Steven Van Zandt quotes

Steven Van Zandt is an American musician, songwriter, actor, and activist, best known as a member of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band. His signature look, bandana, and dynamic stage presence have made him a rock icon. He also gained fame for his acting role in “The Sopranos” and continues to advocate for music education and social causes. Here are 25 of his quotes:

First of all, just because the Tea Party people appear to be generally uneducated, ignorant about the political process, ignorant about economics, confused about their own platform from the beginning, and indelicate when it comes to the craft of diplomacy, doesn't mean they're wrong. (Steven Van Zandt)
Band members have a special bond. A great band is more than just some people working together. It's like a highly specialized army unit, or a winning sports team. A unique combination of elements that becomes stronger together than apart. View quote
Steven Van Zandt
Half of the modern world goes back as far as Pearl Jam. The real historians go back to U2. But they need to go back further. They have to go back to the '50s and '60s, where things started. That's how you get to be your own personality, by studying the masters. Rock and roll was white kids trying to make black music and failing, gloriously! View quote
Steven Van Zandt
Rock'n'roll as a genre is different from pop and hip hop: it is about bands, and that for me suggests brotherhood, family, friendship and community. View quote
Steven Van Zandt
As most of the population suffers through life, barely surviving, disappointed and confused day after day, hopeless, wondering what happened to their strong and beautiful country, it is in the medias power to restore, if not some of our quality of life, at least a bit of our peace of mind. View quote
Steven Van Zandt
Young fans want to know about the past and older fans also want to find new music. View quote
Steven Van Zandt
I am interested in the interaction of a group of people who have a common goal, or a common obsession, each contributing something unique to make something greater than the sum of its parts. I don't know why, but from day one, that has interested me. View quote
Steven Van Zandt
My lifelong friend and mentor Frank Barsalona is gone. And the music business as we knew it went with him. View quote
Steven Van Zandt
The simple fact is we do not live in a democracy. Certainly not the kind our Founding Fathers intended. We live in a corporate dictatorship represented by, and beholden to, no single human being you can reason with or hold responsible for anything. View quote
Steven Van Zandt
There is an established tradition of actors directing films that have a particular, personal meaning for them - Warren Beatty, Clint Eastwood, Kevin Costner, and most recently George Clooney to name a few. Remarkably, their films share an unusually high percentage of being very good. View quote
Steven Van Zandt
Within three hours of a disaster event there should be a recon damage assessment of the infrastructure and an educated guess as to the casualties and degree of imminent human peril. Then make the airdrops of supplies and personnel. Simultaneously, Seabees would be dropped in, with lights and generators, to begin rescue efforts. (Steven Van Zandt)
Being a rock n' roll star ain't a part-time gig. View quote
Steven Van Zandt
What the world needs is an Emergency Boss. An Emergency Czar. An Emergency Commander. A true Master Of Disaster. One person completely responsible for the anticipation, immediate reconnaissance, and urgent execution of rescue and relief efforts around the world. View quote
Steven Van Zandt
Let the wealthier countries and corporations of the world fund an Emergency Organization. View quote
Steven Van Zandt
The British invasion was the most important event of my life. I was in New Jersey and the night I saw the Beatles changed everything. I had seen Elvis before and he had done nothing for me, but these guys were in a band. View quote
Steven Van Zandt
The first rule of rock and roll is it's all about live. Then you have to learn a second craft, which is making records. It should go in that order. View quote
Steven Van Zandt
It's become uncool to play other people's songs, and that's absurd. It has got to change. It's the reason why everything's so mediocre. View quote
Steven Van Zandt
Timing really is nearly everything. And what it isn't, circumstance makes up for. View quote
Steven Van Zandt
The quality of our lives is diminished every time we lose a great artist. It's a different world without Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Curtis Mayfield, Brian Jones and the rest. View quote
Steven Van Zandt
Rock 'n' roll is a participatory sport. It ain't passive. It ain't TV. Go out there and rock 'n' roll and dance and have fun. View quote
Steven Van Zandt
Ive always considered the government taking one out of every two dollars I earn absolute tyranny. (Steven Van Zandt)
I know what it takes to make a band, how they should interact, what makes a record sound like it's a band - everything having to do with a band, I happen to be into. View quote
Steven Van Zandt
Like most people, I've always felt using words like 'best' when applied to art is a fun way for critics to stay busy at the end of the year, and I guess a good way to help get ratings for awards shows, which is fine. View quote
Steven Van Zandt
You think your congressman is working all day to get you a job? He may want to. He or she is probably not a bad person. They probably want to do the right thing. But they can't. View quote
Steven Van Zandt
I was obsessed with politics in the '80s. I've recovered and I'm feeling much better now, thank you. View quote
Steven Van Zandt