That time Robin Trower told me that most of the pop music in England was “rubbish”

By Steve Newton Robin Trower is one of my fave guitarists of all time. His string of wicked albums in the seventies--in particular Twice Removed from Yesterday, Bridge of Sighs, and For Earth Below--were a major part of the soundtrack to my teenage existence. He's never gotten the cred he deserves, partly due to the … Continue reading That time Robin Trower told me that most of the pop music in England was “rubbish”

Remembering the Commodore’s Drew Burns: Best. Promoter. Ever.

By now most everyone who follows the Vancouver music scene has heard the sad news about the passing of local concert-biz legend Drew Burns. The longtime proprietor of the Commodore Ballroom died on Saturday, leaving scores of friends and fans feeling down--until memories of him got them up again. The last time I saw Drew was backstage … Continue reading Remembering the Commodore’s Drew Burns: Best. Promoter. Ever.

Interviewing J.J. Cale in 2009: “I’m ridin’ on the bus, so talk real loud.”

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 29, 2013 By Steve Newton If you're a music fan you've probably already heard that legendary songwriter J.J. Cale died of a heart attack last Friday (July 26) at the age of 74. He's the guy whose deathless blues-roots songs have been interpreted by countless artists over the years. He's been … Continue reading Interviewing J.J. Cale in 2009: “I’m ridin’ on the bus, so talk real loud.”

My first and last interview with guitar hero Ronnie Montrose

It may seem crazy to stay up all night transcribing a phone interview I did with Montrose 14 years ago, but his death hit me pretty hard.