I really needed some good news today

Springsteen announces 1st European concert dates; also touring US with E Street Band in 2012

WILLIAM PERLMAN/SL - Bruce Springsteen along with his band Nils Lofgren, Clarence Clemmons, Max Weinberg on drums Steven Van Zandt Patty Scialfa and Gary Talent during The Rising at the Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Bands final show at Shea Stadium on 10/4/2003.

• By Associated Press, Published: November 20 | Updated: Monday, November 21, 5:56 AM

NEW YORK — Bruce Springsteen has announced the first dates for his European tour with the E Street Band.

They’ll play four shows in England next summer.

The dates are June 21 in Sunderland; June 22 in Manchester; June 24 at the Isle of Wight festival; and July 14 at Hard Rock Calling in London.

The European shows will run from mid-May through the end of July.

They’ll also be touring in the United States. That information will be released down the road.

This will be the first tour for the E Street Band since saxophonist Clarence Clemons died in June from complications of a stroke.

Springsteen’s last tour was the “Working on a Dream” tour, which ended in 2009.

(thank you to Lawrence Kirsch who shared this on FB)

Concert Q & A

I was driving to work this morning rocking out to the radio and had several flashback memories of some great concert experiences.  So I decided to share them with you in hopes that you will share some with me!  These are really hard to answer


Most memorable concert moment: It was "The Rising Tour" which occurred shortly after 9/11.  Bruce asked for total silence in the audience, and when he had all 20,000 of us paying full attention he played "Empty Sky".  The whole night was a combination of a good time and sad time mixed together.  Very unique atmosphere.


Least favorable concert:  George Michael.  Not because he wasn't good, but because every female (other than me) in the audience was screaming at the top of their lungs the whole time and I couldn't even hear the music.  I wanted to leave but was there for a friend so I stuck it out.


Who puts on the best show: If you know me at all, you already know my answer :)  Bruce, of course!


Concert I wish I could have seen: The Doors, I was born ten years too late; and Queen.  I don't know how I missed them out of the hundreds of bands I've seen, but I did :(

Best concert I never saw:  Led Zeppelin, I still have my two tickets and have never totally forgiven Jon Van B.

Biggest outdoor concert:  Cal Jam II

Smallest inside venue: The Quiet Woman restaurant in Laguna Beach (about 50 - 75 people), Kenny Loggins dropped by and put on a show for some locals, so fun!

Best seats at a concert:  Front Row at VAN HALEN in '81, omg - talk about amazing, Eddie is one of my top 5 guitarists

Loudest concert:  Ted Nugent, love him or hate him - he's very entertaining


Most mind blowing concert:  Pink Floyd! (i was 17, under the influence of LSD & red wine for the occasion and it truly was an incredible night under the stars, i was fearless back then)


Worst concert experience:  Losing my sister for several hours at an all day concert featuring the Rolling Stones.  I was frantic to find her and finally, right before the Stones came on, there she was.

Most frightening moment at a concert:  Same Stones concert as above.  I was near the front, the crowd rushed and literally lifted me off my feet, I was screaming because I was being crushed and no one cared.  Then this big, strong "angel" came out of nowhere (picture Clarence Clemons), lifted me up and out of the crowd (I was only about 125 lbs back in the day!).  After he put me down and I thanked him I looked back again and he was GONE.

Best concert experience:  Impossible to narrow it down.  I will say I got a thrill when David Bowie smiled at me.

Artist seen the most times: Again, if you know me.....Bruce (23? 24?  lost track)

Most embarrassing concert moment:  Falling asleep at Pat Benatar.  I was bored after sitting through Quarterflash and Night Ranger (no offense to either band).

Funnest concert moment: Had to be during Bruce, but there are so many fun moments in all his concerts, hard to pick just one.

Best "goosebumps" moment:  U2, "Vertigo Tour", when Bono was talking about co-existing and loving our neighbor, and peace, etc. then started playing "One" the young man next to me held my hand for a moment (he was Middle Eastern) and we both had tears in our eyes.

Concert I regret:  Def Lepard, only because it was stupid of me to go with the person I went with - we got there late and had crappy seats.



Best concert of all time:  Michael Jackson.  It was the "Bad" tour and Michael was at  his peak in every way.  I know this sounds corny, but I truly did feel like I was in the presence of someone very special.  The energy of his hardcore fans infused everyone else that was there and the THINGS HE DID on that stage were literally magical (he'd walk up a set of stairs, disappear in a puff of smoke then be back on the opposite side of the stage in a different outfit in a matter of seconds, like 5 seconds or less).  His DANCE MOVES, the way he held the audience captive.  His humility.  It was an experience I'll cherish forever.  RIP MJ.  (again, love him or hate him, he was one of the best, if not the best, entertainers of our time).
http://laylasclassicrock.blogspot.com/2008/05/one-i-missed.html

Happy Birthday, Bruce!

My sis and I were at this concert!

Clarence Clemons Funeral - Bruce Springsteen Performs Eulogy

"Springsteen described Clemons as “a man of unconditional love” in his eulogy for E Street Band member, who passed away earlier this week (June 19), aged 69, after he had suffered a stroke the week before (June 11 – 12).

As well as delivering the eulogy, Springsteen also performed live. The service also included performances from the E Street Band and Jackson Browne, while Clemons’ nephew provided a rendition of ‘Amazing Grace’ on the saxophone.

The singer told those in attendance at the ceremony that Clemons, who contributed the iconic saxophone parts to his songs 'Born To Run' and 'Thunder Road', was "a man of unconditional love, but his love came with a lot of conditions. He was a complex guy. But when you were in his presence, it was like being in a sovereign nation."

Springsteen had previously paid tribute to Clemons in a statement on his official websiteBruceSpringsteen.net. "Clarence lived a wonderful life," he said. "He carried within him a love of people that made them love him. He created a wondrous and extended family. He loved the saxophone, loved our fans and gave everything he had every night he stepped on stage."

Read more

• E Street Band sax player Clarence Clemons dies aged 69
• U2, Coldplay, Slash pay tribute to Clarence Clemons
• Clarence Clemons' career in photos

Clemons, who was known as the ‘Big Man’, had a key role in defining the sound of the E Street Band. More recently, he also played on Lady Gaga's 'Born This Way' album. He is featured in the video for her latest single 'The Edge Of Glory', which she unveiled last week (June 18).

Other artists including Coldplay, U2 andSlash have all paid tribute to Clemons.Coldplay described him as their “favourite saxophone player”, while Bono claimed that “this man has carried music, and music carried him until this day”.

THE SOURCE FOR THIS ARTICLE:  NME

TONIGHT ONLY! Springsteen on Jimmy Fallon (plus a sad personal announcement)

Today marks the release of "The Promise" DVD Box set is released.  I wrote about it in detail HERE.

"Springsteen is the only guest booked for the hour, and the appearance will mark his only performance to promote the Darkness On The Edge of Town box set. There's no word on what he's going to perform, but it'll likely be at least two songs — and possibly even more to be posted on Fallon's website."

More details can be found at Rolling Stone.

ON A PERSONAL NOTE:


Its with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of very close friend of mine, Gary Means.  Gary had a heart of gold - but sadly that heart suddenly gave out on him over the weekend.  I mention Gary here because he made the banner for this blog and for "Gone But Not Forgotten" (as a gift for me to make me smile...I think I screamed in joy when I saw them!)

I will miss Gary more than words can say.  He was the big brother I never had.  He touched so many lives with his generosity, wisdom and humor.  Gary leaves behind a wife and two college age sons.

He would enjoy being on the same post as Springsteen because he loved to tease me about my passion for Bruce.  So Gary, this one's for you:

Rock and Roll Trivia

It would be easy to find the answers on Google, how many do you really know without looking?


1.  True or false?  Paul got the name "Eleanor Rigby" from a tombstone in the graveyard of St. Peter's Parish Church in Woolton, Liverpool, just yards away from where Paul McCartney met John Lennon in 1957.

2. What prompted Bruce Springsteen to write "Dancing In The Dark"?

3. Who had a juke box in a pavilion near his well-known mansion's swimming pool that contained records by Jerry Lee Lewis, Sammy Davis Jr., Tom Jones and many others, but none of his own songs?

4. Which Southern Rockers tried out the names "The Noble Five" and later "My Backyard", before choosing the name they would stick with?

5. Which TV show was on in the US for 23 years and showcased nearly every major music act of the 60's?

6. True or False? Procol Harum's "A Whiter Shade Of Pale" has been recorded by over 900 other artists.

7. To help launch the new Beatles' recording company, Apple Records, the firm encouraged new acts to send in their auditon tapes. They signed Bad Finger, Mary Hopkin and a host of others, but turned down _______.

8. What song did Paul McCartney write after hearing someone say, "black notes, white notes, and you need to play the two to make harmony folks!".

9. Who's mother told him, as a child, that dogs could pick up vibrations from people, so that a dog would bark at "bad vibrations."

10. Who said said when asked if he thought Ringo was the best drummer in the world, replied "Ringo's not even the best drummer in The Beatles."

THE PROMISE: THE MAKING OF DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN TO DEBUT OCT. 7 ON HBO

THE PROMISE: THE MAKING OF DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN, an in-the-studio look at the recording of Bruce Springsteen's 1978 album, will debut THURSDAY, OCT. 7 (9:00-10:30 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO.

THE PROMISE: THE MAKING OF DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN goes into the studio with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band for the recording of their fourth album. Grammy- and Emmy-winning filmmaker Thom Zimny has collaborated with Springsteen on this documentary, gaining access to never before seen footage shot from 1976 to 1978, capturing home rehearsals and recording sessions that reveal Springsteens creative process at work.

WHAT I WANT SANTA TO BRING ME:

The Promise CD, containing 21 new songs from the "Darkness at the Edge of Town" recording sessions is now available for pre-order at Amazon.com and at the Sony Music Store.






The Promise 2 CD and 4 LP packages can be pre-ordered at Amazon. Both 2 CD and 4 LP Vinyl editions with exclusive t-shirt and poster are also available for pre-sale only at The Promise Online Store.

Happy Birthday, Bruce

Sept 23! I celebrate it every year.

Love you, Bruce!

Keep Rocking on. You make 61 look damn young!

Awesome News for Springsteen Fans!

When forced to choose my favorite of all Bruce's albums, I pick Darkness, so now I know what I want Santa to bring me this year :)

From brucespringsteen.net:

Bruce Springsteen's The Promise: The Darkness on the Edge of Town Story Unveiled for Nov. 16 Release

Columbia Records has just announced Bruce Springsteen's The Promise: The Darkness on the Edge of Town Story will be released on November 16.

For the first time, fans will have access to 21 never-before-heard complete songs from the "Darkness" recording sessions on 2 CD
or 4 LP 180-gram vinyl sets that will be available as The Promise.

"'Darkness' was my 'samurai' record," Springsteen writes, "stripped to the frame and ready to rumble. But the music that got left behind was substantial."

The Promise will also include the new essay from Bruce Springsteen, lyrics to all new tracks and unseen photographs from theDarkness On The Edge of Town sessions.

Containing a wealth of previously unreleased material, The Promise: The Darkness on the Edge of Town Story offers an unprecedented look into Springsteen's creative process during a defining moment in his career. In addition to the The Promise 2 CDs, the deluxe 3 CD/3 DVD
and 3 CD/3 Blu-ray Disc versions include the Darkness on the Edge of Town album digitally remastered for the first time. Comprising over six hours of film and more than two hours of audio, The Promise: The Darkness on the Edge of Town Story is packaged within an 80-page spiral-bound reproduction of Bruce's original notebooks documenting the recording sessions for the album, containing alternate lyrics, song ideas, recording details and personal notes.

Visit brucespringsteen.net for an exclusive sneak peek of the The Promise: The Darkness on the Edge of Town Story video content as well as a first-listen of the song, "Save My Love," fromThe Promise, and complete details about this new release.

Australian Crawl - The Boys Light Up (1980)

There are certain bands and musicians that capture a nation's identity. The United States has Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, and John Mellencamp whose music speaks to working class blue-collar America in a way that captures the nation's identity in a way that listeners don't only hear but also feel and relate to.

Similarly Australia has their artists that not only make great music but capture their national identity in song. In 1980, borrowing elements of punk and New Wave, Australian Crawl burst onto the Australian music scene with their debut album, The Boys Light Up. While they never enjoyed the same level of success beyond their own shores as they did within their own little South Pacific corner of the globe, for five years their star burnt like a bonfire. As quickly as they burst onto the scene their star faded.

While lead vocalist, James Reyne, has enjoyed phenomenal success with his own solo material and even some scaled down more acoustic versions of his Australian Crawl classics in his homeland since the dissolution of his band, the hopes of a reunion are slim as their guitarist and co-lead vocalist, Guy McDonnough passed away in the early 80s (one of the many factors leading to the band's demise).

As such Boys Light Up is a snapshot of Australian surf culture in the early eighties. Indeed, this debut remained on the Aussie pop charts for 104 weeks! While Reyne's voice at times is reminiscent of American blue-eyed soulster, Daryl Hall, and other times British musical chameleon, Joe Jackson and sometimes even sounds a bit like Mick Jagger, Australian Crawl's musical style more closely resembles their Kiwi counterparts from "across the ditch," Split Enz.

Part of what makes this band so enjoyable is Reyne's flair for lyrics:

Let me tell you about my mountain home
Where all the ladies names are Joan
Where husbands work back late at night
Hopes are up for trousers down
With a hostess on a business flight
Taxi in a Mercedes drive
I hope that driver's coming out alive.
The garden is a dorsetted
That lady -- she's so corsetted
She's got 15 ways to lead that boy astray
He thinks he's one and only
But that lovely she's so lonely
She pumps him full of breakfast and she sends him on his way
-- From Boys Light Up

I said, Beau-tiful People, you know they're going out tonight to get their Bombay Rocks off
Beau-tiful People, they 've got a Kerouac condition, gotta cocaine cough
Beau-tiful People, studio 54 is the only place to dance
Beau-tiful People, you know the gardens full of furniture, the house is full of plants
-- From Beautiful People

Antiques flown in from Venice fill your house upon the hill
While your money sold the soul love of rock and roll
For some cheap disco thrill
I've seen your peers pouting over beers
The loneliness it showed
Mistaking tacky sex for sensuality
They bought in toorak road -- From Hootchie Gucci Fiorucci Mama

Australian Crawl are a delight to listen to and this debut is an excellent introduction to their brief but notable stint in Australia's rock canon. Start, but certainly don't stop with this excellent release as you'll be missing out on some of the gems from their later albums.

Related Media & Links
Boys Light Up

Down Hearted

Beautiful People


Australian Crawl (The All Music Guide bio)
Australian Crawl (on Last.fm)

Must Have Songs

UPDATE! You people rock my world with your comments! Thank you. I needed a "boost" something to get my mind off things and now I have a project of finding these awesome songs. Music just makes life BETTER. I wasn't anticipating such a great response, it made my day.

Hey Classic Rockers - I am trying to make sure I have all the very best classic rock songs on my iPod. I've recently noticed a few obvious ones missing, so I am asking for your suggestions to make sure I have not left any other important songs off the list.

I already have a complete collection of:

U2
Led Zeppelin
The Rolling Stones
Bruce Springsteen

so I don't need suggestions for any of their songs.

Thanks.

Fourth of July (Sandy) by Bruce Springsteen

If you know the history of this song and of the E Street Band, you may get choked up watching it. I did. This song was very special to Bruce and his close friend, Danny Federici. I guess you could say it was "their song". This was one of the last times Danny played on tour. He rejoined the band in March, but passed away in April of Melanoma. We all miss him.

Happy Fourth to all of us in the USA! Lets remember to appreciate our freedom and our friends.

Jungleland

There are some things in life that can't be explained, only experienced.  Hearing this song live is one of those things.

I know every word of this song.  So does most of the audience.  Its not about the lyrics though.  Its about Bruce and the band giving it their all.  You have to be standing there during the sax solo to really feel it.  This video will give you a slight hint.  I know not many people will watch for the full ten minutes...In concert it often lasts up to 20 and we're still bummed when its over.

I like what Melissa Ethridge said in Rolling Stone magazines 100 Greatest Singers Of All Time issue: "When Bruce Springsteen does those wordless wails, like at the end of 'Jungleland,' that's the definition of rock & roll to me. He uses his whole body when he sings, and he puts out this enormous amount of force and emotion and passion."

Here it is from 1975 followed by 2009. If your going to choose one to watch, I recommend 2009, some things get better with age - Bruce and The E Street Band definitely did. But damn - its amazing to see him back in the day. Watch both - I dare you to.

Bruce Springsteen receives Ellis Island Family Heritage Award - pressofAtlanticCity.com

Bruce Springsteen receives Ellis Island Family Heritage Award - pressofAtlanticCity.com

A Year Ago Today.....

For some reason I decided to look and see what I wrote one year ago today.  I was at a Springsteen concert!  It seems impossible, that was only a year ago?

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DAN'S TOP TWENTY FIVE CLASSIC ROCK ALBUMS

A young man (12 yrs old) I know has been following my posts on this blog and asked me what my top 10 classic rock albums were. I gave it much thought and could not in good conscience limit it to 10 albums. The list that follows is strictly my list of albums that I grew up to love from my young teen years. They are in order of importance to how strongly they affected me in my life, not necessarily how any other person would rate them.
This young man plays a mean guitar and it is my hope that a bit of my love of this music will find a home in his life as well. I believe it already does, but maybe this list will inspire him to reach for other artists in his search for the next guitar solo.
I have also included a few of my favorite songs. Enjoy......

25. Neil Young: Harvest

24. Led Zeppelin: II

23. Black Sabbath: Paranoid

22. David Bowie: Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars

21. Pink Floyd: Animals

20. Jefferson Airplane: Surrealistic Pillow

19. The Rolling Stones: Sticky Fingers

18. Derek and the Dominoes: Layla and other Assorted Love Songs

17.Jimi Hendrix Experience: Are You Experienced

16. Led Zeppelin: Houses of the Holy

15. The Beatles: The Beatles (White Album)


14. Savoy Brown: Street Corner Talking

13. The Who: Who's Next

12. John Mayall: The Turning Point

11. The Doors: The Doors

10. Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon

9. The Zombies: Odessey and Oracle

8. Spirit: Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus

7. Bruce Springsteen: Born To Run

6. Bob Dylan: Blood On The Tracks

5. The Beatles: Revolver

4. The Allman Brothers Band: Live at Fillmore East

3. Led Zeppelin: Physical Graffiti

2. The Doors: Morrison Hotel

1. The Beatles: Rubber Soul


Hopefully you will create your own album list that is as important to you, as this one is to me. To me albums were the only way to listen to music. In this digital age, I can't just download one song. I always have to get the whole album. Thanks for reading and listening.
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Must Have Book for All Bruce Springsteen Fans!

The Light in Darkness

Lawrence Kirsch has done it again.  In his latest book he brings together photos, memorabilia and memories to recreate the feel for what is often considered an unparalleled  tour in Springsteen history.  Written by the fans, for the fans take a step back into 1978 and experience:

The Darkness on the Edge of Town tour!

For those lucky (and old!) enough to have been there, this book will be like re-living a great moment with friends.  For those of us who missed it, this could very well be the next best thing to being there.


Having been a fan for thirty plus years, I have read or perused countless books about Bruce and only three have made it onto the list of "Must Own", needless to say I highly recommend the new book!

Here are my three picks:

Songs, by Bruce Springsteen

For You, by Lawrence Kirsch

 

The Light in Darkness, by Lawrence Kirsch

Thank you, Lawrence, for your generosity! 

Elvis Costello and Bruce Springsteen - Tomorrow Night!

Sundance Channel Presents:
Spectacle: Elvis Costello with...
Wednesdays at 10:00pm EST

"Spectacle: Elvis Costello with Bruce Springsteen Part I"
Premieres Wednesday, January 20, 2010

In part one of a two-part episode, "Spectacle" host Elvis Costello welcomes Bruce Springsteen. Grammy Award-winning artist, widely known for his brand of heartland rock that includes intense ballads and rousing anthems filled with deeply emotional stories. Springsteen, with guitar in-hand, opens up about his pre-E Street Band bands and early inspirations. In addition to talking about his music, he performs it too. Springsteen performs "The River" and American Skin," while E Street Band members Nils Lofgren and Roy Bittan join him in "Wild Billy's Circus Story."

Catch the second part of this episode next week Wednesday, January 27th.
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Merry Christmas, Baby!!! You sure do treat me nice...

We all have our favorite Christmas song/video - this is mine!

"I just want to kiss you under the mistletoe!"

Have a Joy and Peace-filled Holliday Everyone!

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Bruce Springsteen - excellent interview in Billboard

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Here it is, the Billboard  interview with Bruce.  Blogness on the Edge of Town has some excerpts from the article, so if your not huge fan and don't intend to read the entire article, you can check out his blog.

Here is one thing that stood out to me, and its so TRUE, I actually feel sorry for the people born into today's world of music where you buy a CD and play a few good songs off it and ignore the rest:

We had done so many shows and were going to come back around one more time, so we were like, “OK, what can we do that we haven’t done? Let’s try to play some of the albums.” There were some people who were starting to do it, it sounded like a good idea, and my audience fundamentally experienced all my music in album form. People took “Born To Run” home and played it start to finish 100 times; they didn’t slip on a cut in the middle. And we made albums — we took a long time, and we built them to last. The idea is, “There’s no stinkers on this thing.”

The last questions of the interview with an answer that sums up what sets Bruce apart from so many other artists:

What haven't you done that you'd still like to do?

Well, I'm about to do it in about an hour from now. I'm looking forward to that. It's all in the doing right now. What I want to do is what I'm doing, except I want to do it a little better tonight than I did last night. I want to write some better songs to mine and my audience's life today. We've made records over the past 10 years that have found as integral a place in my fans' lives as any the records from my past days. They talk about who you are, who I am, where we are, where we live, and what we're about. I'm just looking forward to going out there in an hour and looking into those faces like I've done over the past 35 years.

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