By Nick Krewen Special to the Star When California punk rock superstars Green Day finally reconvened to plan their first album since 2016’s Revolution Radio, only one decision plagued them. “Were we going to pick up where we left off or strip it all away and start from scratch?” drummer Tré Cool told the Star recently down the line from California, prior to the Monday release of Green Day’s 13th…
Nick Krewen Special to the Star January 11, 2020 He was closer to our hearts than we even realized. Make no mistake, the depth of anguish with which the music world – especially Canadians – regards the unexpected passing of Neil Peart, 67, on January 7 from glioblastoma, is immeasurable. Arguably the greatest and most influential drummer of his generation, the Hamilton-born Peart – one third of progressive power trio…
Nick Krewen Special to the Star January 8, 2020 Fear is either a paralyzer or a galvanizer, and no one knows that situation better than four-time Grammy nominee Yola, the current purveyor of big-voiced country soul. After wrestling with self-doubt for decades – and finally winning the battle with the release of her critically acclaimed debut solo offering Walk Through Fire, the Bristol, U.K.-based singer and songwriter refers to it…
NICK KREWEN Special to the Star December 20, 2019 Michael Wrycraft is in a conundrum. As a music aficionado, the Juno Award-winning graphic design artist who has designed album covers for everyone ranging from Bruce Cockburn to Blackie & the Rodeo Kings, loves to attend concerts. However, Wrycraft lost his legs in 2017 due to diabetes and now uses a wheelchair. Most of the venues that host the shows he wants…
By Nick Krewen Special to the Star November 30, 2019 On December 3, local singer and songwriter Royal Wood will be fulfilling a lifelong dream by headlining a show at Roy Thomson Hall. Actually, it’s a two-part aspiration, but he completed the first half a few years ago when he sold out Massey Hall. “It’s funny, I got shown a video a while back where I said I wanted to…
