Bruce Spingsteen

[allegro]

Do we not have a Springsteen thread? I can’t find it ...

Anyway, some of the best lyrics in history were written by Springsteen:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cAVkQG6wSF0

He also does live shows that are reaaaaaaally long.

[allegro]

I kinda want to read his book, but it appears to be reaaally long ...

[onthewall2983]

I like jazzbo/poet early Bruce more than the rest of his stuff.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWJLhFpK2zk

[henryeatscereal]

"Nebraska" has to be one of the most underrated albums ever, not a fan of all of his stuff, but that album is something else...

[Mantra]

I kinda want to read his book, but it appears to be reaaally long ...

I read about two thirds of this during the summer. It was pretty good, although I was hoping he would dig into things a little deeper. In some ways it didn't really add that much to my understanding of him and his music. It's mostly just him going through the different eras, narrating his career, explaining the what happened next, etc. I wish there had been a little less straight narration and more reflection/analysis type stuff. For example, Nebraska is my favorite album of his, and I was so excited to read what he had to say about it, but he mostly just talked about all the details that everybody knows about, stuff you could read about on wikipedia. There was some interesting stuff in there, for sure, I just wish there had been more.

I have to admit I did skim a bit here and there when it got to sections that didn't interest me that much, like certain albums I never cared for much.

That said, it was still a fairly enjoyable read.

[Mantra]

"Nebraska" has to be one of the most underrated albums ever, not a fan of all of his stuff, but that albu is something else...

Is it really underrated though? I think it's generally regarded as a classic.

[henryeatscereal]

Is it really underrated though? I think it's generally regarded as a classic.
I think is regarded among the Springsteen fans, but largely the mainstream has forgotten that album from their "best of..." lists.

But you are correct, critics and music fans love that album, but i think most people know Springsteen as the "Born in the USA guy" rather than the "State Trooper guy".

[thenorthwood]

My brother is a big fan and persuaded me to see him play in my town during the last tour. Great 3 hour marathon of a show. I’ve never been a listener of his music but there are certain artists that have longevity and have perfected their live show.

Along that line of thinking with longevity and live shows, I saw Bob Jovi a few months after and was bored to tears and left early (rarity).

[Mantra]

I think is regarded among the Springsteen fans, but largely the mainstream has forgotten that album from their "best of..." lists.

But you are correct, critics and music fans love that album, but i think most people know Springsteen as the "Born in the USA guy" rather than the "State Trooper guy".

Yeah, that's true. It's definitely not on a Born to Run, Born in the USA level, but it still has a certain legacy to it. That said, didn't "Atlantic City" have a bit of mainstream success? I know it's on his big greatest hits album.

[GulDukat]

Not a massive Springsteen fan, but I like him.

[kel]

"born to run" will forever be one of my favorite songs. my favorite album? the rising. not a lot of people agree.

[gorast]

I read about two thirds of this during the summer. It was pretty good, although I was hoping he would dig into things a little deeper. In some ways it didn't really add that much to my understanding of him and his music. It's mostly just him going through the different eras, narrating his career, explaining the what happened next, etc. I wish there had been a little less straight narration and more reflection/analysis type stuff. For example, Nebraska is my favorite album of his, and I was so excited to read what he had to say about it, but he mostly just talked about all the details that everybody knows about, stuff you could read about on wikipedia. There was some interesting stuff in there, for sure, I just wish there had been more.

I have to admit I did skim a bit here and there when it got to sections that didn't interest me that much, like certain albums I never cared for much.

That said, it was still a fairly enjoyable read.

Bruce Springsteen and the Promise of Rock and Roll is a pretty good read in terms of diving into the album process for most of his albums, from what I remember. It's less of a straight biography than some of the other high profile Springsteen books.

Of course I love Born to Run and Darkness, but I've always had a soft spot for Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. too, and The Rising is a top three album for me as well. Bruce is definitely my favorite artist behind NIN.

[henryeatscereal]

Yeah, that's true. It's definitely not on a Born to Run, Born in the USA level, but it still has a certain legacy to it. That said, didn't "Atlantic City" have a bit of mainstream success? I know it's on his big greatest hits album.
Yeah, i think "Atlantic City" is the biggest "hit" from that album (unlikely hit considering the dark lyrics...)

I do like "Born in the USA", i like it as an 80's classic and a "synth song", but i don't think it's representative of Bruce's body of work; "Atlantic City" is a better song to represent Springsteen, but i've never heard it on classic radio stations (at least the ones i know...)

The cool thing about "Nebraska" is that is a "journey", you can push play and let the whole thing flow; it's the perfect "driving album"...

[Mantra]

I was thinking...If Bruce Springsteen was trying to get his career started in this current era, I don't know if he would make it. I just feel like there wouldn't be a place for him.

He taps into all these american tropes that revolve around working class (mostly white?) identities, regional loyalty, a certain kind of grungy masculinity, etc. Even little things, like all his imagery around cars and bluejeans and small towns and what his daddy taught him growing up. But his career got going in a time that predated fox news and the overall conservative propaganda machine, so he was able to do this on his own terms and in a way that clicked with huge numbers of people without playing into rightwing politics. But at this point, so much of his subject matter and his imagery and style has been co-opted by the right over the years. There's a reason Reagan and other Republicans attempted to claim his music as their own. His material connects to the only form of identity politics they're willing to pay lip service to. As a cultural icon, he represented something, an area that they were trying to claim as their own turf. And I feel like at this point, they've mostly succeeded, at least in terms mass pop culture. Whether it's fair or not (and I personally don't think it is), people associate the rust belt, working class white communities, etc, with conservative politics and culture. And I've noticed this strange reluctance on the part of lefties to resist this. It's almost like they've accepted this appropriation and historical revisionism.

At the same time, Bruce is so painfully earnest that I can't picture him being a huge success with indie/pitchfork type crowds. Sure, they celebrate him now, in retrospect, but if he were coming up at this very moment, I just can't imagine him fitting in. Even the retro-y heartland rock stuff you see these days, like the War on Drugs, it just isn't the same. The War on Drugs is way more vibey and abstract and apolitical. I can't think of anyone that resembles Bruce Springsteen in this era.

I just feel like he wouldn't have a path forward in this cultural/political landscape and would struggle to find an audience.

[onthewall2983]

Odd as it sounds I think (from my admittedly limited perspective) today he'd have a better chance in country music. Since the backlash against The Dixie Chicks broke open the taboo of conservatism in country music, there has been a sort of inverted backlash against that establishment to a degree. There have been liberal C&W singers for ages and ages so it's not exactly new, but it's a conversation gaining traction nowadays since some (to use a recent example) people in that industry have openly changed their minds on gun control in the wake of the Las Vegas massacre. Even beyond music, you have someone like Trae Crowder (bless him, "the liberal redneck") representing a minority a lot of people thought was an impossibility.

In this hypothetical situation, Bruce would obviously have to keep his Jersey roots a secret, or downplay them as much as possible.

[Mantra]

Odd as it sounds I think (from my admittedly limited perspective) today he'd have a better chance in country music.

Right, I had this same thought. But the problem is, he doesn't make country music, he makes rock, which is basically what I was getting at. Our whole culture has shifted to the point where anytime we encounter someone pursuing those themes and styles, we tend to think "Oh that's kind of a country thing." The only way he'd have a chance is to drastically alter himself. He couldn't be the same Brice Springsteen making the same kind of music in his own way. He could try it, but I don't know if it would click with the masses of today, not like it once did.

(really good post, btw!)

[onthewall2983]

Right, I had this same thought. But the problem is, he doesn't make country music, he makes rock, which is basically what I was getting at. Our whole culture has shifted to the point where anytime we encounter someone pursuing those themes and styles, we tend to think "Oh that's kind of a country thing." The only way he'd have a chance is to drastically alter himself. He couldn't be the same Bruce Springsteen making the same kind of music in his own way. He could try it, but I don't know if it would click with the masses of today, not like it once did.

(really good post, btw!)

This is probably just pulling on a thread which undoes the whole shirt, but in this hypothetical situation he's not likely to have the same influences. He'd probably take a lot from the classic rock era, but also more and more from his (or our) generation than his actual one if that makes any sense.

Unless you're talking about if he just spent however many years in Jersey playing in bar bands, and finally trying to make it big in his 60's, in which case he wouldn't stand a chance obviously.

[Mantra]

This is probably just pulling on a thread which undoes the whole shirt, but in this hypothetical situation he's not likely to have the same influences. He'd probably take a lot from the classic rock era, but also more and more from his (or our) generation than his actual one if that makes any sense.

Unless you're talking about if he just spent however many years in Jersey playing in bar bands, and finally trying to make it big in his 60's, in which case he wouldn't stand a chance obviously.

Well, I'd say that regardless of which imaginary scenario we think of, the end result is mostly the same. The point I was trying to make was not so much a point about Bruce Springsteen himself but about the ways that American culture has changed so drastically since the time when he was first making a name for himself. Bruce Springsteen's whole aesthetic and subject matter has been ripped off by the right so much that I don't think he could find a big audience if he was starting out today.

(Amazing bump, btw. It's funny to imagine that you were simply thinking about this for a year and a half and finally came back to post your thoughts all this time later, lol)

[Necrodoommonkey]

Has anyone else watched his Netflix special? Holy shit.

[gorast]

Has anyone else watched his Netflix special? Holy shit.
It’s incredible. I was one of those people who was really annoyed that he was doing the Broadway residency rather than a solo tour when it was announced, but seeing the special...my God. What a well put-together set and show. There were a lot of moments that were really affecting for me, especially Tenth Avenue and The Wish.

Western Stars is good, but it’s a little rough to have waited five years (seven if you discount High Hopes as a b-side album) for it.

[onthewall2983]

Regarding my previous posts I find it a little more than ironic that he actually just put out a country album


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGqjav-KbDU

[bobbie solo]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=136&v=s4QcbncNwoo&feature=emb_ logo&ab_channel=TwoMinutesToLateNight

What a get!

[october_midnight]

New album 'Letter To You' drops Oct 23, feat. the E Street Band. Preorders up at his official site.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQyLEz0qy-g

[GulDukat]

New album sounds great. Allmusic gave it a 4.5/5 (https://www.allmusic.com/album/letter-to-you-mw0003427253).

[chuckrh]

I caught the second half of Springsteen's tour opener Wednesday via a Facebook stream (didn't have to sign up for Facebook). It was a phenomenal show. Really good mix of old & new with some surprises. The band sounded great. They did 28 songs in 2 hours 45 minutes. Plenty of songs from "Letter to You" which were really great live. At one point the show went Backstreets>Because the Night>She's the One. It doesn't get much better than that. I'm seeing him on Feb 27. I was able to score decent tickets for $100 on the presale. I wasn't going to spend more than that, so I lucked out. This year marks 45 years since the first time I saw Bruce when I was in high school. Pretty excited for the show. Maybe not quite as much as I was for NIN in September but close.

[gorast]

I caught the second half of Springsteen's tour opener Wednesday via a Facebook stream (didn't have to sign up for Facebook). It was a phenomenal show. Really good mix of old & new with some surprises. The band sounded great. They did 28 songs in 2 hours 45 minutes. Plenty of songs from "Letter to You" which were really great live. At one point the show went Backstreets>Because the Night>She's the One. It doesn't get much better than that. I'm seeing him on Feb 27. I was able to score decent tickets for $100 on the presale. I wasn't going to spend more than that, so I lucked out. This year marks 45 years since the first time I saw Bruce when I was in high school. Pretty excited for the show. Maybe not quite as much as I was for NIN in September but close.

I was there for the opener, absolutely fantastic show, didn't feel like the band had aged at all. The Letter to You stuff translated very well live, especially the acoustic renditions of Last Man Standing and I'll See You in My Dreams. I'm going to Orlando on Sunday, too.

[chuckrh]

I was there for the opener, absolutely fantastic show, didn't feel like the band had aged at all. The Letter to You stuff translated very well live, especially the acoustic renditions of Last Man Standing and I'll See You in My Dreams. I'm going to Orlando on Sunday, too.
Have fun in Orlando! Kind of weird routing but I guess they had to do Tampa first because of the NHL All Star game. Gives you a chance to recover from the first show haha. There were a couple of changes in the set last night. I won't be a spoiler.

[chuckrh]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmVCxeyI6jA

[GulDukat]

I am pretty pissed at Springsteen right now. At least Taylor Swift spoke up for her fans over that Ticketmaster bullshit.

[chuckrh]

I am pretty pissed at Springsteen right now. At least Taylor Swift spoke up for her fans over that Ticketmaster bullshit.

The Bruce fans had unrealistic expectations. There were plenty of lower priced seats. They think they're going to get front row for the same price as the rafters. If you look at upcoming shows there are a ton of tickets available where people are trying to make money. I'm sure a lot of them are from scalper bots. I scored pretty good tickets for $100 on the presale. I wasn't going to spend more than that, so I lucked out. I wasn't going for the gucci seats at all & had success. There's 2 sides to this....

[GulDukat]

The Bruce fans had unrealistic expectations. There were plenty of lower priced seats. They think they're going to get front row for the same price as the rafters. If you look at upcoming shows there are a ton of tickets available where people are trying to make money. I'm sure a lot of them are from scalper bots. I scored pretty good tickets for $100 on the presale. I wasn't going to spend more than that, so I lucked out. I wasn't going for the gucci seats at all & had success. There's 2 sides to this....
I went online as soon as tickets went on sale and was put in a stupid que, by the time I could get tickets they were all gone and were being resold for hundreds/thousands of dollars. He doesn't care and didn't address the issue. I can't get just a single Boston ticket, have to spend like $600.00+ for two. Really pissed.

[Soma]

Couple weeks ago I scored a last minute ticket for the KC date, had a great time even sitting behind the stage and in the nosebleeds. First time seeing Bruce and I was thoroughly pleased with the setlist.

Didn’t really get deep into Bruce until I picked up the Live 1975-1985 box last year. I would highly recommend it as an affordable and in-depth presentation of his classic era. Also there is something about the live E Street band that brings energy to the material that is kinda lacking on some of the studio cuts, in my opinion.

So far I’m a big fan of everything up until the 90’s, although I’m starting to warm up to a few specific tunes.

[chuckrh]

I saw Bruce Monday night in Seattle. The show was great. This year is the 45th anniversary of the first time I saw him when I was in high school. I've seen him play better but this show was better than most. I can't see him doing huge tours like this much longer. He's 73 now & showed some signs of slowing down. The show was 27 songs & clocked in at 2 hours 45 minutes. When I got to the arena I found my tickets weren't ADA as advertised. I complained & the arena upgraded me for free. There was one jaw dropper at the show: he did Trapped which he hadn't played in years. If you can get some realistically priced tickets I'd recommend going.