Another aspect of the E Street history that I felt had been lacking in previous accounts was the whys and wherefores of his relationship with label and management, i.e. the general “branding of Bruce” in the aftermath of the dissolution of the Appel management set-up. Tying the strands together required the unstinting help of the redoubtable Debbie Gold, the urbane Dick Wingate and the garrulous Paul Rappaport, all of them mainstays of Springsteen’s transformation from Newsweek cover to bona fide rock star between 1975 and 1980, and none of them interviewed in depth before. Between them, they gave me my own golden triangle. God bless y’all. Leo Hollis, Andreas Campomar and Kevin Doughten were my estimable E Street editors. Fanx ta-ra.
Others who talked to tape included Lenny Kaye, wearing both his rock scribe hat and PSG guitarist, as he regaled me with his own Bruceian anecdotes; Joel Bernstein, wearing his sometime-rock photographer hat, and equally forthcoming about his brief sojourn in Springsteen’s inner circle in 1979–80; and Alan Vega, who recalled his experiences at Power Station in the year he and Springsteen were each engaged on making their first statement of the eighties. Muchas gracias.
Of others who helped, directly and indirectly, connect the dots, one has been this book’s unstinting cheerleader, Erik Flannigan, keeper of a number of keys and general good guy and solid friend. Been a long time since we risked the slings and arrows of a panel at the Badlands Springsteen Convention, huh, Erik? Another old-time Springsteen stalwart, Dan French, agreed to renew our acquaintance and answered many an impertinent query. And Steve Jump at Badlands was, as ever, his irascibly helpful self. Especial thanks for putting me in touch with Stan Goldstein and Jean Mikle, who gave me their own private guided tour of Asbury Park complete with local coloring.
Scott Curran and Nick Carruthers have allowed me to raid their Bruce archives over the years and kept me up-to-date in all things gray. Music librarian extraordinaire Steve Shepherd, as ever, responded to book requests and used his ILL skills on my behalf. Mitch Blank dug into the David Gahr collection at Getty on my solicitous behalf. Kevin Avery kindly provided me with a transcript of his own 2007 interview with Bruce in memoriam of the late, great Paul Nelson, and put me in touch with Paul’s son, Mark, who agreed to allow me access to his father’s audio archives. Brian Magid gave me useful background on the so-called Mike Batlan tapes and the early days. Also, much thanks are due to those who helped me accumulate a Springsteen paper archive of sorts over the years, especially Simon Gee and Craig Wood, whose industrious work in the eighties has gone unacknowledged till now. Pete Russell responded promptly and courteously to queries about information on Brucebase, the online resource which he oversees with remarkable enthusiasm and energy. Finally, thanks to Ed Kazinski, Jeremy Tepper, Robert Duncan, Dan Levy and Chris Phillips for letting me bug you about the tiniest matter. Guys, it’s been a blast…
– Clinton Heylin, June 2012
Selected Bibliography
(i) Unpublished sources
Avery, Kevin—Transcript of interview w/ Bruce Springsteen, August 21, 2007. © Kevin Avery. Used with permission.
Landau, Jon—Memo to Fred Humphrey, 10/26/78.
Nelson, Paul—Interview w/ Bruce Springsteen, December 1972. [audio] © Mark Nelson. Used with permission.
Nelson, Paul—Interview w/ Jon Landau, 1978. [audio] © Mark Nelson. Used with permission.
Sony database of Bruce Springsteen tapes held, as of 2010.
Tannen, Michael—Letter to Dick Wingate, 1/26/77, relaying Springsteen’s instructions re forthcoming tour.
Wingate, Dick—internal CBS memos circa 1977–78 & sales projections for Darkness LP.
(ii) Books
There is no shortage of books on Springsteen, though a bewildering number of these address his apparent blue-collar credentials, the American-ness of his work and “the phenomenon” of his success, carefully circumventing the man and his actual music. Below are the books that I have referred to and referenced (those I have quoted on more than a couple of occasions herein have been given a square bracket “code,” to delineate when I have done so):
Coles, Robert—Bruce Springsteen’s America (Random House, 2003).
Cross, Charles R. & editors of Backstreets—Springsteen: The Man and his Music (Harmony Books, 1989).
Cusic, Don (ed.)—Hank Williams: The Complete Lyrics (St. Martin’s Press, 1993).
Dannen, Fredric—Hit Men: Power Brokers & Fast Money Inside the Music Business (Muller, 1990).
Davis, Clive w/ James Willwerth—Clive: Inside the Record Business (Ballantine Books, 1976).
Elder, Lynn—You Better Not Touch: The Complete Bruce Springsteen Bootleg CD Guide (pp, nd).
Eliot, Marc, w/ Mike Appel—Down Thunder Road: The Making of Bruce Springsteen (Plexus, 1992). [DTR]
Flanagan, Bill—Written In My Soul (Contemporary Books, 1986).
French, Dan—Songs To Orphans (pp, nd).
Gee, Simon—Looking For That Million Dollar Sound (pp, 1986).
George-Warren, Holly & editors of Rolling Stone—Bruce Springsteen: The Rolling Stone Files (Hyperion, 1996). [see section iv for itemized features of note—all of which are contained herein.]
Gilmore, Mikal—Night Beat: A Shadow History of Rock & Roll (Doubleday, 1998).
Gold & Appel (ed.)—Follow That Dream: The Unreleased Lyrics of Bruce Springsteen 1972–1985 (pp, 1987).
Goldsmith, Lynn—PhotoDiary (Rizzoli, 1995).
Goodman, Fred—Mansion on the Hill: Dylan, Young, Geffen, Springsteen…(Times Books, 1997). [MOTH]
Hammond, John Snr. w/ Irving Townsend—John Hammond on Record: An Autobiography (The Ridge Press, 1977).
Heylin, Clinton & Gee, Simon—The E Street Shuffle: Springsteen & The E Street Band In Performance 1972–1988 (pp, 1989).
Heylin, Clinton—Dylan Behind the Shades: The 20th Anniversary Edition (Faber, 2011).
Heylin, Clinton (ed.)—The Penguin Book of Rock & Roll Writing (Penguin, 1992).
Hilburn, Robert—Bruce Springsteen: Born In The USA (Sidgwick & Jackson, 1985).
Himes, Geoffrey—Born In The USA (Continuum Books, 2005).
Humphries, Patrick & Hunt, Chris—Springsteen: Blinded by the Light (Plexus, 1985).
Jones, Allan (ed.)—Springsteen: The Ultimate Music Guide (Uncut, 2010).
Lynch, Kate—Springsteen: No Surrender (Proteus, 1984).
Marsh, Dave—Born To Run: The Bruce Springsteen Story (Dell, 1981). [BTR]
Marsh, Dave—Glory Days: Bruce Springsteen in the 1980s (Pantheon Books, 1987). [GD]
Meyer, Marianne—Bruce Springsteen (Ballantine Books, 1984).
Nobakht, David—Suicide: No Compromise (SAF, 2005).
O’Connor, Flannery—Collected Works (The Library of America, 1988).
Prial, Dunstan—The Producer: John Hammond & the Soul of American Music (Farrar-Strauss, 2006).
Rodenrijs, Jan—Wanted: The Bruce Springsteen Bootleg Guide (pp, 1994).
Rodenrijs, Jan—Wanted: The Bruce Springsteen Bootleg Guide Vol. 2 (pp, 1995).
Sandford, Christopher—Springsteen Point Blank (Warner Books, 1999). [PB]
Sawyer, June Skinner (ed.)—Racing In The Street: The Bruce Springsteen Reader (Penguin, 2004). [see also section (iv) for itemized features of note—marked RITS]
Scaduto, Anthony—Bob Dylan: An Intimate Biography (Grosset & Dunlap, 1971).
Shelton, Robert—No Direction Home (NEL, 1986).
Smith, Larry David—Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen & American Song (Praeger, 2002).
Springsteen, Bruce—Songs (Avon Books, 1998).
Stewart, Michael—Bruce Springsteen (Star Books, 1985).
Sweeting, Adam—Springsteen: Visions of America (Holborn Group, 1985).
Whitburn, Joel (ed.)—The Billboard Book of Top Forty Albums (Billboard Books, 1995).
Yetnikoff, Walter w/ David Ritz—Howling at the Moon: Confessions of a Music Mogul in an Age of Excess (Abacus, 2004).
(iii) Fanzines (in chronological order)
Thu
nder Road [US]—5 issues, February 1978–1980.
Candy’s Room [UK]—7 issues, Summer 1980–1985.
Point Blank [UK]—11 issues, 1980–1988.
Backstreets [US]—90 issues to date, 198[2]–present.
Wanted [Holland]—5 issues, December 1997–December 1999.
For True Rockers Only [UK]—20 issues, 1989–1996.
The Ties That Bind [UK]—14 issues, 1996–1999.
(iv) Magazine articles
For a full magazine bibliography, I would refer readers to the online listings for the Bruce Springsteen collection previously housed at the Asbury Park Library, and recently removed to Monmouth College [www.brucespringsteenspecialcollection.net] Items in bold highlight interviews with Springsteen himself:
???—Interview w/ Southside Johnny, MM 8/15/81.
Anon.—“The Lost Interviews Part One,” Swedish interview w/ Bruce Springsteen, 11/75, Backstreets #57 [Winter 1997].
Anon.—1986 Folk/Rock interview w/ Jon Landau [translation by Chantal Constant], Backstreets #21. [Summer 1987].
Ahrens, Susan—Interview w/ Bruce Springsteen, Good Times, February 1975.
Allan, Steven—Interview w/ Suki Lahav, Backstreets #16 [Winter/Spring 1986].
Altman, Billy—Review of The River, Creem 1/81.
Backstreets (eds.)—“Rockin’ All Over the World,” Report on overseas leg of BITUSA tour, Backstreets #14. [Summer 1985].
Backstreets (eds.)—“Superbruce,” Report on final US leg of BITUSA tour, Backstreets #15 [Fall 1985].
Backstreets (eds.)—“This Is Not a Dark Ride,” Tunnel of Love Express report, Backstreets #25 [Summer 1988].
Backstreets (eds.)—“Walk Like a Man,” Tunnel of Love Express report II, Backstreets #26 [Fall 1988].
Bangs, Lester—Review of Greetings, Rolling Stone 7/5/73.
Bangs, Lester—Review of Born To Run, Creem 11/75.
Berman, Marshall—“Blowin’ Away The Lies,” Village Voice 12/9/86.
Bohn, Chris—Review of Nebraska, NME 9/25/82.
Bream, Jon—Interview w/ Bruce Springsteen, Creem 1/85.
Bull, Debby—Review of BITUSA, Rolling Stone 7/19/84.
Bull, Debby—“Bruce In The Heartland,” Rolling Stone 6/18/84.
Burchill, Julie—Review of The River, NME 10/11/80.
Cain, Barry—Interview w/ Bruce Springsteen, Record Mirror 11/25/78.
Carr, Roy—Review of Born To Run, NME 9/6/75.
Carr, Roy—“The Album You Won’t Hear,” NME 12/22/79.
Carr, Roy—“Jimmy Iovine & the Gentle Art of Production,” NME 11/24/79.
Carr, Roy—Interview w/ Steve Van Zandt, NME 11/20/82.
Cocks, Jay—“The Backstreet Phantom of Rock,” interview w/ Bruce Springsteen, Time 10/27/75.
Cohen, Mitch—Review of Darkness, Creem 9/78.
Coleman, Ray—Interview w/ Bruce Springsteen, Melody Maker 11/15/75.
Connelly, Christopher—Preview of Nebraska, Rolling Stone 10/14/82.
Cook, Richard—“A Love Supreme,” Sounds 7/2/88.
Cross, Charles R.—Interview w/ Southside Johnny, Backstreets #12 [Winter 1985].
Cross, Charles R. & Flannigan, Erik—“Get Up Stand Up,” Backstreets #27 [Winter 1989].
Cross, Charles R.—“Hiding on the Back of the Sheet,” Backstreets #57 [Winter 1997].
Dadomo, Giovanni—“Bruce in Boots,” review of Fire on the Fingertips, Sounds 1979.
Dawson, Walter—Interview w/ Bruce Springsteen, Memphis Commercial Appeal 7/16/78.
Deevoy, Adrian, Transcript of St. Paul press conference 7/1/84, [???].
DiMartino, Dave—Interview w/ Bruce Springsteen, Creem 1/81.
Du Noyer, Paul—Review of Wembley Arena show, NME 6/6/81.
Duncan, Robert—Interview w/ Bruce Springsteen, Creem 1/76.
Duncan, Robert—“Bruce Springsteen’s Longest Season,” Creem 4/77.
Duncan, Robert—Interview w/ Bruce Springsteen, Creem 10/78.
Emerson, Ken—Review of The Wild, The Innocent, Rolling Stone 1/31/74.
Fielder, Hugh—Review of Wembley Arena show, Sounds 6/6/81.
Flanagan, Bill—Interview w/ Bruce Springsteen, Musician November 1984.
Flippo, Chet—Interview w/ Bruce Springsteen 8/84. Time Out 9–5/15/85.
Franklin, Linda—“So How Does It Feel to Marry The Boss?,” ???
Fricke, David—Review of Live 75—85, Rolling Stone 1/15/87.
“Genie, Eugene”—“Funky Punk Bruce Slays L.A.,” NME 10/25/75.
Gilbert, Jerry—Interview w/ Bruce Springsteen, Sounds 3/16/74.
Gilbert, Jerry—Interview w/ Bruce Springsteen, Zigzag #45 [September 1974].
Gilbert, Jerry—Review of Born To Run, Sounds 9/13/75.
Gilmore, Mikal—Interview w/ Bruce Springsteen, Rolling Stone 11/5/87.
Gilmore, Mikal—“Voice of the Decade,” Rolling Stone 11/15/90.
Grabel, Richard—Review of Meadowlands gig, Sounds 9/1/84.
Hagen, Mark—Interview w/ Bruce Springsteen, Mojo #62 [January 1999].
Henke, James—Interview w/ Bruce Springsteen, Rolling Stone 8/6/92.
Henke, Jim—Interview w/ Bruce Springsteen, Backstreets #89 [Summer 2010].
Hepworth, David—Interview w/ Bruce Springsteen, Q #71 [August 1992].
Hewitt, Paolo—Review of The River, Melody Maker [10/11/80].
Hewitt, Paolo—Interview w/ Bruce Springsteen, Melody Maker 5/9/81.
Hewitt, Paolo—Review of Wembley Arena show, MM 6/[6]/81.
Hewitt, Paolo—Review of Nebraska, Melody Maker [9/25/82].
Hilburn, Robert—Interview w/ Bruce Springsteen, Melody Maker 8/24/74 & Thunder Road #1.
Hilburn, Robert—Interview w/ Bruce Springsteen, LA Times 7/2/78.
Hilburn, Robert—Review of Nebraska, LA Times 9/19/82.
Hogan, Peter—“Tunnel Vision,” MM 7/2/88.
Humphries, Patrick—Review of Manchester Apollo show, MM 5/23/81.
Humphries, Patrick—Review of Nebraska, World Music 9/21/82.
Irwin, Colin—Interview w/ Warren Zevon, MM 1980.
Katz, Robin—Interview w/ Bruce Springsteen, Street Life 11/1–14/75.
Kent, Nick—Review of No Nukes, NME 12/22/79.
Kirkup, Martin—Interview w/ Bruce Springsteen, Sounds 8/31/74.
Kent, Nick—“Springsteen: Forged Passports To A Promised Land,” NME 7/4/81.
Knobler, Peter—“Who Is Bruce Springsteen…?,” interview w/ Bruce Springsteen, Crawdaddy 3/73. [RITS]
Knobler, Peter—“Running On The Backstreets,” Crawdaddy 10/75.
Knobler, Peter—“Wounded in the Badlands,” review of Darkness, Crawdaddy 8/78.
Knobler, Peter—Interview w/ Bruce Springsteen, Crawdaddy 10/78.
Kubernik, Harvey—“Springsteen: re-born & running again,” MM 5/27/78.
Leyland, Don—Interview w/ Bruce Springsteen, Sounds 10/18/75.
Loder, Kurt—Interview w/ Bruce Springsteen, Rolling Stone 12/6/84.
Lombardi, John—“Saint Boss,” Esquire December 1988.
Mann, Billy—“The Final Screw?,” review of Live 75–85, Sounds 11/15/86.
Marcus, Greil—“Between Rock and A Hard Place,” New West 7/2/79.
Marcus, Greil—Review of Born To Run, Rolling Stone 10/9/75.
Marcus, Greil—“The Man Who Would Save Rock & Roll,” NME 2/28/81.
Marsh, Dave—Review of Greetings, Creem 5/73.
Marsh, Dave—“Walk Tall…Or Don’t Walk At All,” Creem 10/74.
Marsh, Dave—Review of the Bottom Line residency, Rolling Stone 9/25/75.
Marsh, Dave—“Little Egypt from Asbury Park,” Creem 10/75.
Marsh, Dave—Review of Darkness, Rolling Stone 7/27/78.
Marsh, Dave—“Bruce Raises Cain,” Rolling Stone 8/24/78.
Marsh, Dave—Interview w/ Bruce Springsteen, Musician 2/81.
Martin, Gavin—Review of Live 75–85, NME 11/15/86.
Martin, Gavin—Interview w/ Bruce Springst
een, NME 3/9/96.
McGee, David—“Springsteen at New School,” Record World 12/25/76.
McGee, David—“Bruce Springsteen reclaims the future,” Rolling Stone 8/11/77.
McGee, David—“Little Steven on Main Street, USA,” Record September 1984.
McGee, David—“Blinded By The Hype,” NME 7/18/87.
McLeese, Don—Interview w/ Bruce Springsteen, Record World October 1984.
Meltzer, Richard—“The Meaning of Bruce,” in Penguin Book of Rock and Roll Writing.
Meola, Eric—In Conversation with Mike Appel, Backstreets #90 [Winter 2011/12].
Mitchell, Greg—Interview w/ Bruce Springsteen, Sounds 9/6/75.
Morley, Paul—“The Springsteen Syndrome,” NME 10/6/79.
Murray, Charles Shaar—Review of Greetings From Asbury Park & The Wild, The Innocent, NME 2/1/75.
Murray, Charles Shaar—“The Sprucing of the Springbean,” NME 10/11/75.
Nelson, Paul—“Is Springsteen Worth The Hype?,” Village Voice 8/25/75.
Nelson, Paul—“Springsteen Fever,” Rolling Stone 7/13/78.
Nelson, Paul—Review of The River, Rolling Stone 11/12/80.
Nesin, Jeff—Review of Born In The USA, Creem 9/84.
O’Grady, Lorraine—“A Critic’s Look at Bruce Springsteen,” Playback 2/74.
Orth, Maureen—“Making of a Rock Star,” Newsweek 10/27/75.
Parsons, Tony—“Blinded By the Hype,” NME 10/9/76.
Parsons, Tony—“Bruce Is the Word,” NME 10/14/78.
Percy, Will—Interview w/ Bruce Springsteen, Double Take Spring 1998. [RITS]
Phillips, Christopher—“Guitar Man: The Nils Lofgren Interview,” Backstreets #74 [Spring/Summer 2002].
Phillips, Christopher—Interview w/ Bruce Springsteen, Backstreets #80 [Summer/Fall 2004].
Phillips, Christopher—Interview w/ Bruce Springsteen, Backstreets #87 [Spring 2008].
Pond, Steve—Review of Nebraska, Rolling Stone 10/28/82.
Pond, Steve—Review of Tunnel of Love, Rolling Stone 12/3/87.
E Street Shuffle: The Glory Days of Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band Page 39
