PRIMAL SCREAM - SPRINGSTEEN GUITARIST CALLS BOBBY GILLESPIE 'WASTE OF SPACE'

SPRINGSTEEN GUITARIST CALLS BOBBY GILLESPIE 'WASTE OF SPACE'

Primal Scream could have broken America but for frontman Bobby Gillespie, according to Steven Van Zandt, long-time guitarist for Bruce Springsteen.

Van Zandt, guitarist in Springsteen's E Street Band, described Gillespie as a "waste of space" whose band had blown their chance to become "the biggest band in the world".

"I tried to get Primal Scream to come over to America several times," he told the Daily Record.

"I thought their album before this last one was one of the greatest records in ten years. I begged them to come over. I had a whole tour for them."

Van Zandt, who is also renowned for his role as gangster Silvio Dante on The Sopranos, added: "Their agent talked me out of it," he said. "[The agent] said: 'They can't do 20 shows.' I'm like, 'Come on, man. We do 20 shows a month.'"

"Primal Scream could be the biggest band in the world. They are fantastic when they make rock records – once every ten years.

"But they can't tour because of drug problems, or whatever. I don't have patience for it. I'm like, all right, you want to be a drug addict, go be a drug addict. Don't waste my time."

Van Zandt was speaking at the SXSW music festival in Austin, where Primal Scream are performing.