Album review: Loverboy, Just Getting Started (2007)

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 8, 2007 By Steve Newton "Just getting started", my ass; these guys were toast ages ago. Do we really need them to step out of the Lamborghinis they've driven from their mortgage-free mansions to create the kind of ultra formulaic fodder Bon Jovi got bored with around 1983? … Continue reading Album review: Loverboy, Just Getting Started (2007)

Teenage girls battle for Mike Reno’s sweaty headband when Loverboy plays Vancouver

chris cameron photo ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JULY 4, 1986 By Steve Newton Local rock heroes Loverboy played to a near-capacity Expo Theatre last Monday (June 30), the first of three nights at the 4,000-seat facility. The last time the group had played here was four years ago, when they were backed up … Continue reading Teenage girls battle for Mike Reno’s sweaty headband when Loverboy plays Vancouver

Ronnie James Dio: the Lost Interview of 1985, an Ear of Newt exclusive

By Steve Newton On December 20, 1985, Ronnie James Dio called me up at home and we chatted for 20 minutes or so. How cool was that? The legendary heavy-metal artist was doing press promoting his Sacred Heart tour, which was scheduled to play Vancouver's Pacific Coliseum on December 28, with guest Yngwie Malmsteen. We talked … Continue reading Ronnie James Dio: the Lost Interview of 1985, an Ear of Newt exclusive

Kim Mitchell ponders Max Webster’s past while on the Rockland tour

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SEPT. 29, 1989 By Steve Newton I'm just doing my rock 'n' roll duty/Creating a buzz buzz buzz/Some say I'm in it for the money/Man I'm in it for the love love love Kim Mitchell's been doing his rock 'n' roll duty for so long now that it's become second nature to … Continue reading Kim Mitchell ponders Max Webster’s past while on the Rockland tour

Headbangers and pop idols alike get blown way by Queen and Paul Rodgers in Vancouver

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 20, 2006 By Steve Newton What an awesome heavy-metal band Queen used to be. What, you didn't know Queen used to be an awesome heavy-metal band? Maybe it's not common knowledge. It guess it helps if you were a hard rock-crazed, Circus-reading teen back in '73 when the British quartet's self-titled … Continue reading Headbangers and pop idols alike get blown way by Queen and Paul Rodgers in Vancouver