Scotty Hall (left) and Phil Robertson By Steve Newton I've been lucky enough to have interviewed some amazing guitar players in the last 35 years, pickers like Jeff Beck, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Joe Satriani, and Scotty Hall. Scotty Hall? Who the funk is he, you're probably thinking. Well, unless you're a music insider based … Continue reading Scotty Hall: 22 minutes with Vancouver’s greatest unknown rock guitarist (R.I.P.)
Tag: Georgia Straight
AC/DC-in-Vancouver news-breaker talks recording rumours, the Warehouse connection, and the magic of Malcolm Young
By Steve Newton I've interviewed hundreds of rock musicians over the past 35 years, but I've only been interviewed myself a few times--most of those discussions taking place earlier this year when local Tragically Hip fans like Jody Vance and Drex wanted to know about the book I'd just written about Gord Downie. But I was on … Continue reading AC/DC-in-Vancouver news-breaker talks recording rumours, the Warehouse connection, and the magic of Malcolm Young
Atlanta guitar hero Tinsley Ellis on covering Leon Russell, adoring Eric Clapton, and listening to Tom Dowd
By Steve Newton The last time yours truly interviewed American blues-rocker Tinsley Ellis was 10 years ago, when he called the Georgia Straight in advance of a gig at the Yale Hotel, Vancouver’s top blues venue for decades. Sadly, the Granville Street joint hasn’t been a real home of the blues for years now, a fact not … Continue reading Atlanta guitar hero Tinsley Ellis on covering Leon Russell, adoring Eric Clapton, and listening to Tom Dowd
Exclusive excerpt from my new book, Gord Downie, about the late frontman of the Tragically Hip
By Steve Newton The following is the Preface from my new coffeetable book, Gord Downie, published by Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. of New York City and currently available at Indigo, Coles, and Chapters outlets across Canada. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The first time I spoke to Gord Downie he was a longhaired 25-year-old rocker touring behind his band's first full-length … Continue reading Exclusive excerpt from my new book, Gord Downie, about the late frontman of the Tragically Hip
Hey, I wrote a book about Gord Downie, and it looks freakin’ awesome!
By Steve Newton After more than 35 years as a journalist, I'm finally moving up in the world. I'm gonna be an author! Yeah, that's right. Shove over Stephen King, there's an unstoppable new force in the publishing world. Just kidding. But I do have a damn nice-looking book comin' out. On February 6 Indigo … Continue reading Hey, I wrote a book about Gord Downie, and it looks freakin’ awesome!
“Saw Six is the sixth Saw I’ve seen”: my original reviews of every Saw movie, 2004-2010 & 2017
By Steve Newton As most in-the-know horror-movie freaks are no doubt aware, the latest entry in the Saw franchise, Spiral: From the Book of Saw, opens this Friday (May 14). As the designated horror reviewer for Vancouver weekly the Georgia Straight since the early '80s, it was my journalistic duty to cover all the Saw … Continue reading “Saw Six is the sixth Saw I’ve seen”: my original reviews of every Saw movie, 2004-2010 & 2017
The incredible story behind the Ear of Newt autographed guitar
By Steve Newton Back in January of 2013 when I started planning the Ear of Newt website--which I launched on Halloween night that year--I knew I had to get my autographed plexiglass guitar into the picture. I'd been dragging it around to concerts to get it signed by my fave pickers--folks like Link Wray, Ronnie … Continue reading The incredible story behind the Ear of Newt autographed guitar
That time Graham Bonnet told me about unknown Alcatrazz guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen: “He’s one day gonna be a star”
By Steve Newton Back in the '80s one of my jobs at the Georgia Straight newspaper in Vancouver was to cover the hard-rock/heavy metal beat. Soon after getting hired as a proofreader/typesetter in '82 I was doing articles on Priest, Scorps, Maiden, and Ozzy, which--to my utter delight--often ended up as the cover story. Metal was … Continue reading That time Graham Bonnet told me about unknown Alcatrazz guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen: “He’s one day gonna be a star”
That time Gord Downie told me about the “unique” life on the road with the Tragically Hip
By Steve Newton On July 2, 1995, I did my fourth Georgia Straight interview with the Tragically Hip's Gord Downie. It had only been six months since our previous chat, and it was unusual--even back then, when newspapers were thriving--to publish two feature stories on the same band within such a short span of time. But … Continue reading That time Gord Downie told me about the “unique” life on the road with the Tragically Hip
Dan Hawkins still remembers that time the Darkness lit up the Commodore in Vancouver
rebecca blissett photo By Steve Newton See that wicked concert shot by ace Vancouver photographer Rebecca Blissett of the Darkness guitarist Dan Hawkins standing at the edge of the stage, ripping it up on his cream-coloured Les Paul to the obvious delight of the crowd? See that "Oh my god, this fvckin' rocks!" look on … Continue reading Dan Hawkins still remembers that time the Darkness lit up the Commodore in Vancouver
Jim Byrnes on the Vancouver blues scene in ’85 and his idol Magic Sam
By Steve Newton On May 6, 1985, Vancouver blues legend Jim Byrnes was in the midst of a week-long stint at a nightclub in the West End. That's no big whoop as far as Vancouver music history goes, but considering how much Byrnes has contributed to the city's blues scene since then, I figured it … Continue reading Jim Byrnes on the Vancouver blues scene in ’85 and his idol Magic Sam
Joe Satriani explains how he overcame pain and suffering to fulfill his new Blue Dream
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JAN. 19, 1990 By Steve Newton Just as almost everyone can recall where they were when news broke of John F. Kennedy's assassination, a lot of rock fans can vividly remember that day in 1970 when the news of Jimi Hendrix's death came down. Joe Satriani was in high school at the … Continue reading Joe Satriani explains how he overcame pain and suffering to fulfill his new Blue Dream
Iron Maiden plays Vancouver on the Powerslave tour, Dave Murray talks to the Newt
By Steve Newton On December 9, 1984, Iron Maiden played the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver--with Twisted Sister opening up! Not only that, but the paper put my interview with the British metal legends on the front page, featuring a totally rockin' live photo by famed Vancouver photographer Bev Davies. I hadn't been so proud of … Continue reading Iron Maiden plays Vancouver on the Powerslave tour, Dave Murray talks to the Newt