Springsteen Esquire Replica 10 Avenue Freezeout on E Street

An eight-foot high replica of Bruce Springsteen’s legendary Fender Esquire guitar is now on display at the corner of 10th Avenue and E Street in Belmar.

The guitar was made by Bob Mataranglo of Lakewood and commissioned by the Belmar Tourism Commission.

“We worked on it for over a month. It was supposed to be installed in May but that was delayed,” said Mataranglo. “Then when Clarence Clemons died, we decided to wait a little longer.”

Two years ago, Mataranglo painted an E Street mural on the second floor of a building on the northwest corner of Main Street and 10th Avenue in Belmar.

“After doing the mural, the Belmar Tourism Commission approached me about doing something on the corner of 10th Avenue and E Street, on the library lawn,” he said.

The intersection has been long associated with Springsteen since it is the E Street that Bruce got the name for his E Street Band. It has been a photo-op for years for Springsteen fans from around the world.

Original E Street Band keyboard player David Sancious lived at 1105 E Street in the 1970s.

Many believe that it’s the 10th Avenue from “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out” but others, including myself, believe that song refers to 10th Avenue in Manhattan.

“I saw the guitar on the cover of ‘Born to Run’ and thought that would be something to work on,” said Mataranglo. “There was a group of us and we brainstormed about the imagery.

“I discussed with them about doing something specific. It was a generic thing, we wanted it to be subtle but without question.

“I did some research and found the particular model of the Fender Esquire guitar.”

Mataranglo worked with his friend Denia Naleta on a design.

“He and I met several times,” said Mataranglo. “I have an engineering background and we designed a method of holding it in place.

“The town installed what we built on Tuesday. They installed the concrete and designed a method of holding it up.”

Mataranglo credits Mary Brabazon of the Belmar Tourism Commission and Chamber of Commerce and Chris Brandl of the Belmar Tourism Commission with making the idea a reality.

“They were the key people from the city,” Mataranglo said. “They helped with the funding, the location, the coordination between the library and the department of public works.”
Photo by Kevin MaypotherBob Mataranglo poses with the guitar he made in front of the Belmar Public Library.

Mataranglo said the work was paid for by the Belmar Tourism Commission but would not disclose the amount.

According to Mataranglo, the guitar is 8 feet high, made of laminated, half-inch marine-grade plywood with stainless steel pieces and strings. It sits two feet off the ground welded to a stainless steel support, embedded in concrete. It weights about 150 pounds and has six layers of coatings.

“I am so thrilled to be a part of it,” he said. “When we were putting it in on Tuesday, a father and son from Germany showed up and they took pictures in front of it.

“Words can’t describe how you feel when you do an art piece like this and people come up and take pictures, People were so complimentary.”

Mataranglo says the guitar was aligned so it can be in the foreground or the background of a photo with the 10th Avenue and E Street obelisk.

Mataranglo is a Springsteen fan, “but I’m not a zealot.

Photo by Stan GoldsteinThe Belmar library is giving away buttons commemorating the display of the Fender Esquire guitar.

“Bruce Springsteen is one of the reasons to be proud of why you’re living in New Jersey,” he said.

Does Mataranglo hope Springsteen sees it?

“I would hope he would be happy and pleased to see it and that someone spent a portion of their life doing something in his honor,” he said.

As far as security of the guitar, Mataranglo says “it’s secured in such a fashion that it would have to be destroyed to be taken away.”

To commemorate the guitar, the Belmar library and Tourism Commission are giving away buttons with a picture of the guitar on it.

Clarence Clemons Remembered By His Wife Victoria

Clemons was getting ready to go back on the road with the E Street Band when he passed away

By Andy Greene
July 21, 2011 12:20 PM ET Clarence Clemons and his wife Victoria Clemons Gary Gershoff/WireImageThe new issue of Rolling Stone, on stands and available through Rolling Stone All Access on July 22nd, contains an in-depth tribute to Clarence Clemons, who died on June 18th. In the piece, Clemons’ widow Victoria shares her memories of life with the Big Man. Here is the complete e-mail interview with Victoria Clemons.

Remembering Clarence Clemons: His Life and Career in Photos
How did you meet Clarence?
We met in Mill Valley, California at the Piazza D’ Angelo restaurant. He walked in, saw me and said: “Thank you for bringing beauty into my day,” and handed me a flower. He never left. Clarence was old school. He sent white roses to me every day. Even after he left town, the roses never stopped coming in. He came back in about a month later. That is when our love story became reality. He brought beauty and meaning into my life.

What initially drew you to him?
I saw his soul and his spirit deep inside his eyes. I knew then he came for me. He was real, he was humble and as sweet as any person can be and I was very attracted to that.

I spoke to him in February and he told me that the last Springsteen tour was “pure hell” because of his many ailments. What drove him to stay on the tour despite the pain?
He would always say: “My purpose in life is to bring joy to people all over the world through my music.” He was music. To him, life without the ability to play his sax was similar to death. His spirituality also helped him enjoy his life, despite his multiple ailments. He pushed himself every step of the way, every day out of the four years we were together. He was a compilation of love, strength, wisdom, willpower and spirituality.

He also seemed overjoyed to be on the Lady Gaga record. Is that accurate?
I saw it coming. The phone rings on a Friday afternoon: “Lady Gaga wants you in Manhattan tonight at her studio.” We started packing right after he hung up the phone. We barely made the last flight out of Ft. Lauderdale that night. We arrived in New York at midnight. By 3:00 a.m. they recorded three songs together. I remember Gaga saying, “Oh, my God, I might need to move to another planet . . .” Everybody was absolutely ecstatic. To me, Clarence’s sound brought so much soul and power to the songs they recorded. He was so honored to be part of it.

Bruce Springsteen on Clarence Clemons: ‘His Loss is Immeasurable’
What were his experiences like on American Idol and filming the video with Gaga?
Clarence thought his collaboration with Lady Gaga was a new highlight of his professional life. She took him to “The Edge of Glory.” On the set, Gaga grabbed Clarence’s hands, looked into his eyes and said: “I believe in you seven days of the week, not just five.” I will never forget that. He needed to hear those words to get through the night. He loved Gaga dearly.

What was he like offstage? I mean, the only Clarence that most people knew was the Clarence playing the sax on “Badlands” and other Bruce songs. What was he like the 99.5 percent of his time when he wasn’t doing that?
When Clarence wasn’t out blowing his sax, he really was a homebody. We did enjoy going on fishing trips, but at home he liked to cook, watch movies and smoke cigars. He loved to watch sports, especially NBA basketball and the NFL (his teams were the Miami Heat, and both the Dolphins and the Jets). He played golf in his imagination. He broke 100 every time. He liked to help around the house too. A couple of his chores were to fold laundry and wash the large broiling pans. He put a lot of “elbow grease” into washing those pans. For the four years that I was with him he wasn’t able to walk without crutches. We enjoyed our life together without taking romantic walks on the beach or in the park. It worked for us . . . Clarence had physical therapy three times a week. His therapist Mike inspired him. Clarence came back stronger physically and emotionally every time. My husband had a routine that, as his wife, I had to learn. I served him breakfast in bed every day of the week. His favorite breakfast was Russian pancakes. He was an original guy who appreciated things from original sources: authentic cuisine, Italian wine and cheese, Cuban cigars etc.

Clarence was very peaceful. People that talked too much annoyed him. Often he would ask me to lie next to him and just be in a moment. He often recorded voice memos of his thoughts and melodies that he developed in his head while driving, cooking, watching TV, etc. Clarence was the same person under any circumstance – always kind and generous. He was the most giving person I’ve ever met. In our relationship, it translated into the most caring husband and lover.

I’m sorry if this is painful to remember, but how did he spend his final days before the stroke?
Clarence was getting himself ready to go back on tour with the E Street Band. He lost 20 pounds. He was motivated and driven by the opportunity to play his sax again. He was working on a couple of his own projects: a one-man Broadway show and a movie about himself. Recently his friend Bob asked him: “What is the movie about?” Clarence replied: “About me. You have to write about something great!”

Shortly before the stroke, Clarence lost sensation in his index finger and his thumb. He had carpal tunnel surgery performed. He was seriously concerned about the ability to play sax again. He had his cell phone silenced for a few days. He only spoke with a few people. He talked to Bruce several times a day. He learned something new about Bruce that week that he never knew. It made Clarence very happy. Clarence and I spent the last week of his life cooking, going out to dinner and watching movies on Netflix.

How did he keep such a sunny and joyful exterior when he was enduring such chronic pain?
His spirit was stronger than physical pain. He compared himself to a mule that his grandfather used to have on a farm. He would tell me how strong and powerful the beast was. There was nothing he wouldn’t be able to endure.

I know he liked to fish. Tell me about some of his other hobbies.
He was such a connoisseur. He loved to cook. One of his favorite meals was Cornish hen with “Old Bay” spice and corn on a cob. He shared his passion for cooking with me. We enjoyed spending time with our friends and family. He loved to tell jokes too. He was really funny! His favorite music was Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. E Street radio was always on whenever we took a ride in a car. Clarence collected unique cars: 1978 Rolls Royce Cornish, Twin Star Cadillac, etc. He collected scented candles, candle holders and teddy bears. His favorite teddy bear was “Puggs.” I called him “Bugs” to make him laugh. He took him on tour. Clarence enjoyed taking a long, hot, salt baths. He loved heat. His comfort indoor temperature was 80 degrees. He couldn’t tolerate cold at all. The only water Clarence consumed was Fiji. He made no exceptions.

How would you describe his relationship with Bruce?
He admired and loved Bruce as his friend, lifetime partner, his boss and his brother. Bruce’s phone calls and text messages would make Clarence very happy. He would always let me know that Bruce called him and smile inside. Clarence had tremendous respect for the Boss. He called him “Genius.”

In February, Clarence told me about his spiritual teacher Sri Chinmoy. How was important was religion/spirituality in Clarence’s life?
Clarence’s spirituality was a key to his love, friendships and music. It came across everything he did and anyone he ever encountered. You couldn’t help to love him for everything he was.

Springsteen said this in his eulogy: “C” never approached anything linearly, life never proceeded in a straight line. He never went A… B….C… D. It was always A… J… C… Z… Q… I…! That was the way Clarence lived and made his way through the world. I know that can lead to a lot of confusion and hurt.” What exactly did he mean by all that?
My interpretation of that is that Clarence had many sides to him. He could embark on myriad projects at the same time. He had so much going on at any given moment of his life. He got divorced, got married, wrote a bestselling book, had a bilateral knee replacement surgery, started a two-year tour with Bruce and bought a house during the year of 2008. Most people don’t experience that in their lifetime. Clarence didn’t have stereotypes. He loved to experiment. He was married to women from five different continents.

How would you like the world to remember Clarence?
Clarence Clemons was an exceptional person whose dedication to his family, friends, his band and his wife had no boundaries. He loved passionately. He lived his life like he played his sax – without holding back. He undoubtedly was one of the most genuine human beings that ever put his footprint on this planet. He became bigger than life. His soul broke free when his body couldn’t tolerate another struggle. He moved on to another dimension.

Bruce Springsteen Plays a 45-minute Set at the Wonder Bar in Asbury Park on Sunday Night

Bruce Springsteen joined J.T. Bowen and the Soul Cruisers for a 45-minute set at the Wonder Bar in Asbury Park on Sunday night as part of a “Tribute to the Late, Great Clarence Clemons.”

Bowen was the lead singer of Clemons’ band, The Red Bank Rockers, in the 1980s.

Clarence’s son, Nick Clemons, opened the evening playing with his band. The Soul Cruisers then came out to play a nice set and when they came back on for the second set where they were joined by Bowen.

Midway through the second set, they played a nice version of “You’re a Friend of Mine” and Springsteen came over to the side of the stage to watch.

Bowen then called Springsteen up to play at 9 p.m., it was the first time Bruce has performed in public (outside of Clemons’ private memorial service) since Clarence’s passing on June 18.

Springsteen said “I wore the wrong shirt!” as he took the stage, alluding to the fact that the Soul Cruisers, who include four horn players and four singers, are dressed all in red and blue.

Springsteen broke into his own “Action in the Streets” a song he used to perform with the E Street Band in 1976 and 1977. It’s a great song to play with a horn section.

The song has not been played live by Springsteen since a March 25, 1977 show by Bruce and the E Street Band at the Music Hall in Boston.

Next up was the song “Savin’ Up” which was written by Springsteen and a song Clemons used to perform with the Red Bank Rockers.

It was on Clarence Clemons and the Red Bank Rockers’ 1983 album “Rescue.”

Also performed were a bunch of soulful covers: “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg,” “Sweet Soul Music,” “Shake,” and “You Can’t Sit Down.”

Another highlight was “Raise Your Hand” a song Springsteen has performed many times with the E Street Band. Bruce really kicked into high gear on this one, jamming away on the guitar.

“Knock on Wood” followed and they finished with a long version of “634-5789″ a song Bruce has performed at several private benefits for his childrens’ schools at the Stone Pony over the past few years.

Springsteen looked like he was having a great time on stage and that he has missed playing live.

At one point he told the Soul Cruisers he wanted to changed the key of the song, and he kept laughing when things didn’t quite work out the way he wanted it to.

“I keep (messing) up the Soul Cruisers,” Bruce said.

The last time he played in Asbury Park was on April 2 when he joined Nicky Addeo at the Wonder Bar for a few songs.

Sunday night’s show ended at 9:45 p.m.

The 400 people at the Wonder Bar saw another legendary night of music in Asbury Park.

Bruce Springsteen Performs at NJ Clemons Tribute

The Associated Press

Published: Monday, Jul. 18, 2011 – 4:30 am

ASBURY PARK, N.J. — Bruce Springsteen returned to his musical roots to remember a friend.

Springsteen performed a 45-minute set during a “Tribute to the Late, Great Clarence Clemons” at Asbury Park’s Wonder Bar Sunday night.

Clemons and Springsteen were friends for more than four decades.

Springsteen joined J.T. Bowen, who was the lead singer of Clemons’ band in the 1980s, The Red Bank Rockers. Bowen was singing with The Soul Cruisers when he called Springsteen to the stage.

The Star-Ledger of Newark reports Springsteen kicked things off with “Action in the Streets.”

The set ended with a long version of “634-5789.”

The E Street Band saxophonist, who was known as the Big Man, died of stroke complications on June 18. He was 69.

Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2011/07/18/3776456/bruce-springsteen-performs-at.html#ixzz1SSXavwpU

Springsteen Role Model for Superman?

An upcoming relaunch of DC’s ‘Action Comics’ will feature a new-look Superman modeled after Bruce Springsteen, says the comic book’s writer.

Grant Morrison, who has penned the No. 1 issue of new ‘Action Comics’ series, says Springsteen’s blue-collar look was a big inspiration when conceiving the Man of Steel’s new look.

“He’s wearing jeans and a T-shirt — a Bruce Springsteen version of Superman,” explains Morrison to Metro UK. “That’s the angle we’re taking. The cape’s still indestructible but the rest is picked up in a shop.”

Morrison also adds that the Superman/Clark Kent character will have philosophical ideals that are similar to the ones that Springsteen champions in his music.

“I want to make Superman a more contemporary character,” he reveals. “We’ll be changing how he looks, dresses and behaves. He’ll be more like the Superman who appeared in 1938 – more socially active and a champion of the oppressed.”

The No. 1 issue of the updated ‘Action Comics‘ will hit stores Sept. 7. Superman first appeared in the original ‘Action Comics’ No. 1, which came out in 1938.

Boss! Pitcher identified from Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Glory Days’

By David Brown
Trying to choose a favorite Bruce Springsteen song might be like trying to pick a favorite child. The internal dialogue could go on for decades.

Picking the best Springsteen video, however, takes no time at all. For me, it’s “Glory Days” and it’s not even close. The video not only includes footage of the Boss acting as a laboring, pile-driving husband, but it also shows BOTH lead guitarists from the E-Street Band (Nils Lofgren and Little Steven Van Zandt).

And it has REAL baseball footage from the 1984 or 1985 major league seasons. Dwight Gooden, back when the New York Mets were cool, striking out two Cincinnati Reds!

The tune obviously is catchy — practically instantly memorizable. It begins:

I had a friend was a big baseball player back in high school
He could throw that speedball by you
Make you look like a fool boy
Saw him the other night at this roadside bar
I was walking in, he was walking out
We went back inside sat down had a few drinks
but all he kept talking about was …

One prominent question about “Glory Days” has remained, even 26 years after its release: Was the “speedball pitcher” the Boss sang about a real person?

Thanks to a story in the New York Times written by Kevin Coyne — who, like the Boss, grew up in Freehold, N.J. — we know the pitcher was a real fellow indeed.

I finally found out at a reunion we held recently for our Little League’s 60th anniversary — not from Springsteen, who did not come, but from Dick Enderly, once a fine schoolboy pitcher, who had put the question to Springsteen at their 30th high school reunion in 1997, and received the answer.

“Joe DePugh,” Enderly told me. “I got it straight from the horse’s mouth.”

DePugh, the oldest of six brothers, was a star Little League pitcher and a teammate of Springsteen’s in the Babe Ruth League. A joint assessment of their comparative baseball skills led to DePugh’s affectionate nickname for Springsteen, a right fielder: Saddie.

Coyne’s neat tale opens with Springsteen and DePugh bumping into each other outside of a bar in New Jersey years after they had lost touch as childhood friends — just like in “Glory Days.” The chance meeting came more than a decade before the song hit the airwaves and MTV.

So, how did DePugh react to becoming immortal on vinyl once the song came out?

He and Springsteen had lost touch again after their brief reunion in ’73. At first, DePugh didn’t believe it when a friend named Scott Wright told him about a song he heard on the radio.

“He told me, ‘Springsteen has a new album out, and there’s a song on there about you,’ ” DePugh said. ” ‘It’s exactly the story you told me.’ “

DePugh was skeptical, so Wright called a radio station in Montpelier, Vt., and requested the song.

“My wife starts bawling,” DePugh said. “That’s how I knew exactly that it was me.”

The story spread slowly among his friends in Vermont and, when DePugh was 50, he was recruited to join a baseball league for older men.

“When I showed up for the first practice that summer,” he said, “these guys would come up to me and feel the sleeve of my shirt, and say: ‘Oh, you’re real. We thought you were a legend.’ I pitched the whole season that year and ended up with a 0.00 earned run average.”

Ah, it all comes back to baseball.

The song and video aren’t about baseball per sé, but “Glory Days” does use the sport as a metaphor and a vehicle for the wistful regret of days gone by, innocence lost, wonder about paths taken and not taken, etc. It can be an exhilarating listen, but also kind of depressing if you let it be.

Gooden’s appearance — awesome for a baseball fan in 1985 — is a little arresting, so to speak, years later. (Now, if only Wezen-Ball would identify which specific game the Mets-Reds footage is from. Oh, well.)

Springsteen’s video didn’t limit the MLB references to his hometown-ish team. At the end, he and a kid wearing a Detroit Tigers cap talk about Graig Nettles (then of the Padres) taking Springsteen deep. In Bruce’s dreams.

Ah, the glory days. It’s good to know that DePugh didn’t wind up some washed-up lush, hoping to catch a glimpse of rock stars on their way out of local bars. His life has had its ups and downs, though.

• He got a tryout with the Dodgers, but didn’t make the cut.

• He earned an English degree from King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., but his parents had died by the time he graduated so he needed to become legal guardian for his two youngest brothers.

• He couldn’t find permanent work as a teacher, so he became a self-employed contractor and moved to Vermont.

• He and Springsteen have seen each other twice in the past few years, at emotional restaurant gatherings in New Jersey.
As for Springsteen … Hey, whatever happened to that guy?
Follow Dave on Twitter — @AnswerDave — and engage the Stew on Facebook

The Big Man, Much More Than Springsteen’s Sideman

Clarence Clemons opened holes for Emmerson Boozer at Maryland State

By WILLIAM C. RHODEN

Published: July 9, 2011
As the hard-charging, flashily dressed tenor saxophonist in Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, Clarence Clemons achieved legendary status as a master musician and performer.

An Appraisal: The Big Man, Much More Than Springsteen’s Sideman (June 20, 2011)

Bob Child/Associated Press

Clarence Clemons played tenor sax with Bruce Springsteen and his E Street Band.

But it wasn’t until the Big Man died last month at age 69 that I learned that we had something in common: we both played football for historically black colleges that were fierce, but friendly, rivals.

Clemons played football for Maryland State in Princess Anne; I played at Morgan State in Baltimore. We missed each other by about seven years.

Clemons is known worldwide as Springsteen’s sideman, but as a 6-foot-4, 250-pound offensive lineman at Maryland State, Clemons was Emerson Boozer’s sidekick. Boozer was a star running back there, and later with the Jets. He was a class behind Clemons, who came to Maryland State in 1960, but they quickly forged a close relationship.

“We were good friends,” Boozer said during a recent phone interview. “Running backs tend to gravitate to the linemen; they become your best buds, those are your protectors. They’re the ones who are going to help you move the ball up and down the field.”

Even as a freshman, Boozer said he recognized that Clemons had a gift for music and an unwavering commitment to mastering the horn. Boozer would often go to Clemons’s local gigs. “Even though I met him as a football player, he took his music more seriously than football,” Boozer said.

Even during the summer, when the team practiced twice daily, Clemons put in an additional session with the sax.

“That horn was always an integral part of his day; he didn’t put the head down to bed without tampering with that horn,” Boozer said. “He was serious about his music.”

Clemons was not a prankster, but Boozer said he liked adventure and a good time. Once, at Clemons’s suggestion, Boozer and another teammate, an offensive lineman named Bob Taylor, jumped into Clemons’s beat-up Chevy and joined him on the five-hour drive to New York from Princess Anne to attend the World’s Fair.

Boozer says he remembers the trip as if it were yesterday. They had enough money among them for tolls and gas “and maybe two dollars extra.”

Clemons assured them that everything was cool because he had relatives in Queens who would provide food and shelter.

Wrong.

“We get there, and his aunt said, ‘Where’d you get these big old boys from?’ ” Boozer said. He still laughs when he recalls the misadventure. “She said they didn’t have enough food to feed us, let alone a place to sleep. We slept in Clarence’s car for the weekend.

“Clarence slept in the house; Bob and I ate bologna and saltine crackers.”

And after all of that, they never got in to see the World’s Fair.

No money.

“We were looking for some place to sneak in, but never could,” Boozer said. “Hey, we were young. That’s what you do when you’re young.”

And you dream.

Clemons eventually left Maryland State to pursue his music career. The college, now called Maryland Eastern Shore, presented him with an honorary doctorate last year. Clemons was scheduled for a tryout with the Cleveland Browns in 1968 but sustained injuries in a car accident the day before.

Boozer, of course, had a stellar professional career.

Boozer said the last time he saw Clemons face to face was about 1971 at a restaurant on Wall Street. Clemons spoke excitedly about being on the verge of a major breakthrough. Boozer says he also remembers that conversation as if it were yesterday.

“I asked him what he was doing, and he told me that he had met a blue-eyed soul brother who was going to make him a lot of money,” Boozer said. “I asked him what he meant, and he said that he had met a young fella who could really sing, who stirs the crowd, gets them all involved. He said write this down and don’t forget it: Bruce Springsteen.”

Clemons joined Springsteen a year later, and they forged a deep-rooted relationship that lasted until the Big Man’s death.

Boozer followed his former teammate’s incredible music career, which included legendary performances with Springsteen and hit records.

Boozer was at an alumni golf fund-raiser at Maryland Eastern Shore when he learned that Clemons had had a stroke. By the time Boozer returned to his Long Island home, Clemons was dead.

Asked how he took the news, Boozer, who celebrated his 68th birthday July 4, was philosophic.

“Naturally, it saddens you a little, but I’ve gotten to the point where death doesn’t sadden me too much because I know that we’re not here forever,” Boozer said. “We’re only here for a span of time, and no matter how you go, that was your time span. You accept it and move on.”

The Big Man is gone, but he leaves a rich and timeless legacy. How many musicians can say they opened holes for Emerson Boozer? How many offensive lineman can say they blazed a trail with Bruce Springsteen?

Either way you play it, that’s a life well lived.

E-mail: wcr@nytimes.com

This Day in Music Spotlight: Bruce Springsteen’s American Dream

Bryan Wawzenek  07.07.2011

Special thanks to ThisDayinMusic.com.

There are few stylistic changes more jarring than the one Bruce Springsteen made between 1982’s Nebraska and 1984’s Born in the U.S.A. The first is essentially an album of demos, recorded without the E Street Band; the second is as pop-oriented as “the Boss” ever got, with the addition of synthesizers and bright, radio-friendly arrangements. While some have seen Born (which went to #1 on the Billboard charts on this day in ’84) as a reaction to the starkness of Nebraska, the fact is that many of the songs on both albums were written – and even recorded – concurrently. You could say that these two wildly different works are something akin to two halves of a whole. Born in the U.S.A.’s famous title track actually dates back to 1981, when Springsteen was asked to write a song for a Paul Schrader film tentatively titled Born in the U.S.A. (which later came out in 1987 as Light of Day). Bruce had been working on a song called “Vietnam,” and incorporated some features of that tune into a new one, which took its title from the film. He recorded a stripped-down, non-anthemic version of “Born in the U.S.A.” and nearly included it on Nebraska, but left it off because he felt it was just slightly different, thematically, from the rest of the tracks on the album. Around the same time, in early 1982, Springsteen also had written and recorded “Cover Me” and “I’m on Fire,” but felt they would be more appropriate for a different release. In spring of that year, Bruce called in the E Street Band to lay down tracks that would be for an album that was separate from the Nebraska project. They recorded the full-band versions of “Born in the U.S.A.,” “Darlington County,” “Working on the Highway,” “Downbound Train,” “I’m Goin’ Down” and “Glory Days” in April and May at The Power Station New York City. With Nebraska not yet in stores, Springsteen and the band had already recorded the bulk of what would be the album’s follow-up. The songs were drastically different in sound (with a shiny, rock radio sheen), but not always in tone. He would later discuss the similarities (in terms of lyrics) between the Born and Nebraska songs: “If you look at the material, particularly on the first side, it’s actually written very much like Nebraska – the characters and the stories, the style of writing – except it’s just in the rock-band setting.” Following Nebraska’s release, Springsteen and friends cut a few more of the final Born in the U.S.A. tracks – “My Hometown,” “No Surrender” and “Bobby Jean” (an allegory for his pal Steven Van Zandt, who had announced his departure from the E Street Band). But the album’s true, blockbuster hit single wasn’t written and recorded until just a few months before Born in the U.S.A.’s release in June of ’84. “Dancing in the Dark” came out of a disagreement between Bruce and Jon Landau, his manager. Landau was happy with the album, but felt it could use something aimed directly at pop-rock radio. Springsteen was less than thrilled with Landau’s suggestion, but channeled his frustration into some lyrics (“You can’t start a fire without a spark,” “I’m just tired and bored with myself”). The synthesizer-driven song, “Dancing in the Dark,” would provide Bruce with the pop-friendly firepower that Landau felt he needed. It was released as the lead single off the album and turned into Springsteen’s biggest hit (rising to #2 on the Billboard charts, second only to Duran Duran’s “The Reflex” and Prince’s “When Doves Cry”). Years later, Springsteen would appear conflicted about writing, recording and releasing the song. “It went as far in the direction of pop music as I wanted to go – and probably a little farther,” he wrote in Songs. “My heroes, from Hank Williams to Frank Sinatra to Bob Dylan, were popular musicians. They had hits. There was value in trying to connect with a large audience.” And Springsteen certainly connected with a large audience via “Dancing in the Dark” and Born in the U.S.A., which hit #1 on the Billboard album charts a month after its release. It would end up spending 139 weeks on the Billboard charts, and eventually be certified 15-times platinum. In the mid-’80s, as Michael Jackson, Prince and Madonna were becoming music superstars, Bruce Springsteen – a guy from the rock world – was turning into an equally dominant pop idol. An enormous world tour (which spotlight both the material from Nebraska and Born in the U.S.A.) put Bruce and the band before giant crowds. In the meantime, he equaled Jackson’s Thriller record of seven Top 10 singles from one album, set the previous year. Between spring of 1984 and winter of 1985, “Dancing in the Dark,” “Cover Me,” “Born in the U.S.A.,” “I’m on Fire,” “Glory Days,” “I’m Goin’ Down” and “My Hometown” all hit the Top 10 – flooding MTV, with videos directed by Brian De Palma and John Sayles, and radio airwaves with all things Bruce. It seemed that everything related to Born in the U.S.A. was everywhere. The album’s cover (featuring Springsteen’s behind before an American flag) became iconic. And you really know you’ve become a superstar when the President misinterprets your music. Like many Americans, President Ronald Reagan heard a patriotic anthem in “Born in the U.S.A.” and overlooked the angry protest at the heart of the song. But, being misunderstood is part of the price you pay when you aim for superstardom. And it’s a bit tough to be seen as the voice of the common man when your album goes multi-platinum. Springsteen admitted to the changes in his life when he talked to Rolling Stone in the middle of Born in the U.S.A.’s staggering success. “Yeah, there’s a change [in me]. [Being a rich man] doesn’t make living easier, but it does make certain aspects of your life easier,” he said. “Money was kind of part of the dream when I started. I don’t think… I never felt like I ever played a note for the money. I think if I did, people would know, and they’d throw you out of the joint. And you’d deserve to go. But at the same time, it was a part of the dream.” A decade after the dust settled, Springsteen reflected about the significance of this chapter in his career: “Born in the U.S.A. changed my life and gave me my largest audience. It forced me to question the way I presented my music and made me think harder about what I was doing.”

Win 4 tickets to Bruce Springsteen Night With The Lakewood BlueClaws

By Jackson, NJ on July 4, 2011

For the fourth straight year, the BlueClaws will turn into the BruceClaws for Springsteen Appreciation Night. This year’s BruceClaws night is July 9th at the 7:05 pm game against Kannapolis.

There will be a special tribute to Clarence Clemons, the legendary E-Street Band member, who passed away on June 18th. Included in the tribute will be a patch on the sleeves of the BruceClaws jerseys worn by the players.

These jerseys will be auctioned off (silent auction) during the game to benefit BlueClaws Charities.

The night starts early with a special performance by the E-Street Shuffle. The Springsteen tribute band will play in the Coors Light WRAT Trap from 5:30 – 7 pm.

Plus, all Springsteen music will be played throughout the game.

In addition, the “Born to Run” fire truck, purchased by Springsteen for the Freehold Fire Department, will be on display in front of the ballpark.

“This is always one of our most popular nights of the year,” said BlueClaws General Manager Geoff Brown. “From the moment the gates open until the final out, BruceClaws night promises to be a blast yet again.”

The BlueClaws are 2-1 all-time as the BruceClaws, including a 5-4 win in 10 innings last year over Delmarva.

To order tickets, call 732-901-7000.

—
JTOWN Magazine has a set of 4 tickets to give away for this event.  Want to win?  Simply respond here in the comments and tell us why you like Bruce Springsteen and want to see the BruceClaws!

Use a valid email address (not visible to the public) so we can contact the randomly chosen winner to tell you how to get your tickets!

Tenor Sax Player Was Fundamental to Springsteen’s Meteoric Career

The Irish Times – Saturday, July 2, 2011

Clarence Clemons: CLARENCE CLEMONS, who has died aged 69, was a saxophonist and, as a key member of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, a highly influential rock musician of recent decades.

His imprint was all over Springsteen’s defining Born to Run album of 1975. Almost as much as the music, it was the sleeve image of Springsteen leaning nonchalantly on Clemons that symbolised the intense fraternal bonding which helped fuel Springsteen’s rise. Throughout the years of their greatest success, Clemons was a vital ingredient of Springsteen’s sound and an invaluable onstage foil to the “Boss”.

Clarence Clemons was born in Norfolk, Virginia, the eldest of the three children of Thelma Clemons and her husband Clarence, who owned a fish market. His parents worked long hours and were devoutly religious, and the young Clarence cut his musical teeth with the local church choir and in a gospel group. He used to help out with the family fish business after school, and shouldered some domestic responsibilities while his mother took a college course. “I didn’t have much time for childhood innocence,” he said later.

He began playing the saxophone after his father bought him an alto instrument one Christmas, and enrolled him in music lessons at a local college. He switched to the baritone sax, but decided the tenor sax was the way to go after feeling inspired to imitate the playing of King Curtis. He was also a keen football player, and won a football and music scholarship to Maryland State College. It looked as if he might be destined for a sporting career, but his footballing hopes were crushed by a serious car accident.

He had gained musical experience by playing with an R&B covers band, the Vibratones, and also played with Tyrone Ashley’s Funky Music Machine, an outfit featuring future members of Parliament-Funkadelic. Clemons moved to Newark, where he took a job as a counsellor to emotionally disturbed children at the Jamesburg Training School for Boys, while playing in clubs by night.

He was moving among the same circle of local musicians as Springsteen, and first ran into him when they were both playing in separate bars in the resort of Asbury Park. Clemons went to check out Springsteen and asked if he could play sax with him. Springsteen invited him to join in on a version of Spirit in the Night . “I sat in with him that night,” Clemons told People magazine. “It was phenomenal. We’d never even laid eyes on each other, but after that first song he looked at me, I looked at him, and we said ‘This is it’.”

By now Clemons had married and fathered two sons, Clarence III and Charles, by his first wife, but the union quickly became a casualty of his decision to quit his job and join the E Street Band.

Clemons stayed the course for Springsteen’s first couple of commercially unsuccessful albums, Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ, and The Wild, The Innocent the E Street Shuffle (both released in 1973), before the band-leader exploded into stardom with Born to Run (the story of how Clemons joined the E Streeters was alluded to in the song Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out ). Clemons’s saxophone featured prominently on Thunder Road, Jungle-land and Born to Run itself, and his background in R&B and soul lent an authentic earthiness to the soul-band feel of the E Street crew in their early days.

Clemons became an E Street mascot, his 6ft 4in bulk contrasting with that of the Boss onstage. His playing lit up some of Springsteen’s best-known pieces, including Badlands, The Ties That Bind, Independence Day and Bobby Jean. After the colossal success of the 1984 album Born in the USA and the follow-up, Tunnel of Love (1987), Springsteen decided he wanted a change, and in 1989 told the band members they were no longer required. Clemons was shocked, though for some years he had been pursuing musical directions of his own. Indeed, when he received Springsteen’s call, he was touring in Japan with Ringo Starr.

Clemons had formed his own band, the Red Bank Rockers, in 1981. An album, Hero , included a duet with Jackson Browne, Y ou’re a Friend of Mine , which became a Top 20 hit. He also played on Aretha Franklin’s 1985 hit Freeway of Love.

In 1999, Springsteen saw the error of his ways and recalled the E Street Band to his side for a reunion tour. The Rising (2002) was the first album he had made with the full E Street squad since Born in the USA.

Springsteen and the band were prominent on the Vote for Change tour in 2004, which aimed (unsuccessfully) to put a Democrat in the White House, and the E Streeters were also united behind Springsteen for the albums Magic (2007) and Working On a Dream (2009). In between, Clemons found time to perform with the band Temple of Soul. “We have one life and that life is on that stage,” he said. “Everything else doesn’t matter because we don’t know what’s going to happen.”

In 2009 Clemons published his autobiography, Big Man: Real Life Tall Tales, which was hailed by the former US president and part-time saxophonist Bill Clinton as “an essential read for any music lover”. Clemons played on several tracks from Lady Gaga’s 2011 album Born This Way , and performed with her on the television show American Idol.

He had been experiencing health problems. He had two knee replacements in 2008, and also needed spinal surgery. He suffered a serious stroke earlier this month.

On his website, Springsteen wrote: “He was my great friend, my partner, and with Clarence at my side, my band and I were able to tell a story far deeper than those simply contained in our music.”

Clemons is survived by his sons Clarence, Charles, Christopher and Jarod, and his fifth wife, Victoria.

---

Clarence Anicholas Clemons: Born January 11th, 1942; died June 18th, 2011