JFC, Bruce, you're you're killing me. I was class of 76. When I worked with Dick Clark on some compilations for QVC around the turn of the century (!), he used to always say "music is the soundtrack of your life," and I thought it was kind of hokey and obvious. But damn, at this point in our lives, it's everything.
I don't live in the past, and neither do you, when it comes to music.
Couldn't download this fast enough. Dude you're always talking to me through music, and I hope it never stops. Thank you forever.
Great year Bruce! Of course, being 3 years ahead of you, The Wild The Innocent had already changed my life (NYC Serenade 9 minutes over and over again on the turntable...), but the rest, I'm so on board with you! That said, I probably would have stopped looking at you over your embrace of Zappa too....:) Thanks for your uncanny ability to bring the past back to life through song title triggers!
The year I turned 16 growing up in small town Saskatchewan (Canada). It’s my feature year for my Substack music project Friday Faves. We could have hung out if you were friend with kids finishing Gr 10 in ‘75. Cheers.
I'm grateful every single day for my own musical angels who pointed me in the direction of some of my faves, especially when I was just a young 'un. (Hey, Jon C, I'm looking at you. Thanks for guiding me towards the joys of Can, Neu!, Stockhausen, et al)
In 1975 I bought Born to Run the day it came out at age 12. It’s remained vital to me ever since. The previous two sentences are about what I said to Bruce during my 10 second photo op at Philadelphia library. Even though I’m five years younger than you, I think 1974 and 75 are touchstones for me to. But I didn’t start going to concerts until 1979 (The Knack at the Tower) and somehow never saw Bruce until The Rising at the Linc 2002 standing on my tenth row chair beside my wife.
right on, Bruce. loved your piece. and the music. I just read "Never a Dull Moment: 1971 The Year That Rock Exploded," by David Hepworth https://a.co/d/1rWhgvy - happens to be the year I graduated from H.S. so, resonates completely with me. from his intro: AT THIS POINT, YOU RAISE A SKEPTICAL EYEBROW AND SAY THAT FOR YOU TOO THE MUSIC OF THE YEAR WHEN YOU WERE TWENTY-ONE, OR EIGHTEEN OR SIXTEEN OR WHENEVER YOU FELT MOST ALIVE, STILL SPEAKS TO YOU IN A WAY THAT NO OTHER YEAR DOES. THAT'S NATURAL. THAT'S JUST GROWING UP. WE ALL HAVE PRECIOUS MEMORIES OF ONE SOFT INFESTED SUMMER WHEN WE WERE YOUNG. FOR US TOO THE SOUNDTRACK THEREOF WILL ALWAYS BE ROCK'S ANNUS MIRABILIS.
THERE'S AN IMPORTANT DIFFERENCE IN THE CASE OF ME AND 1971.
1975, a spectacular year for me where I spent the last few months in Montefiore Hospital’s CCU and then painfully recovering in northern NJ after getting my chest cut open, lung deflated, and a big nuclear powered pacemaker implanted, but the first eight months taking the El out to Tower Theatre to see Bruce Springsteen (and more than once, plus I had seen him the year before at the Tower, the pre-Born to Run times), Patti Smith, Bob Marley, Flora Purim, Gil Scott-Heron, and Tom Waits in the greatest live performances I had ever seen (and 49 years later, they remain the greatest) — yep, a truly spectacular year!
Oh, this: you were SO right to be playing Horses over and over and over again — the album went deep into my mind and heart, have been in love with the music and writings of Patti Smith ever since
JFC, Bruce, you're you're killing me. I was class of 76. When I worked with Dick Clark on some compilations for QVC around the turn of the century (!), he used to always say "music is the soundtrack of your life," and I thought it was kind of hokey and obvious. But damn, at this point in our lives, it's everything.
I don't live in the past, and neither do you, when it comes to music.
Couldn't download this fast enough. Dude you're always talking to me through music, and I hope it never stops. Thank you forever.
Great year Bruce! Of course, being 3 years ahead of you, The Wild The Innocent had already changed my life (NYC Serenade 9 minutes over and over again on the turntable...), but the rest, I'm so on board with you! That said, I probably would have stopped looking at you over your embrace of Zappa too....:) Thanks for your uncanny ability to bring the past back to life through song title triggers!
The year I turned 16 growing up in small town Saskatchewan (Canada). It’s my feature year for my Substack music project Friday Faves. We could have hung out if you were friend with kids finishing Gr 10 in ‘75. Cheers.
Now *that* is a Playlist
Korvette’s!
Well written Bruce - as usual!
Class of '77 checking in to say this list is indiscriminate in the very best sense of the word. Omnivores rule!
We all need a Reggie G as a friend.
(the Allen Toussaint introduction, right?)
I'm grateful every single day for my own musical angels who pointed me in the direction of some of my faves, especially when I was just a young 'un. (Hey, Jon C, I'm looking at you. Thanks for guiding me towards the joys of Can, Neu!, Stockhausen, et al)
And thank you, Bruce. Great piece and playlist!
In 1975 I bought Born to Run the day it came out at age 12. It’s remained vital to me ever since. The previous two sentences are about what I said to Bruce during my 10 second photo op at Philadelphia library. Even though I’m five years younger than you, I think 1974 and 75 are touchstones for me to. But I didn’t start going to concerts until 1979 (The Knack at the Tower) and somehow never saw Bruce until The Rising at the Linc 2002 standing on my tenth row chair beside my wife.
right on, Bruce. loved your piece. and the music. I just read "Never a Dull Moment: 1971 The Year That Rock Exploded," by David Hepworth https://a.co/d/1rWhgvy - happens to be the year I graduated from H.S. so, resonates completely with me. from his intro: AT THIS POINT, YOU RAISE A SKEPTICAL EYEBROW AND SAY THAT FOR YOU TOO THE MUSIC OF THE YEAR WHEN YOU WERE TWENTY-ONE, OR EIGHTEEN OR SIXTEEN OR WHENEVER YOU FELT MOST ALIVE, STILL SPEAKS TO YOU IN A WAY THAT NO OTHER YEAR DOES. THAT'S NATURAL. THAT'S JUST GROWING UP. WE ALL HAVE PRECIOUS MEMORIES OF ONE SOFT INFESTED SUMMER WHEN WE WERE YOUNG. FOR US TOO THE SOUNDTRACK THEREOF WILL ALWAYS BE ROCK'S ANNUS MIRABILIS.
THERE'S AN IMPORTANT DIFFERENCE IN THE CASE OF ME AND 1971.
THE DIFFERENCE IS THIS. I'M RIGHT.
happy new year, Bruce!
1975, a spectacular year for me where I spent the last few months in Montefiore Hospital’s CCU and then painfully recovering in northern NJ after getting my chest cut open, lung deflated, and a big nuclear powered pacemaker implanted, but the first eight months taking the El out to Tower Theatre to see Bruce Springsteen (and more than once, plus I had seen him the year before at the Tower, the pre-Born to Run times), Patti Smith, Bob Marley, Flora Purim, Gil Scott-Heron, and Tom Waits in the greatest live performances I had ever seen (and 49 years later, they remain the greatest) — yep, a truly spectacular year!
Oh, this: you were SO right to be playing Horses over and over and over again — the album went deep into my mind and heart, have been in love with the music and writings of Patti Smith ever since