Stevie Van Zandt: 'You're going to see violence in my country that you haven't seen since the Civil War'

Sign up to Roisin O’Connor’s free weekly newsletter Now Hear This for the inside track on all things music Get our Now Hear This email for free Get our Now Hear This email for free SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “They are pathetic and weak and it’s just sad because they’re not warriors in a war.” Politics has taken up a lot of Van Zandt’s life since he infamously left the E Street Band in 1984, both to pursue a solo career and to try and get Nelson Mandela out of jail and end apartheid in South Africa. Springsteen would appear on the “Sun City” record a year later and Van Zandt would make guest appearances throughout the Born in the USA tour. He was very nice about it – didn’t change a single word.” Van Zandt also found similarities between working for Springsteen and his later TV boss, Sopranos creator, David Chase. Van Zandt agrees: “I guess I was – I didn’t realise it at the time but that’s why he’s David Chase.” Van Zandt was familiar with the subject matter of The Sopranos.