By Steve Newton I interviewed heavy-metal guitar hero Zakk Wylde for the second time back in August of 1996, when he was touring behind his debut solo album, Book of Shadows. That acoustic-based disc was a lot less raunchy than Wylde's previous work with Ozzy Osbourne and Pride & Glory, so when he called in … Continue reading That time I asked Zakk Wylde if he thought his hard-rock fans would accept the less-raunchy sound of his new Book of Shadows CD
Tag: Ozzy Osbourne
Ear of Newt and The Tapes Archive present Ronnie James Dio: The Sacred Heart Interview, 1985
By Steve Newton A couple of weeks ago I posted a blog telling of a new partnership between me, the Newt in Ear of Newt, and The Tapes Archive, a U.S.-based podcast that focuses on releasing previously unpublished interviews with rock legends. That blog included a link to a YouTube video The Tapes Archive's Alan … Continue reading Ear of Newt and The Tapes Archive present Ronnie James Dio: The Sacred Heart Interview, 1985
Album review: Pride & Glory, Pride & Glory (1994)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, AUG. 5, 1994 By Steve Newton It comes as somewhat of a surprise that Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Zakk Wylde is a dyed-in-the-swamp southern-rock maniac, but the New Jersey native is at the forefront of the current trend toward repopularizing the style epitomized by the Allman Brothers Band. On its … Continue reading Album review: Pride & Glory, Pride & Glory (1994)
That time Zakk Wylde told me what he really thought of Randy Rhoads, Jake E. Lee, and Tony Iommi
By Steve Newton Whether you think Ozzy Osbourne is a genius or not, ya gotta admit that he's a mastermind when it comes to finding killer guitarists. Tony Iommi, Randy Rhoads, Jake E. Lee, Zakk Wylde--those are some pretty smokin' pickers. When I interviewed 27-year-old Wylde back in 1994 I asked him what he thought … Continue reading That time Zakk Wylde told me what he really thought of Randy Rhoads, Jake E. Lee, and Tony Iommi
That time Zakk Wylde told me about jamming with Skynyrd and covering for Dickey Betts in the Allmans
By Steve Newton Zakk Wylde may be best known as the guitarist and songwriter who took over from Jake E. Lee to help Ozzy Osbourne stay on the charts with tunes like "No More Tears" and "Perry Mason", but southern-rock fans also know him as the frontman in the power trio Pride & Glory, which was … Continue reading That time Zakk Wylde told me about jamming with Skynyrd and covering for Dickey Betts in the Allmans
That time I asked Jake E. Lee if there was much pressure taking over Randy Rhoads’ spot with Ozzy
By Steve Newton Way back in April of 1992 I interviewed Jake E. Lee in advance of a Vancouver show by his group Badlands, which was touring behind its second album, Voodoo Highway. At one point in the interview I started asking Jake about his time with Ozzy Osbourne, which led to me wondering if … Continue reading That time I asked Jake E. Lee if there was much pressure taking over Randy Rhoads’ spot with Ozzy
That time Lemmy from Motörhead told me that Randy Rhoads became much better after he died
By Steve Newton I got to interview rock legend Lemmy Kilmister a couple of times, first in April of 1999 and then again in the following century, in May of 2002. During that '99 chat I mentioned how I'd first seen Motörhead back in 1983, when they opened for Ozzy Osbourne on the Blizzard of Oz tour … Continue reading That time Lemmy from Motörhead told me that Randy Rhoads became much better after he died
Album review: Ozzy Osbourne, No Rest for the Wicked (1988)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 11, 1988 By Steve Newton All right? Chalk one up for the rockers in the battle between heavy metal and the Moral Majority. Trust good old Ozzy to take a two-fisted slug at Jimmy Swaggart's recent downfall: "Today I saw a Miracle Man, on TV cryin'/Such a hypocritical … Continue reading Album review: Ozzy Osbourne, No Rest for the Wicked (1988)
Album review: Various Artists, Axe Masters–Legends of Rock Guitar
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JULY 19, 1985 By Steve Newton Now this is more like it--heavy metal with class. But then any album that features the playing of metal martyr Randy Rhoads can't lose. Rhoads is included via Ozzy Osbourne's first solo hit "Crazy Train". And he's in good company. "Axe masters" K.K Downing … Continue reading Album review: Various Artists, Axe Masters–Legends of Rock Guitar
Album review: Black Sabbath, Past Lives (2002)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, OCT. 10, 2002 By Steve Newton I like collecting guitar picks. Whenever I’m near the stage and some six-string legend tosses out one of those wee plastic nubs, I’ll do what it takes to nab it. My most highly prized catch is a plain orange Ronnie Montrose pick … Continue reading Album review: Black Sabbath, Past Lives (2002)
Album review: Ozzy Osbourne, Down to Earth (2001)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 8, 2001 By Steve Newton Having seen Ozzy Osbourne perform so terribly in concert over the years—out of tune, out of breath, and generally just out of it—I’m always surprised by how competently he sings in the studio. Maybe he just tries harder when the tape is … Continue reading Album review: Ozzy Osbourne, Down to Earth (2001)
That time Circus Magazine’s editorial department sent me a rejection letter :(
By Steve Newton Thirty-six years ago today somebody at Circus Magazine sent me a rejection letter. They could have at least signed it. Back in the seventies I devoured Circus. It was a total fanzine, but it really covered the bands I was interested in. On any given issue you'd see capitalized band names like MOTT, … Continue reading That time Circus Magazine’s editorial department sent me a rejection letter 🙁
That time I asked Tony Iommi how Ronnie James Dio compared to Ozzy Osbourne in Black Sabbath
By Steve Newton Since time immemorial--or at least since Dio replaced Ozzy in Sabbath back in '79--armchair rock critics have debated the merits of the two singers. It's hard to complain about anything Ozzy did with the band up until the awesome Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath album of 1973; then again, after three spotty LPs, Dio … Continue reading That time I asked Tony Iommi how Ronnie James Dio compared to Ozzy Osbourne in Black Sabbath