So in 2003 we found Springsteen on The Net.
Backstreets and particularly BTX were a revelation. Here were people who talked about Bruce incessantly. Previous to this I hadn’t considered myself at all obsessive but this constant source of information became compulsive reading. Before long I was checking the message boards every day.
Come to think of it this was my first experience of an on line forum of any sort. We had been keen to join the internet revolution but once we got on line I am not sure we knew how to make the best use of it.
I remember sitting in front of the computer, staring at the screen, trying to think of something to search for just to see what would happen.
Now if I want to know absolutely anything from what to cook for dinner to where to buy the cheapest camera to what is the second longest river in Africa … I log on. The other day Mike and I were checking out English grammar for this very blog! - Mike is my proof reader by the way.
Anyway back to BTX. A quick look at ‘The Promised Land’ today reveals chats about the next album release (Darkness box set): Bruce sighting a year ago: Bruce sighting in Asbury Park yesterday: songs Bruce should cover: any number of discussions about individual songs: the ’For the Ladies’ thread and so on and so on - you get the picture.
I didn’t post myself at least not for a very long time - there is far too much scope to offend someone, even with the most innocuous comment. My now preferred forum of Greasy Lake (which I didn’t join until November 2006) is far less intimidating.
So between the Old Trafford Show in May 2003 and The Albert Hall in May 2005 there was ‘The Essential Bruce Springsteen’ released 4 November 2003. Obviously I went out straight away to buy the three CD set - some new music for me to listen to as I hadn’t yet discovered boots.
‘Essential’ gave me my first taste of ‘Trapped’. This along with ‘Chimes of Freedom’ are my two favourite Bruce covers. I know ‘Lift Me Up’ provokes much debate but I like the falsetto. ‘County Fair’ is really sweet - one of those songs which gives me a picture in my mind’s eye of the scene Bruce is describing. ‘The Wish’ and ‘Sandy’ have the same effect.
Can’t get my head around the acoustic ‘Countin’ On A Miracle’ though - a bit weird. In fact I have trouble with any solo acoustic version of a band song - but more of this when I talk about the ‘Devils and Dust’ tour.
It was during this period probably because of the lack of Bruce stuff we got into a couple of Springsteen related artists - Southside Johnny and Joe Grushecky -. another benefit of Backstreets which is great at championing other Jersey Shore artists.
Southside’s ‘Better Days‘ is one of my favourite albums of all time (the list is growing week by week along with the blog) and Mike really likes Joe Grushecky.
Joe’s ‘American Babylon’ album gave us one of those unexpected surprise moments. We are giving this album a first listen, deciding whether we like it or not when suddenly it all sounds so familiar!
This is the only YouTube clip I could find but if you listen to the riff played between 1.20 and 1.40 I think you will recognise it - if you are a Springsteen fan anyhow.
Southside’s voice is amazing but he is a little strange.
Bruce obviously thought so too back in the day…
I love Johnny’s version of ‘All The Way Home’ - for me much better than Bruce’s.
I really like this one as well … The album version also features all three of them.
So I rang The Albert Hall box office to find out when the Devils and Dust tickets went on sale. There had been some delay if I remember rightly. I managed to get a date and time - might have been a recorded message.
My very first post on BTX was after that phone call - to announce when the Devils and Dust tickets for the Albert Hall went on sale. I don’t think it caused any controversy!…
Jayne eloquent as always
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