Steve Conte has had quite the career. He’s a New York City-based singer and guitarist whose resume includes playing with the New York Dolls, The Michael Monroe Band, his own band, and too many other acts to name. He also writes and produces his own songs, and even after over 30 years of rocking, he still makes his punk haircut look good.

Even if you aren’t into rock music, you’ll likely recognize his voice from songs like “Call Me, Call Me” and “Rain” from Cowboy Bebop, “Living Inside the Shell” from Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, or the opening “Stray” from Wolf’s Rain. He’s worked with Japanese composer Yoko Kanno since the ‘90s and has helped create some of the most iconic music in anime history. We interviewed him over the phone after his summer European tour and his appearance at J1-Con in Atlantic City, NJ. Here’s what we found out!