Book Description
Greetings from E Street celebrates the passionately loved group that has been entertaining the world for 35 years. Written with their cooperation, this fully illustrated informal biography combines rare photographs with 30 removable facsimiles of E Street memorabilia, including Bruce Springsteen's first business card and hand-written set list, and even two fabulous posters. Longtime band intimate Robert Santelli captures the ecstatic highs and devastating lows on the E Street Band's roller coaster ride to stardom. He follows the band from the early days in Asbury Park, New Jersey, to the critical acclaim of Born to Run, the mania of Born in the U.S.A. and international touring, and each member's unique projects. Throughout, the band's signature combination of friendship, humor, and stellar musicianship is revealed in stories, snapshots, and the ephemera of life of the road. Warm and personal, Greetings from E Street is a postcard from the most famous address in rock and roll.
Book Description
Authorized by Bruce Springsteen, written by his longtime biographer Dave Marsh, and packed with photos from Bruce’s personal collection, Bruce Springsteen on Tour is a glorious full-color tribute to one of America’s best-loved musicians. This gorgeously designed retrospective incorporates 350 color and black-and-white photos—many never before published—plus tour artifacts and memorabilia, and features an intimate portrait by bestselling rock writer Marsh following Bruce’s career from his first days on stage right through his 2005 Devils and Dust tour. Bruce Springsteen on Tour chronicles a great American musician thrilling audiences for more than thirty years, and is a must-have volume for all his fans.
Customer Reviews:
Great for your Springsteen super fan.......2007-01-21
Purchased as a gift for an all time super fan of Springsteen. He loved the book. A must have for any Springsteen fan.
Great Book With Great Photos.......2007-01-12
I actually got the book for a gift for somebody else, but when it arrived, I kinda scanned through it and it looked great. My friend is a huge Bruce fan and said that it looked incredible. She loved the pictures!!!
A great gift.......2007-01-10
My boyfriend is an avid Springsteen fan and he loved this book. I recommend it to all Bruce fans!
I LOVE THIS STUFF!.......2006-10-08
Springsteen fans have been very lucky as of late as he has been putting out more and more product. While non-fans may wonder what all the fuss is about, let's face it, if there is one rock ledged who is sorely lacking in the way of specialty releases, it's the Boss. How nice then to finally see things like the '75 London concert DVD and CD released last year, a revamped Seeger Sessions disc with songs that popped up on the tour and during rehearsals we otherwise would not have had on the actual release and items like this book and the coinciding "Greetings from E-Street..."
Some bands (The Stones being the most glaring example) seem to have a new hardcover book on the shelves every year or two (sometimes multiple books). While there are previous Springsteen books out there, there are few in the way of this and the "E-Street" release: Hardcover, put together with a lot of care, vivid pictures and special time capsule items. While "E Street" has the nifty distinction of including actual replicas of setlists, tickets, coasters and other memorabilia items, as a book, I think "On Tour" has the edge.
"E Street" is a great time capsule full of rare mementoes, but "On Tour" is the perfect coffee table book. Well written by Dave Marsh, a close friend of the Boss and knowing Springsteen insider, in a chronological, personal, easy to read fashion that is both informative and enjoyable, "On Tour" is a terrific journey through the Boss' life, career, albums, and - of course - tours. Filled with anecdotes and memories, it is also a great flashback to moments fans will no doubt be grateful to relive. But the best part of this book - and what makes all the best high-gloss, hardcover, coffee tables so exciting, is the pictures.
I have a lot of photos I have come across of Springsteen over the years saved on my computer, mainly because there was never a release such as this to combine any of these great photos. Bruce just seems to photograph well live and, unlike a lot of artists, his live intensity shows through with even just a photograph. This one has a bunch of great pictures, from the time he was just a teenager through to last year's excitingly intimate stripped down "Devils and Dust" tour. What a keepsake for the true fan!
While I still pine for more releases of past and current projects (from the infamous "Darkness Outtakes" to an acoustic compilation from "D&D," to A Seeger Sessions live DVD and/or CD - the tour stuff is far and away better than the album), releases like this make me optimistic for the future of Springsteen releases.
good job.......2006-10-07
i received the book three days ago. i liked it very much.
Book Description
"It is a magnificent album that pays off on every bet ever placed on him—and it should crack his future wide open." - Rolling Stone, on the 1975 release of Bruce Springsteen’s album Born To Run.
Photographer Eric Meola was hired thirty years ago to do a photo shoot which resulted in the iconic rock n’ roll album Born to Run. This magnificent book recreates that photography session, contains all of Bruce’s lyrics, and includes an introduction by distinguished popular music writer Daniel Wolff.
Bruce Springsteen is one of the most important songwriters and performers of the last three decades. Born to Run is the album that put Bruce Springsteen on the cover of both Newsweek and Time. It is a timeless snapshot of Americana—all sweaty, high energy, and tuned to a carnival-like level. For many critics of the day, Born to Run made Springsteen the most important artist of his generation. It was this album that Springsteen’s songs first portrayed a glorious yet very real side of the American Dream.
In this book, Eric Meola shares the photographic alternates and outtakes, most for the very first time, in stunning black- and-white quadratones, more than thirty years after the album’s release. In addition to the many never-before –seen photographs, here for the first time and in one place are all of the lyrics from this iconic American album.
Customer Reviews:
Opportunity to see a classic album cover in the making.......2007-05-14
There are some really fantastic photographs in this book. Born to Run is a classic album with a classic cover. These previously unseen images are very clear and detailed and give a great insight into the 1975 album photo shoot. In my mind, it's hard imaging any other image gracing the cover. However there is a unique opportunity with this book to see what could have been. If you love rock photographs and you're a Springsteen fan I recommend this book.
Great for your Springsteen super fan.......2007-01-21
Purchased as a gift for an all time super fan of Springsteen. He loved the book. A must have for any Springsteen fan.
Worth the wait .......2007-01-10
When I opened up this book for the first time I couldn't believe to quality of the production.
There is a protective cardboard box which encases a display box for the book itself.
The display box is a little larger than the size of a vinyl album and then when opened there is a copy of an album cover on the inside and the book on the other.
Each book has a signed and numbered reference from Meola to record which copy of the 1350 published is yours and a reference to the fact that all of Meola's proceeds are being donated to the Community Food Bank of New Jersey.
They say that a picture is worth a thousand words and these speak volumes. As you can imagine there are a number of shots which have been taken close together so you pick up on the character and personality of Springsteen. The standard of photographs is outstanding and have been reproduced in this book to an excellent standard.
There are also the lyrics reproduced from the album which when combined with the photos make this an oustanding production.
If you can make the investment, buy the limited edition as it is such a high quality and worthwile production.
Don't be fooled.......2006-12-13
So that there is not any question, the signed copy contains the signature of the author and not Bruce. When I purchased the limited edition for $195 I assumed it contained Springsteen's autograph.
Sparks fly on E Street.......2006-11-01
This beautifully designed book takes you inside a historic moment in rock: When Springsteen finished "Born to Run" and stood on the edge of greatness. Everything was at stake and anything was possible. Meola captures perfectly the guy, the time, the feeling. It's an intimate look that words could not convey. Buy it. The clincher: The money goes to a good cause, New Jersey's food bank.
Amazon.com
If you wanted to write the definitive history of rock music, you'd need three things: a deep appreciation of the music, an understanding of business, and a journalist's skills and instincts. Fred Goodman has all three, and The Mansion on the Hill is a must-read for anyone interested in how a counter-cultural phenomenon with moral overtones became--in a mere thirty years--a multibillion-dollar business. Goodman, a former editor at Rolling Stone, traces the arc of this weird transformation by focusing principally on the stories of a handful of key artists and their managers--Bob Dylan and Albert Grossman, Neil Young and David Geffen, and Bruce Springsteen and Jon Landau--but the book is richly populated with others, famous and not-so-famous. Goodman makes good use of his extensive research (he conducted 200 interviews over three years), and admirably balances reportorial analysis with a certain passion for the values that rock music once stood for--and sometimes still does.
Book Description
In 1964, on the brink of the British Invasion, the music business in America shunned rock and roll. There was no rock press, no such thing as artist management -- literally no rock-and-roll business. Today the industry will gross over $20 billion. How did this change happen?
From the moment Pete Seeger tried to cut the power at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival debut of Bob Dylan's electric band, rock's cultural influence and business potential have been grasped by a rare assortment of ambitious and farsighted musicians and businessmen. Jon Landau took calls from legendary producer Jerry Wexler in his Brandeis dorm room and went on to orchestrate Bruce Springsteen's career. Albert Grossman's cold-eyed assessment of the financial power at his clients' fingertips made him the first rock manager to blaze the trail that David Geffen transformed into a superhighway. Dylan's uncanny ability to keep his manipulation of the business separate from his art and reputation prefigured the savvy -- and increasingly cynical -- professionalism of groups like the Eagles.
Fred Goodman, a longtime rock critic and journalist, digs into the contradictions and ambiguities of a generation that spurned and sought success with equal fervor.
The Mansion on the Hill, named after a song title used by Hank Williams, Neil Young, and Bruce Springsteen, breaks new ground in our understanding of the people and forces that have shaped the music.
Customer Reviews:
Great read!.......2007-01-10
This is a must read book for people interested in going into the music business and sheds light on the inner workings of the industry.
money talks.......2006-03-27
If you like Jon Landau after reading this book, there could be something wrong with you. Not only did he have a hand in producing one of the most egregiously muted rock records of all time (the MC5's Back in the USA), he was a definitive driving force behind the corporate side of music. He's not the only slimey piece of work involved in this book, there are many.
There's no question that Landau made a lot of money for a lot of people (including himself), as did all the 'buisnessmen' in this book, the problem I have is that they cannot be considered music fans. If they are at all, it's a distant second to their love of money. A good book that's worth reading.
My Mansion is Bigger Than Your Mansion.......2006-02-23
If you have ever winced at the rapid co-opting of 60's and early 70's rock music by big business and/or mercenary musicians, if you have ever gritted your teeth at paying $15+ for a CD and then wondered who gets your money, if you ever hoped that there was once something culturally meaningful in the rock scene and wondered what happened, then this book will provide many answers. Two things made this book difficult for me: 1) Goodman lays out details and names names with such frequency I could have used a glossary listing of the major players cynically manipulating the burgeoning cultural shifts of the "summer of love" from radio to underground newspapers to rock venues 2) the machinations of many of the artists and most of their managers illustrate such a sad, greedy side of humanity. Everyone who gets rich--really, really, really rich--does it by successfully, often ruthlessly, exploiting consumer willingness to pay for rock and roll product. The organist of Springsteen's E Street band, Danny Federici, sums up one of their mega-tours this way: "We started out as a band, which turned into a super, giant corporate money-making machine." And that about sums up the last 40 years of rock and roll. My advice: read this book, then seek out all of the really great musicians (and CD labels) out there who haven't been sucked up into mega-marketing campaigns, corporate sponsored tours, and manufacturing soundtracks for multinational companies.
How Rock n' Roll Became Big Business - Should we revolt?.......2005-04-09
I found this book fascinating - a concise history of the growth of rock from the folk era to Bruce Springsteen. I remember seeing Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne, Crosby, Stills and Nash, James Taylor and many others on their first concert tours through Detroit. Sure we loved their music and counter-culture sensibilities; it was the end of the sixties. We loved local hero Bob Seger too and hoped he would make it big someday. He did. "Like a Rock!"
Should we blame David Geffin and other businessmen for enjoying music, recognizing talent, nurturing it, and marketing it to reach a wider, generationally-Woodstock targeted audience? I think not. Business is an art too, taking risks, making investments, helping products find customers. Most artists (except, maybe Dylan according to Goodman) don't want to be bothered with the business side of things but discovered they had to be. Is that so wrong? Heck, even Jerry Garcia has a line of neckties out. Does it matter if Cher is an artist or a product. Perhaps, the blurring of that distinction bothers some people more than others. After all, Kurt Cobain took his artistic integrity to the grave.
Rolling Stone magazine has had great articles on how the Rolling Stones and other groups mount tours using a 5-year business plan. Mick didn't go to the London School of Economics for nothing. The Stones develop a business plan for investors and execute it to the tee. Guess what, you don't have to buy concert tickets if you think that's selling out. They're making a living, a very profitable one at that.
But, think of the sacrifices that artists make - subjecting themselves to long, lonely road trips, the ravages of drugs and alcohol, and hot sex with groupies. It's a hard knock life, just watch VH1's "Behind the Music." Would you trade your nice suburban home, your SUV, wife, and kids for all that grief?
The counter-culture has evolved and a pop culture business model prevails. A counter-culture still exists; they're called accountants and they count the money.
I'm told the #1 selling record in 1951 was "On Top of Old Smokey," imagine that! Think of "Your Hit Parade" or Mitch Miller sing-a-longs instead of rap music, for instance. For those of us who were present at the creation of rock n' roll -Bill Haley & the Comets, Chuck Berry, Elvis, the Everly Brothers, and Buddy Holly - the problem is that music seems to have lost its artistic integrity while continuing to refine its commercial interests.
(Q: What's the diffence between Dick Clark on American Bandstand introducing us to Fabian and Simon Cowell on American Idol introducing us to Rueben? A: About 50 years of marketing prowess.)
The downside of the music industry is that for us old foggies the Backstreet Boys will never replace the Beach Boys in our hearts. Nick and Jessica (Newlyweds) will never be as interesting as Ike and Tina (or Sonny and Cher, for that matter). Although I must admit, the Spice Girls were more interesting to watch than the Lennon Sisters.
Want to see a sell out? How about the Prince of Heavy Metal Ozzy Osbourne's tv show? His marketing-savy wife has paraded him around like a chimpanzee at the circus. That's the curse of the collision of rock and commerce if you ask me.
Great book though, read it and re-evaluate music history if you are not revolted by rock as an "Entertainment BUSINESS."
A review by a Springsteen fan.......2003-09-10
My motivation for purchasing this book was my belief, based on other reviews, that it would present some new unbiased insights into the work of my favorite artist Bruce Springsteen and add some balance to the what I've read over the years from the Dave Marsh and Jon Landau propaganda machine. Although it did provide this, unfortunately (for me), very little of the book was actually devoted to Springsteen and the other artists mentioned in the title. The book is more a history of the record industry, chronicling its rise from its roots in the underground music scene of the mid to late sixties, to it's present form as multi-national conglomerates. It presents the story as a morality tale of a sixties paradise lost and it's consumption by the dark forces of capitalism .
The author while having researched his material very well, brings some biases into his work, typical of his generation. These biases become glaringly obvious when reading the book. One of these is his implication that someone like Springsteen, because he has maintained a consistently high level of commercial success over the years, is a sell-out, and a manufactured creation of his manager. Whereas someone like Neil Young, because he hasn't been ashamed to release some real crap, is an artist of integrity, who won't give in to crass commercialism, by always giving his fans music that they will actually enjoy.
I will agree with the author to some extent, that Jon Landau as manager and producer has had a huge influence on Springsteen. However, by using this to tear down the integrity of the artist himself, he better be prepared to do the same to the Beatles, The Stones and Elvis, all of whom had managers and/or producers that influenced them and pushed their work and careers in directions they would not have gone in, on their own.
If you, like the author, finds the business deals, managers and record company executives more fascinating than the artists themselves, then you'll probably enjoy this book. If however you're like me, and are more interested in the music and the musicians themselves, you'll find yourself skipping over large portions of the book in order to get to the more interesting parts on the MC5, Dylan, Young and Springsteen.
Product Description
Bruce Springsteen, writer of more than 250 songs, is among the most literate rock singers. His songs touch people's hearts and minds. Simply put, he is the storyteller of our generation. Tougher Than the Rest discusses the best of Springsteen's vast body of work, from Greetings from Asbury Park, NY to Devils & Dust. The author comments on each song's origin and the critical response it received. The book shares insights into the songs' literary, historical, and cultural references. It's packed with numerous sidebars and is accompanied by photographs and lots of extras, including a complete song list, discography, and bibliography. A must for all Springsteen fans.
Customer Reviews:
okay, but..........2007-10-01
TOUGHER THAN THE REST is a decent book though the format of the book's song-by-song discussion makes it read like a reference book. The author doesn't count down songs from 100 to 1 - instead she organizes the book by album, chronologically, and discusses only the songs from those albums that she deems among the Top 100. And speaking of the Top 100 selection, even though you can't please everyone with a book like this, you have to question the selection process when the author ignores classics like "Incident on 57th St" and "Jungleland" (neither of these show-stoppers are among BS's 100 best??) but picks "Workin' on the Highway" and "All or Nothin' at All"...not to mention 8 of the 12 songs on The Ghost of Tom Joad. For a more thorough discussion of Springsteen's catalog (practically every song including unreleased ones) try R. Kirkpatrick's THE WORDS AND MUSIC OF BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN.
Not exactly.......2007-09-12
a reflection on the content of the book itself, but it seems a shame that they wouldn't pay the photographer of the cover photo. Also, what's with the publisher's product description: Greetings from Asbury Park, NY? Writing a blurb about a book about Springsteen's work and you can't get an album title correct? And confusing NY and NJ with Springsteen? Silly.
photo used without permission.......2007-06-08
I only bought this book as I made the cover photograph and they used it without ever getting my permission or paying me.
Bruce-ology.......2007-04-18
Simply a great book for any Bruce Springsteen fan. The author does a fine job of gathering information and writing it in such a way that will inspire any reader.
"Slow dancing in the dark with an angel on my chest..."
Book Description
Born and bred in a working class environment in Asbury Park, New Jersey, Bruce Springsteen has, over the past 30 years, established himself as one of the most influential songwriters and performers in American popular music. Winner of three Grammy Awards for The Rising, he continues to entertain and inspire millions of fans around the world. Also born and bred in a working-class New Jersey home was photographer Frank Stefanko, who crossed paths with Springsteen thanks to an introduction by a mutual friend, musician Patti Smith. This meeting spurred a photographic collaboration that lasted five years and produced cover photos for two of Springsteen's most significant albums, Darkness on the Edge of Town and The River. Stefanko's archive of several thousand Springsteen photos has never been published-that is, until now. Days of Hope and Dreams presents an unforgettable selection of Stefanko's most significant and most personal images from his time working with Springsteen, and Stefanko's recollections offer behind-the-scenes stories of his work and friendship with this legendary musical talent. Featuring a fascinating introduction written by The Boss himself, this is a must-have guide for Springsteen fans and music lovers everywhere!
Customer Reviews:
friendship.......2006-10-10
this is not only a book about an era in the beginning of the career of bruce, but a book about friendship as well. very nice photos. i recommend it to bruce fans
Cover Shot Was Taken In Haddonfield, New Jersey.......2004-02-05
Just thought everyone would like to know that the cover photo was taken in front of Frank's Men's Hairstyling on Kings Highway in downtown Haddonfield, New Jersey!
Thank you, Frank, for sharing your gift.......2004-01-21
This is a wonderful book. The photographs are uniformly compelling and insightful, as is the text. The reader is treated to a rare, unvarnished glimpse of an American hero about to "burst like a supernova." The images are timeless, and harken back to a simpler, perhaps more poignant time -- before MTV and the Internet changed the way we obtained and enjoyed our music. The author's spare text is thoughtful without being intrusive; a perfect compliment to the compelling images that accompany it. The text conveys a straightforward warmth and appreciation for the author's subject that are both refreshing and inspiring. This is a book to pore over, savor, and return to. Thank you, Frank, for sharing your gift -- and thank you, Bruce, for recognizing his genius, and for allowing us a little glimpse of yours.
TRIBUTE TO LATE WIFE SHEILA WAS TOUCHING.......2003-11-28
This book engrosses you from the moment you start reading you cant stop.I am giving this book to my clients and friends as it makes the perfect gift for Bruce Springsteen fans.I was also very moved by Authors tribute to his late wife Sheila and feel there may be another story there Frank ?
amazing -- some of the best Bruce photos ever.......2003-11-04
1978 was a key moment in Bruce Springsteen's career, and Frank Stefanko was there to capture it in black and white. In these photos, you see a rock star breaking out, but still struggling and working his [tail] off. Stefanko had not even heard the Darkness album when he took the photos that would lead to its cover (and the cover of The River), but he captured the mood and the tone perfectly, of both the music and the musician. Even if you're not into photo books, if you have an interest in Springsteen, do yourself a favor and get this book.
Book Description
Extrovert on stage, introvert off, Bruce Springsteen has a lot to say about his life and work, and his place in American society. The Boss has retained his dignity through 25 years as America's foremost rock performer. Never a man to rush into anything, Bruce's words are carefully considered, thoughtful, passionate and sincere.
QUOTES INCLUDE: `In the third grade a nun stuffed me in a garbage can under her desk because she said that's where I belonged.';
`There ain't a note that I play on stage that can't be traced back directly to my mother and father.';
`The first day I can remember looking into a mirror and being able to stand what I saw was the day I had a guitar in my hand.';
`You ride in a limousine the first time, it's a big thrill but after that it's just a stupid car.';
`At this point, I don't need my records to be Number One or sell as many as this person or that person. That's not fundamentally important - I don't believe that sustains you.'
Customer Reviews:
A collection of memorable quotes .......2004-11-08
Bruce Springsteen "Talking" is a collection of memorable quotes from rock-and-roll veteran legend Bruce Springsteen. Black-and-white and a handful of color photographs illustrate this memorable assembly of keen insight, carefully considered discussions, and since exhortations straight from the heart. Covering everything from daily life to roles in American society to the turn of the millennium, these vignettes make for quick reading yet expose one to the depth of Springsteen's personal character, in a most thought-provoking and intriguing manner. "When Regan mentioned my name in New Jersey, I felt it was another manipulation, and I had to disassociate myself from the president's kind words." - Springsteen, 1984.
Book Description
The Words and Music of Bruce Springsteen provides a comprehensive and coherent look at the work of a thoroughly complex and persistently captivating artist. Springsteen enjoys a popularity that has transcended generations. His 1975 album Born to Run was voted the most popular album of all time in a recently published Zagat survey; his 1984 album Born in the U.S.A. spawned seven Top Ten singles while selling more than 20 million copies; and his 2002 album The Rising was regarded by many critics as the most poignant artistic reaction to 9/11. Springsteen, now in his 50s, has evolved from an over-hyped version of the "next Bob Dylan," to the "future of rock and roll" in the mid-1970s, to a pop culture icon in Reagan America, to a 21st-century populist voice. His career has been covered many times over, yet many of the complexities and apparent contradictions of his music remain unresolved. These include his hard-rock influenced musical background; his movement from themes of rebellion and isolation in his early work to those of a more populist complexion later on; and his contribution in the 1980s to a conservative patriotism--despite his albums' close association with the music and ideas of Woody Guthrie. After a brief biographical treatment, Kirkpatrick considers all of Springsteen's significant albums in chronological order. In addition to this probing musical analysis, he offers a guide to Springsteen's lyrical themes and motifs, allowing readers a coherent insight into the complicated nature of the artist's underlying concerns, influences, and ideas. Rounding out the volume is a consideration of "The Boss's" legacy as a songwriter and musician, as well as appendices including a bibliography and a complete discography. In sum, The Words and Music of Bruce Springsteen provides a comprehensive and coherent look, previously unavailable in a single volume, at the work of a thoroughly complex and persistently captivating artist.
Customer Reviews:
All of his significant albums, in chronological order.......2007-03-06
Other books have covered the life and works of popular musician Bruce Springsteen, but few offer the depth of analysis and critical assessment of The Words and Music of Bruce Springsteen, which opens with a brief biography before it turns to the heart of the matter: all of his significant albums, in chronological order, which provide a musical analysis of themes, motifs, and underlying ideas. College-level students of popular music will appreciate the attention to detail and the insights which lend to a far greater appreciation for Bruce Springsteen's works.
Excellent Overview of Springsteen's work........2007-02-07
The Words and Music of Bruce Springsteen is a very detailed look into Bruce's body of work.
Rather than focusing on Bruce as an pop icon, the book looks at his songs, his albums, how they were written, what they mean and how each song fits into the theme of the album.
It also suggests that each album is a building block for the next album,
that all Bruce's albums are connected.
The Words and Music Of Bruce Springsteen may not be for the casual fan looking for another fan's view of the boss.
It is an exhaustive look at the creative process of writing songs as individual pieces yet all connected to a larger theme.
Each song within the album is an individual scene from a movie. Each arranged to take you further on a ride toward the climax.
For the true Springsteen fan (or for those interested in the creative process of developing concept albums)this book is an absolute must.
It is one of the best books I've read about Springsteen.
Book Description
For more than three decades, Bruce Springsteen's ability to express in words and music the deepest hopes, fears, loves, and sorrows of average Americans has made him a hero to his millions of devoted fans. Racing in the Street is the first comprehensive collection of writings about Springsteen, featuring the most insightful, revealing, famous, and infamous articles, interviews, reviews, and other writings. This nostalgic journey through the career of a rock-'n'-roll legend chronicles every album and each stage of Springsteen's career. It's all here—Dave Marsh's Rolling Stone review of Springsteen's ten sold-out Bottom Line shows in 1975 in New York City, Jay Cocks's and Maureen Orth's dueling Time and Newsweek cover stories, George Will's gross misinterpretation of Springsteen's message on his Born in the USA tour, and Will Percy's 1999 interview for Double Take, plus much, much more.
Customer Reviews:
Good Overview Of Writings On Springsteen.......2006-04-25
I really enjoyed the majority of the pieces in June Skinner Sawyers' Racing In The Street: The Bruce Springsteen Reader. Highlights for me include Martin Scorese's (brief) foreward (always figured he was a fan) and, of all things, the excerpts from one Kevin Major's young adult novel Dear Bruce Springsteen, in which my favorite passage in the collection occurs:
"I knew he [the young narrator's father] was into your music a lot. He never listened to it much in the house, mostly when he was driving the old van we used to have. Mostly then by himself. The four of us were in the van once and he put on Nebraska. Mom made him take it off because, she said, it sounded too depressing. He sort of grunted something about she didn't know what good music was and popped out the tape. She said if you're going to spend money we can't afford on music, then you might as well spend it on something that'll cheer you up. He ignored her."
Now tell me - is there a Bruce fan alive that can't relate to that?
Though I would have liked to have seen Tama Janowitz' "You And The Boss" and Richard Meltzer's "The Meaning of Bruce" (both collected in Clinton Heylin's Penguin Book Of Rock & Roll Writing, if you're interested) included for balance, this is a solid anthology of writings on Bruce, and recommended if you're a fan.
PS Also recommended if you're a fan of great music writing (or great writing, period): Lester Bangs' Psychotic Reactions And Carburetor Dung and Mainlines, Blood Feasts, And Bad Taste.
Racing Is A Great Boss Bio Plus..........2006-02-22
Racing In The Street is not so much a great biography about Bruce.
It goes much deeper.
It is a series of very insightful articles pinpointing the appeal Bruce has for so many of his fans.
He is a mega star but it is his struggle to remain normal and humble that is at the heart of this book.
For the casual fan, If you truly want to know why his fans are so intense, this is the book to read.
For his fans that have always tried to figure out why we are so intense, this book puts all that into perspective better than any other.
Highly recommended.
Great book for any Bruce fan!!!.......2005-06-28
This book provides wonderful, informative articles that offer various perceptions of the Boss and his 30+ year career!!! I learned so much about how other people see Bruce, and gained knowledge about his life and work, which was very enjoyable. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves the Boss and wants to gain more insight into his long and amazing career. The maps, discography, timeline, and other extras were also brilliant additions to the collection!
Great bio of the boss!.......2005-02-06
Racing in the Street is a great book and a must for every Springsteen fan.
Good, Diverse Collection.......2004-05-11
How many people do you know who like Bruce Springsteen? If you're like me, probably not very many. Most people cite their dislike of his voice, or find him to be too intense, or don't find his melodies to be that memorable. That's fine- that's their loss after all- but it's not necessarily congruent with the critical praise steeped upon Springsteen. I've always known that Bruce has been a longtime critical darling for Rolling Stone- he doesn't get as much coverage nowdays (he doesn't do that much nowdays to warrant coverage), but back in the 70s and 80s, Bruce could absolutely do no wrong, and was voted "artist of the year" an unprecedented number of times in the mid 80s. Those writings are collected in the Rolling Stone Files anthology, to which this book is an essential companion. If anything, this book has more substance than the RS book, since many of its selections place Bruce's music in its social context. While I know that Bruce is a wonderful guy, I'm not terribly interested in reading about endless fawning over him or how great he is in concert- I know that or else I wouldn't be seeking out written material about him. There's certainly some element to that in this book, but many of the articles are well-written reflections on the meaning of his music and on the social and political influences that inspire and shape it. My favorite is the Lester Bangs review of early Bruce- the music seems to have knocked this rather pretentious (but wonderful) critic down a few notches closer to earth. I also enjoy some of the ficiton writings that contain prominent mentions of Springsteen's music. So for some well-written but well-grounded commentary and reflections on Springsteen's music and the society that inspired him, "Racing in the Street" is an excellent, highly readable anthology that doesn't numb you with syrupy praise but also doesn't burn you out with cynicism and lofty music criticism.
Book Description
A series of new, original, and provocative essays on the music, myth, and meaning of The Boss
Bruce Springsteen is an institution unto himself. Over the course of a career now in its fourth decade, he has earned one of the largest, intense followings in all rock 'n' roll. He's selling more records and concert tickets in his fifties than he did in his twenties. Yet even after millions of record sales and thousands of concerts, there are still essential questions about his music that fans continue to ponder. How did he become the only first-rank rock 'n' roller not to fall apart? How has he maintained his integrity and his audience over all these years? What makes him different, unique?
Guterman, an accessible and entertaining music writer, has been writing about Springsteen since the late '70s. In this book, he delves into dramatic moments from every phase of Springsteen's career, looking deep into the music, the man, and culture at large to deliver a nuanced portrait of The Boss, which both new fans and longtime followers will find compelling. You don't have to be a Springsteen fan to enjoy this book, but you might be when you're finished. Runaway American Dream is a series of pointed, provocative, and surprising essays about Springsteen and his music that focus on the work and the times that created them.
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Books Index
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General
| Composers & Musicians
| Arts & Literature
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Bruce Springsteen on Tour: 1968-2005
Born to Run: The Unseen Photos
We Shall Overcome - The Seeger Sessions - American Land Edition
Bruce Springsteen with the Sessions Band: Live In Dublin
Magic
