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September 17, 2009
‘The Boss’ Heading For The Break Room
It seems as though we’ve been seeing reviews of Springsteen & Co. shows for the past couple of years, and I suppose that’s because they have spent a great deal of time on the road during that time. There’s no question they they are a 
hard-working band and have succeeded in delighting fans with their live shows throughout North America and Europe.
Nearing the end of their current tour, which – according to guitarist Steven Van Zandt – could be their last, the group plans to take some time off. That “could be the last tour” language is something we’ve heard from other groups comprised of aging rockers. Considering the recent spell of health-related problems that plagued Aerosmith recently and caused them to cancel their tour, it’s understandable that some of these veteran groups are leaving their options open and making no secret of it.
During a recent conference call, Van Zandt didn’t sound certain about the length of the break the group is planning to take, and, as mentioned previously, whether or not the break will become permanent.
“I don’t know how long, one year, year-and-a-half, two years off. This is a good time to see us. We may not be as pretty, [but] we seem to be getting better in funny ways. You never know. This could be be the last tour. We do every show like it’s our last show anyway,” Van Zandt said.
Fans still have a chance to catch Springsteen and his band mates live if they snag tickets to one of the upcoming shows – some of which have yet to go on sale.
There’s still a bit of work left for the group to finish up, including five dates at the famed Giants Stadium in their home state of New Jersey, as well as shows in Philadelphia, New York, Washington, D.C. among others.
More information is available at Live Daily.
May 11, 2009
Author of New Springsteen Book Solicits Fan Input
Author Lawrence Kirsch, already with a Springsteen book to his credit from 2007, is now working on his latest book featuring “The Boss,” and he’s seeking fan input to help tell the story.
Kirsch is obviously a pretty serious Springsteen fan, and as someone who has authored a book about the New Jersey rocker already, the influence that Springsteen has had on his life is undeniable. The author is now curious about how Springsteen and his music has affected the lives of his fellow fans.
Kirsch’s new project, titled The Light in Darkness, is centered on Springsteen’s 1978 album Darkness on the Edge of Town. Kirsch would like to hear from fans whose lives have been influenced by the album, or by the tour that followed its release. Even fans who are too young to recall the release of the album or attend any of the concerts during that period are invited to share their stories that relate to the album.
“I feel that too many fans have the false impression that only those who saw the 1978 tour can contribute,” Kirsch said. “That is definitely not the case. Anyone who is a fan of the album can contribute a story.”
The author is also seeking original 1978 photography and memorabilia.
Fans who would like to contribute a story or find out more about the forthcoming book may visit the official website for the book, at this location.
For more on this story, check out NJ.com.
April 10, 2009
Springsteen Named As ‘Other Man’ In Divorce Suit
Bruce Springsteen has been making headlines recently for a number of reasons, including his current tour, his Super Bowl gig and his public displeasure over the way some tickets to his shows were distributed. This time however, the headline is not something “The Boss” or his family and friends want to see.
A Red Bank New Jersey businessman has begun divorce proceedings, and cites his spouse’s alleged affair with Springsteen as the reason. Arthur Kelly has claims that his wife, from whom he is estranged, “has committed adultery 
with one Bruce Springsteen, who resides in Rumson, N.J., and Colts Neck, N.J., at various times and places too numerous to mention.”
For their part, both Springsteen and Kelly’s wife Ann are denying the allegations. Even Ann Kelly’s father, Steven Carton has weighed in on the issue, saying that his son-and-law and his attorney are just “seeking sensationalism,” and are "dredging up mud that doesn’t exist.”
Carton claims that the only relationship that exists between his daughter and Springsteen are they they happened to be members of the same gym, and have spoken to each other on occasion.
There are also claims of domestic violence being reported in the Kelly household, with one report claiming that Arthur Kelly was removed from the couple’s West Long Branch, NJ home and was charged with simple assault on March 3rd.
On the other side of the coin, this is not the first time that Springsteen has been accused of straying outside the boundaries of martial fidelity. During his marriage to actress Julianna Phillips, he was accused of seducing back-up singer Patti Scialfa, to whom he is currently married.
There were also rumors of a tryst between Springsteen and the widow of a 9/11 victim back in 2006 which bear some similarities to these latest allegations, including the claim that Springsteen and the stunning widow were members of the same gym.
When asked about the most recent allegations made by Arthur Kelly, a spokesman for Springsteen said that the 59-year-old rocker stands by his statement from 2006, when he said the allegations at that time were “unfounded and ugly rumors,” and also added this his marriage "remains as strong as the day we were married."
April 6, 2009
Ticketmaster Receives A ‘Ticket’ of Their Own
In news that may put smiles on the faces of some music fans, particularly those who enjoy a good Springsteen show, Ticketmaster has been served with subpoenas by the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission seeking information regarding it’s agreements with ticket re-sellers.
Not all that long ago, a number of Bruce Springsteen fans were angered over being re-directed to a re-seller website while trying to purchase tickets to some of the Jersey rocker’s upcoming shows. This not only angered the fans, but drew an angry reaction from Springsteen as well.
Although the company did make some peace offerings in the form of a $350,000 payment to the state of New Jersey and a random drawing for 1,000 fans who filed complaints, apparently that was not enough to get them off the hook.
I don’t dare speculate that Springsteen’s well-known support of Democratic candidates has anything to do with it, however, Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat from New York, is now making noise about legislation that would put the kibosh on shady practices that allegedly go on behind the scenes at the big ticket brokers like Ticketmaster.
Although talk of new legislation from the Washington crowd is often cause for concern, this time it could end up being something a lot of music fans could get behind. If the allegations about Ticketmaster’s practices are true, it’s clear that something has to be done about it.
In addition to the U.S. Justice Department and the FTC, it was also reported that the New Jersey attorney general and the Canadian Competition Bureau are looking into the matter. Needless to say, not good news for the execs at Ticketmaster.
March 24, 2009
E Street Guitarist Lashes Out At Primal Scream
As Scottish rockers Primal Scream were finishing up a performance at the South By South-West festival in Austin, they probably did not expect the storm of criticism that was about to hit them like a Texas twister.
E Street guitarist Steve Van Zandt spoke in rather unkind terms about the group during a question and answer session that touched on the topic of bands from the U.K. and the difficulties they have making a name for themselves in the U.S. these days.
Van Zandt, also known for his role in the highly-acclaimed HBO series The Sopranos, cited Primal Scream frontman Bobby Gillespie’s alleged drug addiction as the reason that the group refused an offer to join Bruce Springsteen and his E Street Band on an upcoming tour consisting of 20 shows.
Van Zandt obviously thinks highly of Primal Scream’s creative ability, calling one of their albums “one of the greatest records in ten years", and seemed to badly want them to back Springsteen and Co. on tour. An opportunity which Van Zandt probably saw as a way for them to garner more recognition in the U.S. market, saying that they “could be the biggest band in the world.”
Having mentioned that he had tried to get Primal Scream to come over to the U.S. several times, Van Zandt had apparently reached the point where he felt strongly enough to publicly vent his frustrations over his failed attempts to lure the group over for some work in America.
In an ironic twist, it was the group’s manager that actually talked Van Zandt out of the notion of including his clients as a backing act on tour. The E Street guitarist seemed incredulous regarding their inability to do 20 shows, adding, “Come on, man. We do 20 shows a month.”
Now the waiting game begins. Will this be another public back-and-forth like we witnessed with the recently-reconciled Def Leppard-Poison spat, or might the boys from Primal Scream simply ignore it.
For more on this story, check out the Daily Record.
