Any Springsteen fans on here?

[ElBurro]

I'm a massive Bruce Springsteen fan but, alas, am the only one in my circle of friends and in my family and am very much hoping that there might be some on here since I have no-one to discuss my love of The Boss with

I'm only a recent fan, so have never seen him live, but I have all his albums and some concert dvds. And as soon as he's touring in the UK again, I will definitely be there! I think my favourite albums are 'Born to Run', 'The Rising' and 'Devils and Dust'. Favourite songs are 'Thunder Road', 'Spirit in the Night', 'Badlands', 'Tougher than the Rest', 'Rosalita', 'The Wrestler' and 'Waitin' on a Sunny Day'. I've also decided that when I die, I want 'Rosalita' played at my funeral.

So, any fans out there?

 

[Forbin]

Well, I'm a big fan of his early stuff - the Born to Run, Thunder Road, Rosalita era. The cheery songs, for lack of a better word. But for some inexplicable reason I can't stand his later stuff. Some of it's pretty morose.

 

[ElBurro]

I know what you mean about some of the later stuff. There are a couple of albums (Ghost of Tom Joad and Nebraska) that are pretty downbeat. I listened to them once when I first bought them but just haven't been in the mood to listen to since. But I do like my music morose sometimes.

 

[Captain Dago]

I've been a fan of the Boss since Born to Run and seen him and the E Street Band in concert several times. Whaddya wanna know?

 

[C_Miller]

I'm a pretty recent fan as well, although from 2007 when Magic came out. I caught him twice on that tour and twice on the Working on a Dream tour (including the final show of the tour in Buffalo, New York). So yeah, I'd say I'm a pretty big fan.

I actually just replaced my copy of tracks as I had lost some of the discs. Really digging on Discs 1 and 2 right now. Thundercrack, Seaside Bar Song, Bring on The Night, Loose Ends, Be True, Where the Bands Are. Only a quality songwriter throws songs like that out.

Also, if you want a better place to discuss Bruce's music, this is a good website for it:
http://www.backstreets.com/btx/

 

[J.T.B.]

Well, I'm a big fan of his early stuff - the Born to Run, Thunder Road, Rosalita era. The cheery songs, for lack of a better word. But for some inexplicable reason I can't stand his later stuff. Some of it's pretty morose.

Well... songs like "Lost in the Flood" and "For You" were pretty grim right on the first album; he's always had that streak in him. My favorite records are probably Darkness on the Edge of Town, The River and Nebraska. I've seen Bruce solo ("Ghost of Tom Joad" tour) and the E-Street band twice (once with Nils and once with Nils and Stevie). Great concerts, one of the few I'd pay the asking price for, but you get your money's worth.

--Justin

 

[the G-man]

Big fan since 1980. Still consider the first seven albums the best. Magic was his best since "Born in the USA." I like Nebraska a lot but think it was lightning in a bottle. Didn't care for Tom Joad and actively disliked the Seeger sessions.

I've seen him three times on the following tours: USA, Human Touch, the Rising. All great shows.

Bruce is the one person I would consider paying a scalper a huge sum to sit in the front row for.

 

[indranee]

I'm a huge fan of his earlier stuff but a fan of the man overall. Seen many, many of his performances over the years (first concert in 1980 and met him around then...) ... I think at some point he may have saved my frickin' life even...

ETA. He was always a bit of a brooder. That's nothing new.

 

[Shazam!]

YES

I saw him live at Old Trafford a few years ago. It was awesome. He was siding around the stage on his knees and everything.

 

[Kirby]

I love his stuff up to and including Born in the USA, but after that I kind of lost interest. I still buy his new stuff, but it doesn't affect me like the earlier albums.
I saw him live at Mile High Stadium in October 1985, such an awesome show, hands down my favorite concert.

 

[ToddPence]

Sure, I'm a fan of Springsteen, along with being a fan of about fifty other classic rock bands/artists.

 

[the G-man]

ETA. He was always a bit of a brooder. That's nothing new.

Yeah. I think the difference was that the young brooder was part of the "Street Corner Romeo" persona. He brooded but he was a romantic at heart.

Now it's more of cranky folkie vibe.

Probably a bit natural given that he's a senior citizen now.

Still, if I have a slight complaint about post-River Bruce its that his lyrics got a little too literal. I miss some of those Dylanesque turns of phrase that started to drift away from his writing as he got older.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Love the Boss.

I'm a pretty recent fan, too-- in geologic terms. It all started one day late in 1975 when I went to my friend's house and he put on this brand new record called Born To Run and "Thunder Road" began to play....

 

[Forbin]

Well, I'm a big fan of his early stuff - the Born to Run, Thunder Road, Rosalita era. The cheery songs, for lack of a better word. But for some inexplicable reason I can't stand his later stuff. Some of it's pretty morose.

Well... songs like "Lost in the Flood" and "For You" were pretty grim right on the first album; he's always had that streak in him. My favorite records are probably Darkness on the Edge of Town, The River and Nebraska. I've seen Bruce solo ("Ghost of Tom Joad" tour) and the E-Street band twice (once with Nils and once with Nils and Stevie). Great concerts, one of the few I'd pay the asking price for, but you get your money's worth.

--Justin

See, I don't even remember those songs. I've only been listening to the ones I like on either cassette or CD for decades.

 

[ElBurro]

Yay, Sprinsteen fans!!! Can't help feeling very VERY jealous of those who've seen him live. But, I'm sure I'll get the chance to one day, hopefully soon!

I think he's always been pretty broody, it's just in recent years, he's lost the 'romantic young man' vibe that he had early on. Even some of his cheerier songs are broody, a perfect example being Born in the USA.

 

[Mistral]

I had a friend who gave me some cassettes. I found this one called
"The Wild, The Innocent and The E Street Shuffle"......stayed with the Boss all the way to Born in the USA, buying everything I could find. Then, i guess as someone said earlier-he got too literal and lost his poetry. IMO. But I still listen to Greatest Hits on cd....singing along at the top of my voice!

 

[indranee]

ETA. He was always a bit of a brooder. That's nothing new.

Yeah. I think the difference was that the young brooder was part of the "Street Corner Romeo" persona. He brooded but he was a romantic at heart.

Now it's more of cranky folkie vibe.

Probably a bit natural given that he's a senior citizen now.

Still, if I have a slight complaint about post-River Bruce its that his lyrics got a little too literal. I miss some of those Dylanesque turns of phrase that started to drift away from his writing as he got older.

Yeah, well, he's getting older. I am, too. What can you do?

See, I miss those lyrics he used to write (sure, he was kinda trying too hard, but what the hey... I loved it!):

The flag of piracy flew from my mast, my sails were set wing to wing
I had a jukebox graduate for first mate, she couldn't sail but she sure could sing,
I pushed B-52 and bombed 'em with the blues with my gear set stubborn on standing
I broke all the rules, strafed my old high school, never once gave thought to landing,
I hid in the clouded wrath of the crowd but when they said "Come
down" I threw up...

I think more than anything, he's lost some of that sense of fun. Can't be helped... he's got himself grown kids now... whoever thunk that Bruce'd have grownup kiddies?!

 

[the G-man]

I think he's always been pretty broody, it's just in recent years, he's lost the 'romantic young man' vibe...

Recently? I'd say he lost it by "Tunnel of Love," over 20 years ago.

he got too literal and lost his poetry.

I miss those lyrics he used to write ...I think more than anything, he's lost some of that sense of fun. Can't be helped... he's got himself grown kids now... whoever thunk that Bruce'd have grownup kiddies?!

I agree with both of these two posts. He's still great, especially for a guy his age, but more poetry/fun in the lyrics again, and less literalism/gloom, would nice.

 

[ElBurro]

I think he's always been pretty broody, it's just in recent years, he's lost the 'romantic young man' vibe...

Recently? I'd say he lost it by "Tunnel of Love," over 20 years ago.

Yes, you're right there, actually. I tend not to realise how old the albums are since I bought them all in an 18 month period

And I have to agree with everyone who's saying they want 'fun' Bruce again. Not that I think there's anything wrong with 'broody' Bruce, I just think there was an optimism mixed in with the broody in the early years that gave his music that extra little kick.

 

[C_Miller]

Although anyone who caught him last tour can attest, he was anything but brooding. For better or worse, he was extremely loose and many of the serious songs didn't make it into the setlist for very long. He ended up playing a lot of old school rock covers. Being used to angry Bruce, it was a bit strange, but kind of nice in its own way.