Steven Van Zandt joins Dominic & Junior for a conversation spanning The Sopranos, Bruce Springsteen, the E Street Band, acting, music, Italian family roots, education, and a lifetime spent learning from the masters.Steven tells the remarkable story of how David Chase discovered him while watching the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on television. Chase called and asked if he wanted to act in a new HBO series. Steven had never acted before.Then Chase wanted him to play Tony Soprano.When HBO was hesitant to put a first-time actor at the center of the series, Steven told Chase he did not want to take another actor’s job. Instead, Chase offered to create a role specifically for him. Steven reached back to an idea he already had for an independent hitman named Silvio Dante.Silvio was born.Steven explains how the character evolved through his relationship with James Gandolfini, how the Bada Bing became part of Silvio’s world, and the moment at his first Sopranos table read when he looked across the room and realized he was working with Johnny Ola from The Godfather Part II.The conversation also goes deep into music. Steven remembers meeting Bruce Springsteen when both were young musicians with no Plan B, the New Jersey scene that helped shape them, and why he still tells young artists to go back and study the masters instead of simply copying what is popular now.Steven also talks about TeachRock, the education initiative he helped create after arts programs began disappearing from American schools. He explains why music can be a gateway into history, culture, science and other subjects, and why keeping young people connected to art matters.Later, Steven reflects on learning acting from James Gandolfini, Dominic Chianese and the rest of The Sopranos cast, writing an entire biography for Silvio, learning guitar from his Calabrian grandfather, and his determination to turn the Sopranos cast into something closer to a rock and roll band.A conversation about craft, friendship, education, family, music and one of television’s most unforgettable characters.Subscribe to Dominic & Junior for new conversations about The Sopranos, New York, Italian-American culture, acting, music, family and the stories worth passing on.CHAPTERS00:00 Steven Van Zandt Joins Dominic & Junior03:31 Why Steven Created TeachRock09:44 How David Chase Found Steven Van Zandt11:14 Almost Playing Tony Soprano & Creating Silvio Dante15:11 Seeing Johnny Ola at His First Sopranos Table Read21:56 How Steven Met Bruce Springsteen27:53 Steven’s Advice to Young Artists: Study the Masters33:12 Why The Sopranos Was Steven’s Acting School36:03 Learning Guitar From His Calabrian Grandfather43:13 Turning The Sopranos Cast Into a Rock and Roll BandHosted by legendary actor and musician Dominic Chianese and his son Dominic Chianese Jr., Dominic & Junior is a father-and-son podcast about family, New York, culture, creativity, acting, music, and the stories worth passing on.From The Sopranos and The Godfather Part II to Broadway, old New York, Italian-American culture, fatherhood, and life behind the scenes, each episode brings together nearly a century of experience with a modern perspective.Follow Dominic & Junior:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@officialdominicchianese/videosInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialdominicchianese/?hl=enTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/discover/dominic-chianeseFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Dominic-Chianese/61591454796480/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3TXZBI56ZJqj9jmnVVCJr5Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dominic-chianese/id6802810880Subscribe to Dominic & Junior for full episodes, stories, guests, behind-the-scenes moments, and new conversations.#StevenVanZandt #TheSopranos #SilvioDante #BruceSpringsteen #DominicAndJunior
