Biography
Steve Conte (/ˈkoʊnt/) is an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter known for his work in rock and in anime-related music. He is a member and the lead singer of The Contes, alongside his brother John Conte, and also leads Crown Jewels. Conte is likewise the current lead guitarist of the New York Dolls, a role that places him within a broader lineage of hard rock and glam-influenced performance.
Earlier in his career, Conte played lead guitar and sang backing vocals in Waddi And The Waddettes. He first became known to the music industry through Company of Wolves, the Mercury Records band that brought him wider attention in the early 1990s. Beyond those projects, he has built an extensive reputation as a studio and live collaborator, working with artists such as Peter Wolf, Willy DeVille, Maceo Parker, Billy Squier, Suzi Quatro, Jill Jones, Paul Simon, Simon & Garfunkel, Phoebe Snow, David Johansen & The Harry Smiths, Chuck Berry, Willie Nile, and many others.
Conte has also played guitar occasionally with Eric Burdon & The Animals. One of the reasons he is especially well known among anime fans is his long association with composer Yoko Kanno and lyricist Tim Jensen, through whom he contributed to several anime series. He sang the opening theme 'Stray' for Studio BONES' Wolf's Rain, and also performed 'Heaven's Not Enough' and 'Could You Bite the Hand?' on the anime's soundtracks. His anime work also includes contributions to Cowboy Bebop, where he can be heard in several episodes, most notably on 'Call Me Call Me,' as well as on 'Words That We Couldn't Say,' 'No Reply,' and the CD version of 'Rain,' sung by Mai Yamane in the series.
He also sang the ending theme 'Living Inside the Shell' for Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd GIG alongside Shanti Snyder, and performed the duet 'The Garden of Everything' with Japanese singer Maaya Sakamoto on her RahXephon-related single 'Tune the Rainbow.' Conte later provided vocals for the video game Sonic and the Secret Rings, including the closing credits song 'Worth a Chance' and the main theme 'Seven Rings In Hand,' while songs such as 'Midget In A Rocket' and 'Lute To A Cow' did not make the final soundtrack.
