Published by New Jersey Stage
originally published: 02/19/2024
Album Cover Art by Rich Jones
Renowned musician Steve Conte, known for his work with the New York Dolls and Michael Monroe, has revealed information about his forthcoming album, The Concrete Jangle, which serves as the successor to his 2021 opus Bronx Cheer.
Scheduled for launch on Record Store Day (April 20th), this 10-track album features collaborations with XTC's Andy Partridge, who co-wrote five of the songs with Conte, including the newly released single "Shoot Out The Stars." To learn more about the vinyl release of The Concrete Jangle for Record Store Day, click here.
"My new single 'Shoot Out The Stars’ is another co-write with my songwriting hero, Andy Partridge of XTC," explains Conte. "When Andy & I got together on Zoom to have our writing sessions I threw out a bunch of titles - and among them was 'Shoot Out The Stars.'
"He liked it and said, 'Oh yeah, we can do something with that' and then immediately started banging out those opening guitar chords and singing that verse melody. I then came up with the chorus and knew how that title should be sung.
"We made the song about nihilism - bored teens in Hollywood out looking for thrills. Andy & I had a strong synergy going on…we got into a real groove when writing these songs.
"For example, I had a line in the first verse where the kids say 'Let’s drive out to the Hills and climb up on our cars…' and then in the 2nd verse Andy added, 'The grown-ups are to blame for all the hurt we got - under the hood'. He may have meant it as the hurt kids have hidden inside, but I also see it another way. We never spoke about tying it in with their cars and I didn’t notice it until recently, but there it was. An Easter egg, the Partridge gift that keeps giving. There are a lot of these kinds of things in the songs.
"And the song is in one of my favorite rock 'n roll guitar keys, the key of B - really great for power pop. I went a bit psychedelic with it; using fuzz & backwards guitars as well as playing Mellotron (and my mandolin made an appearance!)
"I hope you dig it baby!!"
Recognized for his notable guitar contributions with the New York Dolls and as the guitarist for Michael Monroe’s band (where he continues to perform), Steve Conte gained global acclaim through his collaborations with Japanese composer and artist Yoko Kanno on the soundtracks of popular anime series, including Cowboy Bebop.
Throughout his career, Conte has collaborated with a diverse range of artists, including Peter Wolf, Eric Burdon of The Animals, Willy DeVille, Billy Squier, Maceo Parker, Willie Nile, Jim Jones, Hubert Sumlin, and he even served as the rehearsal vocalist for Paul Simon during solo and Simon And Garfunkel tours.
His connection with Wicked Cool founder Stevie Van Zandt dates back to 2004 when the Dolls performed at Van Zandt’s Underground Garage Festival. Conte reminisces, “But my connection with him goes back to Jersey. I grew up with his cousins in Matawan [near the Jersey shore], so I had been hearing about his legend for years.”
Growing up in a musical household, Steve's mother, Rosemary Conte, is a renowned jazz singer in New York and New Jersey. Steve's early exposure to the vibrant music scene of New York City began when his father took him to his inaugural Madison Square Garden concert, featuring the legendary Chuck Berry. Several years down the line, Conte found himself not only sharing the stage but playing a full show as a member of Berry's band. Steve's musical journey took a significant turn when his band Company Of Wolves secured a deal with Mercury Records, resulting in the release of a self-titled album on the label in 1990.
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