ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON DEC. 26, 1986 By Steve Newton When Canadian power trio Triumph plays the Pacific Coliseum this Sunday (December 28), its long-time fans will be in for a bit of a surprise. For the first time in its 12-year career, the group will be sporting a fourth member, Toronto guitarist Rick Santers. Santers, … Continue reading Rick Santers makes power trio Triumph a power quartet on The Sport of Kings Tour
Tag: Kick Axe
Vancouver’s mid-’80s metal scene thrives with bands like Kradle, Nitevigil, and Harlots Webb
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 15, 1986 By Steve Newton Vancouver hard-rock fans who've been thirsting for a taste of homegrown metal should consider visiting the New York Theatre this Saturday (August 16). That's when Burnaby's Kradle will be doing their best to prove that raunchy and original sounds are still alive and well in Expo … Continue reading Vancouver’s mid-’80s metal scene thrives with bands like Kradle, Nitevigil, and Harlots Webb
Album review: Various Artists, Metal For Lunch (1986)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JUNE 6, 1986 By Steve Newton Metal For Lunch is the follow-up to last year's Metal For Breakfast album, a collection of previously released tracks from som great (and not so great) hard rock bands. On this one, the top tunes come via Aerosmith ("Back in the Saddle"), Judas Priest ("Love … Continue reading Album review: Various Artists, Metal For Lunch (1986)
Album review: Various Artists, Axe Masters–Legends of Rock Guitar
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JULY 19, 1985 By Steve Newton Now this is more like it--heavy metal with class. But then any album that features the playing of metal martyr Randy Rhoads can't lose. Rhoads is included via Ozzy Osbourne's first solo hit "Crazy Train". And he's in good company. "Axe masters" K.K Downing … Continue reading Album review: Various Artists, Axe Masters–Legends of Rock Guitar
Rock and Hyde gets a boost from ex-Kick Axe picker “Hitman” Harvey
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON DEC. 25, 1987 By Steve Newton Since the U.S. release of Rock and Hyde's Under the Volcano nine months ago, the album has sold more copies stateside than all of the duo's previous work put together. That's a fair accomplishment given that Bob Rock and Paul Hyde released four albums as the Payola$, … Continue reading Rock and Hyde gets a boost from ex-Kick Axe picker “Hitman” Harvey
Vancouver rockers, radio hosts, and record-store owners reflect on the power of Black Sabbath
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JULY 15, 1999 By Steve Newton Because of its brutal sound and satanic overtones, Black Sabbath was never as widely accepted as the Beatles or the Stones, but its influence among rock fans is incredibly far-reaching. We asked a few local hard-rock aficionados and musicians to divulge their fondest … Continue reading Vancouver rockers, radio hosts, and record-store owners reflect on the power of Black Sabbath
Kick Axe avoids Quiet Riot syndrome, welcomes their friends to the club
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JAN. 3, 1986 By Steve Newton Some years ago there was a club at the corner of Broadway and Kingsway known as Vancouver's Tonite--one of the Top Three local clubs along with Frams and Outlaws where nasty guitar licks and heavy sounds were the stock-in-trade. And one of the … Continue reading Kick Axe avoids Quiet Riot syndrome, welcomes their friends to the club
Annihilator’s Jeff Waters is getting into the “old hard-rock stuff” again
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 15, 1990 By Steve Newton Despite the fact that this city is home to Annihilator—one of the most promising young bands in metal—Vancouver has yet to prove itself as a world-class heavy metal town. Aside from Annihilator, there hasn’t been a successful metal recording act out of this city since Kick … Continue reading Annihilator’s Jeff Waters is getting into the “old hard-rock stuff” again