Steven Van Zandt loved his run on The Sopranos, but he's glad to be back in music.

These days, the 58-year-old erstwhile actor/beloved guitarist for Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band is passionate about his six-year-old radio program, Little Steven's Underground Garage, which plays on more than 200 stations across the world (it airs locally at midnight Sundays on WBGG-FM 105.9).

``We're the only game in town when it comes to rock-n-roll,'' says the great bandanna-ed one from New York. ``We find the best new stuff. There's nothing more fun than hearing a young band. That's what radio is all about. It turns me on to turn other people on.''

Many of today's stations don't explore fresh tunes, relying on played-out playlists, Van Zandt believes. ``I don't know when it went sideways. Maybe the market research people tell them what to do.''

Not at the Garage. Tune in any given Sunday and hear a mix of the here and now, Euro bands (a recent discovery: Norwegian girl band The Cocktail Slippers) and even classic rockers like Cheap Trick, Joan Jett and Ray Davies.

The road provides much of the fodder: ``If I'm in town long enough, I'll go to an indie type record store -- you know, where people actually know music -- and find out if there's anything cool locally.''

If the Jersey boy has time on this trip (Springsteen and the band play BankAtlantic Center Sunday night) he'll check out the sound scene. It's no secret ``Miami Steve'' likes spending time in these parts.

VZ explains the nickname: In the early '70s, before joining Springsteen, he toured with the Dovells, who got their name from Deauville Beach Resort in Miami Beach, where they often played. It was here Van Zandt discovered a love for hot weather -- and Caribbean shirts.

``When I came back from Miami, it was January, and of course, freezing and snowing. I refused to acknowledge it was winter so I just wore these flowered shirts and everybody started calling me Miami Steve,'' he says. ``Jimmy Buffett forgets I invented the look.''

As for an often-rumored Sopranos reunion, Van Zandt (who played consigliere Silvio Dante) has his doubts.

``It's one of those things people just talk about, which is a nice compliment, but who knows? I miss seeing those guys,'' he says. But, he adds, ``everyone's busy.''

Including Van Zandt. He's starting a website for his radio show, fuzz

topia.com, and is playing with the guys through November. ``I need a clone,'' he says. ``Actually, I need about 10 of me.''

As for Sunday night, fans can expect the unexpected.

``We've gotten very spontaneous,'' Van Zandt says of the three-hour-plus show. ``We take requests and play songs we've never played. The Ramones, The Clash, folk, whatever. It's a nice range; it's like a party. That's what makes it still so exciting.''

-- MADELEINE MARR

• Springsteen and the E Street Band play BAC at 7:30 p.m. Sunday; ticketmaster.com.

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