He came of age when rock n’ roll was entering a Renaissance. Stevie Van Zandt was a teenager when he met another music freak named Bruce Springsteen. Stevie joined the E Street band. He quit the E Street band. Leaving, he said, was the worst decision he ever made. But Stevie recovered, becoming a political activist and an actor, landing the role of Silvio, Tony Soprano’s right hand man in The Sopranos. We laugh a lot talking about music, the glory years and what to do when you realize you’ve screwed up your life. “Now What?” is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Annika Hoeim and Alex Wolfe. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.

I’d never heard of Lee Kravetz until a friend recommended I read his fascinating new book called The Last Confessions of Sylvia P. Kravetz, who started out as a psychologist, always wanted to be a writer. He became fascinated with The Bell Jar author Sylvia Plath, who nearly 60 years after her death has remained a towering figure in the world of poetry. I talked to Lee Kravetz about the birth of confessional poetry and why he’s so fascinated by the connection between madness and art. “Now What?” is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Annika Hoeim and Alex Wolfe. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.

James Ivory has directed more than 30 films like Howards End and The Remains of the Day. Ivory and his long-time partner Ismail Merchant have the distinction of being listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest partnership in the history of independent cinema.  At the age of 89, Ivory also made cinema history by becoming the oldest person to ever win an Academy Award.  “Now What?” is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Annika Hoeim and Alex Wolfe. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.