Was für eine Setlist ! Was für eine letzte Show ! Das Greetings Album inkl. den Tourpremieren “Mary Queen of Arkansas” und “The Angel” wurde Mike Appel gewitmet: “to the man who got me in the door. Mike Appel is here tonight — Mike, this is for you.” Hinzu ein unglaublich Version  von ”Lost in the flood” Solo.

“Restless Nights.” , “Merry Christmas Baby” und Chuck Willis’s “(I Don’t Want to) Hang Up My Rock and Roll Shoes,” als Tourpremieren. 

Sie feierten auch den Geburtstag von Little Steven auf der Bühne (22.11.1950). Kevin Buell brachte die Geburtstagstorte (mit einer Gitarre drauf) auf die Bühne. Mit Max Hilfe sangen das Publikum Happy Birthday.  ”For Steve!” sagte Bruce und Suprise Suprise startete, “Well today is your birthday, we traveled so far we two
So let’s blow out the candles on your cake and we’ll raise a glass or two”, danach probierte Stevie die Torte “”Not bad!” und Bruce fügte den Lyrich hinzu: “And when the sun comes out tomorrow, it’ll be the start of a brand new day…”.

Es war nicht die letzte Tour mit der E Street Band: “We appreciate you coming out to see the E Street Band. So we’re gonna say goodbye, but just for a little while… a very little while… because… because…” before singing again, “I like it, I like it, I like it!”
Setlist:

Wrecking Ball (mit Curt Ramm)
The Ties That Bind
Hungry Heart
Working on a Dream
Blinded By the Light
Growin’ Up
Mary Queen of Arkansas
Doe This Bus Stop at 8nd Street?
Lost in the Flood
The Angel
For You
Spirit in the Night
It’s Hard to Be a Saint in the City
Waitin’ on a Sunny Day
The Promised Land
Restless Nights
Surprise, Surprise
Green Onions (instrumental)
Merry Christmas Baby (mit Curt Ramm)
Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town (mit Curt Ramm)
(I Don’t Want to) Hang Up My Rock and Roll Shoes
Boom Boom
My Love Will Not Let You Down
Long Walk Home
The Rising
Born to Run
Tenth Avenue Freeze-out (mit Curt Ramm)
* * *
I’ll Work For Your Love
Thunder Road
American Land (mit Curt Ramm)
Dancing in the Dark
Rosalita (mit Curt Ramm)
Higher and Higher (mit Curt Ramm)
Rockin’ All Over the World

iLaugh

Hard to believe that in my short lifetime I’ve experienced the glory of classic AM pop radio, the summit of FM rock radio, the death of terrestrial radio (thanks, right-wing nutjobs and lip-synching pop artists) and the launch of Satellite radio. Somehow, after all that, radio still sucks.

Thank goodness for podcasts.

Of course, the downside to radio at your own terms is that you are able to listen at your own terms. No longer are you tethered to a live broadcast or a physical medium, so you can stack these puppies up like 45s on a spindle and fire one off after another. Productivity? Kiss it goodbye. Family obligations? Whoops!

Hey, in modern society people don’t communicate directly, anyway. This is just another excuse to isolate your sorry ass. So as long as you are going to walk around like a zombie with earbuds, at least let me point you towards some great podcasts so you can laugh out loud while you do so and keep the curious people even further away from you so you can wallow in your self-centered haze…

Alone again, unnaturally

Bill Burr: Monday Morning Podcast. It’s one thing to think quick on your feet, but what do you call it when you’re sitting in a chair? Burr just gets better and better.

Will Durst: A Burst of Durst. Vastly underrated comedian with razor sharp political savvy, a less angry Lewis Black. Grab his CDs – they’re excellent.

Marc Maron: WTF. For my money, one of the three greatest standups working today, along with Doug Stanhope and Louis CK. Twice a week I get to eavesdrop on a conversation I’d kill to be part of.

Jimmy Pardo: Never Not Funny. Three way fun with co-host Matt Balknap and a comedian guest, seemingly plotless but that’s the fun.

Comedy Nerd: The Stand Up Chronicles. Comedians fascinate me, so if I like their routines, I like interviews and features about them as well. Adam has a great ecletic list of comics here.

Ricky Gervais: The Ricky Gervais Podcasts. Don’t let the bland name fool you – he’s never done anything unfunny in his life. Might be on hiatus for now but enough of a backlog to savor.

Doug Benson: I Love Movies. Filmed live in front of an audience at the UCB Theatre and featuring great guests, it’s movie chat and buzzed comedy.

Dylan Gadino: A Tight 5ive. Five minute conversations between the Editor of Punchline Magazine and comics playing at Comix in NYC.

Jon Fisch: In The Tank. A comic who should be better known and a host of visitors chew the fat. Informal and relaxed to the point that they might forget they’re taping.

John Oliver and Andy Zaltzman: The Bugle. I see your RomComs and raise you two BritTwits.

Not secret or hidden Bonus Track: Comedy Death Ray

theyPod

There are tons more, of course. Some of my favorite comedians do them very well. Some others who I think would absolutely kill at it (I’m talking to you, Norm MacDonald) just aren’t interested or don’t have the time (or they’re Luddites). Many routines and programs are available for audio and/or video download, of course, but that’s just a convenient way to access already established content. I’m more interested in ones like the above; original material created just for the podcast.

Not saying these are the best shows or even The Best Show; your mileage may vary. Hell, I hope it does!  Enjoy…

Did somebody say Firesign Theatre?

If you bought tickets to one of the other four Bruce Springsteen shows to shut down Giant Stadium, I’m sorry. It’s gone. The building was torn down last night, and you should have been there.

Here's to you Giant Stadium.

Seriously, that was an epic three hour and 15 minute performance; they never stopped playing. Even at the end of the set, the band lined up, took a bow, talked something over for a few seconds, and then Bruce yelled, “It’s too cold to stop playing!” and jumped back into a long seven song encore. Where does he get the energy to run, jump, sing, and play like that? Apparently 60 is the new 16; he has the energy of a teenager.

His stage presence is completely unrivaled by any other performer I have ever seen. He really knows how to play to his audience, and we love him for it (As opposed to that unprofessional jerk, Peter Frampton).

Six songs in, they played Hungary Heart (Am I the only person who always forgets that he wrote that song?). During the song he ran down the stage and started jumping into the crowd. After his first leap about 75 feet to my right, I pulled out my Flip cam and powered it up, just in case he jumped in near me (I was standing up at he front of the floor section). It turned out that his next stop was directly in front of me, and I captured the whole thing!

I know it’s shaky, but the way the crowd was pushing, I was delighted that I kept the Boss in frame the whole time. I even got to pat him on the back (envy me baby boomer women… I never realized he was such a big sex symbol among 50+ women).

The Music

There’s so much to talk about that I will not be able to cover the whole show…

He opened with a song he wrote special for the Giant Stadium shows. It was called Wrecking Ball… want to guess what it was about? It was a fun start to the evening.

I really enjoyed hearing Working on a Dream, it’s been a bit of a personal theme song for this past year (finishing grad school, finding a new job, you get the point).

The performance of the album Born to Run in its entirety was exceptional from start to finish. During the song Born to Run, the crowd which already had a party-like atmosphere, went completely insane; it was quite a sight. However, the musical highpoint for me was Jungleland.

Jungleland was never a favorite of mine, but something about the piano, Bruce’s voice, Little Steven’s killer solo in the middle, and especially Clarence Clemons gorgeous solo sax work made my night. The song made me weepy, and I’m not ashamed to say so; it was a beautiful performance.

He followed that up with a series of songs from The Rising. That album was what originally sparked my interest in Bruce, so it was nice hearing them. Lonesome Day was retooled a bit, and I was ambivalent about the altered version, but it could have been a me resisting change on a song I love.

The high points of the encore for me were Growing Up (I’m a sucker for stage banter, and this had some “grade A” banter) & the Irish rockish American Land (That was foot-stomping good).

The whole set list (and all of Bruce’s set lists are up on his website)

I could go on and on, but it seems unnecessary. The show rocked.

If you are going to one of the other Bruce shows at Giant Stadium over the next week, here are some tips:

1. The field level/ general admission entrance is Gate B.
2. If you have field level/ general admission tickets, get there early to get up close. You won’t regret the time investment.
3. Ladies, don’t bother with the cute, uncomfortable shoes, as you will regret wearing them (Even the people with seats were standing the whole time).
4. It got quite cold. Wear layers.

Bruuuuuuce!

Sixty is the new forty.

He’s known by his full name, but he’s identifiable by his first name as easily as he is by his last. He’s the Boss, the man who might have saved rock and roll when it needed it, who might be the last American rock’n'roll icon given his impact and longetivity. He’s a wealthy man who can still write from the voice of a blue collar guy. He’s astute enough to respect the past masters while carving out his own legacy.

Many believe the stars aligned when Time and Newsweek ran him on their covers; others believe it was just a brilliant marketing campaign that took a guy with potential and anointed him the new King. But whether you believe talent trumped opportunity or a pre-Internet American Idol was created in a major label test tube, one thing is undeniable – when they sent him to the plate, he hit that ball out of the park. And as far as live performers are concerned, Bruce Springsteen is a legend, and rightfully so.

There are a million Bruce Springsteen stories out there, and you’ll hear and read several of them today. I’m saving mine for a longer essay that will run another time.  One December day long ago changed my life, and it involved a Springsteen concert, a blizzard and a woman. Don’t want to lose that one in the volume of today’s posts.

So here’s a tip of the cap to you, Mr. Springsteen. Like many of you, I’m going to get my Boss on today.

WXPN in Philadelphia is having a day-long celebration of The Boss, including a live broadcast of a tribute concert. In the meantime you can stream some of the studio cuts.

Of course Little Steven will have something to say.

An Internet buddy offers some selected covers of Bruce songs here and here.

And, of course, Bruce Springsteen Dot Net.

I just got an email from Scott Hueston of Wicked Cool Records and Little Steven’s Underground Garage announcing their new project Fuzztopia. Looks like they are trying to create a shared portal where rock fans and musicians can create a directory of cool clubs, record stores, bars and bands – a reference tool created with input from people who actually live in these places. A list like this would be a great help for me just to find great pubs and record stores when travelling; I imagine the club info would be invaluable for bands looking to fill dates.

Of course there are dozens of smaller sites that do this now, and there have been networking mailing lists set up for this purpose for years. But perhaps with Steven’s involvement, a site like this could get a higher profile and truly massive participation. Assuming he keeps it free for registrants, this could be a great service.

I don’t pimp products or sell advertising on this page, but I do believe Steven’s heart is in the right place, having spoken extensively with him about the history of rock’n'roll and the difficulty in keeping the beast alive. He’s a tremendously successful person who could bask in the glory of his recording and acting legacy and just hob-nob with the elite, but he continues to take steps to bring real rock’n'roll to the masses in an era when the industrial machine is doing everything in its power to unplug the patient from the lifeline. Besides having the coolest radio show on the planet, he works tirelessly behind the scenes to help out up and coming bands with his passion, his expertise and his connections.

There are some great prizes that will be drawn at random for those logging in and completing a profile. As for content, I’m probably most excited about Fuzz TV. When I interviewed him in 2007, Steven told me that the footage from the first Underground Garage Festival on Randall’s Island was eventually going to be released on Internet television.  Here’s an excerpt from that feature in Pop Culture Press:

Unfortunately, the likelihood of a DVD release is slim. Chris Columbus (Harry Potter, Home Alone) was set to direct the multi-camera event, but a freak accident involving his daughter caused him to head back to Chicago. “She ended up okay, but he wasn’t there to physically direct the movie, and the funding went away. We never really recovered.” A few screenings were set to try and raise a couple of million dollars to continue the original plan to craft something really unique instead of a formula concert film. “First of all, it would have been the first 3-D concert ever done. I’m telling you, when Iggy Pop jumps up on one of the 3-D cameras, it’s the most amazing thing you’ve seen in your life. It’s like Iggy is jumping into your mind!” Not getting the film out was a disappointment (“it’s probably one of the top twenty tragedies of my life”) but just another in a series of setbacks that he will overcome. “We probably will start using pieces of it our Internet TV show in a couple of months”.

Well, it’s been a couple of years, but Rome wasn’t built in a day. All I know is that if we’re talking about The Dictators, Iggy, Boss Martians, The Pretty Things, Chesterfield Kings and all those other garage greats, there’s some incredible footage in the hopper!

So here’s the gist of the email from Scott – check it out for yourself.

Friends of The Underground Garage,

Stevie Van Zandt is excited to announce the Beta release of Fuzztopia – “all things Rock and Roll.” We need your help adding content, and we’ll be rewarding a few of the best profiles.

As a “one-stop” for FANS and bands, Fuzztopia will ultimately include:

–a place for you to purchase songs and albums from bands, including content exclusively available on Fuzztopia.
–advice and tools, from “city secrets” and “cool stuff” to “techville,” “video games,” and “da biz,” among other things. We’ll be gathering content from our favorite sites, but we’ll also have recommendations and feedback from musicians, bands, and people like Little Steven that just haven’t been available anywhere else. Think of “city secrets” as all the places in your hometown (restaurants, bars, clubs, etc.) that you would recommend to visiting friends. Likewise, if you have “city secrets” from other parts of the world you’ve visited, Fuzztopia is a fantastic place for that insight.
–tons of streaming video content. At “The Drive-In,” fans of B-movies will soon be able to watch and chat in real time. Meanwhile “Fuzz TV” will have live concert footage, original programming, and music videos.

Here’s where we need your SUPPORT & EXPERTISE:

–sign up as a fan, and create a profile
–add TWO of your favorite videos
–provide 5-10 “City Secrets,” plus ANY PHOTOS.
–ADD comments about “secrets” AREADY posted by others. Remember, people will be looking for your input! We know you have the inside scoop, and we want you to share it.
–create a playlist from the bands that have already uploaded their music.
–the beta version of Fuzztopia isn’t just about building – we want your feedback. Are there things you don’t like? Areas that need improving? A feature missing? Is anything confusing? Should we add something else? What do you like best? This is the time to tell us.

We will REWARD the best profiles with a couple of great prizes:

GRAND PRIZE (one winner)
* A pair of tickets to ANY one of the remaining Summer/Fall tour dates with Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band! PLUS you and your guest will receive exclusive laminates to meet Stevie Van Zandt backstage before the show!
1st PRIZE (one winner)
* Fender Stratocaster Squire Classic 50’s guitar signed by Stevie Van Zandt!
2nd PRIZE
*FIFTEEN 2nd prize WINNERS will be selected RANDOMLY among the COMPLETED PROFILES, so everyone creating a thorough profile has a chance to win:
*A script for an Underground Garage radio show PERSONALLY signed by Stevie Van Zandt. PLUS a double CD copy of the applicable show. The scripts are always written by hand, and include a bunch of commentary. This is a highly collectible, immensely cool look at the creative process for the show

CLICK HERE for the sign-up page:

Thanks for your help making Fuzztopia the best place for “all things rock and roll.”  If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to email me at my personal email address: scott@wickedcoolrecords.com If you do not receive your confirmation E-Mail within 5 minutes of registering please check your Spam/Junk box – if you still have not received it please contact us.

***

By Joel Francis

There is probably a good bromance film to be made about the relationship between male songwriters. They dynamics of a songwriting partnership mirror that of a romantic union – giddy joy at meeting a compatible soul, the steady rhythm of fruitful collaboration, independence and wanting to branch out and then either acceptance and adaptation or estrangement.

Some partnerships – like Morrissey and Johnny Marr – burn hot and bright, flaming out quickly. Others, like Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, settle into marriages of convenience. Jack White is quite promiscuous as a songwriter, flitting from the White Stripes to the Raconteurs, Loretta Lynn and Dead Weather. Some songwriting partnerships turn into real marriages, like Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan or Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil.

Then there are the songwriters who have flown solo: Phil Ochs, Neil Young, But even the most ardent songwriting bachelors have had a subtle and unseen hands guiding their way and providing resistance to make the song better. Rivers Como had Matt Sharp, Jeff Tweedy had Jay Bennett, Stevie Wonder had Syreeta Wright. And Bruce Springsteen had Miami Steven Van Zandt.

Van Zandt made his presence in the E Street Band known immediately. He arranged the horn line in “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out” and contributed to the signature guitar line on “Born To Run.” For the next eight years his guitar was the muscle behind Springsteen’s songs, constantly challenging the band and its leader to keep moving and top themselves.

When Van Zandt left the E Street band in 1984, he was replaced by Nils Lofgren. Lofgren had established an outstanding reputation on the basis of his solo work and his stints with Neil Young and Crazy Horse. As a musician he was a more-than-worthy replacement for Van Zandt, but was too easygoing to musically aggravate his new boss the way Van Zandt had.

In 1995 Van Zandt returned the E Street Band and Lofgren remained. The pair has now spent more time in the band together than they did apart. But during that time, Springsteen’s concerts have turned into carnivals rather than escapades. Musicians that used to labor over albums as a unit now record their parts separately. In short, the E Street Band is less a team than an all-star squad of longtime ringers.

Although Springsteen concerts remain incredible experiences and his albums are very good for the most part, Springsteen’s songwriting lacks the urgency, grit and desperation of his early work. Since Springsteen’s early ‘90s retreat from the E Street crew, he hasn’t had a foil, poking, prodding and disturbing him.

When Tom Morello joined the E Street Band onstage in April, 2008, the long absent counterpunch returned. Although his career was considerably shorter, the guitarist had been searching for his own artistic gadfly since the break-up of Rage Against the Machine and the disappointment of Audioslave.

Both performers were familiar with the material. Springsteen wrote “The Ghost of Tom Joad” as the title song for his 1995 solo album and Rage Against the Machine released a covered it two years later. There are several elements in the live collaboration missing on either incarnation. Morello emulates Woody Guthrie in his solo guise as the Nightwatchman, but here and Springsteen add an element of longing and loneliness Guthrie would have liked.

Five guitars are played, but only two of them matter. Springsteen rips off a blistering solo with more intensity than anything he’s recorded in years – he came closest in his appearances on Warren Zevon’s farewell album “The Wind” – and Morello soars with passionate extended solo that combines Public Enemy’s Terminator X and Eddie Van Halen to end the song.

Springsteen originally wrote “Tom Joad” for the E Street 1995 reunion project, but didn’t like the band’s arrangement and set the number aside. That it took an outsider to help the group get the song right 13 years later points the direction Springsteen’s music should head. Too comfortable with the E Streeters, he needs an album-length collaboration with obvious disciples like the Hold Steady or a partnership with more-obscure-but-still-simpatico Black Keys.

Springsteen doesn’t need anyone reverential or deferential. He needs someone like Morello kicking his ass, forcing him to be better. Hopefully these eight tantalizing minutes are the first draft of an upcoming screenplay.

Keep reading:

Review: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band (2008)

Review: Rage Against the Machine at Rock the Bells (2007)

Review: Springsteen’s “Dream” Needs More Work

Springsteen in the Waiting Room: Drop the Needle and Pray

Springsteen Rocks the Hall (part 1)

Springsteen Rocks the Hall (part 2)

Book Review: “Big Man” by Clarence Clemons

More Bruce Springsteen on The Daily Record

My favorite new record is the latest from the Cocktail Slippers :St. Valentines Day Massacre, a wonderfully catchy collection of girlband punk/pop tunes that will remind you of the Go Gos (hooks), Bangles (harmonies), Blondie (sultry vocals) and the Ramones (driving beat & guitars) – all a recipe for GODHEAD!

Who knew there were bands like this coming out of Oslo? Evidently Little Steven Van Zandt did when he signed them up for his Wicked Cool Records & produced this album, as well as wrote the title track and one other. They write most of their own material, and throw in a couple of great covers as well, one of Connie Francis’ “Don’t Ever Leave Me” and Leslie Gore’s “She’s A Fool,” two early ’60s girly numbers that blend seamlessly into the new material. Every now and then, a CD comes along where every song clicks, with no clunkers in the bunch at all, and anything seems possible… this is one of them. Highly recommended!

And top of that, I’M IN LOVE! (I’ve discussed this before….)

Now click on this link and sample the rest!

Los Lobos–September 30, 1987 (Club Soda, Montreal)

One of my all-time favourite bands at one of my all-time favourite venues. Have seen them a number of times, but this one was probably my favourite of the bunch.

They were in town as part of the U2 triple bill (along with Little Steven and The Disciples of Soul) playing the following night at Olympic Stadium. The band announced to the audience they hadn’t been onstage for awhile and since they would be playing in front of 65,000 or so U2 fans the following night, a warm-up gig in front of a friendly crowd (starting at midnight, no less) would be just the ticket to loosen them up. I have to say, there’s nothing like seeing one of your favourite performers let loose in a bar setting. Way cooler then seeing them in an arena or stadium, don’t you think? As could be expected, the place rocked.

Here’s a great clip of them from last year performing the lead-off track, “Don’t Worry Baby” from 1984’s awesome what-do-you-mean-you-don’t-own-it? “How Will The Wolf Survive?”. Turn it up.

Artist: Cocktail Slippers

Title: St. Valentine’s Day Massacre

Publication: Aftenposten (Norway)

We where a fly on the wall when Cocktail Slippers and Little Steven was in studio to produce the new record. Here is their own story. Written by: Harald Fossberg

The band from Oslo, Cocktail Slippers got to written songs from Steve van Zandt, known from Bruce Sprinsteen and Sopranos, also known as Little Steven. Both of his songs are on their new single, with release date February 14, Valentines Day. Amusingly one of the songs are titled “St Valentines Day Massacre”, while the other is called “I Heard You Got A Thing For Me”. During two hectic days last year they recorded the songs, that will be on their new record, released on Little Stevens label, Wicked Cool Records.

Little Steven: I woke up in the middle of the night when I was going to Norway with a melody in my head. When I met the girls I asked them if they could bring me a cassette player to record it.

CS: The player is Stines, and to put it nicely, its not exactly up to date. So when we listened to his recording you could hear him and his gitar and another noise in the background.

LS: I dont wont to push my songs on anyone, and The Cocktail Slippers are good writers themselves. As a matter of fact their writing is getting better and better! And there are other band who never should have written their own songs. Its rare that I write songs for others, but I also wrote a couple of songs to The Chesterfield Kings next album.

CS: The first thing Steven said when he arrived in the studio was: – we need balloons! We went out and bought balloons for NOK 2000. When we came back he said: – Not enough balloons, and he gave us NOK 5000 more. Then he became happy. At one point during the recordings he told us that he needed to concentrate. We said that we could remove the balloons. He answered: – I need the balloons to concentrate!

LS: Cocktail Slippers got what it takes. They have talent. Ingjerd is a fantastic vocalist. They are serious, and they want to make it. They do shows, one of the most important thing for a band to develop. And they are combining the past and the feature, they have their roots in the 60ies, and also the punk from the 70ies and 80ies. Thats new to my ears! The two most enjoyable days I´ve spent in the studio!

CS: Little Steven is great to work with. He could have just taken it easy, but he is helping young bands.

LS: There was a period when I was only occupied with the business, but I lost the glow and stopped writing. Now there are a lot of young bands, with energy. Cocktail Slippers is a really good band, and with the right attitude. They have an open mind and they listen to suggestions

The Cocktail Slippers are on Wicked Cool Records (founded by Little Steven Van Zandt). Their new album SAINT VALENTINES DAY MASSACRE

Mercury News : INTERVIEW STEVEN VAN ZANDT, Bruce Springsteen’s guitarist, Tony Soprano’s consigliere and, more recently, creator of the superb Underground Garage radio show and satellite radio stations, was one of several speakers on Friday at SXSW. He bemoaned the degradation of the craft of rock n roll today. He blamed that, more than illegal downloads, for the problems of the music business today.…MORE

The Daily Swarm : INTERVIEW Little Steven: Primal Scream’s Bobby Gillespie is a ‘waste of space’
“Primal Scream could be the biggest band in the world. They are fantastic when they make rock records – once every 10 years. But they can’t tour because of drug problems, or whatever. I don’t have patience for it. I’m like, all right, you want to be a drug addict, go be a drug addict. Don’t waste my time.”…VIDEO -
http://www.thedailyswarm.com/headlines/little-steven-primal-screams-bobby-gillespie-waste-space/

Miami Herald : REVIEW They gathered to hear and be heard – AUSTIN, Texas — The music business has been shrinking for a decade, and now the economy has followed it into the tank. So why were the streets of Austin filled last week with thousands of music fans and industry types hustling from one club to the next in pursuit of more than 1,900 acts?…MORE

USA TODAY : REVIEW Music critic Brian Mansfield highlights 10 of the most intriguing tracks, new or old, found during the week’s listening. view pdf
Cocktail Slippers “In The City”“More Norwegian throwback pop, this one from a female garage-rock group crushing on Ronnie Spector and, maybe, The Vogues”….MORE

En prélude au passage de Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band au festival Hard Rock Calling de Hyde Park à Londres, Steve Van Zandt a accordé une interview vidéo un peu déjantée au magazine Classic Rock.

A visionner ci-dessous.

Little Steven avait-il fumé la moquette ou abusé des richesses du bar ? Ou est-ce son état normal ? Vos diagnostics sont attendus !

The E Street Band-er is broadcasting live from the D2 record store, and plugging his label.

Sunday July 12 finds Little Steven popping in to Tower Records in Wicklow Street to both present a live edition of his Underground Garage radio show, which usually airs every Friday at 10pm on Dublin City FM, and plug his Wicked Cool record label.

To jolly things along, there will be live sets from Medway Sound-ers The Len Price 3 and local Wicked Cool signings The Urges who also play Thomas Reid’s Transformer night on July 25.

Still on a high – what type we’re not exactly sure – after supporting The Fleshtones and Wild Billy Childish & The Musicians Of The British Empire in Holland, they’ll be plugging their cracking Psych-Ward album.

Tower duties completed, Mr. Van Zandt hotfoots it over to the RDS where Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band are playing the second of their two Dublin dates. A limited number of tickets are still available priced €96.25.

Steven Van Zandt, right, doing just one of his jobs, playing guitar with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band at the NFL Super Bowl XLIII halftime.AUSTIN — Steven Van Zandt plays many roles: Guitarist in the E Street Band. Tough-talking club owner Silvio Dante in “The Sopranos.” Host of syndicated radio show “Little Steven’s Underground Garage.”

Van Zandt spoke and answered audience questions in a convention center conference room. As the proprietor of his own Wicked Cool Records, he did not default to the record labels-are-bad stance of many musicians.

Record labels “spend millions of dollars to break you,” Van Zandt said. “When your contract’s up, you split, and you have a 50 year career. People spending money and investing in you deserve a piece of your whole career. Let’s all work together and share what little wealth is left.

“In the old days, the record was the end of the road. That was the end product. Now the record may be the entry level product. You’ve got to make money from licensing, publishing, live shows.”

Wearing his trademark gypsy attire of black headscarf, turquoise shirt, faded jeans and loose-fitting tan jacket, Van Zandt cited the E Street Band as an example of record label patience.

“We broke on the fifth album….If they know they’ll share in the revenue when you’re playing arenas, maybe they’ll be a little more patient.”

That said, many labels are bloated and wasteful in an age when economy is necessary. “You’ve can’t have a 2009 staff,” Van Zandt said, “with a 1962 business.”

With his label and radio shows – he also hosts two channels on Sirius satellite radio — he’s out to “create an infrastructure that makes rock ‘n roll accessible and available. And if you’re good at it, you can make a living.”

New media opportunities for bands – MySpace, Facebook, etc. – are a mixed blessing, Van Zandt argued. Bands often promote themselves prematurely.

“Get better, then get on MySpace,” he said. “Then when people come see you they won’t be disappointed. Don’t expect people to be patient and say, ‘Oh, they’re a developing act. I don’t mind contributing my $6 for that.’ Wrong.”

In the early days of the E Street Band, “When we played for 50 people, we knocked those people out. That’s why when we came back, there was 200 people. Then 400. Then 1,000.”

Van Zandt’s label recently signed a band from Denmark called the Breakers, which he compares to early British blues-rock band the Faces. The musicians said they had “no local following” in their hometown. He responded, “How is that possible? You come from a town. You play. How do you not have a local following?”

He instructed the Breakers to learn 25 cover songs and log a five-week residency at a hometown club. They became a “dance band” that sprinkled original material into each set. “By the second week there was a line around the block,” he said. “They had transformed from really good to fantastic. You want to be big in your hometown. Or at least known.”

Still wearing his record label honcho hat/bandana, Van Zandt plugged the Breakers’ two SXSW showcases scheduled for later Friday.

He recently attended the opening of a $15 million “rehearsal hotel” in Scandinavia paid for with government money. The United States, he said, “is the only country in the world that thinks art is a luxury. (In other countries) they support the arts like it’s essential. That’s not going to change soon, Obama or not.”

Meanwhile, musicians should take care of business. When a booking agent informed Van Zandt that the British band Primal Scream was not physically capable of doing a 20-show tour he hoped to organize, he did not hide his disgust.

“C’mon. (The E Street Band) does 20 shows a month. You want to be a drug addict? Go be a drug addict. Don’t waste my time.”

He noted that the E Street Band keeps its ticket prices below $100, a relative bargain among veteran rock acts. “We’ve always been the cheapest ticket,” Van Zandt said. “I feel good about our show. You’re going to leave with more energy than you came with.”