Newt’s Top 10 albums of 1983

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JAN. 13, 1984 By Steve Newton Stevie Ray Vaughan Texas Flood “Texas Flood is by far my most played album these days. It’s one of those rare albums where every song is a winner…if your’re a fanatic of electric blues guitar, you’ve got to have this record.” Gary Moore Corridors … Continue reading Newt’s Top 10 albums of 1983

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

Les Finnigan figures all fingerstyle guitarists should learn Yes’s “Mood For a Day”

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 16, 1999When you lift Les Finnigan’s Stories Without Words CD out of its clear plastic tray, you expect to see a picture of the 28-year-old fingerstyle guitarist-composer, or maybe some production notes, in the space behind it. Instead there’s a black-and-white snapshot of a severely mangled guitar case … Continue reading Les Finnigan figures all fingerstyle guitarists should learn Yes’s “Mood For a Day”

Touring with the singer from Led Zeppelin hasn’t given Todd Park Mohr a big head

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 30, 1993 By Steve Newton Not many Vancouver rock fans have heard of Big Head Todd & the Monsters, the Colorado-based trio that warms up the Orpheum on Thursday (October 7). Every Vancouver rock fan has heard of Robert Plant, the fellow who Big Head Todd & the … Continue reading Touring with the singer from Led Zeppelin hasn’t given Todd Park Mohr a big head

Stevie Ray Vaughan tops my Top 10 albums of 1983

It's always fun getting your Top 10 albums of the year list together. My list for 2013 went out earlier this month, including longtime faves like Gov't Mule, Steve Earle, Buddy Guy, Sabbath, and Satch. But when I was rustling around in my boxes of old Georgia Straights recently I came across my Top 10 … Continue reading Stevie Ray Vaughan tops my Top 10 albums of 1983