Today was "The Main Event" of the Born to Run 50th Anniversary weekend at Monmouth University, and it was the most thrillingly unique day I've ever experienced as a Springsteen fan. Walking in to the Pollak Theater in the morning, I was immediately struck by how happy everyone seemed. Then I noticed how many in the capacity 750-seat room I've known for decades. Today was to document the anniversary, but in a way it was also for us. Consisting mostly as panel discussions and interviews, the day started with a Boom. Boom Carter, that is, the drummer that most Springsteen fans have never seen, who recorded exactly one song as a member of the E Street Band: Born to Run. Boom was joined by Garry Tallent and David Sancious for the first panel of the day, moderated by radio personality Tom Cunningham on the band as it existed from February through August 1974. Sancious was eloquent recalling events from long ago, though he also noted that in 1974 he was busy focusing on the ...
Bob Seger at Pine Knob, June 19, 2019 Bob Seger lives across the other side of the school district . Our kids went to the same public high school . Our kids played in the West Bloomfield High School Marching Band , and we were both active in the Band Boosters Association, separated by a couple of years. And... ok, there's no "and." We live in different zip codes. One summer afternoon, Lori and I visited friends who have a home on Upper Straits Lake and went kayaking. Almost immediately, we saw an immense mansion on the right. "What's that ???" "Oh, that's Bob Seger's new house." But Bob remains a Michigan man, and there's a strong "he's one of us" feeling to many people who grew up here. But in all this time living in the area, the only time I'd had a full concert with Seger was when we just happened to be seated directly behind him at a Bob Dylan concert in 2007. I'd seen him perform just once, a rendition ...
2025 has presented an almost embarrassing haul of new released material by Bruce Springsteen. In June, Bruce released a 7-album set, "Tracks 2," focusing largely on unreleased material from the 1990s. And now... an item that seemed to many fans the holy grail of vault items, "Nebraska 1982," featuring most prominently the oft-rumored but never heard "Electric Nebraska" as well as 4 other discs. Bruce said many times over the years since "Nebraska" came out that he had tried out the tracks with The E Street Band and that everything he tried to do with the band just made the songs worse. So he ended up releasing the cassette tape he'd carried around in his pocket, of his original bedroom demos. But did we fans believe him? Uhhhh... maybe. Anyway, now we have the evidence. Due to production delays, the official release won't make it out until October 24th, but the songs have started circulating. So... let's get to it! Was Bruce right? ...
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