The three years between "Born to Run" and "The Darkness on the Edge of Town" were not easy. Lawsuits involving Springsteen and his then manager Mike Appel were in the works. He was under Appel's management for the Born to Run album, and although he was successful with Appel, he wanted to be able to produce is own album. Until the lawsuit was settled, Springsteen was not able to enter the studio without Appel, or a producer that was approved by Mike Appel. This whole process took about a year, and it left the fans wondering "Where is this guy Bruce Springsteen?" The future of Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band was looking cloudy. Clouds of doubt hovered over their heads. They didn't want to be one of those bands who were successful one day and then gone the next.
Finally, Springsteen gained control and the band was able to get in the studio and start recording their next album. Springsteen didn't want to have that same "wall of sound" (big sound) that he had in his 1975 "Born to Run" album. Although it was successful, he didn't want to have two albums that sounded the same. The 1975 album also deserved that big sound, for it was an album that illustrated living life without abandon. When listening to the album, you do not only hear songs, but you hear stories. When asked about the album, Springsteen describes that "It can all be taken place in the course of one evening in all these different locations. All these different stories on one long summer night." Springsteen describes the theme of the album perfectly in this HBO documentary named "Wings for Wheels: The Making of Born to Run". Check out the whole clip to step into this wonderful album...
Like stated before, the years in between Born to Run and Darkness on the Edge of Town were dreary, dark and confusing. This feeling is reflected in the album. The wild abandon of Born to Run, was halted with unavoidable consequences of becoming a famous rock star. Springsteen became was now a well-known name and had to become his own Boss (maybe thats how he got the name?) in order to be successful in his next record. The theme of this album differs greatly from "Born to Run" in the sense that it is the illustration of a man coming to terms with adulthood. There is a compromise that must be made between logic and abandon. Watch this clip from "The Promise:The Making of the Darkness on the Edge of Town" and you will get a sense of the difference of the two albums.
 |
| Springsteen 2008 Magic Tour: Thats me with my fist straight in air! |
So after watching this amazing documentary, I'm left wondering if we have any true singer/songwriters anymore. I think of the music and bands of my generation such as Kings of Leon, Maroon Five, the Fray;and even though they are all great bands, there is just something missing. I honestly don't think that these bands would be in the studio recording day after day, month after month trying to perfect the sound of their album. I don't feel as they have the patience. Or maybe they would have their assistants run around for them to make their job easier? They have gotten their success too soon. They haven't paid their dues. It has been far to easy for them. If you were to go back in time, these bands simply wouldn't last. I have seen all of these bands live and I have seen Bruce Springsteen live. The difference is like night and day. I don't feel a true connection with any of the bands of my generation and that is sad. Springsteen concerts are like a music revival. Its an experience that I can not put into words. After over twenty five years, this man is still alive and able to bring a crowd to their feet. He is able to relate to both young and old. His music sends a universal message of desire, hunger and need. When I listen to the music on the radio today...all I can hear...are little boys whining. I won't want to hear that in twenty five years...
No comments:
Post a Comment