ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 12, 1996 By Steve Newton In 1994, John Mellencamp was scheduled to perform here in support of his Dance Naked release, but the show was cancelled when the then–four-pack-a-day smoker suffered a heart attack. He hasn’t toured since, and from the sound of this new CD, Mellencamp … Continue reading Album review: John Mellencamp, Mr. Happy Go Lucky (1996)
Tag: heart attack
Perfecting the lost art of the backstage meet ‘n’ greet at John Mellencamp in Vancouver
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 20, 1999 By Steve Newton I like John Mellencamp, but my sister Julie and cousin Cory are crazy about him, so I did some serious scroungin’ and wangled three backstage passes to meet the Indiana rocker before he went on stage at GM Place last Saturday (May 15). Now, for those … Continue reading Perfecting the lost art of the backstage meet ‘n’ greet at John Mellencamp in Vancouver
John Mellencamp cuts back on smokes, ramps up songwriting after heart attack
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MAY 13, 1999 By Steve Newton John Mellencamp had the biggest-selling album of 1982 with American Fool, which boasted such huge radio hits as “Hurts So Good” and “Jack and Diane”. I interviewed him in advance of a show at the PNE Forum that year, and at the time … Continue reading John Mellencamp cuts back on smokes, ramps up songwriting after heart attack
Drive-By Truckers’ new disc dedicated to loveable merch guy Craig Lieske
Any fan of the Drive-By Truckers is aware of how cool their merchandise is. A lot of it has to do with the southern-goth artistry of Wes Freed, whose work has long been a staple of the band's album covers, t-shirts, and posters. I've got one proudly displayed in my home hallway, as a matter of … Continue reading Drive-By Truckers’ new disc dedicated to loveable merch guy Craig Lieske
“Thank You For Being a Friend” singer-songwriter Andrew Gold dies at 59
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, JUNE 7, 2011 L.A. singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Andrew Gold, whose hits in the '70s included "Lonely Boy" and "Thank You For Being a Friend", died in his sleep of an apparent heart attack on Friday (June 3), exactly two months before his 60th birthday. Gold's career highlights included performing with the … Continue reading “Thank You For Being a Friend” singer-songwriter Andrew Gold dies at 59