Bruce Springsteen: New Album

wow, thank god, I was worried he would never release another album... but seriously, he makes good music, but why continue except for the money. As evident by his ticket prices.

Personally, I think he's pretty lame! I agree, he's just looking to add to his pile of money. If you're over 60 and a lady I guess this is good news though.?.

I disagree that Bruce continues to record and tour for the money. He's wealthy enough. And when other artists have gold circle and VIP seats selling for 250 a piece, Bruce continues to keep prices for all tickets under $100. For that money, you get new songs, rarities and a guy still pushing the envelope. During the Magic Tour, he played 120+ different songs. The same cannot be said for other artists of his age who play the same 20 songs each night. You may not like his music but show some respect for what he continues to do which is record new albums (five since 96) and play 3 hour shows night after night. If he was playing for money, why continue to record? Why continue to play different shows each night? Why keep ticket prices at reasonable levels?

Curiously, how can you guys claim to know Springsteen's motives? I can't say why he is or is not doing this, but i highly doubt he needs the money. Springsteen is amazing. His last few albums were good and "We Shall Overcome" was great. Not to mention, he's made some of the greatest albums of all time. "The River" and "Nebraska" are as relevant and amazing today as they were 30 yrs ago. Furthermore, the E Street Band put on a great, overwhelming rock show... So "why continue except for the money?" How about because this is what he does. Why he was put on the earth. And lots of people still get a lot out of his music. He's one of the greatest of all time ("pretty lame?" gimme a break. "Over 60 and a lady" - how about an American struggling to make ends meet, trying to put food on your table - that's who he sings for - listen to his music). Anyway, we all have opinions and we won't all like the same music, but just throwing stones at Springsteen for no real reason - that seems lame to me. Springsteen, Neil Young, Bob Dylan... man, they may have grown a bit older but they are still the core of america's current songwriting history.

Amen Clark Sean...

"Why continue except for the money????????" How about for the art? And how about to continue making entertainingly moving and supportive statements about a working class of Americans who, until the recent election of this artist's first publicly supported candidate for President, seemed to have been all but forgotten?

As far as "doing it for the money" goes, it's just not the case with Springsteen. In fact, some of his past decisions, if not made purely for charitable purposes, certainly seem to have been counter-productive for his wallet.

Instead of cranking out an immediate follow-up to Born to Run, to strike while the iron was hot, he boycotted the studio for two years while engaging in a legal battle to free himself of a "Colonel Tom" representation contract.

He was one of the handful of artists who donated his art and money to "No Nukes."

He recorded music and spoke around the world to fight South African Apartheid.

He helped organize fundraising concerts for Amnesty International.

He publicly demanded that Ronald Reagan stop using "Born in the USA."

He's used his shows to benefit food banks ever since the early '80s.

He's rallied support for causes ranging from immigrant farmers to under-funded public schools.

He joined the MoveOn.org shows to raise money for Democrats in 2004.

And not even two months ago, instead of extending one of the most lucrative tours of his nearly-forty-year career, he elected to perform a string of well-attended free concerts in important swing states to raise support for Obama.

Plenty of seats were available on the Magic tour for under $40. So anyone who suggests that Springsteen is only in it for the money simply has no idea what they're talking about.

man his music is terrible

Springsteen's allsome - period.

I really don't want this to turn into one of "THOSE" threads, but it might be nice to see comments from readers whose webnames don't identify them as fans of acts who consider sounds eminating from a couple laptops to be "music."

I was blessed with the music of Bruce Springsteen this last year, and was able to see him live in Dallas and was one of the best shows I have ever seen. The energy is incredible. I never took a real liking to The Boss growing up, but I am now a devoted employee for The Boss. Magic was such a great album I can't wait to hear what kind of sounds came from his monster tour and put into a pop record. Can't wait, Bruce is a true musician, the real deal. And honestly I havent read any of the comments but I imagine as usual there's some ignorant jabs.

great artist -- i just hope they didn't use the same audio production team as the last album -- it appeared as if it were cut right to mp3 (not lossless) check the wave files for yourself on a waveform.

How can you hate on the Boss? One of the best american songwriters ever, up there w/ Bob Dylan. listen to Thunder Road, and if you can keep from tearing up, you don't have a pulse.

I also find it interesting that non-artists that comment on this board often suggest that older artists are "only in it for a buck" or whatever and should stop making music for some reason. Guys, they are musicians, and musicians make music. Why would they stop just cause they got older? Would you have expected DaVinci or Beethoven to put it away in their old age? Stupid comment.

And soundtribefreek (nice one, btw), you say Bruce's music is "terrible", but I bet you shell out the $50 to watch those d-bags play recycled beats on their Macs in front of a bunch of ravers and spunions everytime STS9 comes to town. So my question to you is, what the fuck do you know?

I like to cup my farts with my hands and smell them. Sometimes it is bad because I push a little too hard and I just end up shitting right in my hand. Then I have an itch in my ear and my ear gets all shitty. It's kind of like listening to Bruce Springsteen.

How can you slam Springsteen. Come on, open your ears and mind.

Thanks for that smashy. You've proven that retards who shit into their own hands and then scratch their ears don't like springsteen.

Seen Bruce w/E Street Band 3 times, and every show was life-changing in a way most other bands that do reunion tours and such can't do (although I still love em all, even The Eagles). Magic was probably one of the best albums to come out last year, some tracks have made it into my pantheon of Best Ever by Bruce. Why do people continue to just bad mouth anyone on this site, regardless of the band???? STOP HATING!!! CHANGE? YES WE CAN!!

I really didnt care for Magic as an album but it did have some good songs on it. After the Seeger Sessions and the Live in Dublin CD I was hoping he would continue in that direction but he went back to the E-Street band. Cant blame him. I hope this new one is better than Magic and there is another tour

Good Lord smashy. You walked right into that one, bro. I am not a fan of Steenspring either but I know better than to talk that kind of trash here.

You like poo a lot. Are you friends with Sarah Silverman?

And, oh yes sir, I am old. approaching fifty. But guess what. The woman I am getting married to is slightly less than half my age. seriously.

whatever. i really doubt this album will do anything for me.

I had the pleasure of working on a couple of the tracks that made the album. Decent stuff. Bruce was such a sweet guy. I have tons of respect for him. This one is sure to be just like the last one. A bit over compressed for my taste. Keep at it Bruce!

good news and all but c'mon, this guy did philadelphia. not bashing the movie in any way but the song was just awful.

good for you futhupharmer, good for you

sndtribefreak wrote...

"man his music is terrible"

HAHA, This coming from a STS9 fan. Hilarious.

Bruce is the man!!!

Sndtribefreak loves only music for high-functioning idiots

Go Bruce!

The ingnorance of some people on this sight astounds me.

ummm... not in it for the money, then why doesn't he donate all of the proceeds to charity? Artists need to live too, and the ignorance of some of the people astouds me too!! Artists love to play music that is why they tour all year long and record new albums. Yes they have to like it somewhat... but they have contracts to fulfill and bills to pay. Even though forty bucks a ticket is now considered cheap, what is 40 times 10,000, plus merchandising and im sure he now gets a percent of the albums sales. he is making at least $500,000 bucks per show, if not more. Maybe go to 20 or 30 cities, he will make $20 mil off of this album. I like his music, but older musicians tend to do it for the money, he is no different than the rolling stones, aerosmith or anyother over-the-hill musician. His music might be amazing on this album, and im not saying he shouldn't make it, but its not like he is phil lesh or bob weir playing shows for free. If he wasn't in it for the money wouldn't he also live in a two or at most three bedroom house on a half acre lot. So even though I am synical he will make more money this year than 90% of people in their lifetimes, think about that jambasers!!

Fu, in all fairness, almost 50 isn't old.

Just for clarification, msudtg, my initial comments weren't made, nor would I suspect were those of everyone else who's chimed in in agreement so far, to suggest that Springsteen hates to get paid. They were made to counter the errant claim that money's the ONLY reason he still makes music.

As far as Phil and Weir are concerned, while they do indeed act in very generous ways, neither has performed as many free shows in the past year as has Bruce.

And as far as comparisons to Aerosmith or the Stones go, you are pathetically undereducated and ridiculously off base. While those two acts offer extremely entertaining shows, they are typically Greatest Hits galas, not reflections of living, breathing, pertinant and timely artistry and musicianship. Three out of every four Stones releases are compilations, live cuts, or retrospectives, and their shows rarely feature more than one or two songs off any current (if they actually have one) release. The same goes for Aerosmith's shows.

But Springsteen's audiences come to see him for his music, all of it. Old and new, not just fond memories. They're loyal and they understand that any song that makes it to a new album has already survived tons of cuts.

See, Bruce compiles an average of 70 new tunes for each album, and then he starts whittling away to create a thematic core for the final product. As he doesn't have to worry about heroin addiction, coke binges, alcoholism, repeated arrests and jail time, or band members with the same worries, he can devote his time to creating a solid product. And, yes, since he has money to burn, he doesn't need to rush into the studio to toss off some piece of crap that he knows all his drugged out zombie disciples will buy no matter what (Gee, which "younger" jammy guitarist has done THAT at least twice in the past three years?).

Put simply, on the stage, in the studio, and in the public service domain, Bruce has earned his nickname scores of times over, regardless of what a small number of misinformed, bong-ravaged neophytes may believe.

But if you want to talk about someone who's REALLY just in it for the money, how about Molitz running off to join a high-paying cover band instead of standing by his creative friends in Particle? Face it... younger artists don't maintain a monopoly on integrity, and older artists are not always the sellouts.

OK, what is going on here people? Whether you like Bruce or not, you have to respect his place in the patheons of music. People want to accuse him being in it for the money, but this guy is one of the people who started out in the jam scene forty years ago playing four hour shows in clubs and throughout his career. Past his prime? Now, he's still playing three hour shows, no set breaks, throwing the set lists out the window and playing requests all night to a general admission floor audience for tix under $100. In it for the money? He's got a nine person band (ten when Patti's on tour) in the E Street, the Seeger Sessions was a huge band, and those people need to get paid for their efforts and time touring, too, wouldn't you think? In for the money? Why don't you accuse the Grateful Dead of that first? They have their own line of snow skis, ties, and golf shirts? Besides the E Street Band, the Grateful Dead, and the Heartbreakers, there aren't too many bands that have had the longevity that kept basically the same framework of band together for thirty or forty years. I find Magic to be a great album, and what is even more fascinating is that Bruce hasn't stopped. He toured solo, then with the Seeger Sessions, then released Magic, then toured the world, lost a forty year band mate in Phantom Dan Federici, kept at it hard, and found the time to record another album to be released, and play free campaign shows to support a cause. That is hard work and dedication to a craft like no other.

Not to mention that for each city Springsteen plays, he donates a huge sum of money to the local community food bank. When the town of Red Bank, NJ, needed a new performing arts center, he not only donated a huge sum of money, he played it's first show. When the Count Basie Theater in Red Bank needed massive renovations, he, along with the E Street Band played a benefit show, donating ALL proceeds to the theater. I believe that one raised upwards of 3 million bucks. And oh yeah, for the people who spent thousands on the auction for those tickets, they got a unique three set show, complete with not one but two albums played in their entirity.

I think the music drives this guy more than anything.

He is clearly different than the Stones or Aerosmith.

Clearly I am not a Bruce fan from my comment up there no one liked. But the in it for the money argument is absolute bullshit. It just doesn't make sense. If he were really in it for the money, he would be doing a hell of a lot of advertising for companies like coke, pepsi, freecreditreportdotcom, and on and on. Not only that, but it takes money to make money. He could do so many more things with the money he has to make more money that would be MUCH easier than playing shows and putting out albums. The man clearly loves making music. Period. So even though I do not care for his music and I do not like his political stances, the man clearly has talent and integrity. I don't retract my previous comment, but I in no way agree with the old tired 'in it fo da cash money' argument for the Boss.

mssudtg,I think your math is flawed, unless the rest of the band, crew, event staff, etc work for free for Bruce tour. Think first. Second, i'm not sure what you do for a living, but if you don't give ALL your earnings to charity, then you're only in it for the money, and you're a total sellout. (see how dumb that sounds)

"Snow skis" is a funny phrase.

msudtg - not only is your math flawed, but your reasoning is flawed. Just do a quick ticketmaster search for Weir - tickets range from $39 to $65 before charges. Ya they might throw in some free shows now and then, but now according to your argument, Weir is only in it for the money. I think not.

Smashy, if fifty isn't old , then why did you say I looked old in my photos?

Why you wanna do me like dat?

New Springsteen Music This Sunday, November 23.

Thanksgiving is upon us. Sadly, more of our friends and neighbors than ever need a helping hand.

The 3rd annual all-request Bruce Brunch to benefit the Food Bank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties is a fun way to raise some money.

This Sunday starting at 9, the folks from the Food Bank will be on hand to take your requests and dedications for a $25 donation. The phone number to call is 732-918-2600. All the songs will be played back on Sunday November 30th-9 a.m. to noon.

We've had international dedications and always some amazing selections. Mr. Springsteen has been very high profile this year as an advocate in the fight to help feed hungry people.

If all that is not enough, Lawrence Kirsch will be sending an autographed copy of his beautiful book For You to one of the folks who makes a donation to help the FoodBank. There are literally less than 50 copies of this book remaining, and when they're gone, they're gone. Lawrence is a class guy and a great part of the Springsteen community.

Oh yeah, there's new music from Bruce that I can't wait to play this week.

The Bruce Brunch is on Sunday mornings from 9 to 11 exclusively 105-7 The Hawk www.1057thehawk.com

Tom Cunningham