Alt. Rock

Right Kind of Garbage

  Wisconsin alt-rockers glad making fresh and innovative pop   Nick Krewen Special to the KW Record Thursday, November 5, 1998     In the video for the new Garbage single “Special,” guitarist Duke Erikson says the three boys in the band get into an cyber-animated airplane dogfight with their Scottish singer Shirley Manson. Who wins? “Guess,” laughs Erikson, as if to suggest the feisty Edinburgh-based Manson would have it…


Willie Nelson Fears for Farm Aid Future

Exclusive!!! Nick Krewen September 29, 2008 Even though he’s raised over $14 million to help the plight of the American farmer with his annual Farm Aid concerts, country music legend Willie Nelson fears his efforts may be futile. “I think it’s a losing battle,” says Nelson, who headlines Farm Aid ’98 with co-founders Neil Young and John Mellencamp this Saturday (October 3) at the New World Music Theatre at Tinley…


Cracker

PUBLISHED IN THE HAMILTON SPECTATOR AUGUST 25, 1998     NICK KREWEN Hamilton Spectator August 25, 1998   TORONTO:   Seems American rock critics can’t quite get it right when it comes to defining and describing Cracker, the sardonic Richmond, Virginia-based rock group led by singers and songwriters David Lowery and Johnny Hickman. So the band made it easy for them on their new album Gentleman’s Blues. “I had to…


The Pumpkins Sing for Charity

PUBLISHED IN THE HAMILTON SPECTATOR ON MONDAY, JULY 20, 1998 NICK KREWEN Hamilton Spectator July 20, 1998   TORONTO: While Hollywood stars Walter Matthau, Yasmin Bleeth and James Woods stroll through the lobby of the Four Seasons Hotel, the real drama is unfolding several floors above as rock star Billy Corgan is giving a state of the union address on his band Smashing Pumpkins. The interview was supposed to include…


Soul Asylum needs a drummer

Nick Krewen Hamilton Spectator Tuesday, May 12, 1998 TORONTO — Ten days away from starting their next world tour in New York City, and Soul Asylum still haven’t found a drummer to fill the seat left vacant by their last one. Yet Dave Pirner and Dan Murphy spent last Wednesday in a Toronto hotel room seemingly unconcerned about their dilemma. Murphy, the band’s baseball-jersey wearing guitarist, spends his time milling…