ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, OCT. 7, 1988 By Steve Newton Of the three big guitar names in seminal British blues-rock--Page, Beck, and Clapton--only the latter has chosen to take a player of his own calibre on tour with him. The match-up of Mark Knopfler and Eric Clapton is one made in guitarist's heaven, … Continue reading Eric Clapton and Mark Knopfler shiver spines in Vancouver
Tag: J.J. Cale
Album review: Dire Straits, On Every Street (1991)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 19, 1991 By Steve Newton What the hell happened to Dire Straits over the years? When the band’s debut album came out in ’78, you were hard-pressed to find one song on it that wasn’t a gem. Thirteen years later, it’s the exact opposite: you’ve gotta search … Continue reading Album review: Dire Straits, On Every Street (1991)
Loved me some Leon
By Steve Newton Just when it seems like 2016 couldn't get much worse--what with the recent death of Leonard Cohen and the election of Donald Trump--here comes some more sad news. Music legend Leon Russell, best known for writing and/or recording songs like "Delta Lady", "This Masquerade", and "Tight Rope"--and for performing with virtually everybody--passed … Continue reading Loved me some Leon
Fastway’s “Fast” Eddie Clarke on his days with Motörhead and not wanting to be a guitar hero
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JULY 8, 1983 By Steve Newton Fastway, the new band put together by former Motörhead guitarist "Fast" Eddie Clarke and featuring original Humble Pie drummer Jerry Shirley, opened last Wednesday's Iron Maiden concert at the Pacific Coliseum. I spoke to "Fast" Eddie that afternoon and caught a few glimpses … Continue reading Fastway’s “Fast” Eddie Clarke on his days with Motörhead and not wanting to be a guitar hero
John Mayall recruits slide wizard Sonny Landreth for A Sense of Place, okays Eric Clapton sitting in
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JUNE 7, 1990 By Steve Newton When legendary bluesman John Mayall gets rolling on stage, he cuts right down to the roots of the blues. There’s nothing fancy about his approach to the music; with the help of his Bluesbreakers, he delivers it in all its raw and primitive … Continue reading John Mayall recruits slide wizard Sonny Landreth for A Sense of Place, okays Eric Clapton sitting in
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers leave Vancouver reeling with a two-hour barrage of cannonball rock
kevin statham photo ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 11, 1995 By Steve Newton Some rock bands have a magical way of winning over a crowd straightaway, and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers are a prime example. I saw them do it back in ’78 at the Commodore on the You’re Gonna Get It tour, and they … Continue reading Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers leave Vancouver reeling with a two-hour barrage of cannonball rock
Eric Clapton’s J.J. Cale tribute features Derek Trucks, Albert Lee, and Doyle Bramhall II
By Steve Newton FULL DISCLOSURE: I fuckin' love J.J. Cale. Universal Music Canada has announced that Eric Clapton will release a star-studded album honouring J.J. Cale's legacy this summer. Titled The Breeze, An Appreciation of JJ Cale, the 16-track disc will feature guitar by Clapton on all tracks, with guest appearances by such shit-hot pickers as Derek … Continue reading Eric Clapton’s J.J. Cale tribute features Derek Trucks, Albert Lee, and Doyle Bramhall II
Dire Straits rips off its own tunes in Vancouver, but makes good with “Brothers in Arms”
@shotbykevin ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, APRIL 2, 1992 By Steve Newton I don’t know which is worse, a rock band copying another artist, or a rock band copying itself. Dire Straits has always been somewhat guilty of the first offence, but the sizeable debt it owes to J.J. Cale has never really bothered … Continue reading Dire Straits rips off its own tunes in Vancouver, but makes good with “Brothers in Arms”
Paul Simon makes the Newt think of J.J. Cale in Vancouver
photo by Mrs. Newt, who loves Paul Simon Between the two of them, pop legends Paul Simon (72) and Sting (62) have recording careers that span over 90 years. And when you consider how hugely popular the two have been, both as solo artists and with the acts that first brought them fame—Simon & Garfunkel … Continue reading Paul Simon makes the Newt think of J.J. Cale in Vancouver
Ear of Newt’s Top 30 Rock Albums of 1971
All in all, 1971 wasn't one of the greatest years for rock in the seventies. But it was a pretty great one for Alice Cooper, Rory Gallagher, and Yes, who each had two albums on my Top 30. As before, I’ve listed the LPs alphabetically by title, and included three choice tracks from each disc … Continue reading Ear of Newt’s Top 30 Rock Albums of 1971
Eric Clapton gets shown up by Doyle Bramhall II in Vancouver
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, MARCH 28, 2007 By Steve Newton A few days before attending last Friday's (March 23) Eric Clapton/Robert Cray show, I came across a timely TV broadcast of Taylor Hackford's 1986 concert documentary, Chuck Berry: Hail! Hail! Rock 'N' Roll. Both Clapton and Cray are featured in it, the former performing the … Continue reading Eric Clapton gets shown up by Doyle Bramhall II in Vancouver
J.J. Cale, 2009: “I’m ridin’ on the bus, so talk real loud.”
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT, COM, JULY 29, 2013 By Steve Newton If you're a music fan you've probably already heard that legendary songwriter J.J. Cale died of a heart attack last Friday (July 26) at the age of 74. He's the guy whose deathless blues-roots songs have been interpreted by countless artists over the years. … Continue reading J.J. Cale, 2009: “I’m ridin’ on the bus, so talk real loud.”