Bruce Springsteen

riffraff said:
Imho Darkness was/is his first “grown up” album. The previous ones were the musings of a young spunker trying to impress and make his way in the a world where everything was gonna turn out fine. His management split, court cases, recording embargo etc helped put paid to that plus he may of had a bit of private life trouble around then anarl which contributed to the general darkening of his mood.

Bought Darkness on cassette the week it came out after Peel played a couple of songs consecutively. He didn’t seem ower keen iirc but I liked it. Went on holiday to Germany a few weeks later with it in my little cassette player alongside a box of mix tapes. Lost the mixtape box and had nowt else but DOTEOT to listen too for two weeks. Loved it.
My marras German marras marra was a recording studio engineer ower there and when I mentioned I’d lost my tapes inc Bowie n Iggys Berlin one’s he knocked copies up for me in exchange for a copied DOTEOT and hoyed in a half dozen German bands anarl. I’d nivver heard of em tbh Can, Kraftwerk, Neu, Cluster, Tangerine Dream, Popol Vew etc. Later found out they were known as Krautrock and were the leaders in the field but even now most do nowt for me........I’m a lyrics man and they weren’t cutting it. Which is why I still buy Bruce’s stuff even 40 yrs later.
Click to expand...

That’s a great story about the Krautrock tapes. I’m a massive fan of Kraftwerk and Neu so enjoyed hearing that.

I agree with you on your point about greetings from asbury Park and wild and innocent, I like them but they’re nowhere near his later work. He was young and raw and dare I say trying to be too clever with his lyrics and how many of them he could fit into a 3 minute song.
Born to run took him to the big time but another album similar to his first two and he would have been gone. In my opinion, BTR was album one of five masterpieces that ended with Born in the USA. There’s no band in my opinion, others will maybe rightly argue, that have done 5 off the belt. It’s unheard of to be so great for so long.
 


riffraff said:
What I meant was he’s not a musical innovator. It’s very rock n roll-r&b-soul-country trad rock influenced stuff.
Click to expand...

I'm not being arsey but I still don't agree. You sort of made my point with your last sentence.

I'm certainly no musicologist but for me he manages to incorporate all sorts of different styles to support what is in effect (and you're right that his lyrics, attitude and world view are his strong points) his story telling and that in itself is innovative.

As a commentator on contemporary America, apart from Dylan, I'm struggling to think of anyone more accomplished.
 
Sat on turbo ( expecting rain) and watching Springsteen Paris 2012 show....an absolute belter ( it’s the one where he gets Jessica up to dance with him...she is very cute mind :))

Really like the version of City of ruins

A 3 hr 40 show mind :lol:
 
Surprised how little The Rising is mentioned, that and DOTEOT would be my recommendations, not a duff track on either.

Pancho said:
I'm certainly no musicologist but for me he manages to incorporate all sorts of different styles to support what is in effect (and you're right that his lyrics, attitude and world view are his strong points) his story telling and that in itself is innovative.

As a commentator on contemporary America, apart from Dylan, I'm struggling to think of anyone more accomplished.
Click to expand...
Only other one who comes close in the same kind of genre is Steve Earle, very underrated imo.
 
Last edited:
I'm a medium sized fan....all the albums, seen live about a dozen times.....I don't think he has made a perfect album. I could go through them all and point out what is 'wrong' with all of them. However that's the way it is with rock 'n' roll, it's all very subjective. I hope I'm not like those lunatic fans (often of U2 or Radiohead) that if you dare criticise their heroes, they go mental. Not everything that artists you like do is 'amazing'. Maybe that's just the twitface generation who seem to lack critical faculties.

Worst in my opinion was High Hopes, which I don't think I've played more than twice. If pushed, my favourite is probably Wrecking Ball. I found it both pleasing that the best 'political' album for ages was created by a bloke in his sixties with and nothing to prove.

I'd be really interested to hear a total remix of BITUSA which to my ears has dated really badly.
 
Kid Galahad said:
Surprised how little The Rising is mentioned, that and DOTEOT would be my recommendations, not a duff track on either.


Only other one who comes close in the same kind of genre is Steve Earle, very underrated imo.
Click to expand...

Never really got into Steve Earle and I always meant to. I think I've only got Copperhead Road. Perhaps just a bit too country for me.

Dan..Dan..Dan..Dan said:
I'm a medium sized fan....all the albums, seen live about a dozen times.....I don't think he has made a perfect album. I could go through them all and point out what is 'wrong' with all of them. However that's the way it is with rock 'n' roll, it's all very subjective. I hope I'm not like those lunatic fans (often of U2 or Radiohead) that if you dare criticise their heroes, they go mental. Not everything that artists you like do is 'amazing'. Maybe that's just the twitface generation who seem to lack critical faculties.

Worst in my opinion was High Hopes, which I don't think I've played more than twice. If pushed, my favourite is probably Wrecking Ball. I found it both pleasing that the best 'political' album for ages was created by a bloke in his sixties with and nothing to prove.

I'd be really interested to hear a total remix of BITUSA which to my ears has dated really badly.
Click to expand...

Good post except medium sized fan and you've seen him 12 times? That's a pretty big fan to me.

Same with some Neil Young obsessives, where he's beyond criticism which is bollocks.

It's entirely subjective of course but all artists produce the odd turkey.
 
Last edited:
Pancho said:
Never really got into Steve Earle and I always meant to. I think I've only got Copperhead Road. Perhaps just a bit too country for me.
Click to expand...
You should give him a chance, he's obviously on the country side of rock/pop but what he has to say is still high on social commentary. Give 'The Revolution Starts Now' a whirl and go from there.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Cee Jay said:
I do like that....some of my favourite tracks of his

Jackson Cage, Sherry Darling, Cadillac Ranch and Point blank to name a few
Click to expand...
Amazing when you look at some of the stuff left off The River too. . . that outtakes album that came out with the box set a few years ago is class.


This is one of the best outtakes I’ve ever heard by any artist
 
MagicRat said:
Amazing when you look at some of the stuff left off The River too. . . that outtakes album that came out with the box set a few years ago is class.


This is one of the best outtakes I’ve ever heard by any artist
Click to expand...

My favourite outtakes session is the Promise from the 77-78 Darkness sessions. It’s unbelievably good.
There’s some big Springsteen fans on here so I’m sure you’ve heard it, but I beg the ones who havnt to get on it.
The man was prolific in this era, it would be a classic album if it had of been released in its own right.
 
mad cyril said:
My favourite outtakes session is the Promise from the 77-78 Darkness sessions. It’s unbelievably good.
There’s some big Springsteen fans on here so I’m sure you’ve heard it, but I beg the ones who havnt to get on it.
The man was prolific in this era, it would be a classic album if it had of been released in its own right.
Click to expand...
an excellent collection as well!

Think it’s common knowledge in the music world but his writing was prolific between 77 and 84. . . and very high quality stuff as well
 

Back
Top