By Steve Newton Concrete Blonde were a pretty great L.A. rock band from the mid-'80s. I interviewed singer, bassist, and main songwriter Johnette Napolitano back in June of 1990, three weeks after the release of the group's most popular album, 1990's Bloodletting, which featured the hit "Joey". That album was produced with Chris Tsangarides, who'd … Continue reading That time I asked Johnette Napolitano about Concrete Blonde covering Thin Lizzy
Tag: Free
Newt’s Rock Hall inducts Motörhead, T. Rex, Free, the MC5, Humble Pie, and the J. Geils Band
By Steve Newton In yesterday's blog denouncing the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's continued refusal to induct Link Wray, I mentioned that today I planned to induct six acts into Newt's Rock Hall, to keep up with the Joneses (a.k.a. that other, crappier Hall in Cleveland). And since I don't like to disappoint people, … Continue reading Newt’s Rock Hall inducts Motörhead, T. Rex, Free, the MC5, Humble Pie, and the J. Geils Band
Singers from Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, and Free connect for a rock-god vocal summit in Oxford
By Steve Newton What do you get when you gather the lead singers from Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, and Free on stage at the same time? A pretty rockin' version of the '50s chestnut "Money (That's What I Want)", it appears. Robert Plant, Brian Johnson, and Paul Rodgers got together at one of Rodgers' shows in … Continue reading Singers from Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, and Free connect for a rock-god vocal summit in Oxford
Paul Rodgers on the creation of “All Right Now”, the mystique of Paul Kossoff, and the awesomeness of Jimi Hendrix
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN EXPERIENCE HENDRIX MAGAZINE, WINTER 2000 By Steve Newton If you polled all the music fans in the world and asked them to name their fave party tune of all time, you can bet that there'd be more than a few votes for Free's "All Right Now". That ultimate ode to chasing chicks … Continue reading Paul Rodgers on the creation of “All Right Now”, the mystique of Paul Kossoff, and the awesomeness of Jimi Hendrix
Joe Bonamassa wanted Deep Purple and Free in the Rock Hall “before f***ing Green Day”
By Steve Newton When American guitar hero Joe Bonamassa called me up back in 2015 in advance of a Vancouver double-header we mostly talked about his new live album, Muddy Wolf at Red Rocks. But since I also see it as my duty to slag the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame whenever necessary--which is … Continue reading Joe Bonamassa wanted Deep Purple and Free in the Rock Hall “before f***ing Green Day”
Paul Rodgers on living the rock and roll fantasy and his new album Electric
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 21, 2000 By Steve Newton Anyone who’s ever raised a frosty Molson Pilsner to the bluesy riff-rock of Free or Bad Company would do well to attend the Commodore Ballroom on Friday (September 22), when the singer from those bands, Paul Rodgers, shows off the voice that launched … Continue reading Paul Rodgers on living the rock and roll fantasy and his new album Electric
For Paul Rodgers, everything stems from playing live
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, AUG. 28, 1997 By Steve Newton Back in the late ’60s, British blues-rock crooner Paul Rodgers wrapped his gravel ’n’ honey vocals around a simple, bludgeoning Paul Kossoff guitar riff and rock history was made. Twenty-seven years after its release, Free’s “All Right Now” has joined an elite club … Continue reading For Paul Rodgers, everything stems from playing live
Paul Kossoff’s son Simon meets Paul Rodgers for the first time
photo by Lucy Piller Legendary blues-rocker Paul Rodgers finally got to meet the son of Paul Kossoff, the former guitarist in his old band Free. In a tweet last week Rodgers mentioned that he had his first-ever encounter with Simon Kossoff in London, and included a photo of the two of them together. "So much like his … Continue reading Paul Kossoff’s son Simon meets Paul Rodgers for the first time