Joe Jackson thinks about 10 percent of music is really good stuff

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 21, 2003 By Steve Newton If you liked catchy, hook-infested pop-rock back in 1979, there’s a good chance you tapped a toe or two to Joe Jackson’s debut album, Look Sharp!. From the cynical hit single “Is She Really Going Out With Him?” to the postpunk rave-up “Got the Time”, the … Continue reading Joe Jackson thinks about 10 percent of music is really good stuff

Concrete Blonde’s Johnette Napolitano thinks Mick Ronson was a genius

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JAN. 23, 2003 By Steve Newton Last year, Los Angeles–bred guitar-rockers Concrete Blonde released Group Therapy, a CD that reunited the original lineup of vocalist-bassist Johnette Napolitano, ex-Sparks guitarist James Mankey, and drummer Harry Rushakoff. It was the group’s first record in almost a decade, so when Napolitano calls … Continue reading Concrete Blonde’s Johnette Napolitano thinks Mick Ronson was a genius

The Blasters’ Dave Alvin wants to search the Commodore for lost brain cells

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 5, 2002 By Steve Newton Back in 1985, the Blasters were building a reputation as one of North America’s premier roots-rock acts. Then one cold November night in Montreal, the ongoing quarrels between guitarist Dave Alvin and his older brother, vocalist Phil, boiled over. After a particularly disastrous … Continue reading The Blasters’ Dave Alvin wants to search the Commodore for lost brain cells

Steve Hackett doesn’t think the job of Genesis guitarist is available to him

By Steve Newton Genesis freaks will be getting their fill of the band's "golden age" tonight at the Vogue Theatre's Genesis Extended show. That's when former Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett leads his touring band in material from the prog-rock group's '70s heyday, when it featured him, singer Peter Gabriel, drummer Phil Collins, keyboardist Tony Banks, … Continue reading Steve Hackett doesn’t think the job of Genesis guitarist is available to him

The smalls get fast and furious again

By Steve Newton The last time I talked to Corb Lund about the smalls, back in 2000, he was known as Corby and had just returned from a tour of Bosnia-Herzegovina with the Edmonton-based guitar rockers. Nearly a decade and a half later you can still call him Corby (“Either one, take your pick”), and … Continue reading The smalls get fast and furious again

Black Sabbath may yet tour with its original lineup, hints Ozzy Osbourne

For all those diehard Black Sabbath fans who saw the band in concert last year and went, "Man, that was wicked, but how cool would it have been with Bill Ward!", there is still hope. According to Sabbath vocalist Ozzy Osbourne, the British metal legends intend to record one final album and embark on one final tour. … Continue reading Black Sabbath may yet tour with its original lineup, hints Ozzy Osbourne

Kim Mitchell on the re-rise and re-fall of Max Webster

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MARCH 2, 2000 By Steve Newton If, like me, you’re a Kim Mitchell fan from way back, you may have been wondering just where the hell he’s been lately. I mean, he hasn’t played Vancouver in nine years, whereas in the ’80s he’d show up regularly to be a … Continue reading Kim Mitchell on the re-rise and re-fall of Max Webster

The Northern Pikes reunite and hit the road with Walkmans on

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JAN. 20, 2000 Fans of the Northern Pikes must have been pleasantly surprised when they picked this paper up a couple of issues back and saw that the long-gone band was booked to play the Commodore Ballroom next Friday (January 28). The Saskatoon pop-rock quartet hasn’t performed live in … Continue reading The Northern Pikes reunite and hit the road with Walkmans on

Heroin overdose leads to the return of the Cadillac Tramps’ tattooed thugs

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MAY 6, 1999 By Steve Newton Five years ago, Orange County’s Cadillac Tramps released It’s Allright, an album chock-full of hyper, street-level punk rock that never quit. The album made my top 10 of ’94, but shortly afterward the group disbanded, vocalist Gabby Gaborno forming the X-Members and guitarist–main … Continue reading Heroin overdose leads to the return of the Cadillac Tramps’ tattooed thugs

Robert Plant says the Eagles are bored, Don Henley thinks Plant should keep his shirt on

It looks like there's a bit of a feud brewing between a couple of seventies-rock heavyweights. While doing interviews to promote the upcoming release of expanded Led Zeppelin reissues, Robert Plant held fast to his opinion that the band should not reunite simply to make a shipload more money. "Do you know why the Eagles … Continue reading Robert Plant says the Eagles are bored, Don Henley thinks Plant should keep his shirt on

Queen City Kids reunite to conjure that ’80s prairie-rock vibe

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MARCH 28, 1991 By Steve Newton John Donnelly likes to rock. But between producing things like Band Warz, Guitar Warz, and Vocal Warz for the PromoCo arm of Feldman and Associates, the 33-year-old father of two doesn’t get a lot of opportunities to steal the spotlight. That’ll all change … Continue reading Queen City Kids reunite to conjure that ’80s prairie-rock vibe

Cream live reunion DVD wasn’t worth hounding Clapton for

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, OCT. 13, 2005 By Steve Newton In the interview portion of the new Cream DVD, Royal Albert Hall London 05, Eric Clapton explains how he's been dogged for the last 30 years by queries about whether the British power trio-which also included bassist-vocalist Jack Bruce and drummer Ginger Baker-would ever re-form. … Continue reading Cream live reunion DVD wasn’t worth hounding Clapton for

Black Sabbath minus Bill Ward equals Bill Sabbath t-shirt

When word first went out in November of 2011 that Black Sabbath was getting back together for its first studio album since 1978--and a worldwide tour to boot--hard-rock fans far and wide rejoiced. I was among them. But the shine came off the project later on when it was revealed that, due to financial squabbles, … Continue reading Black Sabbath minus Bill Ward equals Bill Sabbath t-shirt