Steve Van Zandt still looks every bit the rock star. But underneath his purple headscarf, paisley shirt and snakeskin boots, Van Zandt says he still hates being the center of attention. “I’m a bit of a contradiction and paradox,” he says, sheepishly laughing after an interviewer notes the musician-actor-activist might be in the wrong lines of work.
Perhaps it should be no surprise that Van Zandt, 73, had to be coaxed into participating in a documentary about his remarkable life and career. The result is “Stevie Van Zandt: Disciple” — which airs on HBO and streams on Max — and covers not only his years as a guitar-jamming singer-songwriter, but also as a music producer, playing Silvio Dante on “The Sopranos,” and his lesser-known roles as an activist, radio host, music educator, and entrepreneur. The man affectionately called “Little Steven” by fans says he feels mostly gratitude about the film.
“It’s an honor that somebody cared enough about my life to make a movie about it. And I’m happy that the work is going to be seen,” Van Zandt told The Associated Press. “ My other emotion is anxiety .
.. it’s a little embarrassing and awkward.
” Director Bill Teck, a lifelong fan of Van Zandt’s music, says he started inquiring about a documentary on his life and career in 2006, but received a hard no. After following up every few years, Van Zandt finally agreed in 2018, but he didn’t even want to be interviewed. Teck eventually convinced him audien.
