Bruce

by Peter Ames Carlin

After 3 decades of groundbreaking music Bruce Springsteen still manages to amaze audiences around the world with his live shows and bring new fans to his music with every album release. Highly acclaimed music critic Peter Carlin tracks the Boss's dazzling ascent to fame, whilst painting a vivid portrait of the real Springsteen: an insistently private man who nevertheless would do anything for his fans.
Recently, in response to his mother's failing health, Springsteen decided he wanted to tell his story, and that he wanted Carlin to tell it. He gave Carlin many hours of interview time, including a trip to his family home, and lett him preview his unreleased album. With unprecedented access to Springsteen, his family, friends and management, Carlin presents a riveting and highly personal account of Springsteen's life.

Genres: Biography, Music, Nonfiction, Biography Memoir, History, Audiobook, Pop Culture

512 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Rick · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the worst-written book that I have ever willingly read for this long (nearly finished). There's an absolute style or usage clunker on just about every page. I've never read so many sentence fragments in any book on any subject, even by the pulpiest authors. The way he uses footnotes is grating. It's amateurish hack-work without any apparent editor to save the author from himself. Did I mention that the writing is atrocious?

It's partially redeemed by the author's extensive reporting and the interesting stories Carlin unearths about Bruce's family history, relationships, and on-and-off-and-on relationship with the E Street Band. Still, it has a disconnected tone, with Carlin writing about key places in the story (for instance, Asbury Park) with no real description, as if Carlin didn't bother to visit, or visited but left his notebooks in Portland. This is a serious problem for a book about an artist who's very much tied to place.

Dwight Garner's review in the New York Times back in November was spot-on. Highlight: "There are too many hacky sentences. We read about Mike Appel, Mr. Springsteen’s early manager: 'He turned naysayers into fools and made the powerful lick his hand.' And there’s this about a few days Mr. Springsteen spent in Japan with his first wife, the actress Julianne Phillips: 'It was all true love and lollipops in the land of the rising sun.' This book’s footnotes are whatever the opposite of scholarly is, many of them completely daft."

I could go on and on, but instead, I'll just say that I can't imagine that anyone but hardcore Bruce fans will be able to stomach the entire tome. (And I do know fellow fans that professed to like it.) There are better books out there on our man (including Bruce' magnificent own memoir, "Born to Run") and life is short, so I suggest you look elsewhere.

[Marigold · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of course it was really good - it's about Bruce! I've been a fan since 1975 when I first heard him & I would say a "major" fan since The River came out. My husband & I have seen him live six times, I think, & each time he just gets better!
Carlin wrote this in a straight-forward style that is enjoyable to read. I would like to read it again with a website open to Bruce's lyrics in front of me, as well as a stack of CD's & some of the music videos! That would be the slow way to read it. I took the fast route this time & just read it through without reference materials!
What's clear is what I've always known. Bruce is a good guy with an extraordinary talent. But he's just a human being. He has failings, gets angry, makes mistakes, & has not always been easy to work with. I don't know that anyone expects him to be perfect, I know I don't! It's good enough for me that he continues to put out great music, appears to treat people around him with respect whenever possible, & supports causes that I believe in. I respect him even more for something I didn't know - that he realized he had to change some things about himself & sought out both therapy & anti-depressants - & I'm glad he has been able to face down the demons for the most part, & take responsibility for doing that. I'm glad his creativity was, if anything, increased & enhanced by the changes he made.
If you're a Bruce fan you're going to enjoy this book.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Carlin's biography of Springsteen had some interesting insights, but it is not very well-written and lacks the passion I would expect. Carlin doesn't seem to be passionate about Springsteen's great lyrics, but he is enough of a fan to give him a pass on a lot of untoward behavior. It makes for a disappointing combination. The big bombshell about his antidepressant use that got so much press was kind of glossed over, and he sort of excuses Springsteen's extramarital affair.

[Thomas Stroemquist · Rating 2 out of 5]

As I've let on in my updates, I did struggle quite a bit with this book. First off, I'm not a fan of Springsteen's, but that in itself doesn't diminish a biography I think. Naturally, people you admire or despise will bring interest up, but I do have experience with reading about someone I'm basically unfamiliar with and finding the experience very engaging. (Knowing only little about someone would actually be a really good reason to read a biography, I think). Anyway, this book had the most unexpected and unusual property of providing very little information on its subject matter and at the same time tell all I ever want to know... (Well, except for one thing, one piece of the puzzle that I actually think was on my mind when I purchased this book; did the boss have any connection to Warhol and the factory? I can swear that there was an odd passage of Springsteen decked out on a couch at Andy's place in "David Bowie: Living on the Brink" - but no trace here. I guess I have to do a re-read of that one).

OK then - so the subject, Springsteen, does come off a bit unsympathetic in my view (a bit of "my way or you're out and, if I suddenly change my mind about what my way is, you're out anyway") and the almost maniacal pedantry that is described in recording the first albums are both a bit scary and very un-rock'n'roll. I mean, hundreds of takes for each song, followed by twice as many mixes? This may of course be the case of me not being a musician. Some friends, who are, sometimes go to great lengths in explaining the intricacies, difficulties and finer details in music that leaves me indifferent. And then they sometimes comment on the trivial mundanity and blatant technical mistakes in music that takes my breath away.

The author asks some slightly uncomfortable questions, but most of the time acts fanboy to the subject. Examples are the fascination with a young Springsteen who "at 22 engaged in the fundamental questions on faith, war, god, life and death". Which of course is what any 22 year old does! Ask one! They have the answers to all of those! When you get older you're not arrogant enough to think that you do...

Another uncommented and strange shift is closer to the end of the book. - And I'll stick in another observation here - the start is slow moving, pages and pages of long studio sessions and the like, but when we get closer to the end, the author basically stacks the albums on each other, within a couple of pages at one point, we went 13 years(!?). Anyway, the pedantry I already touched upon is strangely countered nearer the end, the Boss gathers some old band members or other and forces them to play more or less with no preparation, 1-2-3-4 and bam! they were playing and had to follow him - just the way he wanted it! A couple of pages later we have some quotes about "I like it simple"; "I'm no audiophile"; "I like my old instruments". When this 180 degree turn came on I have no clue, nothing like this is commented.

OK, so how come I finished this? Well, despite being long, and low on real content, it's quite readable and I thought that I should really finish the one bio I'll ever read on the man. Also, there are nice passages (of course), the relationship with family is interesting and much more so the complicated friendships with Steve van Zandt and Clarence Clemons (but do not expect any reveals). The most surprising thing for me was the sexual explicitness of the song tributing Patti - "Red Headed Woman" - and in particular his playing of that (after a lengthy introduction/explanation) at his old Catholic school in quite recent times.

Final verdict: it was OK. I guess that if you want to read a bio on the boss, it'll do (but after seeing the blurbs about this being so much more than the earlier, I have a hard time believing that those contain anything you won't find on liner notes...)

[Larry H · Rating 4 out of 5]

When you grow up in central New Jersey, particularly one town away from Freehold as I did, Bruce Springsteen is almost a religion. I had the same Spanish teacher he had in high school, knew all of his songs by heart, danced to Jersey Girl at more sweet 16 parties than I could count, saw concerts on countless tours, and at least once made the "Bruce pilgrimage," stopping by many of the places along his historic rise to legend status.

More than 25 years after moving away from New Jersey, "The Boss" is still a cultural touchstone for me, even though my accent changed a long time ago. Yet my perceptions of Bruce have always been the ones culture presented us—the outspoken political crusader, the fierce protector of his home state, the self-appointed spokesperson for those down on their luck or without luck at all, the muscle-bound troubadour, the brooding and sensitive poet of his generation. Which is why, although I don't traditionally read biographies, I chose to read Peter Ames Carlin's meticulously researched Bruce.

As you'd imagine, a book written with Springsteen's authorization—and complete access to everyone involved with his life, music, and career from the start—paints a fairly well-rounded picture of both the artist and the man. There's much I already knew about the starts and stops along the way of his musical journey, and anyone as obsessed with pop culture as I am certainly followed the stories of his personal life—his marriage to Julianne Phillips, their divorce and his subsequent relationship, marriage, and life with Patti Scialfa.

But while Carlin definitely spotlights the Springsteen you think you know, and certainly includes recollections and endorsements from many in his career that have been acolytes and advocates from the start, he is careful not to paint Springsteen as a saint, but rather a flawed, mercurial, sometimes-cocky-sometimes-insecure man torn between just wanting to make music for his fans and feeling compelled to serve a different purpose. I wasn't aware of his tumultuous relationships with the members of the E Street Band through the years, or the legal troubles he dealt with as his star began to rise, and the personal and psychological demons he's fought throughout his life. And the more I learned and read, the more I understood the passion and inspirations behind his music, which, of course, has led me to listen to it more and more.

This is a long book, and sometimes it moved a little slowly for me. While some insight into Springsteen's ancestry provided depth and insight, I could have done with a little bit less on the generations that preceded him. And given all of the footnotes and all of the names that come through Springsteen's life, sometimes it was difficult to remember who was whom, where they fit in, and why they mattered. But undoubtedly, while Carlin is an admirer of Springsteen the artist and Springsteen the man, he was able to write a more objective account of both than anything I've seen, and write it well.

If you've ever wondered about the man behind the legend, or how he got to where he is, Bruce is the book for you. And even if you're not a huge fan, it's still tremendously interesting and insightful.

[David Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yay this is officially my first book review. I've never done anything like this before. Bear with me, I'm prone to typos and improper language. I was an accounting major, which may explain things. I don't even know if there's a proper way to review books.

My first read of the year was "Bruce" by Peter A Carlin. I checked it out of the Sierra Madre public library. There's nothing better then reading for free and supporting your library.

First off, I grew up a huge Bruce Springsteen fan. I was a child of the 80s so my first experience was with "Born In the USA." So, I was really interested in getting a behind the scenes look.

The bio portrays, at least in my opinion, Bruce as kind of a jerk. Starts bands, then with the wind changes direction, breaks up bands, fires people etc. So that came as a surprise to me. So be warned if have a squeaky clean image of the boss you want to maintain.

Over all, the story is pretty heavy on the early days. One bit I've found odd is that the writing seemed a bit inconsistent. It reads like someone telling a string of stories, one after another, but they don't flow as smooth as it can. Some stories can be in great detail that makes you feel like you were there, others briefly mention a situation and then move on.

If you're a foot note junky you'll love it.

Overall, I'd recommend reading it if your a fan of Bruce Springsteen. I'm a bit of a slow reader so I got bogged down in the details and it took me some time to get through it, so if you're not a fan you should probably pass.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just read the galley. I know I'm biased (married to the writer and all) but it's terrific. I feel like I know Bruce, inside and out. . . .

[Marty Essen · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Bruce” is an interesting book to review, because even though I have a bunch of complaints, it’s still a wonderful book, worthy of five stars.

Let’s start with my complaints:

First, this is a long book for a rock and roll biography. As I joked to my wife: I now feel like I know more about Bruce Springsteen’s life than I know about her life. This is especially true when it comes to Springsteen’s family history. In fact, author Peter A. Carlin devoted so much space to Springsteen’s ancestors that I almost became too bored to continue. If genealogy is your thing, chapter one is for you!

Despite the book’s length, many of my questions remained unanswered:

1) How and when did the E Street Band get its name? Carlin just brings up the subject as an aside, by stating, “now dubbed the E Street Band.”

2) This one is pretty obscure: When I was in school, I was a huge fan of both Bruce Springsteen and Graham Parker. So in 1980, when Springsteen joined Parker on the song “Endless Night,” it was the coolest thing I could have imagined at the time. What happened when those two got together seems to be a lost story, and it would have been an interesting addition to the book.

3) There is very little in “Bruce” about the two prominent women in the E Street family, Patti Scialfa and Soozie Tyrell. Carlin mentioned that Patti stayed out of the interview process, but even so, he used plenty of secondary sources for other parts of the book. Why not do the same for Scialfa and Tyrell?

4) Here’s the most important subject I would have liked Carlin to address: How does Bruce, now in his sixties, still manage to physically out-perform everyone else in rock and roll? Just stating that he frequents a local gym isn’t enough. As anyone who has seen Springsteen perform on a recent tour knows, he’s lost very little energy over the years. For me, that qualifies him as a freak of nature. Does Springsteen recover quickly after his performances, or are his mornings like the opening scene in the movie North Dallas Forty?

But enough complaints! Without a minute-by-minute biography (which no one would want to read), some aspects of Springsteen’s career will always go uncovered.

Here’s what I liked: Other than the first chapter, this was the most interesting and readable biography I have yet encountered. I read much of the book while traveling the county on my own tour (I’m a college speaker), and there were times I was so captivated I’d get disappointed when the flight attendant announced we were landing, and I’d have to turn off my Kindle. And when one of my flights sat on the tarmac for 90 minutes, I was the only contented person on the airplane—deeply engrossed in “Bruce.”

Also, having spent much of my life as both a talent manager and an agent, I appreciated that Carlin gave significant coverage to the vital people behind the scenes. Without them, Springsteen wouldn’t be enjoying such a long and successful career.

I thank Peter A. Carlin for taking on the herculean task of compiling this book. I can only imagine how many hours he put into both the writing and the research. Even scanning the footnotes was impressive—and often humorous.

If you’re a Springsteen fan, you’ll love “Bruce!”

Marty Essen author of Cool Creatures, Hot Planet: Exploring the Seven Continents

[jeremy · Rating 4 out of 5]

too often rock biographies seek to canonize their subjects, offering up for consecration the revelatory details of sexual conquests, pharmacological overindulgences, and distended egos. in an art awash with tragic figures and truncated careers, perhaps the story of a musician possessed of an integrity matched only by his commitment to craft is the exception that belies the rule. bruce, peter ames carlin’s third work about one of rock n’ roll’s elite (after books on paul mccartney and the beach boys’ brian wilson), chronicles the life and career of bruce springsteen, an artist for whom the excesses of superstardom proved to be of little appeal.

with unrestrained (and unprecedented) access to those closest to springsteen, including his immediate family, friends, bandmates, and producers alike, carlin reveals a man whose often contradictory nature helped shape and define not only his professional life, but his personal one as well. while not an authorized biography (in the sense that editorial control was wielded from afar), bruce was written with the blessing of springsteen himself- having granted carlin hours of interviews (“[he] made it clear that the only thing i owed him was an honest account of his life.”). equitable and impartial, bruce provides just that: the most candid and complete glimpse into the rocker’s past and present that has yet been published. as one of the more enigmatic figures in american music, discerning the man from the myth was likely no small task.

beginning with his frequently tumultuous family life growing up in the blue-collar neighborhoods of monmouth county, new jersey, bruce traces the trajectory of springsteen’s formative years as a youngster in awe of elvis presley to a guitar-laden loner with a preternatural devotion to his instrument of choice. working chronologically from his early work with shore-based bands and his first recording contract in 1972, carlin paints the portrait of a passionate performer intent on making it big. covering all seventeen studio albums from his debut, greetings from asbury park, n.j. (recorded some forty years ago), through to this year’s acclaimed wrecking ball, bruce recalls, in detail, the significant recording sessions, concerts, tours, personnel changes and inevitable conflicts that have marked his four decades with the inimitable e street band.

the complexity of springsteen’s paradoxical character is well-conveyed, as are the personal struggles he endured to attain the pinnacles of fame and commercial success. carlin’s shrewd observations of springsteen as a man often in conflict with his own opposing internal forces (the need for privacy versus the desire for notoriety), allow for the impression of an imperfect, yet honorable individual. carlin’s bruce is the earnest, compelling biography of a man who often exemplifies the better traits of those he’s spent nearly a half century singing about: empathy, compassion, dedication, and a dissatisfaction with the status quo. while there has been many a biography written about springsteen, bruce will likely serve as the most definitive, save, of course, unless the boss himself were to turn his gifted pen from composing songs to writing memoir.

[Anthony Coglianese · Rating 3 out of 5]

Only an avid Bruce fan like myself would take the time to trudge through this rather lengthy biography, but those same fans would likely be put off (like I was) by the author's seemingly pathological misquoting of the Boss' lyrics. If this book is supposedly so "well researched," you'd think he could at least get the song lyrics right.

I did learn a bit about Bruce's history and it was interesting to understand more about his early career, but it was also clear to me that Carlin was either kept from sharing certain details, or was too lazy to get the full story. Instead, he relies on innuendo, often delving no deeper into conflicts than to say, "Bruce remembers it differently."

The descriptions of Bruce's music border on fanboy-ism and are wholly unnecessary in a book that will only be read by people already familiar with the songs. Likewise, Carlin actually uses the published boxed sets and DVDs that fans already own as research material. So, why read the book?

All of that said, I did gain some insight into Bruce's relationship with the band (not great) and his overall personality (flawed) that helped bring texture to his public persona and explain some of his musical choices. Much of what I already had surmised from following his career was either confirmed or further illuminated by this book.

Ultimately, this book will appeal to fans (like me) who have an unending appetite for Bruce. Criticisms aside, I did read it quickly and enjoyed many of the details it contained. But if you are a fan, expect to be frustrated at times when the very details you're seeking are glossed over.

[Pete daPixie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scattered over my past four decades of live music gigs are memories of 'The Boss'. I first saw him in the U.K. for 'The River' tour in 1980, then for his 'Born in the U.S.A.' tour in '85 , again for the 'Tunnel of Love' tour in '88. I saw him as recently as 2009 at the Glastonbury Festival.
I still rate Bruce's first seven albums as must haves. Over the last twenty years I've kept abreast of news and album releases, which is not difficult with such a high profile musical artist.
Peter Ames Carlin's 'Bruce' is a fully up to date biography, (2012) that is as exhaustively researched and detailed as any good rock biog can be. I have recently hit quite a good seam of 'poptastic' writings. Timothy White's 'Catch a Fire', James Fox's 'Life' and now this one.
The life and career of the 'bouncing stone' (Springsteen in Dutch) is revealed in almost five hundred pages. Carlin doesn't miss much. In fact, I doubt he has missed anything. A comprehensive Discography is all I can think of that could have been included. I've been surprised and intrigued at the details revealed in this book. The psychology, the demons, the band members, the recordings and tours. 'Bruce' is value for money, just like those live concerts.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an exhaustive (and at times, exhausting) bit of Springsteenian history. From the birth of his parents through his world tour supporting "Wrecking Ball" and pretty much everything in between. "Bruce", through countless interviews with family, friends, musicians, various employees and even Springsteen himself, paints a not always flattering portrait of one of the greatest musicians of the 20 th century. If you're a fan, you may not learn anything new here but it's so well written that it almost conveys a "you are there" feeling from time to time and yeah, the chapter that deals with the deaths of Danny Federici Clarence Clemons is pretty damn heartbreaking. "Bruce" is a must read for Springsteen fans and for fans of Rock 'n' Roll.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was similar to the other Peter Ames Carlin biography that I read on Brian Wilson from the Beach Boys. Absolutely fascinating subject matter but somehow made to drag by having too many facts and not enough about the singer as a person. Both started off great but faded. If anyone has read a really good Springsteen biography that they'd recommend, I'd love to know though. Just been to my ninth Springsteen concert which was the first where we were lucky enough to get right at the front in the mosh pit and managed to get within a few feet of him - best concert ever !

[Vasilis Kalandaridis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Καταπληκτική δουλειά.Ευαγγέλιο για όλους εμάς τους πιστούς του Boss.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review available on my blog, Open 'Til Midnight.

When offered an opportunity to review the latest biography on Springsteen (full disclosure: I received a complimentary advance copy from the publisher), I accepted, although I seldom read artist biographies. It’s not for a lack of desire to know more about the person behind the compositions; anyone who knows me well is aware of how suddenly I can begin to spout trivia about music and lesser-known details of a songwriter’s life (although I have yet to hit that disturbing fanaticism of “Beliebers”, who somehow know/care about the room number their obsession was born in). My trouble lies within the fact that most biographies of celebrities fall into two spheres:

a) The “artist can do no wrong” version, wherein every detail is carefully sanitized, spun or stricken from the record to present the subject in an almost holy light; or

b) The “dish and dirt party”, wherein the biographer sets out to annihilate all vestiges of decency the artist may possess, creating a work no more reliable than the trashiest tabloids.

There is a third sphere, a rarer breed to be sure: the balanced approach, wherein the artist is given a strong voice and the biographer, like the best of journalists, strives to report the facts and offer very little in the way of interpretation. It is this humanizing sort of book that attracts my attention and, in hearing that this was the first such book about Springsteen where the man himself had taken part via in-depth interviews, I approached Peter Ames Carlin’s Bruce with the cautious optimism that perhaps this, like the Ann Powers/Tori Amos collaboration Piece by Piece, would be a worthy account. I am relieved and pleased to report that Carlin has crafted a tome that falls within this smaller sphere of quality.

Bruce traces back the story of the iconic rocker before the mere awareness of his conception, opening with a deconstruction of the family tree’s challenges and struggles. Carlin’s access to the Springsteen and Zerilli families allows him to set the stage of Freehold, New Jersey in a manner that frames every recollection and quoted lyric firmly in the perspective of Springsteen. That understanding is perhaps critical in appreciating the humanity of the songwriter and the darkness lurking beneath the often bombastic live shows of his lengthy career. To hear of Bruce and his family’s memories of his upbringing and youth is to better accept that the working man storytelling feel of his songs and his charitable work stems from a genuine place, not a sort of publicity posturing, as many of today’s celebrities are wont to do.

Bruce also succeeds because of Carlin’s obvious music critic background, which slips into each era as the biography wanders from the creation of each album to reviewing it, pointing at key songs and waxing poetic on each tune’s virtues or – rarely – its failings. While more casual music fans may find these stretches of the book a little dull, those who enjoy a good analysis of an album will find themselves either nodding in agreement or wanting to rebuke the author for his assessments. This critical eye is ultimately a boon, as it often allows Carlin to note smaller stories and details that a fan would find revealing within the scope of understanding Springsteen’s body of work, thereby offering an almost Director’s Commentary of each album.

The greatest asset that Carlin’s book possesses – aside from the participation of the man himself – is its willingness to honestly and fairly present a historical narrative of the life and career of someone who is larger than life. Springsteen is neither condemned nor exalted; he is simply allowed to be. One strong example of this balanced approach is the recounting of a lawsuit filed by two former employees regarding lousy working conditions and a belief in a deserved “bigger share of the pie”. While we are afforded Bruce’s perspective on the matter, we are also given the accounts of the employees and others who observed the events, with Carlin ultimately drawing no conclusions. Springsteen’s fervent desire for perfection during recording cycles is presented both as the often infuriating practice it could be and the product of a man who’d grown up with inherent self doubts and later, industry-inflicted terror of failure. The wealth of perspectives on Springsteen – from family to friends/bandmates to former employees to The Boss himself – paints a sincere picture of the man behind the haunting truths of tunes like “The Ghost Of Tom Joad”.

The book’s only failing – and it doesn’t detract enough from the tome to bring its value down – is Carlin’s occasionally questionable writing style (or perhaps editorial choices). While granted, I am not privy to the limits of his access to information, I found the post-Born In The U.S.A. era of Springsteen’s career to feel rather rushed in comparison to the first ten years and his childhood. Later albums lacked a certain depth of reflection upon their genesis that I’d come to enjoy in the earlier chapters, so much so that I felt compelled to listen to each album while it was being discussed, reveling in the little details between the gritty lyrics. I also found the opening chapters detailing Bruce’s family to sometimes be a little jarring and confusing as they jumped from one period of time to another. The number of names and characters quickly introduced was off-putting at first. I also question Carlin’s decision to mention the mental health concerns of Doug Springsteen in detail, only to predominantly skim this potential genetic inheritance until the very last chapter, with a quick soundbite from Bruce about antidepressants and his moods. An opportunity feels lost here, in terms of putting a compassionate and understanding face on mood disorders, and in the end, the brief blip feels like a sensationalistic move. Having read this book, I feel Carlin is capable of better handling of the subject matter, and as a social worker, I was disappointed.

Bruce is a biography that is truly meant to be enjoyed alongside the music, and I strongly recommend cuing up each album as it is discussed. It affords fans a new appreciation of Springsteen’s work via immersion. For years, Springsteen has been seen as a voice for the working classes, amplifying their struggles and the core experiences of the human condition itself. With this biography, Carlin sets out to ensure that, unlike times past, there is no longer room for willful distortion of Springsteen’s work.

Set out on the road, Bruce as your map in hand. After all, fans like us? Baby, we were born to run.

[Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

In more recent concerts Bruce Springsteen is like a preacher, and he whips the crowd to a frenzy in revival tents around the world. But what I remember, what I hold dear, are the shows I first saw in the early 80s, where he could command the audience to silence for up to 15 minutes or so while he told a story -- a story about coming home to find his dad sitting in the dark kitchen, about having to sit at the table with him in the dark and listen for a while before he was allowed to escape upstairs. After this and other stories like it Bruce would either slide into a quiet tune or explode all over the stage, granting the audience relief from holding their collective breath.

This book is the first biography of Bruce Springsteen that made me feel like this, and it made me inch just a little closer to knowing what makes the man tick. Although it's easy to tell the author is a fan, the book doesn't fawn, and in fact shows Springsteen in an unflattering light at times as someone who likes to be tightly in control and can be nasty when challenged. But, hey, who wants their heroes to be perfect? Not me. This book is full of stories: about the man, about his family, about the band members, some of whom are still touring with him. And most of all about the music, about Springsteen's unrelenting quest for excellence and his refusal to compromise.

The only complaint I have is that I would have liked the latter half of his career to have received as much attention as the early days, but perhaps the material just wasn't there, Bruce too busy living a "normal" settled life between bursts of creativity. I haven't listened closely to a lot of the later recordings, but after reading this book I'm tempted to start at the beginning, with Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J., and not stop again until the last note of Wrecking Ball. I'll see you all in a few months.

[Dale · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're a Springsteen fan, you'll love the book. If you're interested in the art of songwriting and the business of music, you'll like it. If you're neither of those things, the book probably provides more detail than you want. An overwhelmingly positive biography, but still entertaining to read--the stories (many of which have been embellished in Springsteen concert monologues, some of which might even be true) are great. I make no secret that I'm a huge fan, so the sometimes over-the-top praise doesn't really rattle me. A couple revelations: despite the obvious onstage chemistry, Bruce always treated the E Street Band like employees, and not always like valued employees. Springsteen's manic control-freak tendencies were symptoms of clinical depression (for which he now takes medication). And there were apparently a few record company executives who showed some pretty serious spine in supporting Bruce projects that were not destined to produce huge sales (Nebraska, Tom Joad) because they thought it was the right thing to do in pursuit of art. All in all, a very enjoyable read.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Often, one must be wary in taking up the reading of a biography of a rock-and-roll musician. There is a tendency for this type of book to sometimes be a slap-dash affair, a toss-off with litte actual regard for the subject at hand.
Not so with this deeply insightful, carefully researched, beautifully written biography of Bruce Springsteen. This is a fantastic read from start to finish. As a Springsteen devotee of some forty years, I can in all honesty say I came away from the book with a much fuller understanding of the man and his music than I had prior to reading it. The writing is superb. In fact, some of the sections are so well-written, so evocative, that they move one to tears, much in the manner of the subject's music. That is not a thing easily accomplished in a biography. Peter Ames Carlin deserves high praise for this book. I am so very happy that I read it.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

The nostalgia trip was heavy on this one. I guess that can happen in your 40s but like so many Americans this was an artist I truly grew up with and Springsteen is one whose overall vibe is so consistent with my own worldview. Some of my first memories of the radio - of the feelings that would turn the passion into a career - were of Springsteen songs from Born in the USA. Springsteen just taps into collective memory and brings up emotions similar to reading Whitman. He's absolutely indispensable to my experience of the good side of what it means to be American.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

BRUUUUUUCE! It was quite fun to read and listen along as Bruce created each album. The end sections of the book are quite rushed, though, so I just finished listening to The Rising, one of my favorites. It could have been more in depth in many areas, but it was quite fun and THE BOSS is awesome in any case.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hard to say whether I actually read every page of this book, because I skipped around so much. I'm still going to count it, though.

This is a fun complement to "Born to Run," although if you are reading this right after Springsteen's memoir, you aren't going to come across a lot of scoops. The book includes some anecdotes of Springsteen's more asshole-ish behavior over the years. It was nothing that really shocked me (who among us hasn't thrown food across the room in a terrible tantrum!); maybe I should be more easily shocked (grabbing your ex-girlfriend roughly during the arm and dragging her on stage in a rage; not Brucie's finest moment). The point is, this memoir doesn't go in there with a SAINT BRUCE mentality and that's a positive.

Most of the material covering the late 90s and post "The Rising" is a total slog, like the author was just trying to tick his boxes to make it to the end (barring the exclusive with Clemons of course!!). Do I need to read another account of how "The Rising" was inspired by 9/11? No.

This happens in a couple of other sections as well. Do I really need to read another account of the whole Ron Konvic thing? Or an analysis of what Springsteen's work symbolizes for AMERICAN VALUES? Skim.

One of the most FASCINATING parts of the book is that the author gets access to tapes shedding light as to what Springsteen's recording process in the late 70s/early 80s was like. The transcripts of the conversations with Landau are really revealing re: some of the nuts and bolts of Springsteen talking through his process.

The book is also really adept at showing why Springsteen's recording process in the 70's/early 80's was SO, SO DYSFUNCTIONAL, tech-ignorant, and unnecessarily slow! One of the most revealing quotes of the book is Clemons quipping, "All we could do was hold on. Smoke a lot of pot and try to stay calm."

Some other reflections generated by this read:

1.) The Tunnel of Love tour.... WHAT.... WHAT WAS UP WITH TOUR? Why was it so theatrical (back-up dancers?! Bruce pouring a sponge of wet water down his crotch?!)?

2.) Steve van Zandt. Oh my god, I am so fascinated re: the debate about the extent of Van Zandt's artistic influence over the E-Street sound. Is it underrated or overrated? It seems like there's no objective truth. There are quite a few times in the book where van Zandt spins off some tall tale ("if it wasn't for me, at one point the whole band would have quit!"), only for Springsteen to extremely politely refute it in the next paragraph.

But it also seems like a lot of the time, van Zandt's instincts about what makes rock and roll rock and roll are spot on. It's extremely revealing that after spending like two years recording a huge amount of material for "Born in the U.S.A.," Landau and Springsteen ended up going back to a lot of the early recorded stuff that (according to Carlin) van Zandt had played a big role in producing. Also, van Zandt claims he told Springsteen to throw out "Human Touch" and re-record it. I can't remember if the book confirms this or not, but you also can't argue with that particular hot take....

One of the most interesting quotes in the book for me was van Zandt's commenting on the following:

It’s easy to be personal. It’s easy to be original, believe it or not. Pink Floyd is easy. ‘Louie Louie’ is hard. Sgt. Pepper’s—yeah, great. But ‘Gloria’? Harder. Give me those three chords and make ’em work? That is the ultimate rock ’n’ roll craft/art/inspiration/motivation. That’s the whole thing!

Very different from the Landau approach of let's overanalyze everything. It's the cerebral vs stomach approach! The Appollonian vs Dionysian! Really interesting to see how all the stuff that got left off "The River" and "Darkness" was more in the van Zandt vein—simpler, straightforward, not really dealing with big questions of HUMAN EXISTENCE like "Racing in the Streets" or "Wreck on the Highway", and that's exactly what makes them kind of great...

Also why does Steve van Zandt dress like a pirate?! Why is he always sneering? So theatrical. I love it.

3.) I'm really curious to read the book that includes the transcripts from the Mike Appel lawsuit!! Truly, my Springsteen hobby is so much more productive and stimulating than, say, knitting, or, pottery-making.

4.) There are some semi-tedious parts of the book that are mini-album reviews of Springsteen's work. If there are some albums that you have never heard and have no interest in listening to (cough cough, "The Wild, the Innocent"...) then these mini-album reviews are interesting. By the time you get to "The Rising," man, they are tiresome.

[Gene Kannenberg Jr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bruce Springsteen is another of my musical heroes. But I don't keep up on the latest music news like I used to, so I wasn't aware that there was a new book about him in the works until I saw a copy of it in a bookstore a few weeks ago. I quickly requested a copy from the library, and once it arrived I dove right in.

Peter Ames Carlin's biography Bruce is advertised on its dust jacket flap as "the first in twenty-five years to be written with the cooperation of Bruce Springsteen himself." That cooperation is apparent throughout: The book can boast original interviews with not just Springsteen himself, but also most of his family; current and former (and, sadly, deceased) members of not only The E Street Band but of pretty much every band Bruce has ever been a part of; management teams; crew members; journalists; childhood and family friends; and more.

However, as Carlin notes in the Acknowledgments section,

This was never an 'authorized' book in the technical sense. (I had no contractual relationship with Bruce, Thrill Hill Productions, or Jon Landau Management; they had no control over what I would eventually write.)

It took until page 472 for him to confirm my suspicions that the book might not be authorized. Beyond the fact that the cover would have proudly announced that fact if it had been, there was simply too much evidence throughout that seemed out of place in an official biography, too many anecdotes where Springsteen, frankly, comes off poorly. These aren't tales of drunken or drug-fueled binges: It seems that Bruce pretty much never did drugs, and his drinking, when it was there, never rose to the level of abuse, or even of public drunkenness. (Quite a change from almost every other rock star biography!) Rather, the book tells tales of Bruce's immaturity (which seemed to last quite a long time, well into adulthood), his anger, and his tendency to manipulate, particularly lovers and bandmates.

Indeed, the line between "lovers and bandmates" is a fuzzy one. Not just in the obvious example of Patti Scialfa, who joined the E Street Band in 1984 for the "Born in the U.S.A." tour (after having first auditioned for one of Bruce's bands back in 1971!) and who later became Bruce's second wife and mother of their three children, but in the example of nearly everyone who's ever played in a band with him. Many of their interviews reveal a similar mixture of fierce dedication to, admiration for, and frustration with Bruce the man (though pretty much everyone can't praise his musicianship and dedication to his craft enough). These relationships are complicated. There is a deep an abiding love between them all, but Bruce also is clearly their employer (their "boss"), as he has occasionally been known to make clear - as when once, on the "Darkness" tour, he discovered two of his band members doing cocaine: he exploded and threaten to fire anyone who would do that again. "'I could replace any of those guys in twenty-four hours.' The he thought for a moment. 'Except for Clarence [Clemons]. Replacing Clarence would take some time'" (262).

And Clemons himself makes a similar point, speaking about the time when Springsteen took a break from / broke up the E Street Band after the "Tunnel of Love" tour:

'It's like being married to someone. You have certain expectations of someone because you love them so much. But the these things happen, and he probably doesn't even notice. So I felt like I put all this out for the situation and didn't get much back.' (433)

Bruce's attitude toward his girlfriends could be equally capricious. As Joyce Hyser reminisced, "'His whole thing in those days was, "When I want to see you, you need to be here, and when I don't, you need to be gone"'" (290). His failed first marriage, to the actress Julianne Phillips, gets a somewhat cursory treatment, apart from generally positive memories for friends; neither Bruce nor Phillips speaks to Carlin on the record about it beyond vaguely complimentary memories of each other, and Carlin does not pry further. Bruce's relationship with Patti is presented as complicated at first (as would be expected), but quite solid once their first child was born. Scialfa did not contribute much of anything to the book (she "stayed out of it for the most part, but was welcoming all the same" [472]).

It's hard to imagine these days, when Springsteen has become something like a national musical treasure, that there was a time, even after fame had begun in earnest after "Born to Run," that the band's fortunes - not to mention its future - were gravely in doubt, due to the lawsuits between Bruce and his manager Mike Appel. Forbidden from recording, the band played gigs to get by - but just barely get by. This ancedote was frighteningly telling:

When [Gary W.] Tallent checked out a Springsteen/E Street tribute band playing in a bar near his apartment in Sea Bright, he learned that the tribute bassist made three times more for playing Tallent's parts than Tallent earned for creating, recording, and then playing them around the country. (230)

What's truly impressive about the book, however, is the insight it gives you into Springsteen's creative process, his dedication to his songwriting, and how hard he and his bands have always worked to get to the sound that he has in his head and that he wishes to create both on record and on stage. You get a good sense of his fanatical dedication in the Thom Zimny-directed documentaries included in the large "Born To Run" and "Darkness On The Edge Of Town" box sets, but the book's career-long span really drives this point home. Which is why this comment from Bruce on the spontaneously recorded "We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions" album seems so shocking:

'It's fascinating to record a song when the musicians don't know it,' he told USA Today's Edna Gundersen. 'If people learn their parts too well, they consciously perform rather than flat-out play.' (424)

That "perform" is telling, I think. When the E Street Band is on stage, it's a performance. There's lots of spontaneity, of course, perhaps moreso than nearly any other band; but that spontaneity has its bedrock in an excruciating amount of rehearsal, not just of the music, but of the stagecraft. And given some of the information we learn about tensions among the band members (well, really, between individuals and Bruce), particularly at the start of tours after there have been (Bruce-induced) breaks, I have to wonder if at times the camaraderie and good humor they demonstrate on stage ("night after night after night," as their bandleader is fond of intoning) isn't occasionally a bit of performance as well.

But then I read this from Clarence, and I wonder again:

'Bruce is so passionate about what he believes, that if you're around him, you have to feel it. It'll become part of your passion.... I believed in him like I believed in God. That kind of feeling. He was always so straight and so dedicated to what he believes, you become a believer simply by being around him. People see him and think, "This is how it's supposed to be, this is how it's supposed to happen." You dedicate your life to something. And Bruce represents that.' (433)

Bruce is a solid read throughout, interested more in biography than in analyzing lyrics (there are plenty of other books for that purpose). You learn about Springsteen the artist as well as Springsteen the man, from an author who, while clearly admiring his subject (and perhaps even idolizing him, a bit), nevertheless isn't averse to pointing out the lows as well as the highs. The last couple of chapters, on the most recent decade, are generally less enlightening than the rest of the book, but I suppose that's to be expected when writing of a subject who's still alive. The bulk of the book enjoys and exploits the benefits of hindsight, from Bruce, from the other interview subjects, from Carlin himself; the last few years are probably still too recent in everyone's memory to allow for much reflective thought yet.

Overall, Bruce is a nuanced, comprehensive portrait of a vital artist, as well as of his circle of friends and fellow artists. I've been a Springsteen fan for thirty years or so, but I still learned a lot from this book.

[Originally posted here: http://one-sentence-reviews.blogspot.... ]

[Marco G · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was hard for me to get into at first, but when it begins to cover his career around the the 1980s, it won me over. Always was a fan of bruce, especially his lyrics.but this week in particular, I used his lyrics to get thru a rough time. So i wanted to connect with the boss on a deeper level, and this didn't disappoint. Although the writer's style turned me off a bit (actually a lot), he delivers many good moments and it choked me up at times. I walked away knowing way more than i previously knew about the boss, and glad I stuck with the book. Guess that's why we read bios, right? To learn about our heros, and maybe reinforce a connection to their work. Bruce is a complicated fella, but there's a moral center to this guy that I really appreciated. Some call him a limousine liberal, but he's written about some serious societal issues throughout his career, and I deeply appreciate that he has a perspective like that. We meet so many big figures along the way, and journeying thru the 70s thru the oughts was entertaining. To know bruce and his manager, his mom and others close to him participated in this made me like it more. Other reviews can say more effectively why the writer's style is annoying, but I'll just say that this was an enjoyable ride.

[Mark · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bruce
Author: Peter Ames Carlin
Publisher: Touchstone
Published In: New York City, NY
Date: 2012
Pgs: 494

REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS

Summary:
First biography of Springsteen in over 25 years that had the cooperation of Sprinsteen himself. Intimate. Vivid. Reflecting the heart and soul of America in an award winning music career spanning over 40 years. From the birth of the nickname, to the firing of the E Street Band in 1989, to the reunion tour of 1999 that The Boss almost went awry with ambivalence, from Freehold, New Jersey through the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Genre:
Behind the Scenes
Biography
Music
Non-fiction

Why this book:
Love Springsteen’s music. There were always rumors that he was a legendary dick. Can’t believe he allowed himself to be portrayed like this in a book written with as much access and direct contact as this author had. Course, maybe it was a hostile witness kind of thing and the Springsteen camp didn’t realize the hatchet job that was coming. And yes, I called it a hatchet job, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t true.
______________________________________________________________________________

Favorite Character:
The music.

Least Favorite Character:
Bruce. I knew he was a bit of a prima donna. But much in the same way that the Sinatra bio that I read awhile back, this one exposed things about his character that makes me wish I wouldn’t have read this book. His slapping of Pam Bracken in the middle of a fight over his cheating on her. These biographies alway knock the icons off the pedestal. But we want to know them in ways beyond the accepted media norm and their art. We end up with a vision of them warts and all in a more human and less media god sense. And more and more examples throughout the story.

The Feel:
Usually this section deals with the feel, emotion, contextual resonance of the novel, but this book’s physical feel was off. The dust jacket has a rubbery texture that I find disquieting, that’s not the right word for it, but there it is.

Favorite Scene:
Bruce and friends going to see Janis Joplin and her noticing him in the crowd, coming over to talk to him, and when she goes back on stage for her encore, he rabbits, described as having a deer in the headlights look. And her sending her road manager out to find the cute guy at the bar for her. Wow. And woof. And double wow.

During the mixing of Darkness on the Edge of Town, Bruce was trying to describe the sound he wanted on a specific song to sound mixer Chuck Plotkin, “picture a movie scene; two young lovers sharing a picnic in a sunlit park; sun is shining; grass is emerald; ducks paddle across the pond; camera zooms out to reveal, just behind them, a human corpse lying in the bushes behind them. This song is the dead body.”

Pacing:
Once passed the home life, the growing up, once you get to the music phase, the pace kicks up.

Plot Holes/Out of Character:
I wanted the story of his draft notice, his father, their confrontation, and its resolution that he tells from the stage, occasionally. There is a small piece of the story here, only the part about his hair. Reader is left to wonder if the story he told from the stage was stagecraft instead of truth. It is an awesome story. Be a shame if it weren’t true. Can’t believe that having to go appear at the draft board in the shadow of Vietnam would miss being included in this book.

Hmm Moments:
Where the nickname came from is an illustration of the legendary, rumored douchiness of “The Boss.” A nickname born in the haze of home rules Monopoly games in the New Jersey music scene. ...really.

Bruce’s favorite book as a child was Brave Cowboy Bill, a story of a 6-year old “storming across the frontier, rounding up cattle rustlers, killing deer and elk for dinner, befriending Indians at gunpoint, killing bear, dominating the rodeo, and staying up all night singing songs by the campfire before going home to dream of the frontier.” Sounds a lot like Bruce Springsteen conquering the music world. Except for the Indians at gunpoint, though some of his band members might see similarities.

Steel Mill vs the Middeltown Police Department sounds a lot like a late 60s conservative police chief wanting to show those damned hippies that he was in charge. Horrible in the shadows of Kent State.

Thanks to this book I did something that I haven’t done in years. I listened to an LP all the way through. Born to Run is still a helluva album.

Bruce’s highs and lows and depression giving way to the giggles makes me wonder. It’s put down as his perfectionism fighting with his need to get on with it trying to come out of the studio on Born to Run. But I wonder if he had some clinical level something working not so far in the background of his psyche.

The idea of Springsteen walking every concert hall and amphitheater checking for echo and sound to make it right sounds mythological.

The thing that he did to his ex, Lynn Goldsmith at the No Nukes concerts in New York, twisting her arm cause she didn’t want to be dragged up on stage, for, horrors, showing up at a political cause show that she was connected to. How dare she! Bruce has extensive feet of clay. MTV burnished his image severely.
______________________________________________________________________________

Last Page Sound:
Glad I read it.

Knee Jerk Reaction:
glad I read it

Disposition of Book:
Half Price Books
______________________________________________________________________________

[Cathal Kenneally · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not his biggest fan so I probably would have enjoyed this book more if I was. That said it doesn't matter if you are a hardcore fan or not, it still makes for an interesting read. I don't read a lot of biographies or autobiographies for that matter. They really got to be blockbusters to get 5 stars from me. I do know plenty of people would think otherwise

[Sarah Wilder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Made me love the music of The Boss even more. Bruce Springsteen is a remarkable man who tells remarkable stories through music so timeless it has provided hope and inspiration to both young and old alike. Highly recommend this biography!

[Michael Frazier · Rating 3 out of 5]

My big sister gifted me this book for Christmas in 2012. I cannot recall how many times I've stared at its spine on my book shelf in almost eight years, pondering whether to pick it up and resume where I left off in early 2013. It took just a little more than seven years to actually do it. When I opened the book upon receiving, my sister slipped a note in the front cover. Though I won't share it here, I secured it to the inside cover so that anytime I need a reminder of my big sister's love and compassion, regardless of the hardship either of us may be navigating at a given time. I will say the note is in response to an experience she and I had the fortune of sharing when Bruce and his new-look E-Street Band blew through Denver just before Thanksgiving of 2012. Missy and I looked on in awe from the complete opposite end of the Pepsi Center, high in the mezzanine seats. We were straight on from Bruce, Stevie, Patti and Max - honestly, the seats weren't too shabby.

I say "new-look" E-Street Band because what many have come to know and love as the original cast through the years witnessed a significant shakeup - it wasn't by choice. Dan Fedarici had passed away in 2008 to melanoma and in 2011, perhaps the largest void Bruce and the band could have ever suffered, they lost "Big Man'' Clarence Clemons. WE lost Clarence. The Denver show did not disappoint and made sure to pay homage to Clarence - the very soul, the essence of the E-Street Band. In that night's iteration of "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out," when Bruce sings "When that change was made uptown/and the Big Man joined the band..." time froze. The band came to an abrupt halt as they, along with 15,000+ at Pepsi Center gazed at the video board of a montage of Clarence's finest moments on E-Street, where his alto sax appeared as nothing more than a child’s toy in his giant but gentle grip. It was the second of three times I cried that night. The first time was during "My City of Ruins" when Bruce asked "Are we missin' anybody?" The third was when they brought the house lights up for the second encore and accompanied by the keyboard and sleigh bells for “Santa Clause is Comin’ to Town.” At least by that point they were happy tears for us both. It’s my favorite Christmas song, but only Bruce’s version.

This was a month and a day removed from losing dad. My sister and I had struggled mightily in the wake of his death. It was the first thing we had allowed ourselves to do for fun, to regain any semblance of joy and normalcy in our lives without our family's own embodiment of "Big Man." That concert was so paramount in our healing. It will always hold a special place for me personally and I know my sister feels the same way. Ironically, dad was not a Springsteen fan. Like, at all. Which brings me to my next observation - based on conversations I have had with friends and loved ones, people either love Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band... or they outright detest them and their style. There is no gray area here. I've been a Bruce mark and apologist for almost 20 years. To each their own and I won't beat the drum of why I think you should like him (I truly think you should give them another chance and examine some deeper cuts). But man, has this band gotten me through some rotten times in life.

Bruce, along with Billy Joel, were the voice of the blue collar, working American in the late 70s and 80s. To me, they still are. I'm cut from the same cloth as my blue collar father that swore for years he would "dig ditches to support this family if I have to." He never did get to that point, but he would have followed through on his word if necessary. But to say anything of the middle class, Midwest families earning every dollar they could, people like my mother and my father, my aunts and uncles, even my grandparents, are the very individuals Bruce romanticized in songs like “Born in the USA” (Down in the shadow of the penitentiary/Out by the gas fires of the refinery); “Atlantic City” that screams the sentiment of scraping by on the little money you have (I got a job and tried to put my money away/But I got debts that no honest man can pay); “Thunder Road about getting out of the town you thought you’d be stuck in forever and making something of yourself (It’s a Town Full of Losers/I’m pullin’ out of here to win); "Promised Land" about endlessly chasing that dream, seemingly always within reach, but not quite close enough (Workin all day in my daddy's garage/drivin all night chasin some mirage/pretty soon little girl, I'm gonna take charge... Mister I ain't a boy, no I'm a man/And I believe in a promised land) As former Obama White House staffer David Axelrod once said of The Boss, "I think POTUS sees Springsteen as a kind of poet of the American Dream. A poet who brings life to everyday hopes, aspirations and challenges people face in a distinctive and wonderful way."

He’s one of the most decorated and talented musicians of our time, but he is human like any of us that grew up and lived these experiences like a lot of us have. He fought tirelessly when he realized he wanted to make it big as a rock star and did everything humanly possible to fight for that dream. Something of that appears to be dying a painful death in 21st Century America. At some point, we ALL feel like we were “Born to Run,” that the world is ours for the taking. That we can do ANYTHING. But as he fears in “Thunder Road,” we’re scared, thinking we’re not that young anymore. We aren’t. How are we living our lives? In the same town we grew up in? Are you living the life you imagined, that you aspired to live? Do you still feel like you were born to run, to take the risk and jump in that car down Thunder Road and set out for The Promised Land, whatever that looks like to you? It’s okay if you haven’t done any of that yet. It takes many different forms to different people. My hope for all of us is that one day, however we get there, whatever it looks like, we all reach our Promised Land.

I’d almost forgotten this aside was about a book. Yes, the book. Carlin did right by Bruce and the band in context and relaying information. But it lacked passion. It lacked purpose. It had a sense I was reading a movie script or treatment. I grew increasingly annoyed that this author seems to have no concept of what footnotes are. It was at the point a single footnote was an entire paragraph. That is almost enough to lose the reader completely. If they are to be that extensive, they belong in the appendix, plain and simple. From the band's perspective, in their words, their voice, their stories are entertaining and worth the read alone. As Carlin attempts to add substance to those accounts, they lose some of their luster. I won't say Carlin is a trash writer by any stretch, but this book could have been cleaner and shown more compassion, more emotion.

"Bruce made it clear that the only thing I owed him was an honest account of his life. He welcomed me into his world, spoke at great length on more than a few occasions and worked overtime to make sure I had all the tools I'd need to do my job. Thanks for that, Bruce."

One of the few praises for Carlin is, while his style and storytelling left much to be desired, he did honor Bruce's request. There was no nastiness, no "gotchya" moments, no liberties, no bending the truth. This book wasn't many things, but it was indeed honest to Bruce and the rest of the “heart-stopping, pants-dropping, house-rocking, earth-quaking, booty-shaking, love-making, history-making, LEGENDARY… E-Street Band.”

“If I were a mystic, I guess Clarence and my friendship would lead me to believe we were doing a modest version of God’s work. I’ll see ya in the next life, Big Man.”

Epilogue:

When the breaks of the world are weighing you down, when everything in your whole day seems lost and nothing makes sense, take 20 minutes and play this live version of "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out," from Madison Square Garden in 2000. I stumbled upon this version only a year ago. The album version from "Born to Run" is only about three and a half minutes long. This version stretched past 19 minutes. It is my favorite version of this particular song, it is my favorite Bruce/E-Street song and it is my favorite live performance of any song ever, period, full stop. I promise you, whether you've been a life long Bruce Springsteen detractor or disciple, you'll feel better. About everything. To understand and appreciate the build-up to the 15:50 mark, listen to the whole song. "WELL THEY MADE THAT CHANGE UPTOWN, AND THE BIG MAN JOINED THE BAND."

Everything in this song, in this video, is saturated with joy and happiness that is passing us by each day. Remind yourself what it's like to smile.

https://youtu.be/r1twvwbB_cU

[Paul Lyons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding, semi-authorized tell-all about of one the greatest American artists...Bruce Springsteen. Peter Ames Carlin takes the reader on an incredibly detailed tour of Springsteen's life from 1949 to 2012...covering all of Springsteen's albums, tours, and dare I say...girlfriends and wives.

I am not exaggerating when I say that there are things in this book that blew me away...stories and details that I never knew about...even as a die-hard Bruce Springsteen since I was 16. Carlin takes you every step of the way in Springsteen's career...from the Castiles, Earth and Child in the 60's, to Steel Mill, Dr. Zoom and The Sonic Boom, The Bruce Springsteen Band, and The E Street Band of the 70's and 80's, to the 92-93 band, the Seeger Sessions band, and The E Street Band of today.

What's amazing is the access Peter Ames Carlin had with all of the major players in Bruce Springsteen's life (aside from Springsteen's wife and three children). BRUCE has first-hand accounts told by everyone from his band, his managers, agents, publicists, ex-girlfriends, ex-band members, record company execs, musicians, promoters, engineers, assistants, crew members and more. And everyone speaks candidly...about the highs for sure...yet also about the lows.

There were times reading BRUCE where I didn't like Bruce Springsteen very much...as a person. As a musician, sure...yet the book reveals that Springsteen is not always the kind, benevolent "Boss." He can be rude, selfish, and completely lacking in sensitivity and loyalty. It amazed me that BRUCE was published not only with Springsteen's blessing...yet also with his and his manager (Jon Laudau)'s full participation!

I was shocked to read about how poorly the E Street Band members were treated at times by Bruce, and his managers...with drummer Max Weinberg coming close to being fired during the recording of The River, and all of the loyal and faithful E Street Band musicians having to prove themselves worthy enough to be included on 1987's Tunnel of Love album. This, and other revealing stories truly stopped me in my tracks. Turns out Bruce Springsteen is human after all...with lots of flaws to contend with.

Even if you are a minor Bruce Springsteen fan...BRUCE is a must-read. Even if you don't like Bruce Springsteen, you still might want to check out BRUCE, an excellent, well-searched, well-written biography...one of the best I've ever read.

[Onefinemess · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this is the first biography I've read. Biographies are really, really not my thing. So I went out on a little bit of a ledge here. Still, I started in a pretty safe place. There aren't many people about which I'd actually care about the details of their lives. Musical artists (certain ones anyway, a very small list) may be an exception because their lives so inform their work. Bruce Springsteen is maybe the only artists who projects as powerfully as he does (for me). So, at the least, I was curious.

This particular bio of him (and I think there have been several) is definitely slanted towards the positive, but it doesn't particular shy away from painting Bruce negatively when a situation calls for it. Dude is (seems) pretty human - in an artist kind of way. You know artists... the really good ones tend to have a certain kind of ego, a kind of faith in self and the knowledge that they are absolutely right - when the situation calls for it (or all the time, for the really annoying ones). I definitely get that sense about Bruce from this book. He can be just as petty and bitchy as the rest of us, only there's a bit more power behind it - and it's generally related to "the art". But, even given that, he seems like a pretty solid dude. And definitely committed to his audience, and his music.

I'm on the fence about this kind of confidence, but I find it so frequently in artists whose work I actually respect that I suspect it's some kind of Thing, you know? <.<

The writing style was readable & engaging - much like Battle Cry for Freedom made history awesome, this one made biographies well, not awesome, but at least readable and enjoyable. There's probably some kind of poetic connection between the two as well...

Also, if you love factoids - and I generally do! - there are plenty in here. Bruce wanted to give Hungry Hearts to the Ramones (!). Stuff like that. Tons of titles of obscure, unreleased songs for me to google live performances of, etc. Turns out there's a ton of stuff from Bruce's old bands on youtube. Different, but you can hear it. Here's one from his almost-made-it-big but definitely huge locally Steel Mill, check it.

THREE STARS

Because it was an enjoyable read - but still lacked the addictive driving force of a good piece of fiction (through no fault of its own, but I'm also not held to any standards for rating but my own).

[Stephen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I grew up listening to Born in the USA and as a classic rock fan, always appreciated him. I'd heard about the Bruce concert experience but always wrote it off to overzealous fanboys (like the Rush fans who would corner you in 1985 and tell you about why Rush was the greatest band ever until you agreed or twisted away from their grasp). In 2009 or so, I got tickets to see him on his Working on a Dream tour. I figured it was a chance to see a legend close out the old Philly Spectrum on the last night he'd play there and he didn't let me down. My wife and I left that concert uplifted, stunned, and euphoric: I'd never been to a concert like that. Bruce remains to this day the best live performer I've ever seen.

A few concerts and many live recordings later, I love Bruce Springsteen. I picked up this biography hoping to learn more about him and the stories behind his music.

The book is solid--providing a good review of his life and some of the tales behind his music. The author Peter Carlin is a fan and dances away from many uncomfortable subjects: Little insight to his first failed marriage, tap dancing around infidelities in general, defends Bruce from most criticisms. Carlin was notably defiant about the controversy around 41 Shots, unquestioning about Bruce's stance that he didn't mean any disrespect to the police in that case when he wrote the song. And while I am sure Bruce respects the police in general, it seems hard to believe that he wasn't stirring the pot with 41 Shots, especially given Bruce's other anti-establishment stances.

Carlin didn't set out to explain every song but still, I would have loved more in depth treatments of where the ideas came from for his bigger hits. I could have read 10 pages on Thunder Road or Jungleland alone. But...I didn't write the book and there are other sources for that I'm sure. I also enjoyed whenever the book would slow down and take us into the studio to delve into the details behind recording a song. It's a challenge for an author when his subject has as much material as Bruce, but those were the moments in the book that I enjoyed the most.

Nevertheless, the book captures Bruce's prolific creativity, his incredible talent, his uncompromising work ethic, and his strong moral conscience in sharing the story of his life through 2012.