ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 1, 2002 By Steve Newton Seventies hard-rockers Mountain didn’t waste any time in getting famous. The band—best known for the lineup of guitarist and vocalist Leslie West, drummer Corky Laing, keyboardist Steve Knight, and bassist-vocalist Felix Pappalardi (who was shot dead by his wife in ’83)—played its first gig at L.A.’s … Continue reading Leslie West recalls Woodstock and his band Mountain’s old warmup act, Black Sabbath
Tag: interview
Deborah Coleman switched from bass to guitar after hearing Jimi Hendrix
Deborah Coleman is a captivating soloist in her own right, but on her latest CD she let her buddy Jimmy Thackery get his licks in as well.
Fuzz-pedal ripoff leads Fu Manchu to stack guitar tones on California Crossing
On their latest CD, California Crossing, SoCal guitar-rockers Fu Manchu took a slightly different musical approach than they had before.
Neil Finn got passion from his dad and ability from his mom
"My dad was pretty passionate about music, too, so I got the fire from him and the actual ability from Mom, I think.”
The Goo Goo Dolls’ John Rzeznik fears the day the Canadian army attacks Buffalo
It’s usually pretty easy to think of questions to ask famous rock stars, but sometimes they do things that make it a snap.
Vancouver’s rough ‘n’ tumble Twisters take the Long Hard Road
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 29, 2002 By Steve Newton When the time comes to track down Brandon Isaak and get the scoop on his local blues band, the Twisters, the red-haired guitarist with the monster tone is not around. He’s up in the Yukon, where his parents own the only blues bar in Whitehorse, the … Continue reading Vancouver’s rough ‘n’ tumble Twisters take the Long Hard Road
David Gogo gives Depeche Mode a bluesy makeover on Skeleton Key
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 25, 2002 By Steve Newton David Gogo is a festive kinda guy. When he calls me up from his home in Nanaimo, he’s just returned from playing the Ottawa Blues Festival, where he got to see one of his guitar idols, Otis Rush, and shared the event’s acoustic stage with Vancouver … Continue reading David Gogo gives Depeche Mode a bluesy makeover on Skeleton Key
King’s X guitarist Ty Tabor is not into chops for chops’ sake
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 20, 2002 By Steve Newton When I reach King’s X guitarist Ty Tabor by phone in Cleveland, he’s just gotten back from doing several weeks of guitar clinics in Southeast Asia, helping to promote his signature series of Yamaha guitars in countries like Taiwan, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Most often, in the … Continue reading King’s X guitarist Ty Tabor is not into chops for chops’ sake
Alice Cooper tours with Trash, talks songwriting, horror, and ’70s rock
kevin statham photo ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JAN. 5, 1990 By Steve Newton When it comes to combining the finer elements of horror and hard rock, Alice Cooper rules. For more than 20 years the King of Nasty Rock has been sating his lust for the macabre and love of heavy music while wreaking havoc on … Continue reading Alice Cooper tours with Trash, talks songwriting, horror, and ’70s rock
Jimmy Thackery pays tribute to Muscle Shoals soulman Eddie Hinton on We Got It
Most blues-rock guitarists of note have tales to tell about the first time they heard the likes of Jimi Hendrix or Buddy Guy.
Jennifer Batten calls Jeff Beck “the greatest guitar player who ever lived”
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 13, 2002 By Steve Newton Any guitar freaks lucky enough to have seen Jeff Beck at the Commodore last year will rave about his top-hatted blond accompanist, whose mastery of the guitar-synth almost stole the show from the British rock legend. The waiflike lady was Jennifer Batten, who returns to Vancouver … Continue reading Jennifer Batten calls Jeff Beck “the greatest guitar player who ever lived”
Fingerstyle guitar ace Leo Kottke is deeply attracted to sloth
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JUNE 13, 2002 By Steve Newton Ever since he blasted onto the music scene with his 1969 debut on John Fahey’s tiny Takoma label, 6 and 12-String Guitar, Leo Kottke has been acknowledged as one of the greats of fingerstyle acoustic guitar. But that wasn’t his first instrument—or “victim”, … Continue reading Fingerstyle guitar ace Leo Kottke is deeply attracted to sloth
The John Butler Trio just said no to American record labels
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 23, 2002 By Steve Newton It doesn’t take long to figure out that Australian singer-songwriter and slide-guitar ace John Butler is an issue-oriented kinda guy. In the CD booklet that accompanies his trio’s latest disc, Three, one page is loaded with facts detailing the ongoing destruction of his homeland’s old-growth forests. … Continue reading The John Butler Trio just said no to American record labels