Sylvester Stallone is set to release his memoir, The Steps, later this month, but the upcoming audiobook edition will include a special treat: original music by Bill Conti, the award-winning composer behind Rocky.
Sylvester Stallone on Bill Conti
“I just got some fantastic news,” Stallone said in an Instagram video. “I’d written a book called The Steps, and that was quite an accomplishment, because you have to dig back and try to recall things from many, many years ago, things that actually made you the way you are.“
He continued, “But the best news is, for the first time in 50 years, the genius of Bill Conti, who did the music for Rocky, which was the heart and soul of that film. It’s so responsible for the success, I think this man is such a genius. Well, Bill Conti himself will be playing on the audio version of the book. What more can I ask for? Thank you, Bill. You’re a genius.“
The Steps
The description of The Steps reads:
In the fifty years since Sylvester Stallone ran up the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum, he and those steps have become symbols of resilience and determination, and have inspired millions from all over the world to pursue their dreams. In The Steps, Stallone recounts how he pursued his own dreams. A culmination of decades of reflection, Stallone shares where he came from—a difficult birth, an even more difficult childhood, years of struggle in school being misunderstood—and he explains how the real story of a successful life is built by facing, embracing, and ultimately overcoming our challenges. It’s found in the distances we are willing to go and the steps we must take to get from where we are to where we want to go.
In a narrative framed between his arrival in New York City in 1969 and the triumph of Rocky at the 1977 Academy Awards, Stallone weaves a vivid and propulsive portrait of struggle, subsistence, and ultimately success. He writes of his early days and later years, too, and the persistence, creativity, and resilience that led not only to the creation of Rocky but to a career filled with remarkably iconic roles. The Steps is a testament to Stallone’s extraordinary life and a profound meditation on the importance of vision and willpower and hard work.
As successful as Stallone became during his career, it’s easy to forget those early struggles and how hard he had to fight to have his voice heard. We all love an underdog story. The Steps will be released on September 29.
I Play Rocky
That underdog story is being brought to life in I Love Rocky, a biopic directed by Peter Farrelly, which follows the development and production of the first Rocky movie. Our own Chris Bumbray caught the film when it premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival over the weekend. Despite being wary of the project, he found that he loved it. You can check out his review right here.
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