Springsteen -- Darkness Box Set

August 2010 Springsteen interview with Mojo magazine (a UK music magazine, figure the August issue came out in July in the UK, so the interview has to be from May or June of this year) as the interview is promoting the Hype Park DVD
Q- One consequence of suing your first manager, Mike Appel, in 1976-77 was that you were prevented from recording your next album until the case was settled. Was this the period when the E Street Band really solidified as a live unit?
A- Well we always practiced really good, I think. But during those years we had to make a living strictly playing. That was the only place any money came from. And the money would be contested, often on a nightly basis! You had attorneys showing up at the theater to get it! Now fortunately, there was a law saying you can't prevent someone from making a living. And Mike and I today are quite friendly. I have deep feelings toward Mike Appel to this day - we had lunch three weeks ago. But at the time, needless to say, it was on (laughs). So we had to play. It kept us alive for those years in-between whatever we made from Born to Run . At some point, I think I had to stop paying people, and everybody was just down in the trenches doing what they had to do. You had to have guys that were willing to do that. Yeah, it was a touch moment and we all stuck together and went through it.
Q - If you and Mike Appel are buddies again, time really can heal anything.
A - I'm only going to walk through the door and see John Hammond [CBS A&R man who signed both Springsteen and Bob Dylan] on the other side one time. And there was only one other guy with me. However ruinous the rought sides of your relationship, not only was he my manager, but we were very good friends. (Brando/Corleone again). He was highly enjoyable company: very funny, very cynical, always very sustaining. And time passed and he's still very similar, but we knew that happened once. ( Shrugs ) It's nice to sit down with the guy that happened once with for an hour or two in the afternoon and say "Hey! How's it going?" We do that every once in a while.

 

I already went for the one on the Sony Web site with the T-shirt and the poster. What can I say? I am sick.

 

Among the 30 or so gigs of Springsteen stuff I have on my hard drive is the Darkness outtakes album, American Madness. The version of Sherry Darling on there is pretty good. I like to imagine Bruce listening to that song and it sparking an idea of what his next album would sound like.

There's also a couple variations of Racing in the Street on American Madness, including a rocked-out version on Disc 3. Here's a video someone made with that version...

 

I wouldn't exactly call that version "rocked out"
It's very similar musically, just different lyrics.
When they say a "rocked out" version, it makes me think we're getting a version that hasn't circulated on boot yet.

 

Did you listen past the first 1:40, you know, when the band kicks in?

 

Yes, I've heard that version before, and I wouldn't call it "rocked out"

 

Compared to the sparse original, I'd consider that a rock version.

 

It's interesting, seems to have a little "Thunder Road" and a little "Independence Day" in there musically as well. Much prefer the original release.

 

Shockey please report to the white courtesy phone (or your computer keyboard) and comment

 

Today is the 11th anniversary of my favorite Bruce concert moment ever -- taking Incident out of mothballs to open the final Philly show.

 

I was there -- about 10 rows or so behind the stage at the FUC. A fantastic moment to open a tremendous show, that for my money was a tad bit better than the previous night's show across the parking lot at the Spectrum.

 

my only contribution to this discussion, joe, is that my entire family understands i require only on chanukah/christmas present this year. they can all contribute to the box-set fund. 8)

30 years after the great '78 shows, "racin'..." was holding up pretty well in this '08 show:

in those '78 shows, bruce ended the first set with this trifecta: "racin' in the street," "thunder road," "jungleland."

go ahead. try to find me a better live trifecta than that.