Steven Van Zandt talks 'Sopranos' role and how his time in the E Street Band prepared him to play Silvio

Actor and musician Steven Van Zandt is opening up about his life and career ahead of the release of his upcoming memoir “Unrequited Infatuations.”

In 1983, during a recording session on Bruce Springsteen’s "Born in the USA," Van Zandt walked away as the bandana-wearing guitarist of the E Street Band after a fight with The Boss. That kicked off a difficult solo career that was eventually saved by a foray into acting with "The Sopranos" and "Lilyhammer." 

However, speaking to the Asbury Park Press, Van Zandt notes that his attitude as a band member from the streets of New Jersey is what initially attracted series creator David Chase to him — not just for what he would bring to the dynamic on-camera, but off it as well.