PRIMAL SCREAM - VAN ZANDT: 'PRIMAL SCREAM BLEW THE CHANCE TO BE THE BIGGEST BAND IN THE WORLD'

VAN ZANDT: 'PRIMAL SCREAM BLEW THE CHANCE TO BE THE BIGGEST BAND IN THE WORLD'

British rockers PRIMAL SCREAM would be the "biggest band in the world" if they hadn't let drug addiction ruin their career - according to rock icon STEVEN VAN ZANDT.
Van Zandt, Bruce Springsteen's E-Street Band sidekick, reveals he tried to bring Primal Scream to the U.S. - but frontman Bobby Gillespie's reliance on drugs meant the group couldn't commit to a long tour.
The rocker-turned-radio DJ reveals, "I tried to get Primal Scream to come over to America several times. I thought their album before this last one (2006's Riot City Blues) was one of the greatest records in 10 years. I begged them to come over. I had a whole tour for them.
"Their agent talked me out of it. He 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 10 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."