Steven Van Zandt To Join SIRIUS Programming Team
Van Zandt Will Serve As Creative Advisor, Launch “Underground Garage”Stream On 100% Commercial- Free Satellite Radio Service
CES, LAS VEGAS & NEW YORK – January 6, 2004 – Celebrated musician, actor, and syndicated radio producer Steven Van Zandt has joined the SIRIUS Satellite Radio programming staff as Creative Advisor. Van Zandt will create and program "Underground Garage," an exclusive, fulltime stream for SIRIUS that will debut later this year. He will also produce and host other SIRIUS shows and serve as advisor on select other SIRIUS streams.
Van Zandt is a pivotal figure in the current rock and roll revival. His internationally syndicated, two-hour radio show, Little Steven’s Underground Garage, reaches nearly a million commercial radio listeners every week. Rolling Stone summed it up as "Mind blowingly great." The show, credited with spurring a major resurgence in garage rock, is now carried on over 130 stations in the U.S. and Canada, and 43 countries through the Voice of America.
Garage Rock, as Van Zandt describes it, is back-to-basics rock 'n' roll "with a direct connection to the '60s." Some celebrated garage rock artists through the ages include the Yardbirds, Animals, Kinks, Electric Prunes, Easybeats, Ramones, and more recently, The Hives, White Stripes and The Strokes.
"SIRIUS is about passion and respect for the music, and I can’t think of anyone who has more passion and respect for music than Steven," said Joseph P. Clayton, President and Chief Executive Officer, SIRIUS. "Steven will contribute a lifetime’s-worth of sage music experience to the SIRIUS programmers. And, as an accomplished musician, radio programmer and DJ he’ll create an appealing 24/7 rock format that isn’t available anywhere else."
"I am honored to be part of the SIRIUS Satellite family," says Van Zandt. "Choice is what freedom is all about and SIRIUS broadcasting an additional 100 channels of music and talk on top of what terrestrial radio already offers can only be a good thing. SIRIUS will be making history by our channel being the only traditional rock and roll format in the country playing new music. All other new music channels or stations are hard rock, hip hop, or pop music based. The potential synergy between my syndicated show on terrestrial radio and the 24-hour Underground Garage format on SIRIUS will be tremendous. The Rock and Roll Revolution is on!"
Van Zandt recently completed a 15-month worldwide tour with Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, of which he is a founding member. In addition to his career with the E Street Band, he has released five solo CDs. One of his compositions, "Affection" – a track from an unreleased album by his garage rock band The Lost Boys -- can be found on The Sopranos' second soundtrack CD, Peppers and Eggs. He is also an accomplished record producer and songwriter.
Throughout the 1980s Van Zandt traveled the world to further the cause of human rights. He spearheaded the widely acclaimed anti-apartheid Sun City project and he established the Solidarity Foundation in 1985 to support the sovereignty of indigenous peoples. Van Zandt was honored twice by the United Nations for his human rights efforts. More recently he has earned acting acclaim as Silvio Dante, one of Tony Soprano’s henchmen on The Sopranos.
About SIRIUS SIRIUS is the only satellite radio service bringing listeners more than 100 streams of the best music and entertainment coast-to- coast. SIRIUS offers 60 music streams with no commercials, along with over 40 world-class sports, news and entertainment streams for a monthly subscription fee of only $12.95, with greater savings for upfront payments of multiple months or a year or more. SIRIUS is also the official satellite radio partner of the NFL. Stream Jockeys create and deliver uncompromised music in virtually every genre to our listeners 24 hours a day. Satellite radio products bringing SIRIUS to listeners in the car, truck, home, RV and boat are manufactured by Kenwood, Panasonic, Clarion and Audiovox, and are available at major retailers including Circuit City, Best Buy, Car Toys, Good Guys, Tweeter, Ultimate Electronics, Sears and Crutchfield. SIRIUS is the leading OEM satellite radio provider, with exclusive partnerships with DaimlerChrysler, Ford and BMW. Automotive brands currently offering SIRIUS radios in select new car models include BMW, MINI, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep®, Nissan, Infiniti, Mazda, Audi, Ford and Lincoln-Mercury. Automotive brands that have announced plans to offer SIRIUS in select models include Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Volvo, Volkswagen, Land Rover and Aston Martin. Genmar Holdings, the world’s largest manufacturer of recreational boats, Formula Boats and Winnebago, the leading supplier of recreational vehicles and motor homes, have also announced plans to offer SIRIUS. Hertz currently offers SIRIUS in 29 vehicle models at 53 major locations around the country.
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