Three Decades of 'The Boss'
Writing or reporting anything about Bruce Springsteen these days involves knowing more about his marriage and ticket brokers than it does his music. The latest story today concerned the New Jersey Attorney General suing three online brokers for selling tickets to Giants Stadium shows next Fall -- tickets that don’t even officially exist until they go on sale Monday. (The prices, in one case more than $2500 for a pair of seats, were entirely based on speculation. I guess not every bubble has popped in the bad economy.) While I like Bruce as much or more than the next guy, I tend to sit out concerts where ticket prices reach four figures. So, instead tonight, let’s look back at my favorite Bruce musical memories, and if they inspire you, you can share yours.
--Total number of Bruce concerts: I’ve seen him four times – 1977 in Knoxville, Tennessee (the Knoxville Civic Auditorium, if you’re keeping score at home); twice on the “Born in the USA” tour in 1984-85, in Cincinnati and Murfreesboro, Tennessee; and at Madison Square Garden in the late ‘90’s. They were all terrific, but the 1977 show is one I’m really proud of. Springsteen was still a few years away from being a household name, it was a smaller, more intimate venue, and it was a very interesting point in his career and musical journey, right after “Darkness On the Edge of Town” had come out.
--Favorite Songs: I’ll break this into two categories. My favorite signature Bruce tune is “Thunder Road.” My wife and I could listen to it every day. The track on “Born to Run” is wonderful, but the bootleg acoustic version from The Roxy shows in Los Angeles in 1975 still tears me up. How could anyone be that good at only 25-years-old?
My favorite so-called deep cut is “Adam Raised a Cain” from the aforementioned “Darkness…” album. It’s among Springsteen’s angriest songs, with his most blistering guitar solo.
--E Street Band members I’ve met: bassist Gary Tallent when he was hanging around Nashville in the late 1980’s, Max Weinberg when I worked at NBC and we’d hang out in the hallway between the news studio and the Conan O’Brien show, Clarence Clemons when he once came to visit Max, and Steve Van Zandt at a book party for a mutual friend… got a picture of that one.
--Dorkiest Bruce-inspired behavior: Remember his look during the “Born In the USA” era? I was such a fan/wanna-be, I spent the entire summer of 1984 wearing a bandana tied around my head and sleeveless t-shirts. I will NOT show you any pictures of that.
Write me about your Bruce memories in comments.
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Comments: 3
Jim, big agreement on "Darkness on the Edge of Town"... one of Bruce's best records!
Love Bruce, too -- not in a gay way, mind you, but still love him. I even think his very first album, Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J., is genius. I remember how the critics slammed that album and him as well, upon its release in 1973, saying that he was a huge failure, but that just goes to show you what a bunch of losers most critics are, and how little they know.
I feel sad for today's generation of clueless kids who think that the likes of Justin Timberlake, Jamie Foxx, and Eminem (plus a million other current jokes) are real musicians.
John Lennon, Joey Ramone, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Deborah Harry, Queen, The Who, The Kinks -- they just don't make 'em like that anymore. Now we're stuck with garbage like John Mayer, James Blunt, Clay Aiken, Chris Brown, Aaron Carter, Jonas Brothers, Jesse McCartney, Britney Spears, The Killers... That's why no one listens to rock radio stations these days. (As the Ramones once said, Do you remember rock and roll radio?)
As far as "new" artists/bands are concerned, Nirvana and Green Day are great, but who else? Besides those two, I really can't think of any.
Always thought the Rolling Stones, Led Zep, and The Police were ridiculously overrated and overplayed. Hate 'em. Jagger sings as badly as he looks.
Yes, I count Bruce as being among the very best. And yet, he's been getting on my nerves lately. If you look at his website, you'll see how they're trying to sell everything they can put his name and/or photo on -- T-shirts, jackets, hats, posters, lithographs, mugs and glassware, you name it. Why? WTF? Doesn't he make enough money selling CDs and tickets? Hasn't he already earned enough moolah to last many lifetimes? I just don't get it. Too much ego and greed in this world.
Do people really need to go walking around wearing jackets, shirts and hats with his face and name on them? I'll start wearing a shirt with his face on it when he starts wearing one with mine.
Go to his site and check out these "bargains":
Working On A Dream hat -- $24.95
Bruce Springsteen & E Street Band hat -- $25.95
Working On A Dream bandana -- $9.95
Working On A Dream keychain -- $2.95
Working On A Dream mug -- $12.95
Born In The U.S.A. mug -- $17.95
Born To Run mug -- $17.95
Bruce Springsteen Photo mug -- $14.95
Bruce Springsteen & E Street Band mug -- $11.95
Esquire Guitar Shot Glass (WTF???) -- $7.95
Magic Ablbum (sic) Cover magnet -- $2.95
Working On A Dream World Tour T-shirt -- $29.95
Limited Edition Ultra Soft Trunk Tee -- $64.95
Springsteen Esquire Guitar '09 Tour Tee -- $29.95
Born To Run Jersey Tee -- $37.95
'09 Bruce Sprintsteen Track Jacket -- $54.95
Guitar Sketch Zip Up Hooded Sweatshirt -- $48.95
Band Silhouette Toddler Tee -- $24.95 (for toddlers!!!)
[Plus many more items, far too numerous to mention, including a "Tarot Card Tee" for $13.45! I'm surprised that his children aren't up for sale on his site -- at least not yet. And what about his used toilet paper? Or his used condoms? Surely some fool out there will want to purchase those things, too. I mean, why not?]
I mean, "Bitch, c'mon!" Does anyone really need any of this useless stuff? And does Bruce really need our money so badly?
I, too, attended one of his concerts during the Born in the USA tour (Brendan Byrne Arena, New Jersey, 1984). Great concert. I was even hoping he'd pull me up onstage to dance with him during Dancing In The Dark, but it didn't happen. Now, however, I think I'd politely decline: He'd probably pick my pocket.
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