PRINTHear a lot of “Little Steven”
Bruce Springsteen’s bandmate heads to Columbia airwaves
Courtesy of Shore Fire Media
Listen to Steven Van Zandt’s new KBIA program this Saturday at 7 p.m. on 91.3 FM or he’ll whack you. Seriously.
September 18, 2008 | 12:00 a.m. CST
Steven Van Zandt is partly responsible for the hits of the two most notorious bosses in American pop culture history, Bruce Springsteen and Tony Soprano. Now Van Zandt, the culprit behind E Street Band’s wild guitar riffs and the portrayal of Silvio Dante on The Sopranos, hopes to make a hit of his own on Columbia’s airwaves this Saturday when his nationally syndicated program “Little Steven’s Underground Garage” invades KBIA’s new weekend lineup at 7 p.m. on 91.3 FM.
“Once upon a time people danced to rock ’n’ roll music. … that required a different intensity and spirit, and that’s what we do,” says Van Zandt on
Related Multimedia“Underground Garage.” “We’re a two-hour dance party, and we give you the whole history.”
Working with a team of six full-time employees, Van Zandt hand-picks each song that is unleashed during his two-hour weekly set, embracing 60 years of rock ’n’ roll history. “We’ll play the pioneers of rock ’n’ roll, Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry, soul singers, folk rock like The Byrds and will drop the best new stuff in the middle of it,” Van Zandt says. Timeless rock staples such as the Beatles, Rolling Stones and Bruce Springsteen also frequently surface on the playlists.
“‘Underground Garage’ is not exactly mainstream; it’s stuff you don’t hear on the radio every day,” says Glenn Berry, program director at KDBB, which serves the St. Louis metro area. His network added Van Zandt’s show to its Sunday evening bill last month.
Van Zandt is aware of the niche his program fills. “This is the most important thing I’m doing. The purpose of the show is to inspire and motivate people and give them access to the greatest music ever made,” he says. “This is my life’s work, making sure rock ’n’ roll gets support.”
The “Underground Garage” equips KBIA with a fresh element. “It’s about time we devote a little bit of the weekend to a curatorial look at rock music,” says John Bailey, program director at KBIA. “Who better than a periphery of rock ’n’ roll history that really knows his stuff?”
Despite its unproven nature, Bailey envisions the show blossoming in mid-Missouri. “Columbia is not just a public radio town; it’s a curious college town interested in the living arts,” Bailey says. “Rock ’n’ roll is a living art.” He expects the show to capture younger listeners and cater to Columbia’s alternative audience similar to that of KBXR.
Airing after “Underground Garage” at 9 p.m. is “Keller’s Cellar” followed by “Beale Street Caravan” at 10 p.m. “(It’s) an evening of contemporary programming from one tent pole to another,” Bailey says. “‘Keller’s Cellar’ is somewhat ruleless radio. You’re not sure what you will get. He plays everything from funk to blues to reggae. ‘Beale Street Caravan’ is contemporary blues with a blues historical segment.”
Yes, this is just another addition to the cauldron of competition that is Saturday night entertainment, but KBIA hopes “Little Steven’s Underground Garage” will become the offer you can’t refuse. If listeners agree with Van Zandt’s characterization of his show, he’ll have more than just Springsteen fans dancing in the dark.
