Bruce Springsteen: Der Boss und die E Street Band

by Gillian G. Gaar

Find out how legendary musician Bruce Springsteen earned his monicker. There's only one Boss; his story is revealed here.

Bruce Springsteen is a platinum-shifting, stadium-filling rock star, but he is also more nuanced than that. He is a man of the people, making conventional-and-proud-of-it rock music aimed at the American working class.

A supreme songwriter, Springsteen is a rock 'n' roll legend, and this lavishly illustrated book is an examination of his life and music. A comprehensive overview of a fascinating and unique artist, Boss: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band - The Illustrated History is a tribute to Springsteen's body of work, from the rock anthem Born to Run to his sepia-toned analysis of working-class misery, The River. There's Springsteen's gnarly, Bonnie and Clyde-style tableaux Atlantic City, as well as his debunking of guys' yearnings for youthful Glory Days. Throughout it all, Springsteen has demonstrated that he knows how to create a classic track. Find out once and for all why his nickname is The Boss.

Genres: Nonfiction, Music

Hardcover

Published September 10, 2018

About the author

I write regularly about music, entertainment, and travel. I enjoy taking pictures for my articles and books as well. My very first book was "She's A Rebel: The History of Women in Rock & Roll," first published in 1992, and updated in 2002; Yoko Ono wrote the book's preface, and it still gives me a thrill to see her name on the cover. Other areas of expertise include Nirvana, the Beatles, and Elvis, all of whom I've written books about. I've also written for a variety of publications around the world, including Mojo, Rolling Stone, Goldmine (where I had regular Beatles and Elvis columns), and many others. I was also a senior editor at legendary Seattle music publication "The Rocket."

Reviews

[Maryann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been reading all the Bruce Springsteen books I can get my hands on in the last year or so. Sometimes these coffee table, larger books have more editorializing than I’m looking for. So thank god my library has this book by Gillian G. Garr. An incredible Bruce book written by a woman? Hell yeah.

This is for people who either A) want to know the chronological trajectory of Bruce’s work and career, B) track his movements and appearances between tours, C) learn which artists he’s performed with, or D) all of the above (me). I couldn’t believe the number of times I had to stop reading so I could find YouTube videos of Bruce I had no idea existed, despite having read 14 books about or by him since 2024!

He and the E Street band toured with Sting, Tracy Chapman, and Peter Gabriel after his Born in the USA tour? He sang “Stand by Me” with U2 in 1987? Elton John sang “Streets of Philadelphia” with him in 1995? He sang backing vocals with Paul Simon, James Taylor, Billy Joel, and Lou Reed for Dion’s performance of “Teenager in Love” at Madison Square Garden? The Band covered “Atlantic City”? Bruce performed “Hungry Heart” with Crosby, Nash, and Young? HOW AM I ONLY NOW HEARING ABOUT THIS

I was struck by many charity and fundraising concerts or sets he’s done in his later career—often returning year after year to support things as small as a local New Jersey school to Stand Up for Heroes or MusiCares. Am I surprised to learn that? No. But I love that someone actually compiled the dates and places and causes.

This is a DREAM of a book for those of us Autistics for whom Bruce & the E Street Band are a special interest. I even bought the ebook so I can mine it for facts for my Bruce flash cards I’m making. If you’re a fan, or even if you just want to know more about Bruce, this is a gem.

[Teddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been a fan of Bruce Springsteen for as long as I remember. Okay, that’s not quite true, please don’t judge me on this, but it was actually David Cassidy first. LOL! I think I was about 5 years old then.

Bruce has go the perfect package for me. He is a poet, musician, and wordsmith. His songs resonate with me. He writes and sings about the downtrodden and disenfranchised. He in part, is why I became a social worker.

Boss is a great collection of photos. Even if you weren’t to read the heavy book, it would make a great coffee table book but it should be read. Gillian G. Gaar writes a beautiful biography on Springsteen, including his entire life and career.

I love that she reports on Springsteen, rather than judge him. I have read other biographies about musicians that come off as judgmental. I would rather know the person’s life and background and perhaps, form my own opinion. Perhaps part of it is I don’t want my lifelong opinion, tarnished.

The only negative I have with the book is the cover. There are so many great photos within the book, I have to wonder who made to use the one for the cover. In my opinion, it was a poor choice. Other than that small criticism, I highly recommend Boss: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band by Gillian G. Gaar for any Bruce Springsteen fan. It would equally make an excellent gift.

4.5/5

I received this book for my honest review.

[Miroslav · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bruce Springsteen je (spolu s Bobom Segerom, Johnom Mellencampom a Tomom Pettym) priekopníkom fúzie žánrov folku a rocku známym aj pod menom heartland rock, ktorý počúvam už nejaký ten rok. Hoci poznám jeho hudbu pomerne dôverne, o jeho živote som naopak vedel pomerne málo. Táto knižka mi pomohla porozumieť pôvodu jeho piesní, workoholizmu a vitalite, s ktorou dodnes koncertuje napriek tomu, že je na scéne už 55 rokov, no pramálo hovorí o jeho súkromí, skôr len sumarizuje albumy a turné v časovom slede s okolnosťami, ktoré k nim viedli. Kiež by sme sa dočkali aj jeho hlbšieho životopisu aspoň v českom preklade.

[Dawn Epton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fabulous read. Marvellous pictures of my all time fave performer. It does not read like hero worship, nor does it overly dwell on stuff (relationships, gossip driven crap)

[Patti · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was Springsteen's biography, not a history of every single show he every played.

I did like the short features on each album, but the rest got repetitious.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you're looking for a good written history, this is your book. But considering the word "Illustrated" is in the title I was a tad upset that there weren't more pictures.