He has done a lot of book reading since the age of 29
― curmudgeon, Saturday, 1 November 2014 17:19 (nine years ago) link
it'd be cool to be bruce springsteen and rich and have a lot of time to catch up on great novels you've missed
― I dunno. (amateurist), Saturday, 1 November 2014 22:37 (nine years ago) link
Yeah, he's such a rich slacker, isn't he? Just sitting home year 'round, counting his money.
― the man with the black wigs (Eazy), Saturday, 1 November 2014 22:45 (nine years ago) link
on Friday i turned on my local classic rock station and they were celebrating 'Springsteen Halloween' and playing nothing but Bruce the entire day. they were playing a lot of cuts not usually played on the radio much, it was fun, although i can't imagine any other stations are doing it.
― some dude, Saturday, 1 November 2014 23:12 (nine years ago) link
Don't forget the cross-country motorcycle trips that Springsteen regularly does
― DDD, Saturday, 1 November 2014 23:23 (nine years ago) link
i think this "springsteen halloween" sounds made up
― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Monday, 3 November 2014 00:56 (nine years ago) link
Got a wife and kids in Baltimore, Jack / I went out for a ride and I never went back Baltimore Halloween, Baltimore classic rock radio Halloween
― curmudgeon, Monday, 3 November 2014 14:08 (nine years ago) link
x-post--Didn't critic Dave Marsh start giving Bruce books?...
I skipped most of college, becoming a road musician, so I didn’t begin reading seriously until 28 or 29. Then it was Flannery O’Connor; James M. Cain; John Cheever; Sherwood Anderson; and Jim Thompson, the great noir writer. These authors contributed greatly to the turn my music took around 1978-82. They brought out a sense of geography and the dark strain in my writing, broadened my horizons about what might be accomplished with a pop song and are still the cornerstone literally for what I try to accomplish today.
― curmudgeon, Monday, 3 November 2014 14:11 (nine years ago) link
If Fred Goodman is to be believed, Jon Landau taught Bruce the alphabet, while Marsh propped Bruce's eyeballs open Clockwork Orange-style forcing him to watch John Ford films.
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Monday, 3 November 2014 14:29 (nine years ago) link
Screen door slamsMary's dressed weirdLike a vision she dances across the lawnWearing Mr. Spock ears
― something of an astrological coup (tipsy mothra), Monday, 3 November 2014 14:52 (nine years ago) link
The Marsh books also mention Jon Landau passing books onto Springsteen in the Darkness era, I think.
― cpl593H, Monday, 3 November 2014 15:32 (nine years ago) link
yeah i think jon landau sort of self-consciously decided to turn springsteen into an "organic intellectual"
― I dunno. (amateurist), Tuesday, 4 November 2014 18:08 (nine years ago) link
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/bruce-springsteen-on-outlaw-pete-and-not-sheltering-kids-from-the-realities-of-life/2014/11/03/877967a0-6394-11e4-836c-83bc4f26eb67_story.html
And now he has a book out himself
― curmudgeon, Tuesday, 4 November 2014 19:28 (nine years ago) link
disappointed that Mo Rivera is the baseball reading he cites
― things lose meaning over time (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 4 November 2014 19:31 (nine years ago) link
Had no idea Keith Richards was also in the burgeoning business of children's books.
― cpl593H, Tuesday, 4 November 2014 20:38 (nine years ago) link
Bruce's buddy Joe beat him to the punch by 3 years:
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51dkY4CPIeL.jpg
― Don A Henley And Get Over It (C. Grisso/McCain), Tuesday, 4 November 2014 20:43 (nine years ago) link
My friend Sarah wrote this and it's wonderful: http://consequenceofsound.net/aux-out/how-bruce-springsteen-helped-me-face-my-childhood-bullies/
― Johnny Fever, Tuesday, 4 November 2014 21:25 (nine years ago) link
Classic: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/two-wealthy-fans-paid-300000-to-eat-lasagne-with-bruce-springsteen-9847063.html
Springsteen started off the annual Stand Up For Heroes event by playing an acoustic set, then offering the instrument to the highest bidder.When bidding reached $60,000, he threw in a guitar lesson, which someone offered $250,000 for. At this point, he offered up a lasagne dinner at his house, a ride around the block in the sidecar of his motorbike and the shirt off of his back.Bidding reached $300,000 between two clearly die-hard fans, who agreed to both pay the agreed amount and split the prize in two. Let’s hope that lasagne is home-made.The event raised more than $1 million, with Springsteen's packages making up over half of the contributions.
When bidding reached $60,000, he threw in a guitar lesson, which someone offered $250,000 for. At this point, he offered up a lasagne dinner at his house, a ride around the block in the sidecar of his motorbike and the shirt off of his back.
Bidding reached $300,000 between two clearly die-hard fans, who agreed to both pay the agreed amount and split the prize in two. Let’s hope that lasagne is home-made.
The event raised more than $1 million, with Springsteen's packages making up over half of the contributions.
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 7 November 2014 21:35 (nine years ago) link
good old bruce, always looking out for the ordinary joe with 150k to spend on a sidecar ride and half a plate of pasta
― john wahey (NickB), Friday, 7 November 2014 21:47 (nine years ago) link
yep, what a totes fraud getting that much money from rich superfans, and for a meaningful charity no less
― ichabron crames (slothroprhymes), Friday, 7 November 2014 21:54 (nine years ago) link
He's a total shitheel, obv
― EZ Snappin, Friday, 7 November 2014 21:55 (nine years ago) link
got a wife and kids in baltimore, jack / i went out for a ride and . . . wait, who called me a hack?
― Daniel, Esq 2, Friday, 7 November 2014 21:58 (nine years ago) link
Remasters are out now. "The River" sounds great. Biggest boost seems to be the clarity of the horns and Danny's organ playing, but there are all sorts of things I'm noticing - backing vocals, extra guitars. It almost sounds remixed, tbh. Definitely pretty different. FWIW, the little I've listened to the new "Nebraska," despite its lo-fi austerity, has been revelatory as well. Apparently even the recently remastered "Born to Run" and "Darkness' have been re-remastered as well.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 18 November 2014 14:35 (nine years ago) link
Actually, the bass on "The River" - like, there is bass playing - is pretty revelatory at times, too. "Crush On You," of all things, sounds great.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 18 November 2014 14:39 (nine years ago) link
I didn't properly appreciate Tallent until I watched that Houston show on the Darkness box. Really amazing player, as essential to the E Street dynamic as Max.
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Tuesday, 18 November 2014 15:21 (nine years ago) link
― Daniel, Esq 2, Friday, November 7, 2014 4:58 PM (1 week ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
I got very confused for a sec because a "hack" is what they call a gypsy cab in Baltimore
― nakhchi little van (some dude), Tuesday, 18 November 2014 16:53 (nine years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Np3LcKxolts
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 18 November 2014 21:56 (nine years ago) link
Holy crap, "BitUSA" got a bottom end!
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 19 November 2014 15:56 (nine years ago) link
And now there are some spooky synths or vox (I can't quite tell) at the end of "My Hometown" that I have never noticed before.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 19 November 2014 16:10 (nine years ago) link
Just officially released the 1978 Cleveland Agora show, a classic, one of his best shows of all time: http://live.brucespringsteen.net/live-music/0,11757/Bruce-Springsteen---The-E-Street-Band-mp3-flac-download-8-9-1978-Agora-Theatre-and-Ballroom-Cleveland-OH.html
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 25 December 2014 01:21 (nine years ago) link
Winterland Night is also officially available now and would surely be the one to go for if you only need one '78 show.
There are also these two, which look unofficial to me but are being sold on Amazon so maybe they are kind of semi-official?
This one also from '78:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Theatre-Atlanta-Georgia-30th-September/dp/B00PCJAD3S
and this weird mishmash of live and radio recordings:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/LIVE-COLLECTION-Bruce-Springsteen/dp/B00PCWSPP8/
― you've got no fans you've got no ground (anagram), Sunday, 4 January 2015 10:55 (nine years ago) link
I've long had a bootleg of that Agora show and it is terrific. My understanding is that these are the original source tapes and have been really cleaned up, so I may need to grab the official anyway.
― Οὖτις Δαυ & τηε Κνιγητσ (Phil D.), Sunday, 4 January 2015 13:38 (nine years ago) link
Winterland my all time fave.
― Josh in Chicago, Sunday, 4 January 2015 15:39 (nine years ago) link
way to go, Bruce, for first and letting the bootleg circulate for decades, then finally release it when no one pays for music anymore.
― Josh in Chicago, Sunday, 4 January 2015 15:40 (nine years ago) link
Wow, had never seen this live page before.
― bit of a singles monster (Eazy), Sunday, 4 January 2015 15:54 (nine years ago) link
Agora show RULES
― difficult-difficult lemon-difficult (VegemiteGrrl), Sunday, 4 January 2015 17:54 (nine years ago) link
Looks pretty good.
― Dedlock Holiday (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 4 January 2015 19:04 (nine years ago) link
it's a real rowdy fun show
― difficult-difficult lemon-difficult (VegemiteGrrl), Sunday, 4 January 2015 19:31 (nine years ago) link
xpost Winterland is not legit released yet, don't know where you saw that. Agora/Cleveland is the only '78 show he's selling right now.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 13 January 2015 21:47 (nine years ago) link
oh man that agora show is unbelievable and I'm not even the world's hugest springsteen dude.
― tylerw, Tuesday, 13 January 2015 21:55 (nine years ago) link
Winterland is not legit released yet, don't know where you saw that
Oh yeah you're right, I was looking at this and assumed it was official as it is being sold on Amazon but on closer inspection it is a bootleg:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Winterland-Night-3cd-Bruce-Springsteen/dp/B00OU04976
Since when did Amazon start dealing in bootlegs, by the way? Or is this some kind of grey area thing like the two I linked above?
― you've got no fans you've got no ground (anagram), Tuesday, 13 January 2015 22:06 (nine years ago) link
I will say, regardless, that anyone who has never heard the Cleveland show will be absolutely agast and baffled that it was never released in any form before now.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 13 January 2015 23:45 (nine years ago) link
otm
― difficult-difficult lemon-difficult (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 13 January 2015 23:46 (nine years ago) link
yeah it is maybe the only springsteen anyone needs! ok, maybe not... don't attack me springsteen stans! bootlegs are always popping up on amazon these days, which does seem weird -- not sure if it has to do w/ copyright loopholes. or it's just illegal!
― tylerw, Tuesday, 13 January 2015 23:48 (nine years ago) link
I think the loophole is that it's a radio broadcast. So, technically/theoretically, whoever owns the broadcast recording (like the radio station) can maybe-not-entirely-illegally release it, or at least license it for release (in Europe, at least).
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Tuesday, 13 January 2015 23:52 (nine years ago) link
tyler otm imo, it's pretty definitive
like if you only have one, this is the one to have
― difficult-difficult lemon-difficult (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 13 January 2015 23:53 (nine years ago) link
though it is also crazy that the agora show was the *norm* for 1978 (at least the recordings I've heard suggest this). dude was operating on a whole other level.
― tylerw, Tuesday, 13 January 2015 23:57 (nine years ago) link
completely!!
― difficult-difficult lemon-difficult (VegemiteGrrl), Wednesday, 14 January 2015 00:02 (nine years ago) link
Yeah, I don't think there is a single Springsteen show up through the breakup of the E Street Band that could be considered less than great, actually. He was famously grouchy during his I think No Nukes festival set, but it's a killer set, still, and I can't think of any of date he's ever played sick or less than 110%. The Tunnel of Love tour was a pretty set setlist, for once, but those shows were also great. Even post reunion there have been no real stinkers. He's a force of nature, really.
Hope they release Winterland, and Roxy. At least as far as 1978 goes. River and BitUSA, the band is still strong, but 78 is his peak. It's no small wonder that he just managed to stretch that peak for 10 more years of touring.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 14 January 2015 02:37 (nine years ago) link
Wow, he just released the 1980 New Year's Eve Nassau show! This is one of my favorite things ever.
― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 28 March 2015 00:17 (nine years ago) link