Recess editor Greg Veis caught up with Little Steven (né: Steven Van Zandt) earlier this month, and he talked to one of the busiest men in show business about the future of The Sopranos, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band1s new album The Rising and his Underground Garage radio gig:
Recess: You, my friend, are a multi-media star. You1ve got music, TV, radio. Why such a fast pace?
Little Steven: I gotta keep myself off the streets. Stay outta trouble.
Doing a good job of it?
So-so. I think I need more to do.
So, with the radio show, why1d you press to get it started in the first place?
First of all, I don1t hear my favorite songs on the radio. I want to bring a combination of British invasion and New York garage bands<none of whom get airplay.
Why do you think these bands aren1t seeing any time on the radio, where people could actually get exposed to them?
The major record companies haven1t been signing them, so they just exist in a limbo in this underground garage world. I discovered the whole new-style garage thing about three years ago. I went to this festival, and it was fantastic. I need more people to hear how damn good this music is, and it bothers me a lot that this generation<and the one before it<don1t have a lot of choices when it comes to music. All that1s getting thrown at them is hard rock and rap and pop and that1s it. Look at all the choices we had growing up, and it1s just not fair to these kids. Choices are what America1s supposed to be about.
Hallelujah.
Hell yeah. So I realized that it ain1t never gonna change unless we try to change it, so I use whatever celebrity capital I have to break into radio world, which is like breaking into Fort Knox.
What current bands excite you.
In the newest generation of garage bands, I love Greenhorns, Cotton Mather, Model Rockets, Boss Martians and a bunch of others like that. It1s funny that so many people don1t think about this stuff, but once they hear it they have the same reaction of, OWhoa! Where1s that band been?1
Not on the radio. So anyway, I downloaded the single from the new Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band. Are you mad at me for stealing your music?
Yeah, that1s not such a good thing. Writers don1t get paid, and it1s their work, man. It1s like stealing their car or something.
My bad.
[Laughs] Just buy the album now.
As far as the new album goes though, I heard you compare it to Sgt. Pepper1s. Those are big words.
I didn1t want to exactly compare it to Sgt. Pepper1s, but it has elements of it in the fact that it1s an album where the songs add up to more than the sum of its parts. It1s bigger than each individual song. It1s damn good.
Can Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band still connect to college audiences?
I don1t see why not. When you1re an early teenager, you accept a lot of the fabricated music, but once you get to college, people start craving the real thing. And that1s exactly what we are.
Okay, your three favorite Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band songs.
Wow, that1s tough. I really like the Tracks album, but as far as my favorite songs lately, I1ll go with 3Loose Ends,2 3Take Oem as They Come2 and 3Mary Lou.2
Switching over to The Sopranos now, are you a believer in the philosophy that the show should call it quits before it gets too old?
That1s gonna happen whether I agree or not. They may do a fifth year, and that1ll be it. It1s tough for me because I love it so much, and I want it to last forever. You can keep it interesting because there are so many good characters that you can discover a lot about.
What are the chances of there being a spinoff for your character Silvio Dante?
Oh, I love that idea. I1m telling ya.
I have to ask: Is [E-Street and Late Night drummer] Max Weinberg addicted to groupies?
[Laughs] No, but Conan O1Brien is.
You1re a political guy.What ruffles your feathers nowadays?
[Laughing deviantly] I1m done with that stuff. I1ve caused enough trouble. I1m a retired revolutionary with a pension. Now, it1s your turn.
You claim to champion groundbreaking music yet you have not one, but two links to Jon Bon Jovi on your web page. Bon Jovi?
He1s a friend, man. He1s a great guy. I have no problem liking Mooney Suzuki and Bon Jovi at the same time.
OK, now it1s time for the lightning round. I give you a name or a phrase and you reply with the first thing that pops in your head. George W. Bush.
Good drinking buddy.
Justin Timberlake.
I don1t know anything about him.
Good. Your love life.
Getting better all the time. Oh yeah.
Yuck.... Last question: If we were at a party together, would you introduce me to other people as your friend?
Sure, why not?
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