Album review: Aerosmith, Pump (1989)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, OCT. 6, 1989 By Steve Newton Some bands grow old gracefully, mellowing with age, but not Aerosmith. On Pump, the follow-up to the band’s […]
Tag Archives: Mike Fraser
That time I asked famed producer Bruce Fairbairn what he thought of famed producer Bob Rock
By Steve Newton Back in December of 1991 I wrote a Georgia Straight cover story on Vancouver producer Bob Rock, best known for his work with Metallica, and one of […]
AC/DC-in-Vancouver news-breaker talks recording rumours, the Warehouse connection, and the magic of Malcolm Young
By Steve Newton I’ve interviewed hundreds of rock musicians over the past 35 years, but I’ve only been interviewed myself a few times–most of those discussions taking place earlier this […]
AC/DC in Vancouver: Mike Fraser spotted with Brian Johnson and Phil Rudd, maybe calling Cliff Williams on his phone?
photo courtesy Glenn Slavens and Crystal Lambert (cgrocker18@gmail.com) By Steve Newton Hardcore AC/DC fans and photographic rumour-spreaders Glenn Slavens and Crystal Lambert are at it again. The dynamic Vancouver duo–he […]
AC/DC exclusive: Angus Young lights up nephew Stevie at the Warehouse in Vancouver
photo courtesy Glenn Slavens and Crystal Lambert (cgrocker18@gmail.com) By Steve Newton Alright, I’m starting to feel a tad guilty now, posting all these candid AC/DC photos. Actually, it’s only been […]
AC/DC blockbuster news: Newt’s rumour proven true; Phil Rudd is in Vancouver–and Brian Johnson too!
photo courtesy Glenn Slavens & Crystal Lambert: cgrocker18@gmail.com By Steve Newton For all those AC/DC fans who’ve been hoping and praying that Brian Johnson would get back in the band–and […]
AC/DC rumours regarding Phil Rudd and Vancouver come from the right place
I don’t care how tiny Angus is, the world needs his killer riffs. By Steve Newton There’s been a lot of rumour and speculation flying around the music world since […]
Joe Satriani on the intricacies of amplification and producer Mike Fraser’s “perfect set of ears”
By Steve Newton When Joe Satriani phones from his home in the San Francisco Bay Area, he apologizes right away for being a few minutes late with the scheduled call. […]
Joe Satriani’s Strange Beautiful Music grew from a cathartic Hendrix experience
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 21, 2002 By Steve Newton Joe Satriani named his latest CD Strange Beautiful Music, although the music on it isn’t much stranger or […]
Mike Fraser helps AC/DC get back on top, sets his sights on Sabbath
The first time he ever saw AC/DC, Mike Fraser had no idea what band he was seeing. He’d gone to an Aerosmith show at the Pacific Coliseum back in ’78 […]
AC/DC studio ace Mike Fraser is happy Phil Rudd doesn’t tickle the drums
Today is the big day for AC/DC fans, when the Aussie blues-metal legends release their new album Rock or Bust. The band has been making a lot of headlines in the […]
Rock or Bust mixer Mike Fraser picks his all-time favourite AC/DC song, and it’s a Bon Scott tune!
The new AC/DC album, Rock or Bust, hits stores tomorrow, boasting 11 songs crammed into 35 minutes. Maybe your all-time favourite AC/DC tune will be among them. Maybe not. It’s pretty […]
World exclusive: Rock or Bust engineer/mixer Mike Fraser gives Newt the scoop on new AC/DC
Today I got a call from Langley’s own Mike Fraser, who engineered and mixed the new AC/DC album, Rock or Bust, which is currently streaming on iTunes and hits stores this Tuesday […]
AC/DC’s new album will ROCK! It says so right in the song titles!
Yesterday AC/DC released the song titles for its highly anticipated new album, and by all accounts the Aussie blues-metal legends will continue to rock. It’s right there in the titles: […]
Will the new AC/DC album rock, or will it be a bust without Malcolm Young?
Blues-metal legends AC/DC announced today that they will release a new album, titled Rock or Bust, on December 2. The 11-track disc was recorded right here in Vancouver last spring, with […]
Joe Satriani reveals that he’s invited Clapton, Beck, and Page on G3 tours
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 25, 1997 A concert by Bay Area guitar wizard Joe Satriani is usually all it takes to transport his followers to instrumental-rock heaven, […]
Ex-Thin Lizzy guitarist John Sykes on Blue Murder, Bob Rock, and the Little Mountain sound
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JUNE 16, 1989 By Steve Newton By now, most every rock fan in Vancouver must be aware that many of North America’s best-selling bands–Aerosmith, […]
An electrifying Lenny Kravitz blows the Cult off the stage in Vancouver
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JAN. 16, 1992 When I saw local singing sensation Sarah McLachlan pick up her coat and leave the press box after Lenny Kravitz’s opening […]
The Cult’s Ian Astbury says touring with Lenny Kravitz is “a spiritual event”
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JAN. 9, 1992 By Steve Newton Some folks might have been surprised to hear that the Cult is touring with Lenny Kravitz. After all, […]
Chrissy Steele hits the perfect volume level for Brian “Too Loud” MacLeod
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 5, 1991 By Steve Newton If you’re a hard-rock kinda person, sometimes it really pays to hang out at Club Soda, along with […]
Ballsy blues-metal of AC/DC’s Family Jewels riles the budgie
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, MAY 26, 2005 By Steve Newton Some AC/DC fans feel that the band never recovered from the death of original vocalist Bon Scott; others argue that […]
AC/DC concert film Live at River Plate released on DVD & Blu-ray
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, MAY 10, 2011 By Steve Newton Local AC/DC fans whose hearing has finally returned after the Aussie earbusters’ November 2008 show at GM Place might want to […]
Mike Fraser: Langley’s master of the hard-rock mix in 1998
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MAY 28, 1998 Yesterday I went all nutty and posted the 1998 Georgia Straight cover story I did on famed Vancouver rock producer Bruce […]
Bruce Fairbairn: legendary Vancouver rock producer tells all in 1998
By Steve Newton I have no particular reason for posting this interview with Bruce Fairbairn today. It’s not like it’s the 25th anniversary of the release of Slippery When Wet, […]
The Answer is proud to hoist the riff-rock torch
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, AUG. 26, 2009 By Steve Newton Bluesy Irish rockers the Answer have been opening for AC/DC for nine months now, living a dream most bands would […]
