First published 2021
In a suburban New Jersey bedroom during the early 1960s, young Stevie Van Zandt abandons his Baptist devotion and discovers rock and roll. The Beatles and Rolling Stones reshape his understanding of community and rebellion. As a teenager, he befriends Bruce Springsteen, another outcast who shares his musical passion. Van Zandt becomes Miami Steve, anchoring the E Street Band during their rise to fame. In the early 1980s, he leaves the band to reinvent himself as Little Steven, a political performer. He falls in love with Maureen Santoro, travels as an artist and journalist, and creates the anti-apartheid anthem "Sun City" that helps free Nelson Mandela. The 1990s bring a third career when David Chase casts him as Silvio Dante in The Sopranos, playing Tony Soprano's loyal advisor. Throughout his transformations, Van Zandt champions rock music through his radio show Underground Garage, record label Wicked Cool, and educational programs. He eventually rejoins the E Street Band for a twenty-year reunion tour.
Genres: 20th-century, american, biography-memoir, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, reinvention
Setting: New Jersey, Sopranos, Sun City
Period: 1960s, 1980s, 1990s, Early 20th Century
551 pages · Paperback · Libros del Kultrum