By Steve Newton I did my first interview with hugely successful hard-rock producer Bob Rock in December of 1991. I went to meet him at Vancouver Studios, where he was working on albums by the London Choirboys and his own band, Rockhead. Four months earlier the massively popular album Rock made with Metallica, The Black … Continue reading 10 minutes in a studio with producer Bob Rock in 1991
Tag: Metallica
That time I asked Klaus Meine if the Scorpions were blowing Van Halen off the stage on the Monsters of Rock Tour
By Steve Newton Way back in July of 1988 I made the trek from Vancouver to see the Monsters of Rock Festival at the Seattle Kingdome. The lineup featured Van Halen, Scorpions, Metallica, Dokken, and Kingdom Come, and at the time--since David Lee Roth was no longer in VH--I was particularly psyched to see the … Continue reading That time I asked Klaus Meine if the Scorpions were blowing Van Halen off the stage on the Monsters of Rock Tour
That time 21-year-old Lars Ulrich woke up early to call and tell me how Metallica’s new Ride the Lightning album was doin’
By Steve Newton I've interviewed Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich four times because, hey, I like Metallica. This is the first time, way the funk back in March of 1985, when the band was still touring behind its second album, Ride the Lightning. Lars called me up from L.A. and filled me in on how the … Continue reading That time 21-year-old Lars Ulrich woke up early to call and tell me how Metallica’s new Ride the Lightning album was doin’
Van Halen and Scorpions battle it out for stadium-rock supremacy as the Monsters of Rock tour hits Seattle
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, AUG. 5, 1988 By Steve Newton About 40,000 people paid $38.50 (Cdn) to see the marathon Monsters of Rock show at the Seattle Kingdome last Wednesday (July 27). My calculator blew up when I tried to figure out the night's take, but I do know that the Kingdome is … Continue reading Van Halen and Scorpions battle it out for stadium-rock supremacy as the Monsters of Rock tour hits Seattle
Album review: Megadeth, So Far, So Good…So What? (1988)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MAY 20, 1988 By Steve Newton Another great album title from the young metal dudes that brought you Peace Sells...But Who's Buying? Led by former Metallica member Dave Mustaine, these Yankee headbangers sure do make a racket, from the opening instrumental "Into the Lungs of Hell" to the anti-censorship "Hook … Continue reading Album review: Megadeth, So Far, So Good…So What? (1988)
Album review: Echobrain, Echobrain (2002)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MAY 9, 2002 By Steve Newton You’ve gotta wonder why long-time Metallica bassist Jason Newsted threw in the towel with that enormously popular metal act last year. Perhaps it had something to do with his ex-bandmates’ intolerance of his side project with guitarist-vocalist Dylan Donkin and drummer Brian … Continue reading Album review: Echobrain, Echobrain (2002)
Album review: Metallica, Load (1996)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JUNE 27, 1996 By Steve Newton Load is probably the most highly anticipated heavy-metal album ever. Not only is it Metallica’s first studio recording in five years, but it’s the follow-up to the breakthrough self-titled disc that brought metal to the mainstream via the resounding radio hit “Enter … Continue reading Album review: Metallica, Load (1996)
Newt’s Top 10 albums of 2016
By Steve Newton Please, God, don’t let any more of my rock heroes die this year. Jeff Beck Loud Hailer The world’s greatest living rock guitarist isn’t resting on his laurels at the age of 72. With Loud Hailer—another term for “megaphone”—Beck delivers a fresh-sounding blast of intense, politically minded rock. His fretwork has never … Continue reading Newt’s Top 10 albums of 2016
That time 23-year-old James Hetfield told me that Metallica’s new bassist was “fairly goofy”
By Steve Newton Back in 1986 I interviewed Metallica's James Hetfield in his messy Vancouver hotel room. The band had just hired Jason Newsted, who had beaten out a barrage of hopefuls for the prized role of bassist, taking over from the deceased Cliff Burton. At one point Hetfield explained how Metallica had found Newsted, how … Continue reading That time 23-year-old James Hetfield told me that Metallica’s new bassist was “fairly goofy”
That time I asked Metallica’s 23-year-old James Hetfield who his fave metal bands were
By Steve Newton Back in 1986 I met James Hetfield in his hotel room in Vancouver, and we talked for a bit about heavy metal, the death of Cliff Burton, new bassist Jason Newsted, and Metallica's latest album, Master of Puppets. I'm not sure which day in '86 the interview happened, but it was sometime … Continue reading That time I asked Metallica’s 23-year-old James Hetfield who his fave metal bands were
Lars Ulrich picks Metallica’s fave bands in 1985, gives personal shout-out to Deep Purple
By Steve Newton Ha! Here's a good one! Today I was digitizing my very first Metallica interview--which I did with Lars Ulrich back in March of '85. At one point during our 20-minute chat I asked the 21-year-old skinbasher what his group's favourite bands were--and was pleasantly surprised to hear that the list included Kate … Continue reading Lars Ulrich picks Metallica’s fave bands in 1985, gives personal shout-out to Deep Purple
Newt’s Top 10 albums of 1998
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 17, 1998 By Steve Newton Yee-hah! I managed to make it through yet another year without having to listen to anyone named DJ anything. The Tragically Hip Phantom Power Ontario’s guitar-rock kings continue their winning ways with a potent batch of raggedy ruminations on everything Canadian, from Bobby … Continue reading Newt’s Top 10 albums of 1998
Rob Halford says that Priest, Maiden, AC/DC, KISS, Metallica, and Slayer have all stood the test of time
By Steve Newton Back in 2015 I interviewed Rob Halford in advance of Judas Priest's doubleheader at the Hard Rock Casino Vancouver. When I asked him if there were any newer metal bands that had blown him away lately the 64-year-old "metal god" went off on a bit of a tangent. "They're all over the place, … Continue reading Rob Halford says that Priest, Maiden, AC/DC, KISS, Metallica, and Slayer have all stood the test of time