Kelly Joe Phelps puts the slide away to focus on his songwriting

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 13, 2001 By Steve Newton After releasing three albums that showcased his superior skill on slide guitar, Kelly Joe Phelps did a complete about-face. His new CD, Sky Like a Broken Clock, contains no slide at all. Nada. Not even a little tweak. It makes you wonder if … Continue reading Kelly Joe Phelps puts the slide away to focus on his songwriting

Album review: Various Artists, Big Bad Love Soundtrack (2002)

  ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JULY 25, 2002 By Steve Newton This is my favourite soundtrack album of the year, so far; I must have played it 20 times already. It’s essentially a showcase for the rough-hewn backwoods boogie of North Mississippi hill-country blues artists Robert Belfour, T-Model Ford, Junior Kimbrough, and R. … Continue reading Album review: Various Artists, Big Bad Love Soundtrack (2002)

Blind Willie Johnson’s blues genius lauded in upcoming tribute album

By Steve Newton Blues legends don't get much more legendary than Blind Willie Johnson, whose recordings in the 1920s of songs like "John the Revelator", "It's Nobody's Fault But Mine", and "Keep Your Lamp Trimmed and Burning" have inspired versions by everyone from Hot Tuna to Warren Haynes to Led Zeppelin. So it's more than … Continue reading Blind Willie Johnson’s blues genius lauded in upcoming tribute album

Alice Cooper finally gets nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, SEPT. 28, 2010 By Steve Newton Alice Cooper released a string of amazing albums in the early '70s—including Love It to the Death, School's Out, Killer, and Billion Dollar Babies—but the brainiacs at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame waited until today to nominate the shock-rock king for inclusion in their fancy pants institution. … Continue reading Alice Cooper finally gets nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame