For director Bill Tech, the hardest part of making a documentary about the life and career of little Steven Van Zandt was fitting everything in. “It's just a complicated life,” says Teck, who directed the new documentary Stevie Van Zandt: Student, streaming now on Max. “Silvio Dante helped end apartheid!” In addition to his work in the E Street Band with Bruce Springsteen, Van Zandt was the writer and producer behind the great 1970s albums Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. A solo artist backed by his band, the Disciples of Soul. an actor in The Sopranos and later Lilyhammer; and a political activist, fighting against apartheid in South Africa with his 1985 all-star classic single 'Sun City'. He's also become something of a rock 'n' roll evangelist in recent years, fighting to keep the history of rock and soul alive with his Underground Garage channel on SiriusXM and his TeachRock educational program.
In our new episode of the week Rolling Stone Music now podcast, Van Zandt looks back at it all, joined by Teck. To listen to the full interview, go here for your podcast provider of choice, listen Apple Podcasts the Spotify, or just press play above. Here are some highlights from the interview.
Van Zandt's recent dramatic weight loss had to do with his belated resumption of rock star status. “It's been a long journey, mentally, maybe spiritually back to that place,” he says. “Because I once became an actor, that was the rule until a year ago. I had done the rock star, now I'm moving on. So Bruce puts the band back together [in 1999], and I went back halfway and stayed there until literally two years ago…. We're going back and it's been seven years since our last tour, right? And I think to myself, “This could be the last tour. I'm going to be a rock star once again.”…. And I really feel like, let's surprise everybody because they're not going to know what to expect, man… Is it going to be like a bunch of old people coming back and going through the motions? And I'm like, no way, man. I say, we'll go back and pick our brains…. We're closer to the end than the beginning, but we won't go out quietly, baby. So I lost a hundred kilos in six months. Let's honor the faith of our audience. Let's honor the incredible writing of Bruce Springsteen and the hard work of the E Street Bands by showing respect and getting in shape for it.”
Van Zandt is deeply proud that he was ambitious enough to ensure that rappers (including Run-DMC, Melle Mel, the Fat Boys and Kurtis Blow) were part of “Sun City” in 1985. “Yeah, that was big because the industry was trying to fill it in the beginning,” says Van Zandt. People don't realize it now. They would probably deny it if you asked them, but I was questioned at the time. “You put Melle Mel next to Jackson Browne, next to Bob Dylan?” I was like, “Yeah! I feel strongly about this new thing called rap.” I thought it was monumentally important and we were happy to be ahead of the curve in that way – and we got everyone at MTV on top of it, which was miraculous.”
After losing money on two recent tours with the revived Disciples of Soul, Van Zandt doesn't see his solo career picking up again. “I don't think so,” he says. “Not if I don't win the lottery. I'm still paying for these two! And I just felt like I had to. It is very expensive. And if I don't find a patron at some point, that's unlikely to happen again. I have to say it's almost impossible.”
Van Zandt was in a dark place after leaving the E Street Band before the huge hit of 1984's Born in the USA – which made him more fearless in his activism. “There was no going back,” says Van Zandt. “So I got a little suicidal at that point, which was really helpful. Maybe it didn't help my marriage, but it put me in a situation where I could talk [South African liberation group] the People's Organization of Azanians, tough characters, to achieve what I felt needed to be accomplished instead of fearing for it or fearing for my life, which would be reasonable and reasonable. I did not care. Take out that machete and cut off my head. I don't give away. You know what I mean; At that point, I said, “You want to kill me?” You would be doing me a favor.” So I wasn't scared at all, and I think that came from this suicidal urge, that I had ended my life and done such a stupid thing. But somehow, you stay there – and fate tells you that you're not done yet.'
Download and subscribe to Rolling rockhis weekly podcast, Rolling Stone Music Now, hosted by Brian Hiatt, on Apple Podcasts the Spotify (the anywhere get your podcasts). Watch six years of archived episodes, including in-depth interviews with Mariah Carey, Bruce Springsteen, Questlove, Halsey, Neil Young, Snoop Dogg, Brandi Carlile, Phoebe Bridgers, Rick Ross, Alicia Keys, the National, Ice Cube, Taylor Hawkins, Willow, Keith Richards, Robert Plant, Dua Lipa, Killer Mike, Julian Casablancas, Sheryl Crow, Johnny Marr, Scott Weiland, Liam Gallagher, Alice Cooper, Fleetwood Mac, Elvis Costello, John Legend, Donald Fagen, Charlie Puth, Phil Collins, Justin Townes Earle, Stephen Malkmus, Sebastian Bach, Tom Petty, Eddie Van Halen, Kelly Clarkson, Pete Townshend, Bob Seger, the Zombies and Gary Clark Jr. And look for dozens of episodes with genre-spanning discussions, debates and explanations with rolling rockcritics and reporters.
from our partners at https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/little-steven-van-zandt-documentary-interview-1235050146/