Former New York Dolls Guitarist Steve Conte Releases New Single
The new Steve Conte single, “Fourth Of July,” co-written by Andy Partridge of British rock band XTC, might be a little late for Independence Day but it sure rocks. In fact, Conte says, “I didn’t want to make this lyric patriotic American or about the holiday. I wanted it to be about the sparks that fly—the fireworks that go off—in a relationship, one with intense chemistry…love, fulfillment…bombs bursting in air, ya know? Explosions yes but no stars or stripes.”
The New York singer-songwriter-guitarist, originally from Matawan in Monmouth County, whose last album, Bronx Cheer, was in 2021, and whose next album for Stevie Van Zandt’s Wicked Cool label, is scheduled for next year, recorded “Fourth Of July” with drummer Prairie Prince of The Tubes and Todd Rundgren, bassist brother John Conte and pianist Andrew Hollander.
Conte has had a unique career. The son of jazz vocalist Rosemary Conte, he’s been in bands with Chuck Berry, Peter Wolf, Eric Burdon, Willy DeVille, Billy Squier, Willie Nile, Michael Monroe and Maceo Parker. He’s collaborated with conceptual artist Yoko Kanno on several anime series. He was even Paul Simon’s tour rehearsal stand-in. His Company Of Wolves band released one album on Mercury Records in 1990.
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He met Van Zandt when The New York Dolls played the 2004 Underground Garage Festival. “But my connection with him goes back to Jersey,” he says. “I grew up with his cousins in Matawan near the shore so I had been hearing about his legend for years.”