Bruce Springsteen

1. “Immigrant Song,” Led Zeppelin
2. “Born To Run,” Bruce Springsteen
3. “Highway to Hell,” AC/DC
4. “Runnin’ Down a Dream,” Tom Petty
5. “Truckin’,” Grateful Dead
6. “Ol’ 55,” Tom Waits
7. “Radar Love,” Golden Earring
8. “Tush,” ZZ Top
9. “The Passenger,” Iggy Pop
10. “Wanted Dead or Alive”, Bon Jovi

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Check out this site
http://live-bootleg.blogspot.com/2006/12/bruce-springsteen-with-seeger-sessions.html
You can download the london show

Somewhere about midway through this great DVD, Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, one of the numerous “friends” who join Nils Lofgren here–and no guitar slouch himself–offers the following assessment of Lofgren:

“There are three kinds of guitar people. There are guitar owners, and there’s about a million of those. There are guitar players, and there’s a few of those. Then there are guitarists,” Baxter says turning to look at his friend Lofgren. “Nils writes great songs. He sings beautifully. But there are only a few people who can do what he does with a guitar.”

To be sure, Nils Lofgren has written some damn fine songs over the years. It’s possible you may have even heard a few of them. The funky “I Came to Dance,” the lovely ballad “Valentine,” or his ode to a Rolling Stone “Keith Don’t Go” come to mind.

However it’s far more likely you haven’t, as Nils Lofgren is best known as a sideman. You know him for his fine work on Neil Young albums like After The Gold Rush. You even more likely know him as that guitarist for Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band who looks like a sawed-off cross between Keith Richards and Joey from Friends.

You remember right? Nils was that guy who did the backflips off a trampoline on the Born In The USA tour. He even did a solo album called Flip around that time.

The thing is, what a lot of people don’t know about Lofgren is that he is a world class guitarist. Although he has had his moments with Springsteen–the solos on the title tracks of both Tunnel Of Love and The Rising are just two such moments uniquely stamped with his signature–Lofgren’s virtuoso ability is largely swallowed up in the big noise created by the E Street Band.

Not so on this great DVD. Recorded live over three nights at a place called the Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia before a rapt audience of hard core fans, Lofgren is joined here by an assortment of friends including three of his guitar playing brothers. In a set that covers his lengthy career from his first band Grin to last year’s solo album Sacred Weapon, Lofgren shows that he is indeed a great, perhaps even under-appreciated singer-songwriter.

But mostly he puts on what basically amounts to a guitar clinic. Of the numerous musical highlights on this DVD–and there are many of them–none of them match simply watching Lofgren play his instrument. Whether you are a musician or not, seeing Lofgren’s technique in the several closeup shots shown here is just nothing short of amazing.

Lofgren doesn’t merely strum or pick the strings the way that many guitarists do. He plays the entire instrument. He strums it open-handed at times, using all four fingers and his thumb at the same time. At other times, particularly when playing in the open-ended harmonics he so often favors here, Lofgren will play from the top of the neck all the way down the fretboard. The resulting sounds you wind up actually hearing are simply as stunning as they are beautiful.

Lofgren plays in this harmonic based style completely solo on “Keith Don’t Go,” making the one acoustic guitar he plays sound more like two playing at once. You hear both the lower bass parts and the higher notes. On “Girl In Motion” he continues to play in the harmonic style while switching over to an electric guitar. Here he takes one of the countless stunning solos heard throughout this DVD, as Buck Brown’s equally dextrous fingers match him note for note on the keys.

By the time of “Because The Night,” (the only tune played here not written by Lofgren), there is a full compliment of guitarists onstage in the form of Lofgren’s brothers Tom, Mike, and Mark. Together, they make as big as noise in their own way on the Patti Smith hit as Springsteen does when it’s played in stadiums with the E Street Band. There’s also yet another of those great, crying guitar solos from Nils.

Earlier in the set, Nils also comes across as an engaging, even funny performer at times. Knowing he has this particular crowd eating out of his hand, he promises a long night early, joking that “I couldn’t take a show this long myself, so if you need to get up and get a drink, you won’t hurt our feelings.” Performing solo acoustic, Lofgren seques nicely from a lovely sounding “I Found You” into the borderline spanish style of “You”. Lofgren’s playing here takes on such a dramatic, flamenco type of feel you half expect sagebrush to go floating across the stage.

On “Black Books,” Lofgren goes back to electric and proceeds to take off on yet another harmonic fueled solo tear, as Buck Brown’s pastoral synthesizer provides a swirling backdrop. For “Valentine” and “Tender Love,” Lofgren is joined by Baxter and Mary Ann Redmond for a round of vocal duets. At one point during “Tender Love,” Lofgren stops and says “we gotta do that again.” After replaying the track a few times, I still couldn’t locate the apparent screw-up here.

When Lofgren later uses improvised song lyrics to announce “It’s so nice to have friends who play so great, I feel so inspired think I’ll take a break,” he leaves the stage to Baxter and Buck Brown who use the spotlight to get into a tasty little guitar duel of their own.

Bob Berberich, who was Lofgren’s one-time partner in Grin joins him here for a reprise of Grin songs “Everybody’s Missing The Sun” and “Aint Love Nice.” The show finally draws to a close with “I Came To Dance,” “No Mercy,” and a searing “Moon Tears” which features another Lofgren solo which begins dark and bluesy before taking a left turn into Hendrix territory.

The extras on this DVD include several bonus tracks, including a few I’ve already mentioned here such as “Because The Night” and “Keith Don’t Go.” There is also a backstage interview where Nils talks about his shaky start doing acoustic performances at a time when he felt “a little more naked and exposed.” He humorously recalls one early gig with several false starts where he was “waiting for the fire alarm to go off.” There is also footage from the rehearsals for the shows captured here.

On Live Acoustic, Nils Lofgren & Friends more than prove their mettle as performers, and Lofgren’s songs alone are enough to make for a great night. But if you appreciate watching a great, if criminally underrated guitarist do his thing nearly as much as I do, this DVD rates as required viewing and listening.

Thanks to
http://theglenblog.blogspot.com/

Written by Glen Boyd

You’ve been seriously injured at Action Park.

You know that the only people who call it “Joisey” are from New York (usually The Bronx) or Texas.

You don’t think of citrus when people mention “The Oranges.”

You know that it’s called “Great Adventure,” not “Six Flags.”

You’ve ordered a hard roll with butter for breakfast.

You’ve known the way to Seaside Heights since you were seven.

You’ve eaten at a diner, when you were stoned or drunk, at 3 am.

Whenever you park, there’s a Camaro within three spots of you.

You remember that the “Two Guys” were from Harrison.

You know that the state isn’t one big oil refinery.

At least three people in your family still love Bruce Springsteen, and you know what town Jon Bon Jovi is from.

You know what a “jug handle” is.

You know that a WaWa is a convenience store.

You know that the state isn’t all farmland.

You know that there are no “beaches” in new Jersey - there’s “The Shore,” and you know that the road to the shore is “The Parkway” not “The Garden State Highway.”

You know that “Piney” isn’t referring to a tree.

Even your school cafeteria made good Italian subs, and, you call it a “sub” not a “submarine sandwich” or worse yet, a “hoagy” or a “hero.”

You remember the song from the Palisades Park commercials.

You know how to properly negotiate a Circle.

You knew that the last question had to do with driving.

You know that “Acme” is an actual store, not just a Warner Bros creation.

You know that this is the only “New…” state that doesn’t require “New” to identify it (like, try …Mexico, …York, …Hampshire (doesn’t work, does it?).

You know how to translate this conversation: “Jeet yet?” “No, Jew?”

You only go to New York City for day trips, and you only call it “The City.”

You know that a “White Castle” is the name of BOTH a fast food chain AND a fast food sandwich.

You consider a corned beef sandwich with lettuce and mayo a sacrilege.

In the 80’s you wore your hair REALLY high.

You don’t think “What exit” (do you live near?) is very funny.

You know that the real first “strip shopping center” in the country is Route 22.

You know that people from 609 area code are “a little different.”

You know that no respectable New Jerseyan goes to Princeton - that’s for out-of-staters.

The Jets-Giants game has started fights at your school or local bar.

You live within 20 minutes of at least three different malls.

You can see the Manhattan skyline from some part of your town.

You refer to all highways and interstates by their numbers.

Every year, you had at least one kid in your class named Tony.

You know where every “clip” shown in the Sopranos opening credits is.

You’ve gotten on the wrong highway trying to get out of Willowbrook Mall.

You’ve eaten a Boardwalk cheesesteak with vinegar fries.

You have a favorite Atlantic City casino.

You start planning for Memorial Day weekend in February.

And finally…
You’ve never pumped your own gas.
Thanks To
http://dinosforum.blogspot.com/

href=’http://theboss.today.com/files/2006/11/small_thanks_troops_card.jpg’ title=’small_thanks_troops_card.jpg’>Its Thanks giving today……… Happy Thanks Giving to All-!!

I saw this giant eight foot ‘thank you card’ at Rochester Airport in upstate NY a long while back now…….I photographed it with my pocket SD550 which is just a point and shoot camera but a good one………. its done a good job of capturing this emotive scene……. hundreds of people had written their best wishes and prayers for a safe return for all the troops into this huge card. Some were very specific personal messages to individual named Husbands and Fathers and Sons others generic good wishes to all. I found it a moving sight. Weirdly now on the radio I can hear Bruce Sprinsteen…… Devils and Dust ………. its an anti-war song I’ve heard it before but it seems to me very respectful of the reality of the life of individual US soldiers, it’s respectful of them and the toll it takes on them to be in Iraq. Bruce Springsteen has in his songs always been respectful of the Blue Collar working man of America and in my view this is no exception.

Its a bit random….. I wasn’t expecting to be quoting an anti-war song by the barde of New Jersey…..er…..anyway here below are the lyrics to Devils and Dust by Bruce Springsteen. I hope its not that bad today for most of them out there……. maybe some will get a chance to kick back and relax today……. Its Thanks Giving after all…… its a time to be thankful so lets go with the card and say ‘thank you’ to them and wish for each one of them….. to be home safely soon. Again “Happy Thanks Giving’ to all, and especially anyone serving in Iraq.

Bruce Springsteen; Devils and Dust

I got my finger on the trigger
But I don’t know who to trust
When I look into your eyes
There’s just devils and dust
We’re a long, long way from home, Bobbie
Home’s a long, long way from us
I feel a dirty wind blowing
Devils and dust

I got God on my side
And I’m just trying to survive
What if what you do to survive
Kills the things you love
Fear’s a powerful thing, baby
It can turn your heart black you can trust
It’ll take your God filled soul
And fill it with devils and dust

Well I dreamed of you last night
In a field of blood and stone
The blood began to dry
The smell began to rise
Well I dreamed of you last night, Bobbie
In a field of mud and bone
Your blood began to dry
And the smell began to rise

We’ve got God on our side
We’re just trying to survive
What if what you do to survive
Kills the things you love
Fear’s a powerful thing
It’ll turn your heart black you can trust
It’ll take your God filled soul
Fill it with devils and dust
It’ll take your God filled soul
Fill it with devils and dust

[ harmonica ]

Now every woman and every man
They wanna take a righteous stand
Find the love that God wills
And the faith that He commands
I’ve got my finger on the trigger
And tonight faith just ain’t enough
When I look inside my heart
There’s just devils and dust

Well I’ve got God on my side
And I’m just trying to survive
What if what you do to survive
Kills the things you love
Fear’s a DANGEROUS (should be POWERFUL) thing
It can turn your heart black you can trust
It’ll take your God filled soul
Fill it with devils and dust
Yeah it’ll take your God filled soul
Fill it with devils and dust
Thanks to
http://www.jezblog.com/

Here’s my recommendation for a Thankgiving anthem for 2006: “American Land,” by Bruce Springsteen.

It’s a contemporary American folk song Bruce recently composed for the new edition of “We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions.” Upon first hearing, it sounds like a garden-variety Irish-inflected immigrant song, extolling the joys of the American dream (”There’s treasures for the taking, for any hard working man/Who makes his home in the American land.”) But true to form, Bruce folds a deeper and more complex message into his American vision, proving once again why he is among the most powerful - if misunderstood - songwriters of our time. Listen carefully and you’ll catch his inclusion of illegal immigrants and even (gasp!) Arabs among those who reach our shores, hoping for a better life and future.

Every Thanksgiving, I’m mindful that like most Americans, my ancestors didn’t come over on the Mayflower. My paternal grandfather, Yitzhak (later Irving) Rosen up and left his home town of Kamen-Kashirsk in the northwest Ukraine when he was a teenager, certain that a better life must certainly await him somewhere else. After wending his way through Europe (among other things, serving as a soldier in WW I) he ended up in the American Land supporting a wife and two sons by driving a candy truck in City Terrace, Los Angeles. His two sons grew up to be a doctor and a lawyer - every Jewish parent’s dream come true.

As we debate immigration policy in our country today, I can’t help but think of the myriad of immense challeges my own grandparents faced when they immigrated here not so long ago - and how this hard fought dream continues even now. In the words of the song: “They died to get here a hundred years ago, they’re dyin’ now.”

Anyhow, Happy Thanksgiving. And sing this one around the table this year:

“American Land” by Bruce Springsteen

What is this land of America, so many travel there
I’m going now while I’m still young, my darling meet me there
Wish me luck my lovely, I’ll send for you when I can
And we’ll make our home in the American land

Over there all the woman wear silk and satin to their knees
And children dear, the sweets, I hear, are growing on the trees
Gold comes rushing out the river straight into your hands
If you make your home in the American land

There’s diamonds in the sidewalks, there’s gutters lined in song
Dear I hear that beer flows through the faucets all night long
There’s treasure for the taking, for any hard working man
Who will make his home in the American land

I docked at Ellis Island in a city of light and spire
I wandered to the valley of red-hot steel and fire
We made the steel that built the cities with the sweat of our two hands
And I made my home in the American land

The McNicholas, the Posalski’s, the Smiths, Zerillis too
The Blacks, the Irish, the Italians, the Germans and the Jews
The Puerto Ricans, illegals, the Asians, Arabs miles from home
Come across the water with a fire down below

They died building the railroads, worked to bones and skin
They died in the fields and factories, names scattered in the wind
They died to get here a hundred years ago, they’re dyin’ now
The hands that built the country were all trying to keep down

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