Springsteen lost his mojo when he pumped up his muscles. Like an inverse Samson, what he gained in mass, he lost in muse…
But he was terrific when he was skinny. And that’s the Springsteen I cling to now as he makes ever more dad rock and charging extortionate prices for his live shows.
And Darkness is the masterpiece.
On a side note; is it only me that found the Broadway show totally fake and, huge payday aside, unnecessary? Springsteen built his career on his terrific rapport and conversations with his live audiences, and the Broadway show was complete anathema to that. Rehearsed lines repeated night after night to an affluent audience in an environment that couldn’t have been any further from the places where it all began for him.
I dunno…it didn’t work for me. At all.
But I will always love those first four and a half albums. And even his present love of lucre will ever take that away from me.
I recall reeding a 70s review of a Bruce concert, not sure if it was in Melody Maker or Sounds, but it started with, 'I've seen the future of rock n'roll, and its name is Bruce Springsteen', or some such wording - for some odd reason, I always remember that, perhaps because it was a decent prophesy !
Ben, the quote was by Jon Landau, who conveniently went on to produce Born To Run and become Bruce's manager (to this day). He wrote those words in 'The Local Paper' after seeing Bruce in Cambridge, MA in 1974, a few months before Chris. Landau had a big name as a music critic, so the endorsement was picked up by all - and infamously used by Columbia in the UK with the quote papered on every seat at Hammersmith Odeon for Bruce's first UK show. Bruce, despairing at the hype, ensured they were all picked up before doors opened!
The first album Landau produced was Back In The USA by the MC5 - which, also conveniently, is the subject of next week's Crossed Channels podcast.
As if I might be jealous... !
Yes, I bloomin' am!
Springsteen lost his mojo when he pumped up his muscles. Like an inverse Samson, what he gained in mass, he lost in muse…
But he was terrific when he was skinny. And that’s the Springsteen I cling to now as he makes ever more dad rock and charging extortionate prices for his live shows.
And Darkness is the masterpiece.
On a side note; is it only me that found the Broadway show totally fake and, huge payday aside, unnecessary? Springsteen built his career on his terrific rapport and conversations with his live audiences, and the Broadway show was complete anathema to that. Rehearsed lines repeated night after night to an affluent audience in an environment that couldn’t have been any further from the places where it all began for him.
I dunno…it didn’t work for me. At all.
But I will always love those first four and a half albums. And even his present love of lucre will ever take that away from me.
Lovely post, Tony. Thanks!
Great story!
I recall reeding a 70s review of a Bruce concert, not sure if it was in Melody Maker or Sounds, but it started with, 'I've seen the future of rock n'roll, and its name is Bruce Springsteen', or some such wording - for some odd reason, I always remember that, perhaps because it was a decent prophesy !
Ben, the quote was by Jon Landau, who conveniently went on to produce Born To Run and become Bruce's manager (to this day). He wrote those words in 'The Local Paper' after seeing Bruce in Cambridge, MA in 1974, a few months before Chris. Landau had a big name as a music critic, so the endorsement was picked up by all - and infamously used by Columbia in the UK with the quote papered on every seat at Hammersmith Odeon for Bruce's first UK show. Bruce, despairing at the hype, ensured they were all picked up before doors opened!
The first album Landau produced was Back In The USA by the MC5 - which, also conveniently, is the subject of next week's Crossed Channels podcast.
Cheers,
Tony
Many thanks for clarification Tony, it's good to know - cheers !
👍👏
Love it!!