Steve Conte (born September 23) is an American singer and rock musician and lead singer of the band The Contes, along with his brother John Conte, both formerly members of the band Crown Jewels. He is perhaps more popularly known for his collaborations with composer Yoko Kanno, as well as being former lead guitarist of the New York Dolls. Conte also plays guitar in Hanoi Rocks singer Michael Monroe's new band, The Michael Monroe Band—along with fellow New York Doll and bassist Sami Yaffa, and guitarist Dregen of The Backyard Babies. Dr. Conte currently fronts his latest band, Steve Conte & The Crazy Truth. Their eponymous, critically acclaimed, Steve Conte-produced debut album was released on October 20, 2009 on Varèse Sarabande Records.
Conte first became known to the music industry in the early 1990s as the songwriter and guitarist of the band Company of Wolves (Mercury Records) and has since worked with artists such as Peter Wolf, Willy DeVille, Maceo Parker, Phoebe Snow, Billy Squier, Suzi Quatro, Jill Jones, Chuck Berry, Paul Simon, Simon & Garfunkel, David Johansen and the Harry Smiths, Willie Nile, and many others. Conte also occasionally plays guitar with Eric Burdon & The Animals.
Conte often works with composer Yoko Kanno and lyricist Tim Jensen, creating soundtracks to anime series, such as "Stray," the opening theme to the Wolf's Rain, as well as the tracks "Heaven's Not Enough" and "Could You Bite the Hand?" All three appear on the OST albums.
Conte's vocals can also be heard in some episodes of Cowboy Bebop, as well as the 2001 film most notably for the song "Call Me Call Me," as well as "Words That We Couldn't Say," "No Reply," and "Diggin'." He also sang "Rain" in the series, which is sung by Mai Yamane on the OST CD. He would later sing alongside Shanti Snyder on "Living Inside the Shell," the ending theme to 2004's Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd GIG.
He also performed on the duet "The Garden of Everything" with Japanese singer Maaya Sakamoto on her RahXephon-related single "Tune the Rainbow."
He provided the vocals for the 2007 video game Sonic and the Secret Rings closing credits song titled "Worth a Chance," as well as the game's main theme "Seven Rings in Hand."
Famous quotes containing the word steve:
“Y’know plenty of people, in their right mind, thought they saw things that didn’t exist, y’know, like flying saucers. The light was just right, and the angle and the imagination. Oh boy, if that’s what it is, then this is just an ordinary night. You and I are going to go home and go to sleep and tomorrow when we get up that sun’s gonna shine. Just like yesterday. Good ol’ yesterday.”
—Theodore Simonson. Irvin S. Yeaworth, Jr.. Steve Andrews (Steven McQueen)