By Steve Newton Tom Petty is one of my favourite rockers, and I'm really bummed that I never got to interview him. But I did get to do the next best thing, which was chat with his forever guitarist, Mike Campbell. I interviewed Campbell in August of 1999, before Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers played … Continue reading That time Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell told me how he got into Tom Petty’s band
Tag: Tom Petty
The 70 greatest opening tracks of the ’70s
By Steve Newton Remember how you'd set the needle down on the opening track of a new rock album and the first tune would just blow you the funk away? Me too. "(Ain't Nothin' But a) House Party" (Bloodshot, J. Geils Band, 1973) "All the Way From Memphis" (Mott, Mott the Hoople, 1973) "Already Gone" … Continue reading The 70 greatest opening tracks of the ’70s
R.I.P. Tom Petty: here’s 10 of the Newt’s fave Petty tunes
By Steve Newton Tom Petty may be gone, but the music he made will live on forever, because that's how music works. Here's 10 of my favourite Petty tunes from 10 different Petty albums. Maybe there's a couple here you like as well. "American Girl" from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, 1976: "I Need to … Continue reading R.I.P. Tom Petty: here’s 10 of the Newt’s fave Petty tunes
Tom Petty lightly weighs in on Sam Smith’s ripping off of “Won’t Back Down”
By Steve Newton I normally try to avoid songs like Sam Smith's Grammy-nominated hit, "Stay With Me". It's not that I'm a hard-hearted wretch who can't stand a bit of sappiness, but, really, would it have killed the guy to throw a wailing guitar solo in there somewhere? The song is infectious, I'll admit. I … Continue reading Tom Petty lightly weighs in on Sam Smith’s ripping off of “Won’t Back Down”
The Newt’s top 10 albums of 2014: yep, AC/DC’s on there
AC/DC Rock or Bust With the help of Langley’s Mike Fraser as engineer and mixer, the Australian hard-rock icons create a fitting follow-up to 2008’s hugely successful Black Ice album. Its first-ever album without stalwart rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young shows the band in fine, swaggering form. Pink Floyd The Endless River The prog-rock legends’ first album in … Continue reading The Newt’s top 10 albums of 2014: yep, AC/DC’s on there
Tom Petty will play some of the Newt’s fave tunes in Vancouver
I've seen Tom Petty in concert a bunch of times, and two of those gigs are worthy of my Top 10 Concerts of All Time. Or they would be if I actually compiled my Top 10 Concerts of All Time. I'm saving that one for a rainy day.The first time I saw Petty and his … Continue reading Tom Petty will play some of the Newt’s fave tunes in Vancouver
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers leave Vancouver reeling with a two-hour barrage of cannonball rock
kevin statham photo ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 11, 1995 By Steve Newton Some rock bands have a magical way of winning over a crowd straightaway, and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers are a prime example. I saw them do it back in ’78 at the Commodore on the You’re Gonna Get It tour, and they … Continue reading Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers leave Vancouver reeling with a two-hour barrage of cannonball rock
After partying on the Black Crowes tour, the Jayhawks mellow out with Tom Petty
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, APRIL 27, 1995 By Steve Newton Here’s a tip for new bands trying to get ahead in today’s music biz: make sure that when any important industry types call and you put them on hold, your music is what they hear while they’re waiting. It worked for the Jayhawks, … Continue reading After partying on the Black Crowes tour, the Jayhawks mellow out with Tom Petty
Jeff Healey defends the bluesiness of new album Feel This
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MAY 13, 1993 By Steve Newton Usually when I picture the Jeff Healey Band in concert, I visualize Healey seated at centre stage, his guitar on his lap, surrounded only by a couple of guys with curly black hair (drummer Tom Stephen and bassist Joe Rockman). But when the … Continue reading Jeff Healey defends the bluesiness of new album Feel This
Eric Clapton’s J.J. Cale tribute features Derek Trucks, Albert Lee, and Doyle Bramhall II
By Steve Newton FULL DISCLOSURE: I fuckin' love J.J. Cale. Universal Music Canada has announced that Eric Clapton will release a star-studded album honouring J.J. Cale's legacy this summer. Titled The Breeze, An Appreciation of JJ Cale, the 16-track disc will feature guitar by Clapton on all tracks, with guest appearances by such shit-hot pickers as Derek … Continue reading Eric Clapton’s J.J. Cale tribute features Derek Trucks, Albert Lee, and Doyle Bramhall II
Tom Petty blows into the psychedelic harmonica on the Into the Great Wide Open Tour
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 21, 1991 By Steve Newton “Oh, those fabulous ’70s,” intoned Tom Petty halfway through his Monday-night (November 18) show at the Coliseum. The Florida native was catching his breath between a couple of his early tunes, “Here Comes My Girl” and “Breakdown”, but you couldn’t really tell if … Continue reading Tom Petty blows into the psychedelic harmonica on the Into the Great Wide Open Tour
Chris Whitley figures Johnny Winter is the best blues-rock record ever made
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 14, 1991 By Steve Newton Certain albums hold sacred places in people’s hearts. They know every chorus, verse, and bridge of one particular LP. For me, that ultimate album might be Mott the Hoople’s Mott. For dobro ace Chris Whitley, it’s definitely Johnny Winter’s Johnny Winter. “To me, … Continue reading Chris Whitley figures Johnny Winter is the best blues-rock record ever made
This Is the Blues goes heavy on underrated guitar hero Peter Green
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, JUNE 15, 2010 By Steve Newton Several years ago I was combing the CD stacks at Zulu Records—back when they were located on the other side of Fourth and a little further east—and came across the 1995 tribute album Rattlesnake Guitar: The Music of Peter Green. Man, what a find that … Continue reading This Is the Blues goes heavy on underrated guitar hero Peter Green