I never thought of that until you mentioned it Alan; my interest in Springsteen ended when Stevie left . I never really got it back. My respect for Stevie Van Zandt has always been overwhelming, (I never knew he was one of the founders of Southside Johnny.) from those early days with Bruce when that music was the soundtrack of our lives to (forgetaboutit!!) The Sopranos and to Lilyhammar (Season 1 is phenomenal), Stevie has always been there. Sometimes, though, we didn't know it. Great ones like this are far and few, we are blessed!
I too never understood my lapse in following Springsteen (sems presumptuous and fanboyish to call him "Bruce") when his records were an almost perfect mirror of my life and feelings that it was actually painful (and, oddly, joyous) to hear them....records, LPs, ahhhh, the days before "The Industry" made me convinced they'll never do vinyl again and I gave my whole collection to my much wiser young nephew!!! LOL! Thanks for this reminder...and it's still painfully-joyous to recall the hours sitting, listening, often crying, more often thinking about the American Life we all share (or many of us) with B. Springsteen!
Steve is also INCREDIBLE with the twelve string guitar. That was such a feature on 'The River' where he just came to grips with it. But he adds so much with it. You and I both saw the 1999 reunion tour and you might recall the FURY of all those guitars, Bruce, Nils, Patti and Steve mowing everybody down...and Steve's guitar was such a standout feature. His parts are so expertly placed...like everyone else's in the band. Most people are unaware that he played the guitar solo on "Jungleland" both on the album and live. It's masterful. And as you know, his PERECTLY intonated slide work on that live version of "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" from Hammersmith '75 is spine tingling!
Yes, although I’ve never seen any interview reference that proves it. All the live performances of “Jungleland” when Steve was in the band feature him playing it on a Strat. The live tone he got was identical to the album. Very different than the Tele leads that Bruce is famous for on things like “Prove It All Night” or “Badlands”. If I had the chance, I’d ask him to confirm that he played it on the album, but there’s no question he plays it live.
Now you tell me! I'll get to the bottom of this. I don't think he payed on Jungleland or really any of BTR. He sang bg vox on Thunder Road and did the horn arrangements on Tenth Avenue - which, as noted above, is what brought him back into the band.
I would really like to get that figured out. He’s not credited for that on any edition of the album. It sounds like a strat in position two…ie. the Bridge and Middle pickups activated at the same time and a bright overall tone. It’s not out of the realm of possibly that Bruce played it and used a Strat for the recording with the idea that it would be a lead that Steve would play live…Steve regularly played Strats with Bruce. And it could be that Steve simply copied the tone that Bruce got on the recording and played it in an identical style. Steve never played the solo exactly the same way twice live…he improvised with only a few nods to the actual solo from the album. But he always played it with a style and tone that sounds exactly like the guy that played that solo on the record…at least to my ears. Which are absolutely fallible-I could be way off base of course!
I don't think Stevie was in the live picture when they recorded Jungleland, though I'm not certain. He came back to assist and did the horn chart on Tenth Avenue - which is hilarious, considering it was the Brecker Brothers! Then Bruce wanted to get out and hold the mic for parts of his show, so he asked Stevie to play shows and that was that.
I think I misremembered the quote from Clarence about “Jungleland”. I thought it was the last thing recorded for the album, but in fact the mixing of the album was going on at the same as the rehearsals for the tour. Clarence said he remembered knocking out the last notes of “Jungleland” at the rehearsals and then walking to the car to leave for the Hammersmith show. Steve is present in some of the video footage of the recording of the album in the ‘Wings For Wheels’ documentary, but only briefly. I still think it’s possible that Steve played the solo on “Jungleland” for the album, but I’m less sure now.
I think Steve might have had more to do with ‘Born To Run’ than we might think.
I considered that Bruce just wanted to sing and not play guitar sometimes. But he generally played all the lead guitar on every song. The guitar solo on “Jungleland” has no singing over it, so him having to sing and play lead at the same time is not a reason for needing Steve to play the solo. And I’m left to wonder why he ALWAYS chose to have Steve or Nils play THAT one solo and why he chose to only sing and not even play rhythm on that song.
So my ears hear the “Mark Knopfler”/“Bell Bottom Blues”/in-between pickup sound of a Strat on that solo on the record. And indeed this is what both Steve and Nils used for the ONE song that they get to play the only lead parts on and Bruce sits it out (the slide parts on “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out” notwithstanding). Now Bruce could certainly have grabbed a Strat and played the solo in the studio. He could have had some split coil dip switches or push-pull pots on his Tele to achieve a similar tone to a “Positon 2” Strat sound. And to me, Steve NAILS the sound of the album version of the solo at Hammersmith. So close that it doesn’t seem to be coincidental, at least to me. Of course none of this would stand up in a court of law, it’s just my speculation! https://youtu.be/kMyXw35IgYA
Ok, I spoke with Dave Marsh and he confirmed that Steve did not play a note on the ‘Born To Run’ album, even though he was present in his consigliere role as can be seen in the videotaped segments of the sessions that we see in ‘Wings For Wheels’. So I was way off on the album version solo on “Jungleland”. I still think that Bruce might have used a Strat on that recording as Steve did play the solo in the live versions and he generally got a very similar sound on his Strat on those performances.
An interesting note that Dave shared…Steve played the solo on the album version of “The Promised Land”. That solo was apparently a late addition to the album. “The Promised Land” was finished with a solo by Bruce and it and the rest of the album met with the approval of the record company. But Bruce would not let the record go out until the version with Steve’s solo was added. It caused a delay in the release of the record in fact. I hope to get more information on which other solos, if any, that Steve played on ‘Darkness’, or ‘The River’. I don’t think he played any leads on ‘Born In the U.S.A.’. You can hear Steve play the solo from “The Promised Land” on the new version of the ‘No Nukes’ concert here https://youtu.be/pzhqljeWqeo
It’s more typical of Steve’s leads on the Strat…kind’ve unusual and off kilter with an almost Buddy Guy type of “edge of your seat, will he or won’t he bend in pitch?” type of thing!
I never thought of that until you mentioned it Alan; my interest in Springsteen ended when Stevie left . I never really got it back. My respect for Stevie Van Zandt has always been overwhelming, (I never knew he was one of the founders of Southside Johnny.) from those early days with Bruce when that music was the soundtrack of our lives to (forgetaboutit!!) The Sopranos and to Lilyhammar (Season 1 is phenomenal), Stevie has always been there. Sometimes, though, we didn't know it. Great ones like this are far and few, we are blessed!
Thanks Alan, appreciate your work!! Best regards.
Thanks Paul. I never really thought about that timing either.
I too never understood my lapse in following Springsteen (sems presumptuous and fanboyish to call him "Bruce") when his records were an almost perfect mirror of my life and feelings that it was actually painful (and, oddly, joyous) to hear them....records, LPs, ahhhh, the days before "The Industry" made me convinced they'll never do vinyl again and I gave my whole collection to my much wiser young nephew!!! LOL! Thanks for this reminder...and it's still painfully-joyous to recall the hours sitting, listening, often crying, more often thinking about the American Life we all share (or many of us) with B. Springsteen!
Steve is also INCREDIBLE with the twelve string guitar. That was such a feature on 'The River' where he just came to grips with it. But he adds so much with it. You and I both saw the 1999 reunion tour and you might recall the FURY of all those guitars, Bruce, Nils, Patti and Steve mowing everybody down...and Steve's guitar was such a standout feature. His parts are so expertly placed...like everyone else's in the band. Most people are unaware that he played the guitar solo on "Jungleland" both on the album and live. It's masterful. And as you know, his PERECTLY intonated slide work on that live version of "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" from Hammersmith '75 is spine tingling!
yes to all that. You know, I didn't even know he played the Jungleland solo and that's not in the book. Are you sure about that?
Yes, although I’ve never seen any interview reference that proves it. All the live performances of “Jungleland” when Steve was in the band feature him playing it on a Strat. The live tone he got was identical to the album. Very different than the Tele leads that Bruce is famous for on things like “Prove It All Night” or “Badlands”. If I had the chance, I’d ask him to confirm that he played it on the album, but there’s no question he plays it live.
Now you tell me! I'll get to the bottom of this. I don't think he payed on Jungleland or really any of BTR. He sang bg vox on Thunder Road and did the horn arrangements on Tenth Avenue - which, as noted above, is what brought him back into the band.
I would really like to get that figured out. He’s not credited for that on any edition of the album. It sounds like a strat in position two…ie. the Bridge and Middle pickups activated at the same time and a bright overall tone. It’s not out of the realm of possibly that Bruce played it and used a Strat for the recording with the idea that it would be a lead that Steve would play live…Steve regularly played Strats with Bruce. And it could be that Steve simply copied the tone that Bruce got on the recording and played it in an identical style. Steve never played the solo exactly the same way twice live…he improvised with only a few nods to the actual solo from the album. But he always played it with a style and tone that sounds exactly like the guy that played that solo on the record…at least to my ears. Which are absolutely fallible-I could be way off base of course!
I don't think Stevie was in the live picture when they recorded Jungleland, though I'm not certain. He came back to assist and did the horn chart on Tenth Avenue - which is hilarious, considering it was the Brecker Brothers! Then Bruce wanted to get out and hold the mic for parts of his show, so he asked Stevie to play shows and that was that.
I think I misremembered the quote from Clarence about “Jungleland”. I thought it was the last thing recorded for the album, but in fact the mixing of the album was going on at the same as the rehearsals for the tour. Clarence said he remembered knocking out the last notes of “Jungleland” at the rehearsals and then walking to the car to leave for the Hammersmith show. Steve is present in some of the video footage of the recording of the album in the ‘Wings For Wheels’ documentary, but only briefly. I still think it’s possible that Steve played the solo on “Jungleland” for the album, but I’m less sure now.
I think Steve might have had more to do with ‘Born To Run’ than we might think.
I considered that Bruce just wanted to sing and not play guitar sometimes. But he generally played all the lead guitar on every song. The guitar solo on “Jungleland” has no singing over it, so him having to sing and play lead at the same time is not a reason for needing Steve to play the solo. And I’m left to wonder why he ALWAYS chose to have Steve or Nils play THAT one solo and why he chose to only sing and not even play rhythm on that song.
So my ears hear the “Mark Knopfler”/“Bell Bottom Blues”/in-between pickup sound of a Strat on that solo on the record. And indeed this is what both Steve and Nils used for the ONE song that they get to play the only lead parts on and Bruce sits it out (the slide parts on “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out” notwithstanding). Now Bruce could certainly have grabbed a Strat and played the solo in the studio. He could have had some split coil dip switches or push-pull pots on his Tele to achieve a similar tone to a “Positon 2” Strat sound. And to me, Steve NAILS the sound of the album version of the solo at Hammersmith. So close that it doesn’t seem to be coincidental, at least to me. Of course none of this would stand up in a court of law, it’s just my speculation! https://youtu.be/kMyXw35IgYA
Ok, I spoke with Dave Marsh and he confirmed that Steve did not play a note on the ‘Born To Run’ album, even though he was present in his consigliere role as can be seen in the videotaped segments of the sessions that we see in ‘Wings For Wheels’. So I was way off on the album version solo on “Jungleland”. I still think that Bruce might have used a Strat on that recording as Steve did play the solo in the live versions and he generally got a very similar sound on his Strat on those performances.
An interesting note that Dave shared…Steve played the solo on the album version of “The Promised Land”. That solo was apparently a late addition to the album. “The Promised Land” was finished with a solo by Bruce and it and the rest of the album met with the approval of the record company. But Bruce would not let the record go out until the version with Steve’s solo was added. It caused a delay in the release of the record in fact. I hope to get more information on which other solos, if any, that Steve played on ‘Darkness’, or ‘The River’. I don’t think he played any leads on ‘Born In the U.S.A.’. You can hear Steve play the solo from “The Promised Land” on the new version of the ‘No Nukes’ concert here https://youtu.be/pzhqljeWqeo
It’s more typical of Steve’s leads on the Strat…kind’ve unusual and off kilter with an almost Buddy Guy type of “edge of your seat, will he or won’t he bend in pitch?” type of thing!