Tag: Tom Harrison

Check out Ron Obvious’s video of ’80s Vancouver music-critic band The Explosions

david boswell photo By Steve Newton I recently connected for the first time with noted Vancouver recording engineer and studio designer Ron Obvious after inquiring about some concert photos he took of AC/DC during their fabled 1978 opening slot for Aerosmith at the Pacific Coliseum. Turns out that way back in 1982 Mr. Obvious had … Continue reading Check out Ron Obvious’s video of ’80s Vancouver music-critic band The Explosions

French Letters make waves on the Vancouver scene thanks to CiTR, Tom Harrison, and lotsa macaroni

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 13, 1983 By Steve Newton "Alll three of us have worked in factories," says French Letters vocalist Jay Homenchuk, referring to himself, bassist Kelly Cook, and guitarist Ben Louie. The three of them sit gathered in the lounge outside the heavy soundproofed door that leads into Gastown's Water Street Sound studio. … Continue reading French Letters make waves on the Vancouver scene thanks to CiTR, Tom Harrison, and lotsa macaroni

NRBQ makes a Cabbage Patch Kid do a lowdown limbo after Tom Harrison’s BGM gets loud and tacky

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JAN. 24, 1986 By Steve Newton A few songs into their opening set for NRBQ last Thursday, Tom Harrison, lead singer for Bruno Gerussi's Medallion, commented. "We hope we're loud and tacky, like our namesake." Well, his hopes were answered. But despite loud and tacky tunes like their theme song, written by … Continue reading NRBQ makes a Cabbage Patch Kid do a lowdown limbo after Tom Harrison’s BGM gets loud and tacky

Ian Tyson’s passing reminds me of how much my dear old dad loved “Four Strong Winds”

By Steve Newton It's been a rough Thursday in the worlds of sports, fashion, and music. Brazilian soccer legend Pelé, British fashion rebel Vivienne Westwood, and Canadian country-folk singer-songwriter Ian Tyson all left us today. And to make matters worse, yesterday brought the awful news that Vancouver journalist Tom Harrison, a cherished fixture on the … Continue reading Ian Tyson’s passing reminds me of how much my dear old dad loved “Four Strong Winds”

Wherein the Newt pines for the ’70s along with a panel of Vancouver rock experts

me and my fellow rock experts in the '70s ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 4, 1993 By Steve Newton “The music you listen to becomes the soundtrack of your life.” —Mike Bloomfield Ah, the ’70s—what a great decade for rock. I don’t care what anybody says, because, disco aside, the ’70s ruled, man. Back then I … Continue reading Wherein the Newt pines for the ’70s along with a panel of Vancouver rock experts

Ex-Georgia Straight editor spearheads blues-rocking benefit for Mary Steinhauser bursary

PHOTO BY THE NEWT By Steve Newton Remember "Hurricane", that great Bob Dylan tune about the imprisonment of Rubin "Hurricane" Carter? Bob Mercer sure does. Dylan's 1975 protest song came out five months after a notorious hostage-taking incident at the B.C. Penitentiary that took the life of 32-year-old prison social-worker Mary Steinhauser. Three years later, … Continue reading Ex-Georgia Straight editor spearheads blues-rocking benefit for Mary Steinhauser bursary