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♪ >>> HELLO, EVERYBODY, WELCOME TO "CHAT BOX," I'M DAVID CRUZ.

WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME IN THE PROGRAM TO LIST THE MANY AND VARIED CREATIVE AND BUSINESS ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF OUR GUEST TODAY.

IF HE ONLY CREATED TONY SOPRANO'S CONCILERGE, THAT WOULD BE ENOUGH FOR MERE MORTALS BUT HE HAS DONE SO MUCH MORE IN THE WORLDS OF MUSIC AND TELEVISION AND RADIO, A LOT OF WHICH HE CAPTURES IN THE NEW MEMOIR OUT THIS WEEK CALLED "UNREQUITED INFATUATIONS: ODYSSEY OF A ROCK AND ROLL CONSIGLIERE."

ARE YOU STEVE, LITTLE STEVIE?

WHICH ONE DO YOU REFER TO?

>> I'M ALL OF THE ABOVE.

>> DO THEY ALL REPRESENT A DIFFERENT SHADE OF YOUR PERSONALITY?

>> EXACTLY.

EXACTLY.

MULTIPERSONALITY, MULTI-NEUROTIC, YOU KNOW, YOU NAME IT.

>> ALL RIGHT.

YOU HAVE SEEN SOME CRAZY TIMES IN YOUR 50-YEAR CAREER.

WHAT DOES THE WORLD LOOK LIKE TO YOU TODAY?

I MEAN, THE PANDEMIC, WORLD POLITICS, MUSIC, ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC THESE DIAYS ABOUT TH WORLD?

>> OH, MAN, YOU'RE STARTING WITH A SOFTBALL, HUH?

NO, I'M NOT.

I'M SORRY.

I TRY TO BE.

I TRY TO BE.

I JUST SPENT 2017, '18, AND '19 ON THE ROAD AND THE THEME OF MY TWO LAST ALBUMS AND MY LAST TWO TOURS, YOU KNOW, "SOUL FIRE" AND "SUMMER OF SORCERY" WAS LET'S FIND SOME COMMON GROUND.

LET'S BE HOPEFUL, YOU KNOW?

LET'S USE MUSIC TO GET TO COMMON GROUND.

AND YOU KNOW, I JUST -- IT'S GETTING WORSE EVERY DAY.

I MEAN, IT'S JUST GETTING WORSE AND WORSE, AND I'M A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED AT THIS POINT, YOU KNOW?

WE DON'T SEEM TO BE ABLE TO BE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

>> HERE'S THE PROBLEM, DAVID.

AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, THERE'S A WAR GOING ON, AND IT'S KIND OF BEEN GOING ON SINCE OUR FOUNDING, OKAY?

BUT THERE'S A WAR GOING ON AND ONLY ONE SIDE IS FIGHTING IT AT THIS POINT.

AND IT'S NOT THE GOOD GUYS, OKAY?

THE BAD GUYS ARE DOING ALL THE FIGHTING.

AND I DON'T SEE THE TOUGH, GOOD GUYS, MAN.

WHERE ARE THE TOUGH GOOD GUYS?

BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE NEED RIGHT NOW.

WE NEED, YOU KNOW, WE NEED GENERAL PATTON.

WE NEED SOMEBODY WHO CAN SAY, LIKE, HEY, MAN, CRIMINALS NEED TO BE IN JAIL.

OKAY?

AND PEOPLE WHO TRY TO OVERTHROW THE GOVERNMENT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT COOL.

AND THEY NEED IN JAIL.

AND YOU KNOW, WE GOT TO STOP, LIKE, WORRYING ABOUT OFFENDING PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO OVERTHROW THE GOVERNMENT.

AND WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS.

I MEAN, WHO -- WHAT OTHER COUNTRY PUTS UP STATUES OF THE CATS THAT TRIED TO OVERTHROW THE GOVERNMENT?

I MEAN, I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT.

YOU START WITH THAT, RIGHT?

YOU KNOW, WHO NAMES THEIR ARMY BASES AFTER GUYS WHO TRIED TO OVERTHROW THE GOVERNMENT?

ONLY US.

>> YOU ALSO SAID THAT ROCK AND ROLL CAN SAVE THE WORLD.

ARE YOU LESS CONFIDENT OF THAT NOW?

>> YES, I AM.

BUT I KNOW ROCK AND ROLL CAN SAVE YOUR OWN SOUL.

YOU KNOW, IT CAN SAVE YOURSELF.

BUT WE -- AND LOOK, I SPENT THE LAST 20 YEARS TRYING TO PRESERVE THIS ENDANGERED SPECIES CALLED ROCK AND ROLL, AND REALLY MORE ACCURATELY, ROLL AND SOUL, BECAUSE SOUL MUSIC IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT, BUT WE -- WE'VE GOTTEN TO THE POINT NOW WHERE IT'S A LITTLE BIT -- THE WORLD IS STARTING TO FRAGMENT IN A WAY THAT I DIDN'T SEE COMING, YOU KNOW?

IT SEEMED LIKE WE WERE MAKING PROGRESS, EVEN THOUGH IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN ROCKY, A ROCKY ROAD, YOU KNOW?

YOU KNOW, AND OCCASIONALLY, YOU GET THIS VIETNAM OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, BUT WE WERE KIND OF, YOU KNOW, PROGRESSING SINCE WORLD WAR II TOWARDS A MORE UNIFIED WORLD, WHICH IS -- WHICH SHOULD BE OUR GOAL, RIGHT?

A UNIFIED, DEMILITARIZED, YOU KNOW, PEACEFUL, FRIENDLY, LOTS OF TREATIES, ALL THOSE GOOD THINGS.

AND I JUST DON'T KNOW.

>> I'M SORRY I BROUGHT YOU DOWN, BRO.

>> NO, NO, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE THEME OF THE BOOK IS, YOU KNOW, AND WHAT THE TITLE REALLY REPRESENTS, YOU'RE GOING TO BE DISAPPOINTED IN LIFE.

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE FRUSTRATION IN LIFE.

THAT'S NOT A QUESTION.

THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

IT'S WHAT YOU DO WITH THAT.

IT'S WHAT YOU DO AFTER THAT THAT COUNTS, YOU KNOW?

CAN YOU MOVE FORWARD?

AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S MY PHILOSOPHY.

YOU KNOW, I JUST KEEP MOVING FORWARD, TRYING TO DO THE BEST WE CAN DO.

YOU KNOW, TRYING TO REALIZE YOUR POTENTIAL.

TRYING TO MAKE THE WORLD JUST A LITTLE BIT BETTER PLACE, TRYING TO HELP OUT OUR NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS AND WHOEVER -- WHATEVER WE CAN DO.

>> ALL RIGHT, LET'S GET INTO THIS BOOK AND YOUR STORY.

WHEN YOU WERE A KID, AND YOUR FAMILY MOVED HERE FROM MASSACHUSETTS TO MIDDLE TOWN, YES?

>> UH-HUH.

>> YEAH.

DID YOU SEE YOURSELF AS A ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAMER AND INTERNATIONAL TV STAR?

WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE?

>> AT THE AGE OF SEVEN?

NO.

NO, I DID NOT.

WHAT DID I WANT TO BE WHEN I WAS SEVEN?

I DON'T KNOW.

>> ASTRONAUT?

>> THERE WAS NO ASTRONAUTS YET.

>> I FORGOT YOU'RE 70.

>> THERE WASN'T NO ASTRONAUTS YET.

EVEN THE RUSSIANS -- EVEN SPUTNIK WAS A COUPLE YEARS AWAY.

>> RIGHT.

>> I DON'T KNOW, MAN.

I WAS KIND OF -- >> I MEAN, WERE YOU A MUSICAL KID?

>> NO.

NO.

I WAS JUST A WEIRD LITTLE KID.

DIDN'T QUITE FIT IN.

YOU KNOW, NEVER FELT LIKE I QUITE FIT IN.

AND THAT WOULD CONTINUE, RIGHT, ALL THE WAY THROUGH UNTIL, YOU KNOW, AT THE AGE OF -- HOW OLD WAS I?

I MUST HAVE BEEN 13 WHEN THE BEATLES CAME AND ON FEBRUARY 9, 1964, YOU KNOW, THAT CHANGED MY LIFE COMPLETELY.

COMPLETELY.

BECAUSE I JUST -- I JUST COULDN'T, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T WANT TO -- I DIDN'T WANT TO GO TO COLLEGE.

I DIDN'T WANT TO GO IN THE MILITARY.

I DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE ANY JOB THAT I COULD THINK OF.

I WAS TOO SMALL FOR SPORTS.

YOU KNOW?

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO, MAN?

I COULDN'T FIGURE IT OUT.

AND THEN SUDDENLY, HERE'S THIS NEW WORLD OF ROCK AND ROLL, YOU KNOW?

AND I WAS LIKE, MAN, THERE IT IS.

THERE IT IS.

THAT'S MY SPECIES.

>> THAT'S ME.

>> THAT'S WHERE I BELONG, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, AND -- AND I ALWAYS CONNECT IT TO THE BEATLES, TO THE ROLLING STONES, BECAUSE WHEN THE BEATLES CAME, THEY WERE JUST LITERALLY LIKE A SPACESHIP LANDED IN YOUR LOCAL PARK.

I MEAN, THEY WERE SO DIFFERENT.

BUT SO PERFECT.

BECAUSE THEY HAD BEEN -- WE CA CAUGHT THEM HALFWAY THROUGH THE CAREER.

THEY HAD BEEN AROUND BY THEN, SIX, SEVEN YEARS, AND THEY WERE STARTING TO -- LIKE IN '57 AND THEY WERE GONE IN '69, SO WE CATCH THEM IN '64 AT ONE OF THEIR PEAKS, THEY WOULD PEAK, PEAK, PEAK RIGHT THROUGH THE '60s BUT CERTAINLY ONE OF THEIR PEAKS AT THE POINT WHEN WE CAUGHT THEM AND THEY WERE JUST PERF PERFECT.

THE HARMONY WAS PERFECT.

THEY WERE ALL LEAD SINGERS.

THE HAIR, THE CLOTHES, IT WAS JUST, LIKE, YOU'RE LOOKING AT SOMETHING THAT YOU AIN'T NEVER SEEN BEFORE, YOU KNOW?

SO EXCITING.

BUT YOU DIDN'T QUITE SAY, WELL, I THINK I COULD DO THAT, EXACTLY.

BUT YOU KNEW YOU WANTED TO BE PART OF THAT SOMEHOW.

>> BUT IT AWAKENED SOMETHING IN YOU, YEAH?

>> YEAH.

OH, YEAH.

YEAH.

IT CONNECTED SOME DEEPLY, YOU KNOW, DEEPLY TO MY SOUL.

YOU KNOW, IT WAS LIKE I WAS MEANT TO DO THAT.

YOU KNOW, DESTINY HAS SPOKEN, YOU KNOW?

BUT JUST AS IMPORTANTLY, FOUR MONTHS LATER THE ROLLING STONES COME AND THEY'RE MORE CASUAL, THEY'RE WEARING WHATEVER THEY FEEL LIKE, AND THE HAIR IS NOT EXACTLY PERFECT, EXCEPT FOR BRIAN JONES, AND THERE'S NO HARMONY TO SPEAK OF.

AND YOU KNOW, THEY'RE REALLY KIND OF PRIMITIVE AND REALLY THE FIRST PUNK BAND, REALLY, IN A WAY.

AND THEY MADE IT LOOK EASIER THAN IT WAS, SO YOU KNOW, THE WAY I PUT IT IS, THE BEATLES REVEALED TO US A WHOLE NEW WORLD, AND THE ROLLING STONES INVITED US IN.

>> SO, YOU STARTED WRITING THIS MEMOIR A LONG TIME AGO, RIGHT?

BUT YOU FINALLY WRAPPED IT UP IN 2020.

IS IT THE SAME STORY TOLD DIFFERENTLY?

OR DID YOU FIND A DIFFERENT STORY TO TELL?

>> NO, NO, I THREW MOST OF THAT OUT BECAUSE I HAD ALL KINDS OF ARTISTIC IDEAS FOR THAT FIRST ONE.

BECAUSE I LOVE -- I PREFER BIOGRAPHIES TO AUTOBIOGRAPHIES AND I LOVE THE THIRD-PERSON STUFF.

SO, MY FIRST -- THE FIRST CRACK AT IT, I WAS DOING EVERY OTHER CHAPTER, FIRST-PERSON, THIRD-PERSON, FIRST PERSON, THIRD PERSON, YOU KNOW?

AND THE FIRST PERSON WAS LIKE A DIARY OF WHAT WAS GOING ON BACK THEN DURING, YOU KNOW, LILLEHAMMER AND ALL THAT AND THE THIRD PERSON WAS TELLING MY STORY FROM THE BEGINNING.

AND IT WAS INTERESTING.

I DID LIKE 200 CHAPTERS.

I DID A LOT.

>> 200 CHAPTERS?

>> YEAH.

AND THEN IN THE END, YOU KNOW, IN THE END, I DECIDED IT WAS JUST TOO COMPLICATED AND I THREW IT OUT AND REALLY STARTED ALL OVER AGAIN, TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH.

VERY LITTLE OF IT MADE IT INTO THIS BOOK.

AND I JUST KEPT THE PROLOGUE AND EPILOGUE IN THIRD PERSON, YOU KNOW, WHICH IS WHY THE PROLOGUE IS MY FAVORITE PART.

BECAUSE I LOVE THAT THIRD PERSON STUFF.

I LOVE THE, YOU KNOW, I LOVE THAT, THE CINEMATIC, YOU KNOW, ELEMENT OF IT.

I WANTED THE BOOK TO BE LIKE THAT, MORE OF A DAN BROWN NOVEL, LIKE A DETECTIVE NOVEL, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S COMING NEXT.

AND THAT'S HOW MY LIFE'S BEEN.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S COMING NEXT.

>> I DIDN'T REALIZE UNTIL RECENTLY THAT YOU WERE AWAY FROM THE E STREET BAND FOR ALMOST TWO DECADES.

I MEAN, YOU WRITE THAT THAT'S STILL ONE OF THE BIGGEST MISTAKES YOU EVER MADE, BUT I THINK FANS LOOK AT YOU AND BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN AS BROTHERS.

WAS THAT JUST A PROFESSIONAL BREAK-UP OR A PERSONAL ONE OR BOTH?

WHAT HAPPENED THERE?

>> IT WAS BOTH.

IT WAS BOTH.

AND I EXPLAIN THAT IN GREAT DETAIL.

IT WAS JUST TIME TO LEAVE.

LET'S PUT IT THAT WAY.

YOU KNOW?

AND I -- AND I HAVE ALWAYS FELT THAT IT WAS A BIG MISTAKE, BUT AS I'M WRITING THE BOOK AND I'M GOING BACK AND I'M RELIVING THOSE MOMENTS, YOU KNOW, AND THAT -- AND THAT WAS A COOL THING TO DO, BECAUSE I DON'T LOOK BACK VERY OFTEN.

BUT YOU KNOW, GOING BACK AND REALLY TRYING TO BE IN THAT MOMENT, YOU KNOW, YOU START TO SEE THE LOGIC OF WHY YOU DID WHAT YOU DID AND I STARTED TO FEEL A LITTLE BIT BETTER ABOUT IT AND -- >> YOU SAY THAT YOU FEEL LIKE IT HAD TO HAPPEN IN ORDER FOR THE OTHER ASPECTS OF YOUR CAREER TO TAKE OFF.

>> EXACTLY RIGHT.

EXACTLY.

I MEAN, WE CAN KID OURSELVES ALL DAY LONG AND SAY TO OURSELVES, WELL, I WISH I COULD HAVE DONE BOTH.

YOU KNOW?

AND OF COURSE, IN MY MIND, I WISH I COULD HAVE DONE BOTH.

>> SURE.

>> BUT THE TRUSTWORTHY OF THE MATTER IS, IT WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED, MAN.

YOU KNOW?

I WOULDN'T HAVE -- I WOULDN'T HAVE BECOME AN ARTIST.

YOU KNOW, I BECAME ONE LATE IN LIFE, BUT I WOULD HAVE PROBABLY NEVER BECOME ONE.

AND THOSE FIVE ALBUMS AND TWO MORE JUST RECENTLY, I NEVER WOULD HAVE DONE "SOPRANOS" OR "LILYHAMMER."

I WOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN INVOLVED WITH THE SOUTH AFRICAN THING IN SUN CITY, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WOULD HAVE BEEN DOING BUT I WOULD HAVE BEEN ON CONSTANT CALL FOR THE E STREET BAND, WHICH MEANS YOU CAN'T COMMIT TO ANYTHING ELSE.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

SO, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN LIMITED.

I MIGHT HAVE PRODUCED A RECORD HERE AND THERE OR DONE SOME THINGS BUT NOT TO THE EXTENT THAT I DID.

SO, YOU LOOK BACK AND I DO FEEL A LITTLE BIT BETTER ABOUT THAT NOW THAN I HAVE FOR THE PAST, YOU KNOW -- >> YOU CAN DETACH SOME OF THE EMOTIONS FROM IT AND LOOK AT IT A LITTLE MORE CLEARLY AS A GROWN-UP, YEAH?

>> YEAH.

YEAH.

THAT'S RIGHT.

THAT'S RIGHT.

AND SO THE BOOK WAS GOOD FOR THAT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I WAS JOKING, YOU KNOW, WHEN I SAID I WANTED TO WRITE THIS BOOK SO IT WOULD EXPLAIN MY LIFE TO ME, YOU KNOW?

BUT I WAS ONLY HALF JOKING ABOUT THAT.

I MEAN, I REALLY -- IT'S BEEN A CRAZY LIFE, AND I NEEDED IT EXPLAINED TO ME A LITTLE BIT.

>> I HAVE EIGHT BROTHERS, SO I KNOW FROM ARGUMENTS AND HURT FEELINGS.

HOW DID YOU GUYS PATCH THAT UP, AND HOW DID YOU COME BACK INTO THE BAND?

>> YEAH.

I KIND OF -- I GO INTO PRETTY GOOD DETAIL ON THAT STUFF BECAUSE WE'VE ONLY HAD THREE MAJOR FIGHTS IN OUR LIFE, AND WE RECOVERED FROM THEM PRETTY QUICKLY, ACTUALLY.

>> YEAH.

>> YOU KNOW, WE -- WE DON'T LEAVE IT OUT THERE TOO LONG.

I DON'T KNOW HOW -- >> YOU GOT TO AIR IT OUT SOMETIMES.

>> YEAH, YOU KNOW?

WHICH IS HEALTHY, I THINK, AND I THINK WITHIN A -- I DON'T KNOW, WITHIN A FEW WEEKS, WE USUALLY GET OVER IT.

BECAUSE OUR BOND IS STRONGER THAN -- IT'S AS STRONG OR MAYBE STRONGER THAN A BLOOD BROTHER.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW?

BECAUSE WE'RE SOME KIND OF PHILOSOPHICAL BROTHERS, YOU KNOW, SOME KIND OF RELIGIOUS -- WE'RE IN THE SAME RELIGIOUS ORDER, IN A WAY.

>> YOU SHARE A SOUL.

>> YEAH.

YEAH.

IT'S LIKE THAT.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

IT'S INTENSE.

AND WE REALLY NEEDED EACH OTHER WHEN WE WERE KIDS, I THINK.

IF YOU'RE THE ONLY FREAK IN THE AREA, YOU START TO WONDER, YOU KNOW?

MAYBE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH ME.

BUT IF IT'S TWO OF YOU, THAT BOTH FEEL EQUALLY STRONG THAT ROCK AND ROLL IS EVERYTHING, NOT JUST A HOBBY, NOT JUST SOME KIND OF TREND OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, IT'S EVERYTHING, IF THERE ARE TWO OF YOU, THEN YOU KNOW, ALL RIGHT.

MAYBE WE'RE ON TO SOMETHING HERE, YOU KNOW?

IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT -- IT'S A DIFFERENT FRAME OF MIND.

SO, WE WERE VERY IMPORTANT TO EACH OTHER AT THAT POINT WHEN WE WERE 15, 16, AND THAT'S REALLY NEVER CHANGED.

>> YEAH.

THEN, OF COURSE, DAVID CHASE CALLS ABOUT A PART IN A TV SHOW THAT HE WAS WORKING ON OVER AT HBO, TO WHICH YOU SAID INITIALLY, NO, THANKS?

>> RIGHT.

>> WHAT CHANGED YOUR MIND?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, I SAID, MAN, THANK YOU, IT'S SUCH A NICE COMPLIMENT, YOU KNOW, WANTING ME TO DO A TV SHOW BUT I'M NOT AN ACTOR, YOU KNOW?

I HAD FANTASIZED ABOUT WRITING.

I HAD WRITTEN SOME TREATMENTS.

I HAD FANTASIZED ABOUT MAYBE DIRECTING SOME DAY BECAUSE I WAS A FAN OF MOVIES AND, YOU KNOW, BUT I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT ACTING.

NEVER.

AND I SAID, YOU KNOW, I'D LOVE TO DO IT, MAN, BUT I'M JUST NOT AN ACTOR, AND HE SAYS, YES, YOU ARE.

DON'T TELL ME YOU'RE NOT AN ACTOR.

I KNOW WHO AN ACTOR IS AND WHO AN ACTOR AIN'T AND YOU'RE AN ACTOR, YOU JUST DON'T KNOW IT YET.

AND TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, DAVID, I HAD NOTHING BETTER TO DO.

I WAS KIND OF BLACKBALLED FROM THE MUSIC BUSINESS THERE, I DON'T WANT TO BE OVERLY DRAMATIC ABOUT IT, BUT THEY DIDN'T LIKE THAT SUCCESS.

YOU COULD FEED PEOPLE IN AFRICA BUT DON'T START TAKING DOWN GOVERNMENTS BECAUSE THEY'RE THINKING WE'RE NEXT.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, I HAD FOUR DEALS GOING, AND THEY ALL DISAPPEARED.

SO, I WAS KIND OF OUT THERE IN THE WILDERNESS, WALKING MY DOG.

>> WE SHOULD SAY TO PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT "I AIN'T GOING TO PLAY SUN CITY," BACK IN '84 AND THIS IS A TIME WHEN THE ISSUE OF APARTHEID IN SOUTH AFRICA WAS REALLY COMING TO THE FORE, AND YOU WERE IN THE FOREFRONT OF THAT.

I .

I MEAN, THAT PARTICULAR SONG, UNLIKE SOME OF THE CHARITY SOLE JUDGES SONGS OF THAT TIME, THIS WAS HARD, POLITICAL, STRAIGHT-UP.

IT WAS NOT NICE.

IT WASN'T A PLEASANT SONG.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

MAN, IT CROSSED THAT LINE FROM SOCIAL CONCERN, YOU KNOW, TO POLITICAL.

I MEAN, WE NAMED RONALD REAGAN IN THE SONG AS BEING PART OF THE PROBLEM.

YOU KNOW?

>> YEAH.

>> YOU KNOW.

AND YOU KNOW, WE STRATEGIZED, HOW DO WE BRING THIS GOVERNMENT DOWN, MAN?

WE HAD -- THEY GOT TO GO.

BECAUSE IT'S BAD.

AND YOU KNOW -- >> SO, YOU'RE IN "THE SOPRANOS."

WHAT IMPACT DO YOU THINK THAT HAD ON YOUR CAREER?

THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO LEARNED THAT YOU WERE A MUSICIAN AFTER SEEING YOU ON "THE SOPRANOS."

>> THAT'S TRUE.

IT DIDN'T HAVE AN IMPACT ON MY CAREER.

IT WAS A WHOLE OTHER CAREER.

IT WAS A PARALLEL CAREER.

WHICH IS EXTREMELY UNUSUAL AND I KEEP SAYING THIS.

NOT ONLY AM I PART OF THE LUCKIEST GENERATION, I'M THE LUCKIEST GUY IN THE LUCKIEST GENERATION BECAUSE IF AN AUDIENCE, YOU KNOW, IN THE SHOW BIZ WORLD, IN THE BIGGER SHOW BIZ WORLD, IF AN AUDIENCE FINDS YOU AND DEFINES YOU, YOU'RE ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES.

YOU'RE ONE IN A MILLION BECAUSE THERE'S A MILLION OTHER GUYS OUT THERE TRYING TO GET FOUND, TRYING TO GET DISCOVERED.

TRYING TO GET DEFINED BY AN AUDIENCE.

BUT ONCE THEY DEFINE YOU, YOU KNOW, IN MANY CASES, THAT'S IT.

YOU KNOW, YOU'RE LUCKY.

THEY DID DEFINE YOU, AND THEY'RE GOING TO STAY WITH YOU AS LONG AS YOU STAY IN THAT DEFINITION.

AS LONG AS YOU STAY IN THAT IDENTITY.

YOU KNOW?

NOW, I'M ONE OF THE TRUE LUCKY ONES THAT WAS COMPLETELY ACCEPTED AS AN ACTOR.

I MEAN, VERY FEW MUSICIANS ARE ACCEPTED IN A DIFFERENT ART FORM.

AND I NEVER SAW A NEGATIVE WORD ABOUT ME AS AN ACTOR.

THEY ACCEPTED ME IMMEDIATELY.

>> YOU HAD A LOT OF INPUT INTO DEVELOPING SILVIO, NO?

>> IN A WAY, YEAH.

BECAUSE BASICALLY, DAVID ASKED ME AT A CERTAIN POINT, YOU KNOW, WHAT I WANT TO DO, AND I SAID TO HIM, LISTEN, DAVID, TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, I'M FEELING A LITTLE GUILTY ABOUT TAKING AN ACTOR'S JOB, BECAUSE THEY WORKED SO HARD AND MY WIFE'S A REAL ACTOR.

SHE WENT TO -- I SAW HER GO TO CLASSES EVERY DAY AND WORK OFF BROADWAY AND OFF OFF BROADWAY AND HERE I COME, YOU KNOW, THIS HALF A HIPPIE GUITAR PLAYER COMING IN, GOING TO TAKE SOMEBODY'S JOB, AND HE SAID, ALL RIGHT, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT.

YOU AIN'T GOING TO TAKE NOBODY'S JOB.

I'M GOING TO WRITE YOU IN A PART, OKAY?

SO, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO?

I SAID, WELL, I HAD THIS TREATMENT OF SILVIO DANTE, A HITMAN WHO RAN A COPACABANA TYPE OF CLUB, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, AND HE COMES BACK A DAY LATER AND SAYS, WE CAN'T AFFORD THAT TYPE OF CLUB BUT WE'LL MAKE IT A STRIP CLUB.

AND YOU'LL RUN THE STRIP CLUB FOR THE FAMILY AND LIKE THAT.

>> DID YOU KNOW THAT DURING 2020, THE MOST STREAMED SHOW WAS "THE SOPRANOS"?

>> I HEARD THAT.

YEAH.

I DID HEAR THAT.

AND EVEN "LILYHAMMER" GOT A WHOLE NEW LIFE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE, IT WAS THE VERY FIRST SHOW ON NETFLIX.

AND YOU KNOW, THERE WAS NO MARKETING IN THOSE DAYS.

SO, PEOPLE -- MOST PEOPLE MISSED IT.

SO THEY WERE REDISCOVERING "LILYHAMMER" ALSO.

I'M LUCKY TO HAVE BEEN DEFINED TWICE AND HAD TWO SUCCESSFUL CAREERS THAT SENSE.

>> AND THE MANY SAINTS OF NEWARK OPENS THIS WEEK.

IT'S A PREQUEL TO "THE SOPRANOS."

IS THE SILVIO CHARACTER IN THERE OR NO?

>> YEAH, YEAH, PLAYED BY JOHN, HE'S JUST TERRIFIC.

I'VE KNOWN HIM FOR A WHILE BECAUSE HE STARRED IN DAVID CHASE'S FIRST MOVIE, "NOT FADE AWAY."

LARGELY AN AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL STORY FROM DAVID CHASE BECAUSE HE WAS IN A BAND WHEN HE WAS A KID.

AND JOHN PLAYED DAVID CHASE, BASICALLY, AND HE'S PLAYING SILVIO DANTE AND HE'S JUST TERRIFIC.

HE'S SO MUCH FUN.

AND I HAVE TO URGE EVERYBODY, WE'RE ALL OUT OF THE HABIT, USED TO STAYING HOME, BUT I TELL YOU, MAKE AN EXCEPTION FOR THIS MOVIE.

SEE IT IN THE THEATERS BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO BE SEEING IT WITH A BUNCH OF OTHER "SOPRANOS" FANATICS, YOU KNOW?

AND IT'S JUST A LOT OF FUN.

>> THAT CALLS FOR A GROUP VIEWING.

>> YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

YEAH.

BECAUSE, YEAH, THERE'S LINES THAT THEY SAY THAT YOU KNOW THEIR COUNTERPARTS ARE GOING TO SAY, YOU KNOW, FROM THE TV SHOW, WHICH IS SO MUCH FUN.

AND JOHN GOT ONE OF THE BIGGEST REACTIONS OF THE NIGHT AS SILVIO, AND YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST FUN.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE OWE OURSELVES TO HAVE A LITTLE FUN AND THEN YOU CAN GO BACK TO THE COUCH AFTER THAT.

>> RIGHT.

SO, I GOT TO ASK BECAUSE EVERY E STREET BAND FAN WATCHING US WILL KILL ME IF I DON'T ASK.

WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH THE NEW E STREET RECORD, AND THE TOUR?

I FEEL LIKE THE WORLD NEEDS THE E STREET BAND NOW MORE THAN EVER.

>> YEAH, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN.

I FEEL THE SAME WAY ABOUT IT.

WE GOT THAT RECORD DONE JUST IN TIME, RIGHT BEFORE THE QUARANTINE, YOU KNOW, I STOPPED MY TOUR, MY SUMMER SORCERY TOUR.

WE WENT RIGHT IN THE STUDIO, DID THE RECORD VERY QUICKLY, AND THEN, BAM, YOU KNOW, QUARANTINE HIT.

SO, I'M ANXIOUS ALSO TO HEAR THOSE SONGS.

IT'S GOING TO BE NOTHING BUT FUN.

IT'S A LITTLE BIT HARD TO PLAN RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHERE THINGS ARE GOING.

IT LOOKS LIKE IT MIGHT BE SLOWING DOWN.

I HOPE SO.

I WOULD LIKE TO THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE OUT BY NEXT SUMMER.

BUT WE'LL SEE.

WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE.

BUT I WILL BE DOING SOMETHING.

I'LL NEED TO KEEP THE DISCIPLES OF SOUL TOGETHER SOMEHOW OR DO A NEW TV SHOW, WHICH I WOULD -- I DO WANT TO GET BACK ON TV.

BUT I WILL BE GIVING BRUCE FIRST PRIORITY, YOU KNOW?

IF HE WANTS TO GO OUT NEXT SUMMER WITH THE E STREET BAND, THEN THAT'S WHAT WE'LL DO.

I'M NOT SURE AT WHAT POINT THAT DECISION WILL BE MADE, BUT I GOT A FEELING IT'S GOING TO BE A WHILE YET.

IT'S GOING TO BE PROBABLY A FEW MONTHS JUST TO SEE WHERE THIS THING GOES.

WILL IT BE A NEW VARIANT, GOD FORBID, OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW?

VERY HARD TO PLAN.

VERY HARD TO PLAN.

>> WELL, YOU MUST KNOW THAT MILLIONS OF FANS ARE WAITING, RIGHT?

>> WELL, I LIKE TO THINK SO.

I HOPE SO.

I HOPE YOU'RE RIGHT.

YOU KNOW?

HOPE WE HAVEN'T BEEN FORGOTTEN IN THIS LAST COUPLE YEARS.

>> NO, NO, NO.

I THINK PEOPLE WILL REMEMBER YOU GUYS LONG AFTER ALL OF YOU ARE GONE.

LET ME TELL YOU.

SO, THE MINEMOIR IS OUT THIS WEEK, "UNREQUITED: INFATUATION."

STEVE VAN ZANDT, GOOD TO MEET YOU, MAN.

THAT'S "CHAT BOX" FOR THIS WEEK.

YOU CAN FOLLOW US ON TWITTER,@DAVIDCRUZNJ, AND BE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE YOUTUBE CHANNEL TO GET MORE "CHAT BOX," NJ BUSINESS BEAT WITH RHONDA, AND NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS WITH BRIANA VANNOZZI.

I'M DAVID CRUZ.

FOR EVERYONE HERE, THANKS FOR WATCHING.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

>> Announcer: MAJOR FUNDING FOR "CHAT BOX" WITH DAVID CRUZ IS PROVIDED BY FUEL MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION OF NEW JERSEY AND SMART HEAT NJ.

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INSIDER NJ IS COMMITTED TO GIVING SERIOUS POLITICAL PLAYERS AN INTERACTIVE FORUM FOR IDEAS, DISCUSSION, AND INSIGHT.

ONLINE AT INSIDERNJ.COM.

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