bruce springsteen

[creep]

i'm just curious since there seems to be so many fans here. it really surprises me for some reason. maybe i'm missing something because his music bores the shit out of me. just curious if i am in the minority.

are you a fan? vote yes or no

[farrellgirl99]

agreed, he's old and boring.

[Hype]

i'm just curious since there seems to be so many fans here. it really surprises me for some reason. maybe i'm missing something because his music bores the shit out of me. just curious if i am in the minority.

are you a fan? vote yes or no

People have tried to get me into him before. I tried. I didn't get it.

[perkana]

I think live with the E Street Band he's awesome I wish I could stand a 3 hour show with no breaks. For a man of his age, he has more energy than me.
I actually just had Born in the USA album and got into him like 2 years ago. He's a nice guy too

[mockbee]

Have you tried the Nebraska album?

I would say he strikes a chord with me. I'm not fanatic about him, but he has some good stuff.

[Pandemonium]

Obviously I'm a longtime fan but I had to practically be dragged kicking and screaming to my first show back in '81.

My best friend was a *huge* Springsteen fan - he pretty much burned me out on the "Darkness On The Edge Of Town" album between '78 - '80. I really could not get into Bruce's music, especially because his vocals on the first 4 albums including Darkness were at times unintelligible - it was like he was singing with a mouthful of marbles and the production made the record sound like it was recorded with a gauze over the mics. When "The River" came out, it was a lot more accessible production-wise - the record sounded like much of it was recorded live. Still wasn't really sold, this was when I was getting into LA punk and British metal and Bruce was still a bit too mainstream to me.

So my buddy and his brother waited at the LA Sports Arena overnight to get tickets for a run of shows in Summer '81 and they managed to land 2nd and 3rd rows pairs dead center for two nights. The brother could only go the first show so I went for the 2nd show after being cajoled into going. Springsteen already had a big rep as the greatest live act currently touring so I figured why not? Turned out to be a benefit show for Vietnam veterans and a key show in Springsteen's career. Introducing the band before the show started, Bobby Muller takes the stage with the house lights on and launches into this long speech about recognizing what vets from the Vietnam war had and were still going through and you could hear a pin drop. He ends his speech and Springsteen and the band launch into Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Who'll Stop The Rain" and the emotion of the band and the audience and the 3 1/2 hour performance was easily one of the most amazing concerts I've seen on a stage to this day.

IMO, he really hasn't had a solid complete album that I've really connected with since "Tunnel Of Love" way back in '88 and he's taken some stylistic detours that I just can't handle (The Seeger Sessions thing). Fortunately, he's incredibly prolific and in the last decade, has finally started releasing collections of the hundreds of previously unreleased songs. But it's the live shows have kept me a fan more than anything else and they've always been at their worst amazing shows and at best, filled with plenty of Holy Shit moments where he brings out some rare gem or just nails an old classic that I'd figured I'd never want to hear again.

[Warped]

I am not a fan but he has some good songs which i enjoy listening to. I am sure he put on a real good live show and as perkana said, he has lots of energy for his age.

[SR]

One of the best of all time.

[crater]

My mother was a big fan of Bruce when I was growing up.

Him, Led Zeppelin, The Eagles, The Rolling Stones, Billy Joel, Grateful Dead and the Who, were the people played the most that I can remember and being like a lot of kids that dislikes everything a parent likes, I disliked each and every one of them.

Years later and I've eventually gotten over my not liking the Grateful Dead, the Rolling Stones and the Who.

Can't say the same for the rest of them.

[Romeo]

not a "fan" but I do like a few of his songs.

He always looks like he smelled bad cabbage when he sings

[crater]

After last night it became quite obvious to me that Bruce has a dick that totally puts mine to shame, so now I really have a reason to hate him.

[Pandemonium]

not a "fan" but I do like a few of his songs.

He always looks like he smelled bad cabbage when he sings

One thing that can be pretty nauseating when seeing Springsteen live especially in the last decade is when he's dealing with a head cold, he's constantly blowing out snot rockets all over the stage.

[Pandemonium]

The last time I saw The Lords Of The New Church in '87, in the middle of the show singer Stiv Bators is drenched in sweat, shirtless and these two bimbos manage to get onstage in the middle of a fast tune. As they literally start wrapping themselves around Bators, he screams into the mic "I've got AIDS! I've got AIDS!" Both girls jumped off him like he was wearing mosquito repellent.

[krakle]

what kind of a question is that? bruce springsteen, yes or no. what does that mean to you? I seriously think everyone on this board ought to have some respect for (at least some aspects of) his career. for instance, his average setlist puts the best/longest JA setlist to shame. of course the current JA setlists (does JA still exist, btw?) put themselves to shame, but that's another thing.

[creep]

what kind of a question is that? bruce springsteen, yes or no. what does that mean to you? I seriously think everyone on this board ought to have some respect for (at least some aspects of) his career. for instance, his average setlist puts the best/longest JA setlist to shame. of course the current JA setlists (does JA still exist, btw?) put themselves to shame, but that's another thing.

respect for someone doesn't mean i have to like his music. make your own poll if you want and ask if people respect him. that was not the question.

[Hype]

I respect a lot of things I don't like.

[clickie]

give us some examples..

[creep]

give us some examples..

bruce springsteen

[clickie]

You guys better start to appreciate Bruce before its too late.

[kv]

it's too late...oh noes

[Pandemonium]

Artists I respect but do not like their work:

Bob Dylan(!)
Billy Joel
Genesis/Phil Collins (although I do like Peter Gabriel)
Huey Lewis
Oasis
Allman Bros
REM
ELP and most 70's prog-rock bands
The Jam, English Beat and most other early 80's ska

Artists I neither respect or like:
Courtney Love
Ted Nugent
Michael Jackson
Black Eyed Peas (although I think Fergie could be a great rock singer)
Fred Durst/Limp Bizkit, Korn and all that "nu-metal" crap
Bon Jovi, Poison, Winger and most late 80's LA hair metal
Any modern band that has a DJ
Barbara Striesand

Always more but that's off the top of my head....

[Hype]

give us some examples..

bruce springsteen

Pink Floyd
About half of Radiohead
A Perfect Circle

I guess there's a lot more, but I can't think of anything off the top of my head (it's been a while since I've listened to anything I respected but also didn't like...)

Also, Pandemonium's dislike of Bob Dylan explains a lot about our disagreements about music/industry, etc.

How can you not like this song?


I mean, I know how you can not like it (you SUCK, that's how!) But that's my point.

[SR]

Artists I respect but do not like their work:

Bob Dylan(!)
Billy Joel
Genesis/Phil Collins (although I do like Peter Gabriel)
Huey Lewis
Oasis
Allman Bros
REM
ELP and most 70's prog-rock bands
The Jam, English Beat and most other early 80's ska

Artists I neither respect or like:
Courtney Love
Ted Nugent
Michael Jackson
Black Eyed Peas (although I think Fergie could be a great rock singer)
Fred Durst/Limp Bizkit, Korn and all that "nu-metal" crap
Bon Jovi, Poison, Winger and most late 80's LA hair metal
Any modern band that has a DJ
Barbara Striesand

Always more but that's off the top of my head....

MJ surprises me

[Hype]

Pandemonium has screwy taste in music... not sure why.

[Pandemonium]

Also, Pandemonium's dislike of Bob Dylan explains a lot about our disagreements about music/industry, etc.

How can you not like this song?


I mean, I know how you can not like it (you SUCK, that's how!) But that's my point.

I actually like a lot of other artists covers of Dylan's songs. As a writer/lyricist, he's unimpeachable. I just can't handle Dylan singing/playing 90% of his own stuff.