This Is the Blues goes heavy on underrated guitar hero Peter Green

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, JUNE 15, 2010 By Steve Newton Several years ago I was combing the CD stacks at Zulu Records—back when they were located on the other side of Fourth and a little further east—and came across the 1995 tribute album Rattlesnake Guitar: The Music of Peter Green. Man, what a find that … Continue reading This Is the Blues goes heavy on underrated guitar hero Peter Green

Rez guitarist Scotty Hall got neck-tapping tips from Harvey Mandel

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, MARCH 16, 2006 By Steve Newton Although Rez may be the finest guitar-based instrumental-rock CD ever to come out of Vancouver, the original meeting of the duo behind it was rather inauspicious. Guitarist Scotty Hall and drummer-keyboardist Phil Robertson hooked up when Hall attended a rehearsal for Idle Eyes, the blatantly commercial … Continue reading Rez guitarist Scotty Hall got neck-tapping tips from Harvey Mandel

Clean-living music-biz veteran John Mayall has still got the blues

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, AUG. 10, 2011 By Steve Newton While prepping for my interview with British blues-rock legend John Mayall I browsed my trusty CD collection and came up with the remastered version of his 1971 album, Back to the Roots. This turned out to be a fine choice from a guitar freak’s standpoint as … Continue reading Clean-living music-biz veteran John Mayall has still got the blues