrestrial Live (1982)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JUNE 11, 1982 By Steve Newton Extraterrestrial Live is Blue Öyster Cult's third, and best, live album. The weak production and muddled performances on 1975's On Your Feet Or on Your Knees and the rush job "this will keep them going till our next studio album" impression of 1978's … Continue reading Album review: Blue Öyster Cult, Extraterrestrial Live (1982)
Album review: Blue Öyster Cult, Heaven Forbid (1998)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JULY 9, 1998 By Steve Newton Don’t let the cheapjack horror-movie cover fool ya, ’cause Heaven Forbid—Blue Öyster Cult’s first new recording since 1988’s substandard Imaginos—is one classy slab of hard rock. It’s not a masterwork in the league of Tyranny and Mutation or Agents of Fortune, but … Continue reading Album review: Blue Öyster Cult, Heaven Forbid (1998)
The incredible story behind the Ear of Newt autographed guitar
By Steve Newton Back in January of 2013 when I started planning the Ear of Newt website--which I launched on Halloween night that year--I knew I had to get my autographed plexiglass guitar into the picture. I'd been dragging it around to concerts to get it signed by my fave pickers--folks like Link Wray, Ronnie … Continue reading The incredible story behind the Ear of Newt autographed guitar
HIM’s Ville Valo discovered the dark side of rock through Blue Öyster Cult’s “(Don’t Fear) the Reaper”
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 7, 2007 By Steve Newton According to Ville Valo, lead vocalist for Finnish rockers HIM, "It's very hard to sing about sunshine and ice cream and birds in fast cars." So he doesn't even try. Instead, song titles like "Cyanide Sun", "Dead Lovers' Lane", and "Song or Suicide" … Continue reading HIM’s Ville Valo discovered the dark side of rock through Blue Öyster Cult’s “(Don’t Fear) the Reaper”
Rock Hall boneheads once again choose Chic over Johnny Winter, Rory Gallagher, and Link Wray
By Steve Newton The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame apparently believes that Depeche Mode outrocks Johnny Winter, that Chic blows Rory Gallagher away, and that Joan Baez is more rock than Link Wray. Whatta buncha boneheads. Yep, Jann Wenner and his gaggle of dimwits at the Rock Hall have done it again, blindly ignoring three … Continue reading Rock Hall boneheads once again choose Chic over Johnny Winter, Rory Gallagher, and Link Wray
Newt’s Rock Hall inducts UFO, Robin Trower, Blue Öyster Cult, Mott the Hoople, and Ten Years After
By Steve Newton Tonight the much-maligned Rock and Roll Hall of Fame officially inducts Deep Purple, Cheap Trick, Steve Miller, Chicago, and, unbelievably, legendary rock 'n' rollers N.W.A. Now, this is better work than you commonly expect from the RRHOF, which, back in 2013, had the audacity to induct Cat Stevens instead of fellow nominee Link … Continue reading Newt’s Rock Hall inducts UFO, Robin Trower, Blue Öyster Cult, Mott the Hoople, and Ten Years After