I spoke with Steven Van Zandt at Carroll Studios in Hells Kitchen before the group blasted through a pair of tunes from the Soulfire album for WFUV Public Radio. Vaz Zandt spoke about his latest album but also looked back on how a hurricane helped he and Southside Johnny create the Jersey Shore sound and forever change what it meant to be a bar band.  Springsteen fans will also enjoy his remarks about The Boss as a soul singer and his favorite E Street Band songs that were initially left unreleased.  Hear the radio show featuring a generous interview HERE. 

Little Steven toured this year behind the Soulfire album – his first as a bandleader since ’99.  It’s a marked contrast since his previous album 1999’s Born Again Savage which was a garage-y power trio recorded with Adam Clayton (who called recently) and Jason Bonham.  The stacked new group revives The Disciples Of Soul name first seen on Van Zandt’s debut, Men Without Women, that came out in ’82.

The Jersey Shore Sound architect is surrounded by a crack band boasting three fabulous backing singers as well as a five piece horn section. Here’s how it breaks down…
Marc Ribler – Guitar
Lowell “Banana” Levinger – Piano/Mandolin
Jak Daley – Bass
Charley Drayton – Drums
Andy Burton – Organ/Strings/Accordion

Eddie Manion – Baritone Sax
Stan Harrison – Tenor Sax/Flute
Clark Gayton – Trombone
Ravi Best – Trumpet
Ron Tooley – Trumpet

Soulfire was arranged and produced by Van Zandt at his own Renegade Studios in New York City, co-produced and recorded by GRAMMY® Award-winner Geoff Sanoff and co-produced and music directed by guitarist Marc Ribler.

The rare break in E Street Band action that Bruce is using to make a Broadway run allowed Steven the opportunity to revive The Disciples Of Soul concept and sing some of the best songs that he’s written throughout his career and given to the likes of Southside Johnny and Gary U.S. Bonds to sing.  Perfect touches abound with nods to doo-wop, blaxpoloitation, spaghetti westerns, and Etta James.  The 180 gram wax is recommended…natch!

Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes and WhyHunger have been building their reputations for 40 years and the former sang on behalf of the latter as part of this year’s annual Thanksgiving time tradition to raise awareness and funds for people, including millions right here in New York City and the USA, who don’t have enough to eat.  As he mentioned on stage at a nifty new performance space at the CBS radio studios in Hudson Square, when Johnny was a student at Neptune City, NJ’s Neptune High School, he was inspired by peers like Garry Tallent, Steven Van Zandt, and Bruce Springsteen.  By the mid 1970’s, he and his band The Asbury Jukes were hailed as one of the inventors and chief manufacturers of the Jersey Shore sound.

In 1975, a year before I Don’t Want To Go Home, the debut album from Southside Johnny and The Asbury Jukes was released, Harry Chapin – of course a wonderful singer/songwriter in his own right – and radio DJ Bill Ayres founded a nonprofit organization to connect people to food.  A decade later Hungerthon began which features getting the word out on radio stations and concerts like this special duo show with Juke Jeff Kazee in addition to an online auction.  Please browse all the great chances to bid on tickets for concerts and sporting events, memorabilia, and meetings with celebrities and/or consider making a straight up donation.