Bruce (71 page)

While the deaths of Danny Federici and Clarence Clemons gave the Wrecking Ball shows a poignant mood, Bruce’s performances (here in Boston, 2012) seemed undimmed by time and age.
© Rocco Coviello /
roccosphototavern.com

I
READ, ANNOTATED, AND DERIVED VITAL
information from thousands of books and newspaper, magazine, and website articles during the course of my research. The sources of specific quotes and anecdotes are cited in the text.

The reporting process began informally in 1978 with Dave Marsh’s jaw-dropping cover story in
Rolling Stone
(the original copy I bought that summer still sits in my desk drawer), then hit a new level with the release of Dave’s
Born to Run: The Bruce Springsteen Story,
still one of the key texts in understanding the higher possibilities of rock ’n’ roll in general and Bruce Springsteen in particular.
Glory Days,
Dave’s 1987 account of Bruce’s journey to and through the
Born in the U.S.A.
era, describes the superstar experience in its every detail.

I also consulted regularly with June Skinner Sawyers’s terrific compendium of interviews, reviews, and analyses,
Racing in the Street: The Bruce Springsteen Reader.
Same deal with
Bruce Springsteen: The Rolling Stone Files,
Anders Martensson and Jorgen Johansson’s
Local Heroes: The Asbury Park Music Scene,
Eric Alterman’s
It Ain’t No Sin to Be Glad You’re Alive,
Jim Cullen’s
Born in the U.S.A.: Bruce Springsteen in the American Tradition,
the lovely memoir
John Hammond On Record,
Daniel Wolff’s
4th of July, Asbury Park,
Kevin Coyne’s
Marching Home,
the terrific photos in Lynn Goldsmith’s
Springsteen Access All Areas,
Fred Goodman’s
The Mansion on the Hill,
Marc Eliot and Mike Appel’s
Down Thunder Road,
Jon Landau’s
It’s Too Late to Stop Now,
and the essays and lyrics in Bruce Springsteen’s own
Songs.

The online world overflows with Springsteen sites, databases, chat boards, and more. Of these, Christopher Phillips and company’s
backstreets.com
is the most reliable source for breaking news, set lists, and detailed concert/event reports, while also including the most above-board ticket traders’ board I’ve ever encountered—face value only, folks. Brucebase (
http://brucebase.wikispaces.com/
) has the most detailed account of Bruce’s day-to-day musical activities from 1956 to yesterday, along with vintage photos, posters, sound, and video clips. Their pursuit of more and better information continues to this minute, which should qualify them for a medal of some sort. The official site, brucespringsteen.net, has all kinds of fun, useful information, along with official videos and a very helpful lyric search function. I am also a more or less daily visitor to Blogness on the Edge of Town (
http://blogs.wickedlocal.com/springsteen/#axzzlIBr8bJIl
), which combines solid reporting with thought-provoking essays and just the right amount of wise-assery. Paolo Calvi’s database (
http://www.brucespringsteen.it/
) has an extremely thorough collection of lyrics (often including early, unrecorded versions). I also found a small mountain of archival news stories, interviews, and reviews stored on
http://www.greasylake.org/home.php
.

Of the thousands of interviews Bruce has given over the years, many of which are quoted and noted in the text of this book, I am particularly grateful for the work of Joan Pikula at the
Asbury Park Press
; Greg Mitchell and Peter Knobler at
Creem
; Jerry Gilbert from
Sounds
; the unknown reporter who spoke to Bruce after his March 24, 1974, show at the Celebrity Theater in Phoenix (personal to him: if you’re reading this, please get in touch and I’ll credit you appropriately in the next edition of this book); Paul Williams at
Crawdaddy
; John Rockwell at the
New York Times
; and Maureen Orth and Jay Cocks at
Newsweek
and
Time
, respectively. Also, James R. Petersen at
Playboy
; Eve Zibart at the
Washington Post
; Robert Hilburn at the
Los Angeles Times
; Bill Flanagan at
Musician
; Fred Schruers, Kurt Loder, Steve Pond, Joe Levy, and Jim Henke, all writing for
Rolling Stone
; Neil Strauss and Nick Dawidoff, writing for the
New York Times
and the
New York Times Magazine
; Will Percy at
DoubleTake
; Adam Sweeting at
Uncut
; Ted Koppel, then at
ABC Nightline
; Andrew Tyler at the
New Musical Express
; and David Hepworth, then writing for
Q
(David now edits
The Word
, which in 2010 published an early version of material that is now part of this book).

I’m also grateful for the work of filmmaker Barry Rebo, who started working on a documentary about a struggling young Jersey Shore rocker in 1971. He shot concerts, rehearsals, recording sessions, and more before moving on in 1980. Trust me on this: the footage is spectacular, and surprisingly voluminous. Some of Barry’s work can be seen in the probing, insightful documentaries Thom Zimny created for the
Born to Run
and
Darkness
box sets. Thom has also made several indispensable concert films for Bruce, all vital in their own way, but none more beautiful than his film of Bruce and the band playing the entire
Darkness on the Edge of Town
album, shot at Asbury Park’s Paramount Theater in 2009.

Thanks also to the scores of fans who have shot, and continue to shoot, telephone-cam video of so many memorable concert moments over the last decade or two.

T
HE IDEA FOR THIS BOOK
first took form in a telephone conversation with my then editor, Zachary Schisgal, in mid-2009. Zach has jumped the fence into literary agency since then, but his enthusiasm and trust lie at the headwaters of this project. Matthew Benjamin, who assumed editing duties when he got to Simon & Schuster, has been rock solid throughout. I also owe thanks to Touchstone publisher Stacy Creamer, Kiele Raymond, and the only book publicist I’ll ever want or need, Jessica Roth. Thanks also to Simon Lipskar, Dan Conaway, Joe Volpe, Stephen Barr, and everyone else at Writers House.

A legion of friends and colleagues helped inspire, guide, encourage, and in some cases provide editing notes for this book. Big thanks from me to you: Dave Marsh, Claudia Nelson and Rory Dolan, Katherine Schulten and Mike Dulchin, Christie Beeman and Peter Weber, Brendan and Christe White, Amy Abrams, Tim Goodman, Bill Goodykoontz, Ryan White, Kasey Anderson, Tim Riley, George Kalogerakis, Glenn Cashion, Tad Ames, James Parker, Geoff Kloske, Bob Spitz, Jim Brunberg, David Leaf, Cutler Durkee, Lanny Jones, Jamie Katz, Jack Ohman, Don Hamilton, and my main man in the music blogosphere, Sal Nunziato (
http://burnwoodtonite.blogspot.com/
).

Freehold native, historian, and journalist Kevin Coyne was enormously generous with his time, knowledge, and insights into the history of his hometown and Monmouth County. He’s been an invaluable
resource, and charming company at Sweet Lew’s and Vincente’s and on the sidelines of the Freehold Little League baseball diamond.

Enormous thanks also for the friendship and expertise of Jersey Shore music experts Bob Crane, Stan Goldstein (who leads highly informative tours), Billy Smith (connections, details, and photos), and Carl Beams (music, music, music). And a special thanks to Jim Harre, who personifies the public-spiritedness of serious Bruce fans everywhere. I’m also grateful for the help of Christopher Phillips, editor of
Backstreets
magazine (a special shout-out to
Backstreets’
founding editor and publisher, Charles R. Cross). I’m also very grateful to Albee “Albany Al” Tellone for his warmth, vivid memory, and generous but honest perspective on everything from the Upstage and the Cutthroat Monopoly days to the early misadventures of the E Street Band. In a world of conflicting memories and interpretations, the one provider of fact and detail that nobody ever questioned was Albee.

I got to spend a lot of time in Freehold during the course of this project, and am grateful for the help and generosity of ex-Castiles George Theiss, Frank Marziotti, and Vinny Maniello (RIP). Thanks also to Bobby Duncan; Bill Starsinic; Richard Blackwell; David Blackwell; Joe Curcio; Barney, Peggy, and Mike DiBenedetto; Norman Luck; Bill Burlew; Lou Carotenuto; Carl Steinberg; Mike Wilson; Jimmy Mavroleon; Father Fred Coleman; Bernadette Rogoff and all her colleagues at the Monmouth County Historical Association; and Ed Johnson and Joe Sapia at the
Asbury Park Press
. And last but never least, the great New Jerseyite turned Californian Victor “Igor” Wasylczenko.

In Asbury Park, Vini Lopez and Carl “Tinker” West served as my welcoming committee at the Adriatic and pointed me in all the right directions. Thanks also to Patti Lasala at the Asbury Park Public Library, Howard Grant, Todd Sherman, and Earth’s John Graham and Mike Burke.

Richie Yorkowitz opened the doors at the Upstage, and Geoff Potter, Joe Petillo, Bobby Spillane, Jim Fainer, and Jim Phillips provided the facts and stories. I’m also grateful to Bill Alexander, Greg Dickinson, Barbara Dinkins, Harvey Cherlin, Doug Albitz, Bobby Feigenbaum, Norman Seldin, Rick DeSarno, Lance Larson, Tim Feeney, Joe Prinzo (I knew how hard you were trying), Tom Cohen, Karen Cassidy, and Paul Smith.
Special thanks to Tony Pallagrosi, the great Sonny Kenn, Virginia’s own Robbin Thompson, and the boys from Sunny Jim: Bo Ross, Tom Dickinson, and Tom Cron. Thanks also to Jack Roig, Dorothea (Fifi Vavavoom) Killian, Marilyn “Landlordess” Rocky, and an extra-special thanks to Eileen Chapman, who has been part of the Asbury Park scene for decades and now brings her expertise to the Bruce Springsteen Special Collection in its new home at Monmouth University.

Also vital resources along the way: Barry Rebo, Oregon’s own Diane Lozito, Debbie Schwartz Colligan, Pam Bracken, Frank Stefanko, Eric Meola, Joy Hannan, Lynn Goldsmith, Jack Ponti, Robyn Tannenbaum, and Shelley Lazar. Mad props to Joyce Hyser, who was appropriately dubious at first, then became a crucial supporter. Thanks also to Julianne Phillips, whose strength and kindness can be measured in everything she doesn’t say.

Thanks also to Mike Appel, Stephen Appel, Bob Spitz, David Benjamin, Jim Guercio, Greg Mitchell, Peter Parcher, Peter Golden, Mike Tannen, and Sam McKeith, whose contributions to Bruce’s career should never be forgotten. Also unforgettable—the Columbia/CBS/Sony executives and staffers who helped make it all possible. Many, many thanks to Clive Davis, Walter Yetnikoff, Al Teller, Bruce Lundvall, Don Ienner, Peter Philbin (especially), Michael Pillot, Ron Oberman, Ron McCarrell, Steve Popovich (RIP), Glen Brunman, Paul Rappaport, Dick Wingate, Charles Koppelman, and Greg Linn.

Visions, words, and more: Ernie Fritz, Lawrence Kirsch, Peter Cunningham, Rocco Coviello, Mary Evans, Cliff Breining, John Sayles, Bob Leafe, Brent Wojahn, Ross W. Hamilton and Pam Springsteen, Maureen Orth, Jay Cocks, and Jim Henke. I’m also deeply grateful to Danny Goldberg, Don Mischer, Jackson Browne, Joe Grushecky, former US representative John Hall (D–NY), John Sayles, John Fogerty, Sting, Tom Morello, and Detroit’s Wayne Kramer, who is still kicking out the jams. For observations from the campaign trail and beyond: David Axelrod, US senator John Kerry, Timothy Noah, John Tierney, and Eric Alterman. I was eager to talk to Bruce’s biggest fan from the conservative side of the aisle, New Jersey governor Chris Christie, but he (or his staffers) couldn’t squeeze it in. Next time, I hope.

Thanks also for the vital assistance of Craig Williams, who not only transcribed but listened deeply and came back with insights and connections I had failed to think/connect myself.

Let’s give it up for the E Street Band, all of whom gave multiple interviews, e-mailed, traded texts, and more. Vini Lopez started things, in more ways than one. I am also very grateful for the time, memories, and insights of Garry Tallent, Max Weinberg, Roy Bittan, Steven Van Zandt, and Nils Lofgren. Patti Scialfa stayed out of it for the most part, but was welcoming all the same. Charles Giordano from the Sessions Band and E Street; Jake Clemons; and two key players from Bruce’s Los Angeles era in the early 1990s, Shayne Fontayne and Zack Alford. Last but never least comes Clarence Clemons, whose generosity began with the effort he took to schedule our talks, then burned even brighter as he welcomed me into his home, shared his stories and unvarnished reflections, then made lunch and poured the wine. His death just a few weeks later was, and remains, a painful loss.

I had been working on the book for eighteen months before I heard the voice of Jon Landau, who called from out of the blue to ask if I had time to talk. Um, yes. This was never an “authorized” book in the technical sense. (I had no contractual relationship with Bruce, Thrill Hill Productions, or Jon Landau Management; they had no control over what I would eventually write.) But from that day forward Jon has been nothing but enthusiastic, helpful, and respectful of my independence. Thanks, Jon.

Major thanks also go to Jon’s management partner Barbara Carr, the incredible Alison Oscar, Mary MacDonald and Kelly Kilbride at Thrill Hill, and Marilyn Laverty at Shorefire, all of whom were helpful and friendly throughout. Especially Ali.

Filmmaker/documentarian Thom Zimny was generous with his time, help, and inspiration, and even threw in the next generation of Zimny filmmakers (Hunter Zimny) for good measure. Thanks also to Kurt Ossenfort for the space to work. Tour director George Travis shared his stories and backstage areas with great charm and generosity. So did guitar tech and all-around cool guy Kevin Buell. Thanks also to
Jerry Fox, Jr., who opened doors all across the country. Big thanks also to staffers past and present, including Barry Bell, Rick Seguso, Bobby Chirmside, Marc Brickman, Obie Dziedzic, and a few others who know who they are.