Badly Drawn Boy - Thunder Road from Uncut Magazine Bruce Springsteen Tribute Volume 1(2003)
The Knack - Don’t Look Back from Get the Knack (remastered edition) (1979/2002)
John Hiatt - Johnny 99 from One Step Up/Two Steps Back: The Songs of Bruce Springsteen (1997)
Patty Griffin - Stolen Car from 1000 Kisses (2002)
Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes - The Fever from I Don’t Want to Go Home (1976)
The Mavericks - All That Heaven Will Allow from What a Crying Shame (1994)
Deana Carter - State Trooper from Badlands: A Tribute to Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska (2000)
Trisha Yearwood - Sad Eyes from Real Live Woman (2000)
The Smithereens - Downbound Train from One Step Up/Two Steps Back: The Songs of Bruce Springsteen (1997)
Ben E. King - 4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy) from One Step Up/Two Steps Back: The Songs of Bruce Springsteen (1997)
Billy Bragg - Mansion on the Hill from Uncut Magazine Bruce Springsteen Tribute Volume 2 (2003)
Sonny Burgess - Tiger Rose from Sonny Burgess (1996)
Thea Gilmore - Cover Me from Uncut Magazine Bruce Springsteen Tribute Volume 1 (2003)
John Wesley Harding - Jackson Cage from One Step Up/Two Steps Back:The Songs of Bruce Springsteen (1997)
The Reivers - Atlantic City from Cover Me: Songs by Springsteen (1984)
Johnny Cash - Highway Patrolman from Johnny 99 (1983)
Dion - Book of Dreams from Deja Nu (2000)
Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris - Across the Border from Western Wall: The Tucson Sessions (1999)
Bruce Springsteen - I Ain’t Got No Home from Folkways: A Vision Shared (1988)

Certain albums deserve to be heard outside the confines of small headphone speakers and cranked through the stereos of traveling cars speeding down the freeway.  The ’59 Sound, the sophomore release from New Jersey’s the Gaslight Anthem, earns this classification through 12 songs of heartland rock and roll that make it one of the most exciting records released this year.

From the opening scratch of a turntable needle touching down on well-loved vinyl, The ’59 Sound proudly declares that this record is seeped in the sounds and traditions of classic ’60s soul, ’70s classic rock, and the garage band DIY punk music of the early ’80s.   The music of the Gaslight Anthem recalls the Clash, the Replacements, and, in particular, their Jersey forefather, Bruce Springsteen.  Indeed, with this fervent collection of songs, both wonderfully melodic and just this side of polished, the Gaslight Anthem builds on the redeeming promise of rock and roll whose groundwork was laid in the rainy streets of London, the frozen tundra of Minneapolis, and the swamps of Jersey.

The ‘59 Sound is full of the images of broken hearts, shattered dreams and untimely deaths.  Yet, percolating beneath the surface is a sense of hope and determination.  This comes through from the band pouring their soul into playing passionate rock and roll music that contains the intricate details of the burdens placed on the shoulders of everyday, ordinary people. The Gaslight Anthem plays with the precision of guys who have been out on the road for over a year, building their reputation.  With limited funds to produce their record, every note counts, every take is precious.  And it shows in the way bassist Alex Levine and guitarist Alex Rosamilia riff off of each other and the manner in which drummer Benny Horowitz attacks the beat.  Finally, front man Brian Fallon sings each note with the conviction and feeling of his idols, including not only Springsteen, but also Sam Cooke and Otis Redding. (more…)

The news of Danny Federici’s death has sent my mind reeling back over the dozens of E Street Band shows that I’ve seen over the years. But the one I kept going back to this morning is the very first one that I ever saw, at the legendary Capitol Theater in Passaic, NJ, on October 14, 1974. I was not there to see Bruce Springsteen.

Looking back on it now, it was an impressive triple bill, and I was there to see the opening act. I made the thirty-minute drive with my best friend Larry. Ten years earlier, we had created our first band together in the wake of the Beatles’ arrival in the U.S. It was all about music for us: Larry loved the Kinks, and I was in my Neil Young phase. We had both been very impressed with a recent debut album by one Dan Fogelberg, and we heard that he was opening the show, so off we went. The headliner was the always dependable John Sebastian, and in the middle, Bruce Springsteen. We had heard about Bruce. There was definitely a buzz around N.J. about him, but I can honestly say that at that point I had never heard a note of his music. Also with us that night was my future ex-wife, Sarah. We were only a few months away from a lovely wedding — and a quick divorce.

To tell you the truth, I don’t remember much about Fogelberg’s set. As I recall, it was vaguely disappointing. It proved difficult to reproduce the lush textures of his album in a live setting. Then there was a surprise: John Sebastian, the headliner, had decided to go on in the middle slot. It was unprecedented, and at that point hard to understand. This decision later became something of a legend in Bruce Springsteen lore. One version has it that Sebastian had witnessed the Springsteen soundcheck and wisely decided that, armed with only his acoustic guitar and harmonica, he was not going to try to follow the E Street Band that night. Again, I don’t remember much about Sebastian’s set, but he was always dependably entertaining, and I’m sure he was that night as well.

To tell you the truth, we were ready to leave. The Springsteen buzz was a bit irritating at that point. Almost cult-like already. We weren’t buying into it. Who did this guy think he was? Then Larry reminded me that Max had just joined the band, and maybe we should at least check it out. We had known Max since the seventh grade, and gone all through junior high school and high school with him. He was always a great drummer, and his bands were always the best local bands. (Ours were always second best.) So it wasn’t surprising to us that Max had made it to the next level, but at the time it was just that — the next level. A couple of months earlier, Ernest “Boom” Carter had left the E Street Band, along with keyboard player David Sancious. After responding to a blind ad in the Village Voice, Max had replaced Ernest, and Roy Bittan came onboard in David’s place. What the hell. We figured we’d stick around to see what all the fuss was about. Sarah was trying hard to be patient.

After a brief intermission, the lights dimmed. A lone spotlight picked out a ragged figure, center stage. (more…)

Indianapolis, Indiana-Conseco Fieldhouse
March 20, 2008

When I see a concert, I hope that the artist resonates in a way that moves you beyond the two or three hour performance. There are nights where you want to be entertained and other nights where you NEED to be taken to a higher plane. As the E Street Band descended on stage at the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, I knew on this particular night I needed to touch that higher plane and reach an emotional apex that may be tough for the band to reach. Despite my reservations, I found myself absorbed towards the end of the main set where Steve Van Zandt took over vocals for “Long Walk Home,” the defining moment on Magic – and even though the performances of this number last year were nothing to sneer at, the song has evolved into an epic along the lines of the performances of “Backstreets” from 1978. The performance revealed untold affecting emotions through the sheer power of guitar rock, without relying on sentimentality. Even the uninitiated around me found this to be a seismic watershed moment of the E Street Band at their finest, reminding us that it ain’t so sin to be glad you’re alive; let me tell you, this was just one of many goosebump moments of the night.

Opening the show with a spot-on penetrating performance was the triple guitar attack of “Night.” For the next 150 minutes, the band proved to be fixating and focused, even if they never quite reached the emotional and pulverizing highs of the show in Milwaukee three nights earlier. Springsteen’s connection to the crowd and recognition of signs from the pit made the intimacy of the show much more palpable even from back in the arena. This is sadly something that will be lost when he moves to stadiums in the summer. Right before the fourth song, Bruce asked for a sign to be sent to him, which showed the band and revealed to the crowd; “Please play ‘Prove It.’” I won’t mince words; I personally felt that anyone who had taken the time to make a sign like that should been banned from the pit for life. However, as I began to watch the always fervent and impassioned performance, it struck me that since I had been catching Springsteen shows in Indianapolis, I never recalled seeing “Prove It All Night” live. When I got home, I did a little research and found out that the last time “Prove It All Night” had been performed in Indianapolis was January 8, 1985. So if it was a longtime resident of Indy who requested that song, I forgive them.

The next audible (replacing “Growing Up” on the handwritten set list) was “Rendezvous” — a welcome switch, as the band immediately found its groove on this underappreciated and underperformed gem. The thunder clapping hysterics of “Reason To Believe” and “She’s The One” left the Hoosier crowd’s mouths agape once again. The whole evening flew into overdrive. (more…)

The first thing thing that came to mind when I heard that Danny Federici had passed was the chorus of “4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy).” This song, more than any other song in Springsteen’s catalog, was Federici’s as much as it was Springsteen’s. In fact, I can not imagine how that song will ever be performed without Phantom Dan by the Boss’ side, playing the accordion. I have always felt that Springsteen is a better performer when he has his E Street compatriots backing him up, especially Garry and Danny. Especially in the ’90s — listen to the songs on Human Touch and Lucky Town and it’s clear there’s something missing. Heart? A little soul? Then listen to the tracks from Greatest Hits and The Ghost of Tom Joad that include Garry and Dan supporting Springsteen — you can hear that extra warmth.

Federici sat silently in the background for 40 years while his close friend became an international superstar. The entire legion of E Street fans feels sorrow in its heart today, because even though Federici was rarely in the spotlight, we all know how much Springsteen loved his friend. His organ hummed through the songs, providing a sort of spiritual lift (as in “Streets of Fire” or “My City of Ruins”) or an exuberance (like in “Hungry Heart” or “Livin’ in the Future”) that might otherwise be missing in Springsteen’s music. And of course, his accordion playing kept Bruce and the fans connected to the band’s Jersey shore roots. Federici often came off as a loner, which may have been why he and Bruce connected so early in life. Before the E Street Band became a gang in the late ’70s, they were a collection of misfits and loners. But quiet as he may have been, his presence was felt in every concert.

My favorite statement by Federici came when he admitted that he probably couldn’t play any Springsteen songs alone. It was only with the band that he could play a song and that the melodies and intricacies came back to him. The music was in his soul. And now, a little bit of the soul in the E Street Band is missing forever.

Bishop Danced
Hungry Heart
Living in the Future
Blood Brothers
Kitty’s Back (live 1975)
4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy) (live 1978)

Bruce Springsteen released his 12th studio album, The Rising, at the tail end of July 2002. With the U.S. still reeling from the 9/11/01 terrorist attacks and stories of fallen soldiers in the headlines, the Boss recorded a masterful reflection on loss, sorrow, love, hope, redemption and trying to find one’s way through the darkness. Each song stands up with his finest material from an extraordinary career that dates back to the 1973. Making the album more compelling was that Springsteen was recording with the fabled E Street Band for the first time since the 1982 sessions that resulted in Born in the USA. For Springsteen fans like me, this news was what we’d been waiting for since the triumphant 1999/2000 reunion tour that had announced to the world “the band was BACK!” I am not alone in believing that with his trusted bandmates behind him — in particular the Big Man, Clarence Clemons, and the trusted rhythm section of drummer Max Weinberg and bassist Gary Tallent — Springsteen is a more electric performer. Watching Bruce and his surrogate family perform together is like watching a well-tuned machine.

In July of 2002, my family was in its own state of emotional turmoil. A mere seven months after our son, Jacob, was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, we were coming to grips with our own feelings of hopelessness, sorrow, anger, love, hope and struggles with faith. Personally, I bottled up many of the fears and doubts that took up residency in my mind. I foolishly assumed that my wife, Julie, would not want to discuss my feelings because she was going through the same emotions. There were many times I wound up crying, secluded in my car, or quietly at night while my wife slept next to me.

One source of release was music. Two of albums that circulated through my CD player earlier that year were Rush’s Vapor Trails and Badly Drawn Boy’s wonderful soundtrack to the film About a Boy. However, with the release of The Rising, I became enthralled with a collection of songs that tapped into the well of feelings I was experiencing. Moreover, the music from this record found its way into my children’s hearts, creating a special bond between us. By early 2003, The Rising became more than just another Bruce Springsteen masterpiece in the Malchus household; it became a source of joy and inspiration for our family. (more…)

The best thing about St. Patrick’s Day - aside from that whole drinking thing - is that it’s a day to be especially proud about redheadedness.

A long time ago, the Seattle alternative weekly Tablet had a feature called something like: “what it’s like to be…” and had someone write a short paragraph about what it was like to be, for example, a garbage man, or a transplant to Seattle. They also had someone write a paragraph about what it’s like to be a redhead that was the most accurate thing I’ve ever read. It more or less said: “if you’re a redheaded woman, you’ll be forever harassed by older and/or creepy men obsessed with redheads and your looks won’t be more widely appreciated until you’re older. If you’re a redheaded man, your life will be harder than the women, and you’ll likely be mocked except by the very rare redhead obsessed woman.”

Redheads have it rough. As a non-redhead, you might scoff at this, but just look back at history. Redheads were thought to be children of Satan, morally denigrated and hostile. In movies, bullies, enemies, and other sorts of “bad” people are often portrayed by redheads. And let’s not forget the whole “ginger kid” prejudice thing, as pointed out by “South Park.” (Although, luckily for American Redheads, the real thing is far more prevalent in the U.K.)

Bruce Springsteen, “Red Headed Woman” (download)

That’s not to say that being a redhead doesn’t have its positives, it surely does. One of them is this song. I was a Springsteen fan long before I heard this song, but you’d better believe it made me like him even more. The redhead praise aside, it’s fun to hear him be so blatantly sexy and raunchy for an entire song.

This is the perfect day to follow suit after the Boss. After you’ve had your Irish car bombs, your Irish coffees, your Bailey’s, your Jameson, your Guinness… do something nice for a redhead. We could use it!

You know who’s good for breakups? Bruce Springsteen. He’s also good for budding romances, weddings, funerals, long walks on the beach, calculus tests, trips to the jungle gym, pretty much anything. But as Matthew Bolin tells us, he’s also a prophet, and has the power to make his songs appear at appropriate times, even when you have no idea how appropriate they are.

“Tunnel of Hate”
By Matthew Bolin

I was fifteen, her name was Jenna, and she was in my class at Hebrew school. I had never had feelings for a girl, really, up until the moment that I walked out of a building at a temple camp in Malibu and saw her standing there, about twenty feet away, her back to me, and bathed in the glow of the industrial outdoor lighting. Somehow, at that moment, I was awakened to the reality of the fairer sex, and my soul blossomed…or burst. One of the two. Anyway, too overcome to do anything about this new feeling, I ran to the bathroom (my original intent when stepping outside), and by the time I came back out, she was gone.

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Although released in late 1977, the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack would be impossible to ignore for much of 1978, with the Bee Gees’ “Night Fever” and “Stayin’ Alive,” as well as Yvonne Elliman’s “If I Can’t Have You,” all reaching #1. At several points during the first half of ‘78, the soundtrack album was selling over 1 million units a week.

Bee Gees - Stayin’ Alive
Bee Gees - Night Fever (w/ More Than a Woman) (more…)

My mom, God rest her soul, hit the nail on the head. She always used to ask me, “Why must you do everything ass-backwards?” She had a point. Shoes went on before pants, finalizing efforts always preceded initializing efforts, and have you ever seen me get out of the backseat of a car? It’s like some horrid recreation of a breach birth.

So in this modern age, you can put a shiny, silver disc into the face of your car’s dashboard and hear wonderful sound. You can put a machine the size of a candy bar into your pants pocket and a headset the size of dental floss with tiny tumors into your ears and hear wonderful sound. Me? I like records.

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