Friday is Boss’ Day: Career Advice for Bruce Springsteen
With the Working On A Dream Tour nearing completion, we were trying to contemplate The Boss’ next move. Will he join the E Street Band and take some time off? Will he release a boxed set of unreleased material (don’t forget Tracks was supposed to be six discs, so there are at least two discs of material still floating around out there)? Or will he do what he did between the end of The Rising tour and the beginning of the Magic Tour and do some solo work? We at 30 Days Out have some suggestions for Bruce’s next moves, and we’ll share them with you, our faithful readers. Here we go….
1. Boxed Set Release – We don’t know the contents of the boxed set, but if I had to guess, I would put my money on a 30th anniversary Darkness On the Edge of Town collection, similar to the Born To Run release a few years ago. This rumor has been out there for months and they’ll probably pull the trigger for a spring release. I would think this collection would include a remastered disc, DVD (Atlanta, Sept., 1978 please), a “making of” DVD and quite possibly the full live album recording from this year’s tour. I would dig this, but I am really holding out for Tracks 2, maybe with a disc of live “covers.”
2. More Sessions – Following the success of the Seeger Sessions, Springsteen could conceivably do “The Dylan Sessions.” Many artists have released classic Dylan covers and this could be interesting. I think it all lies in the arrangements and the song selection. You can’t have too many versions of “Like A Rolling Stone.” Then, who knows: “The Mellencamp Sessions”? “The Sting Sessions”? “The Bon Jovi Sessions”? “The Seger Sessions”! He talked about doing an album of “western” songs, may we suggest the songbooks of Gene Autry and Roy Rogers?
3. Havin’ A Party with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band – Bruce started taking requests from the audience during the Magic tour by collecting signs fans would bring to the show. Havin’ A Party could be a two-disc collection of those requests played live during recent tours. Cuts can include “Hang On Sloopy,” “Double Shot of My Baby’s Love,” “Like A Rolling Stone,” “I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide” and the Rolling Stones classic “Satisfaction.”
4. Bruce Springsteen Personal Products – Whether you’re walking on the streets of Philadelphia or cruisin’ down a rattlesnake speedway in the Utah desert, you wanna look and smell just right for your Rosalita. Bruce would have a huge market with his American Skin cologne, his You Can Look (But You Better Not Touch) moisturizer, or his Glory Days shampoo. Combine any or all with a pair of Blinded By the Light sunglasses and you’re working on a dream, which is goin’ up to Candy’s room. And when you get there, surprise surprise: a Ramrod condom from the Springsteen collection!
5. Television – Springsteen could have his pick at being a star on any one of 57 channels, even more with the premium package. Our suggestion would be the wacky next-door neighbor on “The New Adventures of Old Christine,” or the cool uncle Bruce on “Modern Family.” If he isn’t into acting, Bruce can become a contestant on “Dancing With the Stars” or “The Amazing Race.” Or he could just lease out his songs for commercials: “Pink Cadillac,” to sell cars, “Girls In Their Summer Clothes” for ladies’ clothing or “I’m On Fire” for hemorrhoid ointment. (Astute readers will note a similarity in these jokes to No. 4, and we apologize.)
So there you go, Bruce. Some solid career advice for your next step. Give us a call, baby.
“Satisfaction” – Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
“Double Shot Of My Baby’s Love” – Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
30 Days Out 
October 9, 2009 at 7:57 pm
Bruce Springsteen’s Darkness on the Edge of Town broke new ground for The Boss in 1978. A counterpoint to the operatic elegance of Born to Run, the album was an angry, raw record that burst forth after a three-year hiatus.
Because of its darker tones, some might call Darkness a difficult album, but despite this, it’s a cherished gem for many.
Collecting stories and photos from hundreds of fans, The Light in Darkness celebrates this classic record, allowing readers to revisit the excitement of that moment when the needle found the grooves in that first cut and the thundering power of “Badlands” shook across the hi-fi for the very first time. Or the uninitiated, but soon-to-be-converted teenager, brought along by friends and finding salvation at one of the legendary three-plus hour concerts – shows that embodied all the manic fury of a revival meeting.