Steven Van Zandt’s favourite Beatles album
When you watch a Bruce Springsteen gig, there is communication between Springsteen and the rest of his band, including Steven Van Zandt, which is hard to get anywhere else in music. They looked like they were supposed to play music together and that going down any other path in life simply wasn’t an option; this was their calling.
That connection comes from a few different things. Firstly, they are all excellent musicians, but one of the biggest reasons is their profound respect for one another and love what they do. This is so intense that even though when Steven Van Zandt left the E Street Band he made successful solo music and had a good acting career, he still sees it as a decision that he regrets.
He felt that leaving the band was a “Big mistake,” saying, “All my life I’ve carried with me this guilt of feeling of, jeez, if only I could have stayed in the band and yet done all these other things. Wouldn’t that have been wonderful? I realised when I analysed it that is ridiculous, and that wouldn’t have happened.”
There has always been a part of Van Zandt that wanted to be in a band, and like a lot of rock artists, this desire was triggered when he first saw The Beatles. He had had other influences before, such as The Shirelles and The Isley Brothers, but seeing the Fab Four for the first time triggered the need to be in a band and follow in their footsteps.
When discussing The Beatles, he started talking about their impact and his favourite album: “The first album is Meet The Beatles, which we [American fans] thought was their first album, but it was actually the second album. But for us, it was the first album, and it changed everything.”
He went on to talk about how he could see himself in The Beatles, “Now we’re moving into an area where I want to actually do it myself. I didn’t want to be Frankie Valli or Curtis Lee or Little Anthony or the Isley Brothers,” he said, “But The Beatles were a band, and it was the first time I’d ever seen a band, it had always been individual or singing groups.”
Finally, he highlighted an element of the band that would transpire into the E Street Band and his ongoing relationship with Bruce Springsteen. He said, “The communication from a band which is a different communication. It’s us. It’s friendship. It’s family. It’s community. Suddenly, I’m getting a different vibe.”
Van Zandt isn’t alone with this revelation, as when The Beatles shot to fame, it was impossible for people not to feel inspired. Their sound, look, and comradery were undeniable, and everyone was drawn to them. Their music changed the industry forever, not only because of their music but also because of who they inspired to make music.
