By Nick Krewen Hamilton Spectator, July 1, 1990 TORONTO – Ever wonder what happened to the group that recorded “Doot-Doot” five years ago, the silly alternative pop hit that grooved with a whirrr? They’re back, but under a different guise. Karl Hyde, Rick Smith, Alfie Thomas and Bryn Burrows used to be the minimalist pop band Freur, but they’ve resurfaced as Underworld. With a new album called Underneath The Radar, keyboardist…
Nick Krewen Hamilton Spectator December 12, 1988 Robert Plant loves his music. Already elevated to the status of rock immortal for his contribution as vocalist for Led Zeppelin – arguably the mightiest and most influential of the crunch-chord dinosaur rockbands – Plant is enjoying an enormously successful career as a solo artist. His fourth and most recent album, Now And Zen , has gone platinum twice-over in this country,…
Nick Krewen The Spectator June 28, 1988 MOUNT JULIET, TENNESSEE: In one corner of his luxurious recording studio, Bradley’s Barn – located approximately 35 miles outside of Nashville – there are five mounted posters representing record producer Owen Bradley‘s angels. They are the late Patsy Cline, Kitty Wells, Loretta Lynn, Brenda Lee – and Consort, Alberta’s k.d. lang. The 73-year old Bradley – who produced lang’s…
Nick Krewen Hamilton Spectator June 25, 1988 NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE: She once raised a ruckus at the Juno Awards by donning a wedding dress and reciting vows, formerly dressed like a cowpunk rodeo spinster and at one time claimed to be the spiritual reincarnation of country legend Patsy Cline. That was three years ago. Nowadays, k.d. lang, the 26-year old pride of Consort, Alberta (population 650) – is treated with…
NICK KREWEN Special To The Spectator May 26, 1998 TORONTO — It’s a case of “History Repeating” for Alex Gifford, but success is sweeter the second time around. The last time Gifford was in Toronto, he was a teenager playing sax for British punk rockers The Stranglers, a position he held from 1984 until lead singer Hugh Cornwell announced his departure in 1990. Now he’s back on a promo…
