Big Hassle Media NY
40 Exchange Pl, Ste. 1900
New York, NY 10005
P 212.619.1360
Big Hassle Media LA
3685 Motor Ave Suite 240.
Los Angeles, CA 90034
P 424.603.4655
Ken Weinstein
weinstein@bighassle.com
2126191360
Michael Eisele
michael@bighassle.com
646-963-2260 Ext 260
Musician, Performer, Songwriter, Arranger, Music Producer, Music Supervisor, TV Producer, Actor, Director, Broadway Producer, TV and Film Composer, and Live Event Producer, International DJ, Activist, Historian, Teacher, member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and recognized internationally as one of the world’s foremost authorities on both Contemporary and Traditional Rock and Roll.
“He’s not the only one, nor the oldest, nor the richest. But Little Stevie Van Zandt might currently be the planet’s most charismatic, dedicated and visible crusader scrapping to preserve the dirty purity of Rock ‘n Roll.” – BruceSpringsteen.net
“I know it sounds a bit silly but I do believe Rock and Roll can change the world. It’s about bands, and that for me suggests brotherhood, family, friendship, and community” – Stevie Van Zandt
LITTLE STEVEN AND THE DISCIPLES OF SOUL UNVEIL LANDMARK TOUR
TO BENEFIT THE ROCK AND ROLL FOREVER FOUNDATION’S TEACHROCK
DATES MARK FIRST-EVER ROCK TOUR DEVOTED TO BRINGING MUSIC CURRICULUM
“A keen student of rock and roll, this was Van Zandt offering up a master class of all the different aspects of the music he loves. Soul, funk, doo-wop – even reggae – all formed part of the set. If Phil Spector had broadened his horizons further, this would be the end product. It was a massive, multi-layered, sensory experience, which tugged at the heartstrings one moment and left you grinning from ear to ear at the next. If you could put it on prescription, the world would be a much happier place!”
–Lancashire Telegraph
(New York, NY) Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul have unveiled plans for a landmark live tour benefitting TeachRock, the Rock and Roll Forever Foundation’s national initiative to bring music curriculum into middle and high schools across the country. The dates – which mark the first-ever rock tour specifically geared to address this crucial societal need – begin April 29 at New Brunswick, NJ’s historic State Theatre and then continues through all of May, breaking for Stevie’s induction into the New Jersey Hall of Fame on May 6, alongside Meryl Streep, Debbie Harry, The Four Seasons, among others. Additional dates will be revealed soon. Tickets for all announced dates will go on sale this Friday, March 2nd. All proceeds from the upcoming tour will go to TeachRock. For complete details and ticket availability, please visit littlesteven.com. “Music will forever be humanity’s most effective and consistent source of inspiration and motivation,” says Little Steven, “and, we have learned, music turns out to be our most solid common ground for establishing communication between teachers and students which is where education begins.”
LITTLE STEVEN AND THE DISCIPLES OF SOUL: TEACHROCK TOUR 2018
APRIL
29 – New Brunswick, NJ – State Theatre
MAY
1 – Ridgefield, CT – Ridgefield Playhouse
2 – New York, NY – Playstation Theatre
4 – Albany, NY – The Palace
5 – Morristown, NJ – Mayo Performing Arts Center
ADDITIONAL DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED The Rock and Roll Forever Foundation is a 501(c)(3) established by Steven Van Zandt. TeachRock is the Foundation’s national middle and high school curriculum initiative. Created to address the challenges of an environment in which schools face cuts to arts funding, TeachRock brings rich, multimedia educational materials to teachers and students everywhere at no cost. TeachRock’s groundbreaking lesson plan collections and resources help teachers engage students by connecting the history of popular music to classroom work across the disciplines. From social studies and language arts to geography, media studies, science, general music, and more, TeachRock offers engaging and meaningful arts integration material for every classroom. TeachRock is endorsed by the New Jersey School Boards Association, the National Council for the Social Studies, the National Association for Music Education and the National Council for Geographic Education, with partners including Scholastic Inc., HBO, PBS, Reelin’ in the Years, ABC News, Rock’s Backpages, New York University’s Steinhardt School, and the Grammy Museum. For lesson plans and additional information, please visit teachrock.org. Little Steven and The Disciples of Soul made their long-awaited live return at London’s BluesFest in 2016. Since then, the band has traversed the globe, with multiple dates in America, England, Scotland, Germany, The Netherlands and Spain, highlighted not only by Paul McCartney sitting in to perform “I Saw Her Standing There” in London, but also by a lunchtime show performance at Liverpool’s Cavern Club. The Soulfire Tour marked the acclaimed release of Little Steven’s sensational new solo album, SOULFIRE, available now via Wicked Cool/Big Machine/UMe. The album is available as CD, digital download, and 180-gram black vinyl, the latter presented as a double LP housed in a gatefold sleeve with the music on Sides 1-3 and a unique etching of Little Steven on Side 4. SOULFIRE is Stevie Van Zandt’s first solo album in close to two decades and without question his purest and most uniquely personal artistic statement thus far. The album sees the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer revisiting songs that span the length of his career as artist, performer, producer, arranger, and songwriter, focusing directly on the hugely influential “soul horns-meet-rock ‘n’ roll guitars” approach he first pioneered on Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes’ classic first three albums. SOULFIRE quickly drew rapturous applause from fans and critics alike, with Rolling Stone declaring, “Rock’s ultimate sideman reclaims the Jersey Shore sound he helped invent.” “Cynicism, irony and cultivated hip detachment have taken their toll on rock ‘n’ roll,” raved USA Today. “With SOULFIRE, Van Zandt aims to blow all that out and lead listeners back to its more passionate essence.” “It’s hard to imagine a more joyous and revelatory contemporary blue-eyed soul recording,” enthused American Songwriter. “The appropriately titled SOULFIRE is a tough, tight and clearly inspired project as well as a most welcome return from the musical shadows for Steven Van Zandt.” SOULFIRE “hearkens back to Van Zandt’s classic first solo album of gritty, greasy, horn-accented ’60s-style rock and soul,” noted Billboard, while Paste proclaimed, “Rockier than Motown or the Sound of Philadelphia, this a joyous invitation to live and love.” Little Steven Van Zandt is of course known around the world for his utterly personal songwriting and an ambitious adventurousness that has fueled much of his creative output these past two decades. In addition to his ongoing role as a touring and recording member of The E Street Band, he has also expanded his artistic parameters to include landmark work as an actor on The Sopranos and Lilyhammer as well as host, historian, and rock ‘n’ roll advocate on Sirius XM’s one-and-only “Little Steven’s Underground Garage” (not to mention creator of Sirius XM’s long-running “Outlaw Country” format). Van Zandt has also expanding his musical boundaries to include composing the score for all three seasons of Lilyhammer and additional work as producer and songwriter, lending his distinctive craft to records from an array of international garage rockers.
For more, please visit:
facebook.com/LittleStevenVanZandt
# # #
Press contacts: Ken Weinstein weinstein@bighassle.com Michael Eisele mike@bighassle.com
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LITTLE STEVEN AND THE DISCIPLES OF SOUL HERALD LANDMARK LIVE TOUR WITH SURPRISE RELEASE OF SOULFIRE LIVE!
EPIC LIVE COLLECTION AVAILABLE TODAY AT ALL DIGITAL RETAILERS AND STREAMING SERVICES
LITTLE STEVEN AND THE DISCIPLES OF SOUL SET TO PERFORM ON NBC’S MEGYN KELLY TODAY THIS MORNING AT 9AM ET
U.S. TOUR BENEFITTING THE ROCK AND ROLL FOREVER FOUNDATION’S TEACHROCK BEGINS THIS SUNDAY IN NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ
DATES MARK FIRST-EVER ROCK TOUR DEVOTED TO BRINGING MUSIC CURRICULUM TO MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS ACROSS AMERICA (New York, NY) Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul are heralding this Sunday’s start of a landmark live tour with today’s surprise release of SOULFIRE LIVE!, a 24-track collection recorded last year in North America and Europe during the legendary rock ‘n’ roller’s first tour in nearly two decades, SOULFIRE LIVE! is available now at all digital music retailers and streaming services; physical 3-CD, Blu-ray, and vinyl editions will arrive this summer. Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul will celebrate the release of SOULFIRE LIVE! with a high profile network TV performance on this morning’s edition of NBC’s Megyn Kelly TODAY at 9am ET. SOULFIRE LIVE! is an epic and electrifying journey through rock ‘n’ roll history led by one of its most passionate practitioners, showcasing Stevie Van Zandt’s limitless knowledge, talent, and sheer love for the genre in all its many shapes and guises. Among the album’s many highlights is the introduction made by the legendary Mike Stoller, who along with partner Jerry Leiber, are widely considered to be the first successful and the most enduring rock songwriters and producers of all time. Other highlights on the album are the original songs from throughout Little Steven’s illustrious career – including classics like “Standing In The Line Of Fire” and “I Don’t Want To Go Home” – alongside a number of favorite cover versions like The Electric Flag’s “Groovin’ Is Easy,” Etta James’ “Blues Is My Business,” and James Brown’s “Down And Out In New York City,” the latter two songs also featured on last year’s critically acclaimed SOULFIRE. In addition, SOULFIRE LIVE! includes Van Zandt’s inimitable introductions, detailing each song’s unique history and singular spot in his life and illustrious career. SOULFIRE LIVE! was produced and arranged by Stevie Van Zandt; the album was mixed by Bob Clearmountain and mastered by Bob Ludwig. LITTLE STEVEN AND THE DISCIPLES OF SOUL SOULFIRE LIVE! TRACKLISTING Soulfire I’m Coming Back Blues Is My Business Love On The Wrong Side of Town Until The Good Is Gone Angel Eyes Some Things Just Don’t Change Saint Valentine’s Day Standing In The Line Of Fire I Saw The Light Salvation The City Weeps Tonight Down And Out In New York City Princess of Little Italy Solidarity Leonard Peltier I Am A Patriot Groovin’ Is Easy Ride The Night Away Bitter Fruit Forever Checkpoint Charlie I Don’t Want To Go Home Out Of The Darkness SOULFIRE LIVE! arrives just as Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul prepare to embark on a major live tour benefitting TeachRock, the Rock and Roll Forever Foundation’s national initiative to bring music curriculum into middle and high schools across the country. At each stop of the tour, TeachRock will host workshops before the show to educate teachers on how to implement music education into their curriculum. For more information, please reach out to Christine@RockAndRollForever.org. “This tour is a celebration of the teaching profession,” says Van Zandt. “It’s a show of solidarity for the most underpaid, underappreciated working class in our country.” The dates – which mark the first-ever tour rock tour specifically geared to address to this crucial societal need – begin this Sunday, April 29 at New Brunswick, NJ’s historic State Theatre and then continue in May. Limited VIP packages – including merch bundles, meet-and-greets, and sound check entry – are also available. For complete details and ticket availability, please visit littlesteven.com. Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul will also spend much of the summer traversing Europe, including headline shows and eagerly awaited festival performances in the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Ireland, and Norway. LITTLE STEVEN AND THE DISCIPLES OF SOUL: SOULFIRE TOUR 2018
APRIL 29 – New Brunswick, NJ – State Theatre MAY 1 – Ridgefield, CT – Ridgefield Playhouse 2 – New York, NY – Playstation Theatre 4 – Albany, NY – The Palace 5 – Morristown, NJ – Mayo Performing Arts Center 8 – Memphis, TN – Minglewood Hall 12 – Kansas City, MO – Uptown Theater 13 – St. Louis, MO – River City Casino & Hotel 15 – Nashville, TN – CMA Theater 16 – Atlanta, GA – Center Stage 18 – Orlando, FL – Hard Rock 19 – Clearwater, FL – Capitol Theatre 21 – Mobile, AL – Soul Kitchen 23 – New Orleans, LA – House of Blues 25 – Austin, TX – Paramount JUNE 28 – Dubin, IRE – Button Factory 30 – Liverpool, ENG – 02 Academy JULY 2 – Whitley Bay, ENG – Mouth of the Tyne Festival Playhouse 4 – Köln, GER – E-werk 6 – Amsterdam, NL – Amsterdamse Bos 11 – Madrid, SP – Noches del Botánico 14 – Limburg, BEL – Blues Peer 21 – Telemark, NOR – Wrightegaarden Langesund 23 – Hamburg, GER – Grosse Freiheit 36 25 – Karksruhe, GER – Zeltival 27 – London, ENG – Shepherds Bush Empire Little Steven Van Zandt is of course known around the world for his utterly personal songwriting and an ambitious adventurousness that has fueled much of his creative output these past four decades. In addition to his ongoing role as a touring and recording member of The E Street Band, he has also expanded his artistic parameters to include landmark work as an actor on The Sopranos and Lilyhammer as well as host, historian, and rock ‘n’ roll advocate on Sirius XM’s one-and-only “Little Steven’s Underground Garage” (not to mention creator of Sirius XM’s long-running “Outlaw Country” format). Van Zandt has also expanding his musical boundaries to include composing the score for all three seasons of Lilyhammer and additional work as producer and songwriter, lending his distinctive craft to records from an array of international garage rockers. For more, please visit: facebook.com/LittleStevenVanZandt # # # ABOUT THE ROCK AND ROLL FOREVER FOUNDATION & TEACHROCK: The Rock and Roll Forever Foundation is a 501(c)(3) established by Steven Van Zandt. TeachRock is the Foundation’s national middle and high school curriculum initiative. Created to address the challenges of an environment in which schools face cuts to arts funding, TeachRock brings rich, multimedia educational materials to teachers and students everywhere at no cost. TeachRock’s groundbreaking lesson plan collections and resources help teachers engage students by connecting the history of popular music to classroom work across the disciplines. From social studies and language arts to geography, media studies, science, general music, and more, TeachRock offers engaging and meaningful arts integration material for every classroom. TeachRock is endorsed by the National Council for the Social Studies, the National Association for Music Education, and the National Council for Geographic Education, with partners including Scholastic Inc., PBS, Reelin’ in the Years, ABC News, Rock’s Backpages, New York University’s Steinhardt School, and the Grammy Museum. For lesson plans and additional information, please visit teachrock.org. # # # |
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Press contacts: Ken Weinstein Michael Eisele Tim Plumley |
LITTLE STEVEN AND THE DISCIPLES OF SOUL
LIFT THE CURTAIN ON SOULFIRE LIVE!
EPIC LIVE COLLECTION AVAILABLE NOW ON 3CD WITH VINYL BOX SET
AND BLU-RAY VIDEO EDITIONS ON THE WAY
EXCLUSIVE TRACKS FEATURING GUEST APPEARANCES FROM BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, RICHIE SAMBORA, PETER WOLF AND MOBY GRAPE’S JERRY MILLER
VINYL AND BLU-RAY EDITIONS TO FEATURE EXTRAORDINARY BEATLES CELEBRATION
RECORDED LAST NOVEMBER AT LIVERPOOL’S LEGENDARY CAVERN CLUB
FINAL LEG OF TEACHER APPRECIATION TOUR SET TO GET UNDERWAY IN OCTOBER – TEACHERS GET IN FREE!
(New York, NY) A spectacular new live collection recorded last year in North America and Europe during the legendary rock ‘n’ roller’s first world tour in nearly two decades, Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul’s SOULFIRE LIVE! is available now via Little Steven Van Zandt’s Wicked Cool Records and UMe. The 3CD collection includes 24-tracks released digitally in April alongside an exclusive third disc highlighted by superstar guest performances recorded throughout the trek, including Bruce Springsteen, Richie Sambora, Peter Wolf, and Jerry Miller (of Moby Grape). Pre-order SOULFIRE LIVE! now: https://UMe.lnk.to/SoulfireLive
Rolling Stone is premiering the live video of Little Steven’s performance of “Can I Get A Witness,” featuring Richie Sambora. Recorded last year at the famed Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles, the video captures Little Steven and his 15-piece band, the Disciple of Soul’s, spirited and sweat-soaked shows which will be on full display on the Blu-Ray coming later this year.
WATCH “CAN I GET A WITNESS FT. RICHIE SAMBORA” HERE
Fans can now pre-order ahead of their release later this year, SOULFIRE LIVE! as a unique 7LP vinyl box set and on Blu-Ray video exclusively at Little Steven’s just-launched new webstore. The vinyl box set will incorporate an exclusive bonus LP capturing Little Steven’s extraordinary surprise set at Liverpool’s legendary Cavern Club recorded November 2017 during his band’s sold out European tour. The intimate lunchtime gig saw Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul paying tribute to The Beatles with rocking renditions of “Magical Mystery Tour,” “Good Morning, Good Morning,” “Got To Get You Into My Life,” and “All You Need Is Love,” alongside iconic songs famously performed by the nascent Fab Four, including “Boys” (originally by The Shirelles), “Slow Down” (by Larry Williams) and “Soldier Of Love” (first recorded by Arthur Alexander).
“Playing in the same venue where The Beatles started their careers was a childhood dream of mine come true,” says Little Steven. “This was a band that set me on course for a life of music. For my rock ‘n’ roll religion, The Cavern is the first sacred site. It was an honor – no, make that an epiphany – to perform there.”
The SOULFIRE LIVE! Blu-ray video edition will include Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul’s complete Cavern Club concert alongside video performances of each song on the 3CD/vinyl set, exclusive interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage. In addition, the Blu-ray edition will feature a special documentary about the Cavern Club performance that sees Little Steven honored with a brick in the club’s hallowed Wall of Fame before leading his band through swift rehearsals of Beatles songs mere minutes ahead of their performance. The Blu-ray and vinyl box are available to pre-order now on Little Steven’s just-launched new web store: https://UMe.lnk.to/LittleStevenSoulFireLIVE
SOULFIRE LIVE! is an epic and electrifying journey through rock ‘n’ roll history led by one of its most passionate practitioners, showcasing Stevie Van Zandt’s limitless knowledge, talent, and sheer love for the genre in all its many shapes and guises. Among the album’s many highlights are original songs from throughout Little Steven’s illustrious career – including classics like “Standing In The Line Of Fire” and “I Don’t Want To Go Home” – alongside a number of favorite cover versions like The Electric Flag’s “Groovin’ Is Easy,” Etta James’ “Blues Is My Business,” and James Brown’s “Down And Out In New York City,” the latter two songs also featured on last year’s critically acclaimed SOULFIRE. In addition, SOULFIRE LIVE! includes Van Zandt’s inimitable introductions, detailing each song’s unique history and singular spot in his life and illustrious career.
The exclusive SOULFIRE LIVE! third disc showcases special guest appearances from some of Little Steven’s closest friends, collaborators, and favorite artists. Among the highlights are versions of Moby Grape’s “Can’t Be So Bad” performed with the legendary San Francisco band’s founding member, Jerry Miller; the Motown classic, “Can I Get A Witness,” performed with New Jersey’s own Richie Sambora; The J. Geils Band’s “Freeze Frame” with vocals from the one and only Peter Wolf; and “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out” and Little Steven’s own “I Don’t Want To Go Home,” both joined by Bruce Springsteen.
As if that weren’t enough, Disc 3 also includes the Disciples of Soul’s electrifying takes on a number of Little Steven’s all-time favorite rock ‘n’ roll songs, including Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ “Even The Losers,” AC/DC’s “You Shook Me All Night Long,” John Lennon’s “Working Class Hero,” The Allman Brothers Band’s “It’s Not My Cross To Bear,” The Animals’ “We Gotta Get Out Of This Place,” and The Ramones’ “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want To Fight Tonight).”
SOULFIRE LIVE! was produced and arranged by Stevie Van Zandt; the album was mixed by Bob Clearmountain and mastered by Bob Ludwig.
LITTLE STEVEN AND THE DISCIPLES OF SOUL
SOULFIRE LIVE!
TRACKLISTING
* DISC 3 AUDIO EXCLUSIVE TO 3CD AND VINYL RELEASES
DISC 1
Mike Stoller Intro
Soulfire
I’m Coming Back
Blues Is My Business Intro
Blues Is My Business
Love On The Wrong Side Of Town
Until The Good Is Gone
Angel Eyes
Some Things Just Don’t Change
Saint Valentine’s Day Intro
Saint Valentine’s Day
Standing In The Line Of Fire Intro
Standing In The Line Of Fire
I Saw The Light
Salvation
The City Weeps Tonight Intro
The City Weeps Tonight
DISC 2
Down And Out In New York City
Princess Of Little Italy Intro
Princess Of Little Italy
Solidarity
Leonard Peltier
I Am A Patriot
Groovin’ Is Easy
Ride The Night Away Intro
Ride The Night Away
Bitter Fruit
Forever
Checkpoint Charlie Intro
Checkpoint Charlie
I Don’t Want To Go Home
Out Of The Darkness Intro
Out Of The Darkness
DISC 3
Even The Losers
Can’t Be So Bad (Feat. Jerry Miller)
You Shook Me All Night Long
Working Class Hero
We Gotta Get Out Of This Place
Can I Get A Witness (Feat. Richie Sambora)
It’s Not My Cross To Bear Intro
It’s Not My Cross To Bear
Freeze Frame (Feat. Peter Wolf)
The Time Of Your Life
Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out (Feat. Bruce Springsteen)
I Don’t Want To Go Home (Feat. Bruce Springsteen)
Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want To Fight Tonight)
Just back from a European tour, Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul blew away audiences with their scorching concerts that included headline shows and stage-stealing festival performances across the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Ireland, and Norway. “There are some shows that reach up to another level altogether, and this was one of them. If you were at this gig, and didn’t come out punch-drunk with enjoyment, and your face tired from smiling, then what the hell do you want from life?,” exclaimed Blues Enthused about one of the much-talked about shows. “Playing a two and a half hour set of scintillating soul classics, deep cuts from his back catalogue and hot new songs from his most recent Soulfirealbum, he supplied maximum enjoyment to his dedicated fans,” raved London’s Express, adding, “If music is where everybody can find a common ground to share and enjoy their listening tastes, then tonight Little Steven produced a joyous connection to humanity with his Soulfire show.” Hot Press enthused, “With a full brass section, Youngblood’s Lowell ‘Banana’ Levinger on keys, Andy Burton doing his wizardly multi-instrumental thing and three of the funkiest soul sister singers to ever step outside of New York City, it really is a feast for the ears,” before declaring it “a shoo-in for Club Gig of the Year.”
Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul will rev up again this fall to celebrate SOULFIRE LIVE! with the final leg of their Teacher Appreciation Tour, set to get underway this October. The tour will once again benefit TeachRock, Van Zandt’s Rock and Roll Forever Foundation’s national initiative to bring music curriculum into middle and high schools across the country. At each stop of the tour, teachers will get in free to the concert and TeachRock will host workshops before the show to educate teachers on how to implement music education into their classrooms. For complete details and ticket availability, please visit littlesteven.com. For more information about TeachRock and the Rock and Roll Forever Foundation, please visit rockandrollforever.org
LITTLE STEVEN AND THE DISCIPLES OF SOUL: SOULFIRE TOUR 2018
OCTOBER
18 – Wilkes-Barre, PA – Kirby Center
20 – Rochester, NY – Kodak Theater
23 – Atlantic City, NJ – Hard Rock
24 – Munhall, PA -Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall
29 – Wabash, IN – Honeywell Center
31 – Milwaukee, WI – Pabst Theater
NOVEMBER
2 – Burnsville, MN – Ames Center
5- Chicago, IL – Copernicus Center
7 – Tulsa, OK – Club Brady
9 – Detroit, MI @ Detroit Music Hall
10 – Peoria, IL – Monarch
12 – Louisville, KY – Mercury Ballroom
14 – Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall
16 – Cleveland, OH – Hard Rock
17 – Morgantown, WV – Metropolitan Theatre
SOULFIRE LIVE! follows last year’s acclaimed release of Little Steven’s sensational SOULFIRE, available now via Wicked Cool/Big Machine/UMe. The album is available as CD, digital download, and 180-gram black vinyl, the latter presented as a double LP housed in a gatefold sleeve with the music on Sides 1-3 and a unique etching of Little Steven on Side 4.
Stevie Van Zandt’s first solo album in close to two decades, SOULFIRE is without question his purest and most uniquely personal artistic statement thus far. The album sees the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer revisiting songs that span the length of his career as artist, performer, producer, arranger, and songwriter, focusing directly on the hugely influential “soul horns-meet-rock ‘n’ roll guitars” approach he first pioneered on Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes’ classic first three albums.
SOULFIRE quickly drew rapturous applause from fans and critics alike, with Rolling Stone declaring, “Rock’s ultimate sideman reclaims the Jersey Shore sound he helped invent.” “Cynicism, irony and cultivated hip detachment have taken their toll on rock ‘n’ roll,” raved USA Today. “With SOULFIRE, Van Zandt aims to blow all that out and lead listeners back to its more passionate essence.” “It’s hard to imagine a more joyous and revelatory contemporary blue-eyed soul recording,” enthused American Songwriter. “The appropriately titled SOULFIRE is a tough, tight and clearly inspired project as well as a most welcome return from the musical shadows for Steven Van Zandt. “SOULFIRE” hearkens back to Van Zandt’s classic first solo album of gritty, greasy, horn-accented ’60s-style rock and soul,” noted Billboard, while Paste proclaimed, “Rockier than Motown or the Sound of Philadelphia, this a joyous invitation to live and love.”
SOULFIRE was arranged and produced by Van Zandt at his own Renegade Studios in New York City, co-produced and recorded by GRAMMY® Award-winner Geoff Sanoff (Fountains of Wayne, Stephen Colbert) and co-produced and music directed by guitarist Marc Ribler. The album was mixed and mastered by Van Zandt’s career-long collaborators and friends Bob Clearmountain (Rolling Stones, David Bowie, The Who, Bryan Adams), and Bob Ludwig (Led Zeppelin, Nirvana, The Band, Sly and the Family Stone).
Little Steven Van Zandt is of course known around the world for his utterly personal songwriting and an ambitious adventurousness that has fueled much of his creative output these past two decades. In addition to his ongoing role as a touring and recording member of The E Street Band, he has also expanded his artistic parameters to include landmark work as an actor on The Sopranos and Lilyhammer as well as host, historian, and rock ‘n’ roll advocate on Sirius XM’s one-and-only “Little Steven’s Underground Garage” (not to mention creator of Sirius XM’s long-running “Outlaw Country” format). Van Zandt has also expanding his musical boundaries to include composing the score for all three seasons of Lilyhammer and additional work as producer and songwriter, lending his distinctive craft to records from an array of international garage rockers.
For more, please visit:
# # #
LITTLE STEVEN AND THE DISCIPLES OF SOUL OFFER SOLIDARITY TO TEACHERS AND THE #REDFORED MOVEMENT WITH “SOULFIRE TEACHER SOLIDARITY TOUR 2018”
PERFORMING IN EVERY STATE TEACHERS HAVE BEEN STRIKING OR ARE CONSIDERING GOING ON STRIKE
HOSTING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT EXPERIENCE TO INTRODUCE GROUNDBREAKING TEACHROCK MUSIC CURRICULUM
TICKETS TO NORTH AMERICAN TREK AVAILABLE FREE TO EDUCATORS OF ALL TYPES
DATES BEGIN OCTOBER 18 IN WILKES BARRE, PA; SHOWS ON SALE NOW
SOULFIRE LIVE! BOX SETS AVAILABLE NOW
Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul will show solidarity with and say thank you to hard-working teachers across North America with a landmark headline tour introducing TeachRock, the Rock and Roll Forever Foundation’s free, multimedia, K-12 interdisciplinary curriculum which meets prevailing standards in English Language Arts, Social Studies/History, the Fine and Performing Arts, and also includes STEAM and advisory material. The “Soulfire Teacher Solidarity Tour 2018” begins October 18 at The Kirby Center in Wilkes Barre, PA and then continues into December. All shows on sale now. For complete details and tickets, please visit www.littlesteven.com/on-tour.
The “Soulfire Teacher Solidarity Tour 2018” concerts are free for educators of all types (and a guest) – teachers are invited to sign up at teachrock.org/tour. Each show on the tour will also see Little Steven and his TeachRock staff hosting free professional development workshops designed to engage educators with techniques and content through which they can comfortably use music to inspire students, even if they’ve never touched an instrument. In many locations, the workshop will also count towards continuing education hours and license renewal.
The Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul Teacher Appreciation Tour Professional Development Experience will offer an introduction to the Teachrock.org curriculum, and include material suitable for K-12 teachers of all disciplines, interdisciplinary best practices, and group activities. In addition, the one-hour workshops will see a personal visit from Little Steven, with attendees also receiving a teacher-only edition “Teacher Appreciation Tour” t-shirt, a certificate of attendance, and tickets for the educator and a guest to that evening’s Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul concert.
“This is a little different than the professional development experience you may be used to,” says Little Steven. “This is a rock ‘n’ roll experience.”
Little Steven unveiled the “Soulfire Teacher Solidarity Tour 2018” earlier this week with a personal video announcement, streaming now at the official TeachRock YouTube channel HERE.
LITTLE STEVEN AND THE DISCIPLES OF SOUL:
SOULFIRE TEACHER SOLIDARITY TOUR 2018
OCTOBER
18 – Wilkes Barre, PA – Kirby Center
20 – Rochester, NY – Kodak Center
23 – Atlantic City, NJ – Hard Rock Hotel & casino
24 – Pittsburgh, PA – Homestead Music Hall
29 – Wabash, IN – Honeywell Center
31 – Milwaukee, WI – Pabst Theater
NOVEMBER
2 – Burnsville, MN – Ames Center
3 – Green Bay, WI – Meyer Theatre
5 – Chicago, IL – Copernicus Center
7 – Tulsa, OK – Brady Theater
9 – Detroit, MI – Detroit Music Hall
10 – Peoria, IL – Monarch Theater
12 – Louisville, KY – Mercury Ballroom
14 – Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall
16 – Northfield, OH – Hard Rock Rocksino
17 – Morgantown, WV – Metropolitan Theatre
26 – Oklahoma City, OK – Tower Theatre
28 – Omaha, NE – Holland Performing Arts Center
30 – Denver, CO – Gothic Theatre
DECEMBER
1 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Depot
3 – Vancouver, BC – Vogue Theatre
5 – Snoqualmie, WA – Snoqualmie Casino
7 – San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore
8 – Stateline, NV – Harrah’s Lake Tahoe
11 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues
12 – Anaheim, CA – House of Blues
14 – Las Vegas, NV – House of Blues
16 – Phoenix, AZ – Van Buren
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Steven Van Zandt’s Rock and Roll Forever Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that integrates arts throughout K-12 classrooms via rich, standard-aligned lesson plans and hands-on teacher workshops, all delivered to educators and districts at no cost. TeachRock is a standards-aligned arts integration curriculum that uses the history and culture of popular music to engage students in all disciplines. From social studies and language arts to geography, STEAM, general music, and more: TeachRock has engaging and meaningful material for every K-12 classroom, and it’s all shared with teachers and students at no cost. TeachRock is endorsed by the National Council for the Social Studies, the National Association for Music Education, and the National Council for Geographic Education, with partners including Scholastic Inc., PBS, Reelin’ in the Years, ABC News, Rock’s Backpages, New York University’s Steinhardt School, and the Grammy Museum. Forlesson plans and additional information, please visit teachrock.org.
“Music will forever be humanity’s most effective and consistent source of inspiration and motivation,” says Little Steven, “and, we have learned, music turns out to be our most solid common ground for establishing communication between teachers and students which is where education begins.”
The Soulfire TeachRock Tour 2018 follows the recent release of SOULFIRE LIVE!, a spectacular new live collection recorded last year in North America and Europe during Little Steven’s first world tour in nearly two decades. The 3CD and LP editions feature an exclusive third disc highlighted by superstar guest performances recorded throughout the trek, including Bruce Springsteen, Richie Sambora, Peter Wolf, and Jerry Miller (of Moby Grape). SOULFIRE LIVE! is available now via Wicked Cool/Big Machine/UMe. A unique 7LP vinyl box set and Blu-ray edition of SOULFIRE LIVE! is also on the way and is available to pre-order now.
DOWNLOAD/STREAM SOULFIRE LIVE!
PURCHASE SOULFIRE LIVE! BOX SETS
An epic and electrifying journey through rock ‘n’ roll history led by one of its most passionate practitioners, SOULFIRE LIVE! showcases Stevie Van Zandt’s limitless knowledge, talent, and sheer love for the genre in all its many shapes and guises. Among the album’s many highlights are original songs from throughout Little Steven’s illustrious career – including classics like “Standing In The Line Of Fire” and “I Don’t Want To Go Home” – alongside a number of favorite cover versions like The Electric Flag’s “Groovin’ Is Easy,” Etta James’ “Blues Is My Business,” and James Brown’s “Down And Out In New York City,” the latter two songs also featured on last year’s critically acclaimed SOULFIRE. In addition, SOULFIRE LIVE! includes Van Zandt’s inimitable introductions, detailing each song’s unique history and singular spot in his life and illustrious career.
Little Steven Van Zandt is of course known around the world for his utterly personal songwriting and an ambitious adventurousness that has fueled much of his creative output these past two decades. In addition to his ongoing role as a touring and recording member of The E Street Band, he has also expanded his artistic parameters to include landmark work as an actor on The Sopranos and Lilyhammer as well as host, historian, and rock ‘n’ roll advocate on Sirius XM’s one-and-only “Little Steven’s Underground Garage” (not to mention creator of Sirius XM’s long-running “Outlaw Country” format). Van Zandt has also expanding his musical boundaries to include composing the score for all three seasons of Lilyhammer and additional work as producer and songwriter, lending his distinctive craft to records from an array of international garage rockers.
For more, please visit:
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LITTLE STEVEN AND THE DISCIPLES OF SOUL REGISTER 10,000 TEACHERS FOR TEACHROCK MUSIC HISTORY CURRICULUM
TICKETS TO THE “TEACHER SOLIDARITY TOUR” STILL AVAILABLE
FREE TO EDUCATORS OF ALL TYPES
SOULFIRE LIVE! BOX SETS AVAILABLE NOW
The final leg of Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul’s Teacher Solidarity Tour has reached the incredible goal of registering over 10,000 teachers to use the TeachRock Music History Curriculum. The tour, which began last week in association with the Rock and Roll Forever Foundation (RRFF), is still accepting registrations as it continues through December 16.
Stevie Van Zandt, who often refers to educators as the “front line in the war on ignorance,” launched the “Teacher Solidarity Tour” to demonstrate his support for teachers throughout the US in a time marked by wage cuts, crumbling school infrastructure, a lack of funding for resources, and widespread teacher strikes. More than just moral support, the tour presents a nightly workshop — a legitimate professional development session in which RRFF staff, and Van Zandt himself, present concepts and content that empower K-12 teachers of all disciplines to use music in their classrooms.
Throughout the tour, teachers and their guests get in free. Doors open early to teachers at 5:15 for snacks and networking, the workshops run from 6-7, and the concert follows. It’s an action-packed, hands-on professional development in a different environment, but is nonetheless a legitimate professional experience from which teachers come away with something to use tomorrow as well as with material to plan into future semesters. At many tour stops, the sessions even count toward educators’ continuing education licensing hours. As Van Zandt puts it, “This is a little different than the professional development experience you may be used to. This is a rock ‘n’ roll experience.”
There are more than 20 shows left on the tour, and tickets remain for educators at almost each stop. For more info, and to register, head to www.teachrock.org/tour.
Thus far “solidarity” has been an apt word for the tour, as the workshops have been a unifying force within school districts. Throughout the country, superintendents are signing on, making the workshops “official” professional development opportunities for their teachers, and even adding the events to school calendars. Educator feedback has also been wholly positive.
Teacher Edward J. wrote, “I want to recognize your devoted Rock & Roll Forever Foundation team who exceeded my expectations as an education professional. The entire experience was top shelf. Between the deep dive into the TeachRock content and the two and one half hour soul revue by your band, I have memories that will last a lifetime. Thank you for opening the music of our heart to this vital initiative. I love being a Teach Rock ‘Disciple of Soul.'”
Teacher Sonia H. wrote, “You gave a great PD last night at the historic Carnegie Music Hall in Homestead! Thanks to Steven for his decade-long effort to keep music alive in schools. It was wonderful to see teachers of all ages interacting with each other. As we engaged with the music we could see how easy it will be to get students involved with history, science, etc. and teach kids to discover more on their own. Motivation is key in this day and age.”
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LITTLE STEVEN AND THE DISCIPLES OF SOUL: SOULFIRE TEACHER APPRECIATION TOUR 2018
OCTOBER
31 – Milwaukee, WI – Pabst Theater
NOVEMBER
2 – Burnsville, MN – Ames Center
3 – Green Bay, WI – Meyer Theatre
5 – Chicago, IL – Copernicus Center
7 – Tulsa, OK – Brady Theater
9 – Detroit, MI – Detroit Music Hall
10 – Peoria, IL – Monarch Theater
12 – Louisville, KY – Mercury Ballroom
14 – Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall
16 – Northfield, OH – Hard Rock Rocksino
17 – Morgantown, WV – Metropolitan Theatre
26 – Oklahoma City, OK – Tower Theatre
28 – Omaha, NE – Holland Performing Arts Center
30 – Denver, CO – Gothic Theatre
DECEMBER
1 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Depot
3 – Vancouver, BC – Vogue Theatre
5 – Snoqualmie, WA – Snoqualmie Casino
7 – San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore
8 – Stateline, NV – Harrah’s Lake Tahoe
11 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues
12 – Anaheim, CA – House of Blues
14 – Las Vegas, NV – House of Blues
16 – Phoenix, AZ – Van Buren
# # #
Stevie Van Zandt’s Rock and Roll Forever Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that integrates arts throughout K-12 classrooms via rich, standard-aligned lesson plans and hands-on teacher workshops, all delivered to educators and districts at no cost. TeachRock is a standards-aligned arts integration curriculum that uses the history and culture of popular music to engage students in all disciplines. From social studies and language arts to geography, STEAM, general music, and more: TeachRock has engaging and meaningful material for every K-12 classroom, and it’s all shared with teachers and students at no cost. TeachRock is endorsed by the National Council for the Social Studies, the National Association for Music Education, and the National Council for Geographic Education, with partners including Scholastic Inc., PBS, Reelin’ in the Years, ABC News, Rock’s Backpages, New York University’s Steinhardt School, and the Grammy Museum. For lesson plans and additional information, please visit teachrock.org.
“Music will forever be humanity’s most effective and consistent source of inspiration and motivation,” says Van Zandt, “and, we have learned, music turns out to be our most solid common ground for establishing communication between teachers and students which is where education begins.”
The Soulfire TeachRock Tour 2018 follows the recent release of SOULFIRE LIVE!, a spectacular new live collection recorded last year in North America and Europe during Little Steven’s first world tour in nearly two decades. The 3CD and LP editions feature an exclusive third disc highlighted by superstar guest performances recorded throughout the trek, including Bruce Springsteen, Richie Sambora, Peter Wolf, and Jerry Miller (of Moby Grape). SOULFIRE LIVE! is available now via Wicked Cool/Big Machine/UMe. A unique 7LP vinyl box set and Blu-ray edition of SOULFIRE LIVE! is also on the way and is available to pre-order now.
DOWNLOAD/STREAM SOULFIRE LIVE!
FOR MEDIA USE ONLY
PURCHASE SOULFIRE LIVE! BOX SETS
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MUSICIANS STEVIE VAN ZANDT AND JACKSON BROWNE CALL FOR MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL BOYCOTT
URGE CHANGES IN HOTEL’S SINGLE-USE PLASTIC POLICY
Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Stevie Van Zandt and Jackson Browne joined Plastic Pollution Coalition in calling for a boycott of all Marriott International-owned hotels in response to their policy of using plastic containers for room service.
Van Zandt and Browne are notable members of Plastic Pollution Coalition, a global alliance working toward a world free of plastic pollution and its toxic impacts on humans, animals, waterways, the ocean, and the environment.
More than 8 million tons of plastic pollution enter the world’s oceans each year, harming animals and ecosystems. Toxic chemicals in plastic can leach from food containers and are linked to human health problems such as cancer, infertility, and obesity.
“The last thing we need right now is more plastic waste,” said Van Zandt. “There is no longer any excuse – if there ever was – for businesses to sacrifice environmental responsibility for profit. The two are no longer mutually exclusive – if they ever were – and any attempt to present the false choice of one over the other is a lie.”
Posts on Marriott Hotel’s social media channels show customers complaining about the plastic containers for room service since 2016. A Tweet from Van Zandt calling out Marriott on Sunday was liked 1.4K times.
“We each have it in our power to support businesses that take care not to further degrade our environment, and to bring that considerable consumer power to bear in the fight for a sustainable future,” said Jackson Browne. “I’m happy to answer Stevie Van Zandt’s call for this boycott. I spend much of my year in hotel rooms, and it is absolutely my choice not to stay where they serve food in plastic.”
Dianna Cohen, Co-Founder and CEO of Plastic Pollution Coalition, said: “We stand with our notable Coalition members in calling for a boycott of Marriott Hotels until they change this wasteful practice of using plastic containers for room service. The time is now for Marriott to reduce their plastic footprint on the earth and think ‘reusable’ instead of ‘disposable.”
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Courtesy of Big Hassle Media
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TEACHER SOLIDARITY TOUR
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Stevie Van Zandt and Jackson Browne joined Plastic Pollution Coalition for Mariott Int. Boycott
