“Kids flash guitars just like switchblades, hustling for the record machine†With these two cinematic lines Springsteen once described the New Jersey R&R scene in his classic song “Jungleland†from the “Born to Run†album. With scenes as the boardwalk and Madam Marie, or artists like Little Steven van Zandt and Southside Johnny, Asbury Park […]
Bruce Springsteen An ‘Old’ Man Live in Amsterdam
“I’m an old man, give me my thrills” Springsteen said before bursting into “Girls in their Summer Clothes”, which was also dedicated to a fresh father who missed the postponed Arnhem show because his wife was giving birth. Springsteen had something to make up for after last December when he fell ill the day of […]
Truth & Soul, Digging in Music History
In an era of digital downloads threatening the record industry record labels like Truth and Soul are a breath of fresh air. Truth and Soul is the kind of label that doesn’t aim on big sales, but is there to satisfy the needs of collectors like me. In limited editions the company releases actual vinyl […]
“For You” A Biography Of A Cult
Dave Marsh, the biographer of the Boss, has dubbed Springsteen fans the cult. Springsteen fans habitually follow the guy around. Waiting in line at a show, waiting for the gates to open it is not uncommon to hear a cacophony of accents and languages. Some more than others. Natives from New Jersey and Italians tend to […]
Al Green Lays Down Soul Supreme
The reverend is back at the secular front with his third album since his 2003 comeback “I Can’t Stop”. After shying away from the secular market, focusing on Gospel, Al Green seems to have fully embraced the salt of the earth again. Green started scaling down his Pop career in ’74 when a girlfriend doused […]
The Fleshtones in Amsterdam (interview)
Some Legends are in your face, like the E-Street Band, some Legends lay waiting in the shadows waiting for us to stumble upon them. The Fleshtones are Living Legends, lurking in those shadow, secretly giving the worlds greatest R&R show, waiting to pull you in to never let you go. Once you stumble upon the […]
The Dirty Dozen Is What’s Going On
Take a tuba, a fat drum beat, add a scorching guitar and you’ve got the foundation of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band as seen in Amsterdam last Thursday. Flesh it all out with a raving horn section and you’ve got a combination that is guaranteed to make you sweat. The Dirty Dozen are one of […]
Take A Good Look At What You Missed All Those Years!!!
A squealing farfisa, barely in time hand claps, raggedy harmonies, the Fleshtones are back!!!! “The who?!?” you might ask yourself. I feel for you. Asking that very question is admitting your life has been devoid of the purest brand of R&R up till now. The Fleshtones have been giving it up for years. They played […]