How Bad is Springsteen

[strudders]

This'll look good next to the new Neil Young thread

[b26354]

The springsteen debate is one that has been raging since he came on to the scene in the 70''s . For the majority of my "yoof" his music offered no resonance to me...and thus i can empathise with Red Day with his disdain for bruce. My journey from Red Day's skewed view of springsteen to being a big fan now has its roots in my travels around the states...i didn’t drive around the midwest playing nebraska on repeat or anything like that ...in fact i didnt listen to springsteen at all while there (think i was going through my luna live phase actually)...i just soaked up the little nuances of the place like we all do when we travel abroad.

About a year or two after arriving back from the U.S. i came across a magazine that detailed bruce's best songs, the background to the music and how he's so misunderstood. i then started to actually "listen" to his music without the pre-judgements that i (and the likes of red day) make when thinking about bruce. I finally started to see that "great optimistic naivety" in everyday life that bruce represents in his lyrics (cheesy as it sounds its so true-just check out the hoopla surrounding the new president)...

The clincher though was when i saw him live…. simply unstoppable. I’ve been hooked since.

Be a non-believer...but i can guarantee if you listen to his music for a few days before you hit glasto and roll up to the pyramid on Saturday night minus the cynicism and a little "optimistic naivety" you might just end up following the path I thought I’d never take

[micawber]

The springsteen debate is one that has been raging since he came on to the scene in the 70''s . For the majority of my "yoof" his music offered no resonance to me...and thus i can empathise with Red Day with his disdain for bruce. ...........

[elias]

The springsteen debate is one that has been raging since he came on to the scene in the 70''s . For the majority of my "yoof" his music offered no resonance to me...

The clincher though was when i saw him live…. simply unstoppable. I’ve been hooked since.

Be a non-believer...but i can guarantee if you listen to his music for a few days before you hit glasto and roll up to the pyramid on Saturday night minus the cynicism and a little "optimistic naivety" you might just end up following the path I thought I’d never take

[SJ121]

Anyone reckon he'll play this, well he did open with it in cardiff http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=kG7Vl3R67NA&...feature=related, great song, anyone who can write a song like this and not even put it on the outakes album of the actual album is beyond me tbh, same with this http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=OQau75AuZwc&...feature=related I've got the fever!!!!!

Edited January 24, 2009 by SJ121

[usatoglas]

I dont particularly like the boss but I guess we can't critisize 3 or 400 million album owners.

I will just not be in front of the stage watching him and not give it any more thought.

Really quite simple

[philfy]

Great post and sums up the views of a lot of people who 'find' Springsteen.

A friend of mine once explained it by saying 'It takes a lot of time to 'get' Springsteen, but once you 'get' him you really 'get' him badly'.

Maybe not such a bad thing Micawber, I remember seeing AC/DC at the Colston Hall in Bristol (when Bon Scott was the lead singer). We got in on restricted view tickets and were sat in the balcony looking down on the stage. The only problem with this was that my left ear was damn near touching the left bank of speakers. I'm not sure my hearing has ever recovered fully!

Kev

[Sam.]

Springsteen gives me Ringsting.

He doesn't, i just wanted to say that.

[scudetto_boy]

Michael Eavis just can't win. He gets mega slagged for booking Jay-Z & now people don't want Bruce or N.Young to play; the poor guy just can't win no matter what he does.

[Wooderson]

Michael Eavis just can't win. He gets mega slagged for booking Jay-Z & now people don't want Bruce or N.Young to play; the poor guy just can't win no matter what he does.

[daveinafield]

Never been a big fan but as he's supposed to be Saturday night headliner I thought I'll have a listen. Got a hold of the best of cd and if that's his best then I would hate to hear his worst

Sounded like a cross between Huey Lewis and Meatloaf.

No idea why folks would get worked up at the thought of seeing him but no accounting for individual taste.

Did hear some folks going on about how his shows lasted up to 4 hours, which would be a bloody awful prospect.

Give him the oldies slot on the Sunday afternoon and get Radiohead or Muse to give Glasto some quality on the Saturday

[grumpyhack]

BS is clearly the Marmite Man of music. You either love him or hate him. But the one consistent thing that comes over in this whole debate is the split between those who have seen him live and have been converted and those who've dismissed him based on 'image' and have never seen him.

Even You Tube links can't really capture a live performance. Imagine trying to explain to someone what Glasto is all about simply by showing them a video.

Bruce has a reputation built on live performance. I urge all the dismissers to give him a try and then return to this board.

[denwyn]

In his early years i though he was good,not good enough for me to buy anything though, but i could listen to him....Now though he is no longer good, in fact he has lost it,his voice has gone,his recent Seeger Sessions stuff is rubbish.......he will proberbly get a big crowd if he plays Glasto....not me though as i am sure there will be much better things going on....Only thing that may improve it is if he has a near original line up in the East Street Band which backs him, now they were good

[robith]

I run a club night in central London playing indie, pop and rock n roll. People all love the latest "hits" but NOTHING fills the floor like Born To Run.

I'm not the biggest fan, I just know the hits, but I can't wait. If the Boss is playing, it is going to be epic.

If you don't like the boss, don't worry. There's about a million other stages and things to do, so I'm sure you won't go bored.

[spoiledff7]

I run a club night in central London playing indie, pop and rock n roll. People all love the latest "hits" but NOTHING fills the floor like Born To Run.

I'm not the biggest fan, I just know the hits, but I can't wait. If the Boss is playing, it is going to be epic.

If you don't like the boss, don't worry. There's about a million other stages and things to do, so I'm sure you won't go bored.

[denwyn]

the E Street Band...

and yes, he usually has the band (apart from Danny, who died not long ago)... changed your mind?

his voice hasn't gone btw... and generally, he's better than he's been in quite a while. What are you basing him no longer being any good on?

[b26354]

In his early years i though he was good,not good enough for me to buy anything though, but i could listen to him....Now though he is no longer good, in fact he has lost it,his voice has gone,his recent Seeger Sessions stuff is rubbish.......he will proberbly get a big crowd if he plays Glasto....not me though as i am sure there will be much better things going on....Only thing that may improve it is if he has a near original line up in the East Street Band which backs him, now they were good

[micawber]

It took a couple of hours to sell out his Hard Rock Calling day, so he's not bad, but clearly not superb either!