Eric Clapton and Mark Knopfler shiver spines in Vancouver

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

Album review: Rod Stewart, Unplugged…and Seated (1993)

  ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JUNE 17, 1993 By Steve Newton I always thought that the opening riff of Derek and the Dominos’ “Layla” was one of the most simple and beautiful things in rock ’n’ roll, so I wasn’t too thrilled when I first heard Clapton’s lounge-style, Unplugged version of the song, … Continue reading Album review: Rod Stewart, Unplugged…and Seated (1993)

Ear of Newt’s Top 30 Rock Albums of 1970

Last year I decided to turn the clock back four decades and put together a list of my 30 fave albums of 1973, because, for one thing, that was the year when the greatest rock album of all time--the Who's Quadrophenia--was released. Then,  a couple of weeks back, I kept up the "40 years ago" … Continue reading Ear of Newt’s Top 30 Rock Albums of 1970