ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, AUG. 27, 2009 By Steve Newton I’ve never actually seen the HBO vampire series True Blood, mainly because I’m too busy watching the cable channel’s other offerings like Entourage, Eastbound & Down, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. (Larry David fans take note: CYE’s seventh season premieres September 20.) But if True Blood is anywhere … Continue reading Album review: Various Artists, True Blood: Music From the HBO Original Series (2009)
Tag: Dr. John
Album review: Johnny Winter, Guitar Slinger (1984)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JUNE 22, 1984 By Steve Newton The albino boss of bad-ass blues really hits the mark on this new album, which promises to be the blues-rock record of 1984. It should do for Johnny Winter what Texas Flood did for Stevie Ray Vaughan last year. Backed up by some of … Continue reading Album review: Johnny Winter, Guitar Slinger (1984)
Album review: Michael Bloomfield, Bloomfield (1983)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JAN. 13, 1984 By Steve Newton "The music you listen to becomes the soundtrack of your life...it becomes the background track for your existence." So says the late Michael Bloomfield in an interview segment from the new retrospective of the bluesman's brilliant career. Bloomfield. There are four such segments interspersed … Continue reading Album review: Michael Bloomfield, Bloomfield (1983)
Album review: Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, Live at Carnegie Hall (1997)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, AUG. 21, 1997 By Steve Newton If there was ever any doubt that Stevie Ray Vaughan was a guitarist with skill and soul on a par with any rock legend living or dead, this live CD—recorded at New York’s Carnegie Hall on October 4, 1984, the day after … Continue reading Album review: Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, Live at Carnegie Hall (1997)
Album review: Various Artists, A Tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan (1996)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, AUG. 29, 1996 By Steve Newton The folks behind this latest tribute to blues-rock guitar legend Stevie Ray Vaughan could hardly lose when they got Vaughan’s older brother (and biggest influence) Jimmie to organize and host a one-off concert featuring Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt, … Continue reading Album review: Various Artists, A Tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan (1996)
Robert Plant calls Shemekia Copeland, 23, “the next Tina Turner”
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 26, 2002 By Steve Newton There are a number of things that can boost an up-and-coming recording artist’s career; one of the most effective might be having Robert Plant call you “the next Tina Turner”. Blues vocalist Shemekia Copeland, 23, had no complaints when the shaggy-maned former Zepman … Continue reading Robert Plant calls Shemekia Copeland, 23, “the next Tina Turner”
Susan Tedeschi just enjoys being a musician, pretty much
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON DEC. 3, 1998 By Steve Newton When Susan Tedeschi’s cell phone rings in an L.A. hotel room, a female voice answers, but it isn’t the one I’m looking for. It’s actually Tedeschi’s mom, who, in a very motherly way, explains that her daughter’s in the bathtub. Sounding concerned that her child might … Continue reading Susan Tedeschi just enjoys being a musician, pretty much
Big-hearted blues god B.B. King offers guitar picks and hugs backstage in Vancouver
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 13, 1998 By Steve Newton “Come on in!” urged B.B. King to the gaggle of well-wishers and autograph hounds gathered outside his dressing room in the bowels of GM Place. It was 12:30 a.m., about 45 minutes after King had finished his set on the first night of the 44-date B.B. … Continue reading Big-hearted blues god B.B. King offers guitar picks and hugs backstage in Vancouver
Alice Cooper finally gets nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, SEPT. 28, 2010 By Steve Newton Alice Cooper released a string of amazing albums in the early '70s—including Love It to the Death, School's Out, Killer, and Billion Dollar Babies—but the brainiacs at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame waited until today to nominate the shock-rock king for inclusion in their fancy pants institution. … Continue reading Alice Cooper finally gets nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Dr. John says that he has 180 songs in the band book
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MARCH 4, 2004 By Steve Newton You learn pretty quickly as a music writer not to put too much faith in recording artists' bios. Once in a while, though, the proclamations heard in those promotional sheets actually turn out to be true. Take the opening line of the current PR blurb for … Continue reading Dr. John says that he has 180 songs in the band book