Steve Conte

Steve Conte
Steve Conte with Eric Burdon in 2008.
Background information
Origin	New York, USA
Genres	Rock
Occupations	Singer, Musician
Instruments	Guitar, vocals
Associated acts	Michael Monroe, The Contes New York Dolls Crown Jewels Yoko Kanno

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. 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.^[1]

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,^[2] Paul Simon, Simon & Garfunkel, David Johansen and the Harry Smiths, Willie Nile, ^{[citation needed]} 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."

Steve Conte performing at the 2011 Ilosaarirock festival with Michael Monroe band.

Selected discography

With Company of Wolves

• Company of Wolves (1990, Mercury Records)
• Shakers and Tambourines (1998, Ryf Records)
• Steryl Spycase (2001, Ryf Records)

With Crown Jewels

• Spitshine (1996, Thunderdog)
• Linoleum (1998, Thunderdog)

With The Contes

• Bleed Together (2003, Thunderdog)

With New York Dolls

• One Day It Will Please Us to Remember Even This (2006, Roadrunner Records)
• Cause I Sez So (2009, Atco Records)

With Steve Conte & The Crazy Truth

• Steve Conte & The Crazy Truth (2009 Varèse Sarabande)

With Steve Conte

• Steve Conte NYC Album (2014 Thunderdog Recordings)

With Michael Monroe

• Another Night In the Sun: Live in Helsinki (2010 Spinefarm Records)
• Sensory Overdrive (2011 Spinefarm Records)
• Horns and Halos (2013 Spinefarm Records)

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Steve Conte.

External links

• Official "The Contes" Website
• Steve Conte at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia