Roland Nipp proves himself a Satch-style melody master with In the Cool of the Dawn

By Steve Newton I first got turned onto Roland Nipp--a Canadian guitarist out of Richmond, B.C.--through his 2000 debut album, Blue Room, a multicoloured mix of jazz, blues, and rock stylings that blew me away with its blend of technical prowess and melodic sense. Now Nipp's got a new album out, In the Cool … Continue reading Roland Nipp proves himself a Satch-style melody master with In the Cool of the Dawn

Jeff Beck freak and knowledge junkie Mark Fitchett leads Cult of the Wrong Note

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MARCH 21, 1996 By Steve Newton Everyone’s heard the stories of starry-eyed youths who journey to Tinseltown with visions of glory and not much else, but they might not have heard about the kid from Richmond who hopped a bus for Hollywood with the dream of becoming a professional guitar player. Mark … Continue reading Jeff Beck freak and knowledge junkie Mark Fitchett leads Cult of the Wrong Note

Horror review: The Ruins

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, APRIL 9, 2008 The Ruins is a horror flick about deadly, creeping vines that attack tourists at a Mayan temple in Mexico. It is based on a novel by Scott B. Smith, who also wrote the screenplay and who previously garnered an Oscar nomination for adapting his first novel, A Simple … Continue reading Horror review: The Ruins