Dave Gil de Rubio

When he’s not busy as an integral part of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, Little Steven Van Zandt wears many hats: musician, actor, radio host, educator and Broadway producer. His latest project is the recently released Soulfire, his sixth solo album but his first in 18 years. For the record, Van Zandt dusted off songs he’d penned for other artists, pairing them with blues and soul covers for a collection that has its roots in the music of his youth. Van Zandt talked to Time Out New York about taking his band on the road and his thoughts on Springsteen’s upcoming Broadway show.  What inspired you to return to the studio for a solo record after 18 years?It was a very spontaneous thing. I thought I’d cover songs that I’d written for other people and use it as an opportunity to reintroduce myself. I was very surprised how [these songs] really held up and how they had become their own genre over the years—that rock-meets-soul thing. Did you give Bruce any advice regarding the Great White Way, as you’ve been down that path before, producing the Rascals reunion?We had talked about it years ago—I’m not even sure he would remember this—but when we first started talking about getting back together, we weren’t quite sure how to do it or what we were going to do. But in that early period, I suggested doing a residency on Broadway, and we did end up doing the Rascals thing. It’s a fantastic experience and a very competitive and tough environment. He’s going to sell out and do very wel