DigeeBooks

Uncover never-before-told stories in this epic tale of self-discovery by a Rock n Roll disciple and member of the E Street Band.

What story begins in a bedroom in suburban New Jersey in the early '60s, unfolds on some of the country's largest stages, and then ranges across the globe, demonstrating over and over again how Rock and Roll has the power to change the world for the better? This story. 
 
The first true heartbeat of Unrequited Infatuations  is the moment when Stevie Van Zandt trades in his devotion to the Baptist religion for an obsession with Rock and Roll. Groups like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones created new ideas of community, creative risk, and principled rebellion. They changed him forever. While still a teenager, he met Bruce Springsteen, a like-minded outcast/true believer who became one of his most important friends and bandmates. As Miami Steve, Van Zandt anchored the E Street Band as they conquered the Rock and Roll world. 
 
And then, in the early '80s, Van Zandt stepped away from E Street to embark on his own odyssey. He refashioned himself as Little Steven, a political songwriter and performer, fell in love with Maureen Santoro who greatly expanded his artistic palette, and visited the world’s hot spots as an artist/journalist to not just better understand them, but to help change them. Most famously, he masterminded the recording of “Sun City,” an anti-apartheid anthem that sped the demise of South Africa’s institutionalized racism and helped get Nelson Mandela out of prison. 
 
By the '90s, Van Zandt had lived at least two lives—one as a mainstream rocker, one as a hardcore activist. It was time for a third. David Chase invited Van Zandt to be a part of his new television show, the Sopranos—as Silvio Dante, he was the unconditionally loyal consiglieri who sat at the right hand of Tony Soprano (a relationship that oddly mirrored his real-life relationship with Bruce Springsteen). 
 
Underlying all of Van Zandt's various incarnations was a devotion to preserving the centrality of the arts, especially the endangered species of Rock. In the twenty-first century, Van Zandt founded a groundbreaking radio show (Little Steven's Underground Garage), created the first two 24/7 branded music channels on SiriusXM (Underground Garage and Outlaw Country), started a fiercely independent record label (Wicked Cool), and developed a curriculum to teach students of all ages through the medium of music history. He also rejoined the E Street Band for what has now been a twenty-year victory lap. 

​Unrequited Infatuations chronicles the twists and turns of Stevie Van Zandt’s always surprising life. It is more than just the testimony of a globe-trotting nomad, more than the story of a groundbreaking activist, more than the odyssey of a spiritual seeker, and more than a master class in rock and roll (not to mention a dozen other crafts). It's the best book of its kind because it's the only book of its kind.

Unrequited Infatuations: A Memoir by Stevie Van Zandt

In his 50-year career in the music industry, Stevie Van Zandt has been a part of some of the most iconic bands and projects in rock history. From his early days with The Asbury Jukes to his long tenure as a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, Van Zandt has always been a force to be reckoned with.

But behind the scenes, Van Zandt has also been dealing with a secret struggle: unrequited love. In his new memoir, Unrequited Infatuations, Van Zandt opens up about the many women he has loved and lost over the years.

Van Zandt's memoir is a candid and often heartbreaking account of his romantic life. He writes about his first love, a girl named Linda who he met in high school. He also writes about his relationships with other musicians, including Patti Smith and Ronnie Spector.

But the most poignant stories in the book are about Van Zandt's unrequited love for Bruce Springsteen. Van Zandt has been friends with Springsteen since the early 1970s, and he has always been in love with him. But Springsteen has never been interested in a romantic relationship with Van Zandt.

Van Zandt's memoir is a powerful and moving account of unrequited love. It is a story about the pain of longing for someone who will never love you back, but it is also a story about the resilience of the human heart.

Unrequited Infatuations is a must-read for fans of Stevie Van Zandt and Bruce Springsteen. It is a powerful and moving story about love, loss, and the enduring power of friendship.