ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JUNE 5, 2008 By Steve Newton New Guitar Summit is an ongoing jazz project featuring guitarists Duke Robillard, Gerry Beaudoin, and Jay Geils, who some may remember as the guitarist for a kick-ass ’70s blues-rock band out of Detroit that turned lame in the ’80s and made hit records … Continue reading Album review: Robillard/Beaudoin/Geils, New Guitar Summit (2008)
Tag: BTO
Newt’s Rock Hall inducts Rainbow, BTO, Steve Earle, Judas Priest, Little Feat, Todd Rundgren, and Mahogany Rush
By Steve Newton As you may aware, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame crapped the bed again yesterday, inducting the likes of Whitney Houston and Depeche Mode over nominees like Thin Lizzy, Soundgarden, Judas Priest, and the MC5. So today Newt's Rock Hall is gonna match their six additions, and add a seventh to … Continue reading Newt’s Rock Hall inducts Rainbow, BTO, Steve Earle, Judas Priest, Little Feat, Todd Rundgren, and Mahogany Rush
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
Bachman-Turner Overdrive’s Randy Bachman once tried paying a surprise visit to Stephen King
By Steve Newton Hardcore fans of Stephen King are aware that he used the pen name Richard Bachman for a number of his early novels because he was a huge fan of Bachman-Turner Overdrive. But not many BTO fans know that the band's founding guitarist, Randy Bachman, once went looking for King in the horror … Continue reading Bachman-Turner Overdrive’s Randy Bachman once tried paying a surprise visit to Stephen King
The Newt Commute #3: BTO’s “Second Hand” might be their best song ever
By Steve Newton It's been a while since I've posted a "Newt Commute" blog--the last time was back in November when I fell under the bluesy spell of Muddy Waters while making the heinous trek in to Vancouver from that other side of the Alex Fraser Bridge. But today I treated the Toyota's CD player to … Continue reading The Newt Commute #3: BTO’s “Second Hand” might be their best song ever
Talking Ry Cooder, Ronnie Montrose, and the Allmans with Gov’t Mule’s Warren Haynes
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON 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 and the deadline … Continue reading Talking Ry Cooder, Ronnie Montrose, and the Allmans with Gov’t Mule’s Warren Haynes
BTO to release 40th anniversary edition of Not Fragile
Universal Music Canada has just announced that Bachman-Turner Overdrive—or BTO as we liked to call 'em back in the day—will release a remastered, 40th anniversary edition of its best-selling album, Not Fragile, on March 18. That rocks. You may recall that Not Fragile—which has sold more than three and a half million copies worldwide—boasted the awesome radio … Continue reading BTO to release 40th anniversary edition of Not Fragile
Stephen King calls Marah America’s best unknown rock band
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, FEB. 2, 2006 By Steve Newton Not only is Stephen King among the world's most popular writers, he also has good taste in music. He's long been known as a devotee of AC/DC and the Ramones, and when it came time to choose a pseudonym to put on the covers of … Continue reading Stephen King calls Marah America’s best unknown rock band
Randy Bachman Revives the Spirit of BTO and the Guess Who
ORIGINALLY POSTED AT STRAIGHT.COM, JAN. 25, 2009 Backstage at the Commodore after Friday's sold-out show, Randy Bachman gazed in wonder at an undated concert photo that an autograph-seeker had brought to his dressing room. It pictured Bachman jamming with Elvin Bishop and Steve Miller sometime during the '70s. "I bet that was at the Cave!," … Continue reading Randy Bachman Revives the Spirit of BTO and the Guess Who