ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 7, 1991 By Steve Newton There are rock heroes, and then there are rock heroes’ rock heroes. For virtuoso bassist Stuart Hamm, it was the cosmic abilities of the late Jaco Pastorius that made the most profound impression on him. He couldn’t sleep for two days after seeing the troubled fretmaster. … Continue reading Bass god Stu Hamm says that seeing Jaco Pastorius for the first time changed his life
Tag: Club Soda
Circle of Soul brings a Motownish vibe backed by a wall of Marshalls
"A lot of the songs that we were writing sounded real Motownish," says Joie Mastrokalos, "but with this wall of Marshalls behind.”
Poison’s vacuous array of tunes would be outrocked by Loggins & Messina
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JAN. 24, 1991 By Steve Newton There was good news and bad news going into last Saturday’s (January 19) Poison gig at the Coliseum. The good news was that the originally scheduled opening act—the cheesy and childish Warrant—was being replaced by the slightly more impressive Don Dokken Band. The bad news was … Continue reading Poison’s vacuous array of tunes would be outrocked by Loggins & Messina
Robert Plant gets the Led out and holds his own with the Black Crowes in Vancouver
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SEPT. 27, 1990 By Steve Newton Robert Plant threw me for a loop at the Coliseum last Friday (September 21). From the lacklustre sound of his latest album, Manic Nirvana, I had the impression that the 42-year-old rock legend had drifted off into boring-old-fartsville, never to return again. I even expected the … Continue reading Robert Plant gets the Led out and holds his own with the Black Crowes in Vancouver
Guitar hero Tony MacAlpine praises the phrasing of George Lynch
It seems like every time you turn around, there’s a new hard-rock guitar wizard riffing out in your face. “Shredders” these guys are called.
The London Quireboys pulverize Vancouver (and Long John Baldry) with irresistible barroom boogie
With Long John Baldry grooving along from the wings, the Quireboys pulverized the crowd with a raggedy brand of rhythm ’n’ boogie.
The Black Crowes are from Atlanta, but 23-year-old frontman Chris Robinson says that he never cared for southern rock
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 9, 1990 By Steve Newton Chris Robinson, of Atlanta, Georgia, was nine years old when southern-rock heroes Lynyrd Skynyrd recorded the historic live album One More from the Road at that city's Fox Theatre. Robinson was a little young for concerts at the time, but even if he'd been of age, … Continue reading The Black Crowes are from Atlanta, but 23-year-old frontman Chris Robinson says that he never cared for southern rock
Scatterbrain brings its inventive thrash-funk to Vancouver, but the crowd at Club Soda hardly cares
“If you like us—cheer,” coaxed Scatterbrain lead vocalist Tommy Christ. “If you don’t like us—boo. But don’t sit there!”
Cheap Trick hooks up with Mötley Crüe members to play AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell” in Vancouver
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MARCH 2, 1989 By Steve Newton Back in the late '70s, one of this scribbler's favourite pastimes was throwing Cheap Trick's In Color album on the turntable and cranking 'er up. The band's thoroughly rockin' power-pop was just the right brain lube between heavy bouts of exam cramming. At … Continue reading Cheap Trick hooks up with Mötley Crüe members to play AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell” in Vancouver
Long lost GWAR interview sheds light on the twisted gore-rockers’ methods of madness
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 12, 2010 By Steve Newton I've been interviewing rockers pretty steady since '82, and very few of the music stories I've written have gone unpublished. But for some reason—either space limitations or a managing editor with his noise out of joint—this interview with GWAR frontman Dave Brockie, aka Oderus Urungus, never … Continue reading Long lost GWAR interview sheds light on the twisted gore-rockers’ methods of madness