Bruce Springsteen made a surprise appearance on lead guitar and occasional vocals during Alejandro Escovedo’s closing set at the 30th annual Austin Music Awards, at the Austin Music Hall last night, kicking off the rocker’s SXSW blitz a day early. Rolling Stone’s David Fricke was on hand, and says that Springsteen traded off leads and played some impressive “dirty-metal lead-guitar breaks.”
The new issue of Rolling Stone, featuring Daily Show host Jon Stewart’s interview with Bruce Springsteen, is on the stands today. An excerpt from the article, in which Springsteen argues against the notion that his new hit “We Take Care of Our Own” is “jingoistic,” is online now.
Jon Stewart has interviewed Bruce Springsteen for the cover story in the next issue of Rolling Stone, on newsstands March 16th. As host of The Daily Show, Stewart has talked to Springsteen publicly, but within the tight confines of brief segments. In this interview, the men get the space to speak at length about the Springsteen’s new album, Wrecking Ball, as well as their common ground as popular entertainers with a serious interest in politics.
“It’s not at all surreal,” Stewart says with heavy sarcasm, referring to his friendship with the legendary rocker. “It’s very hard to reconcile sitting and fishing in a little pond in New Jersey with a guy that you spent many years hitchhiking the New Jersey I-95 corridor to see in Philadelphia back in the day. The only band I think I’ve seen more than Bruce Springsteen is the Springsteen tribute band Backstreets. I try not to let him know how pathetic I truly am.”
Bruce Springsteen played a surprise set at a benefit concert in Asbury Park, NJ over the weekend. Although his appearance was officially unplanned, he has been to nearly every one of the annual Light of Day concerts - which fund research on Parkinson’s disease - since they began in 2000.
David Bromberg, Garland Jeffreys and Southside Johnny also played sets at the benefit, but there is no denying that Springsteen stole the show. He left the crowd stunned after a solo acoustic performance of “Incident On 57th Street,” which he has only done one other time in his career.
To read more about Springsteen’s surprise set, visit RollingStone.com.
- Ben Murray
2012 is shaping out to be a huge year for live music. With heavy hitters like Bruce Springsteen and Radiohead heading out on the road (among a slew of others), we asked readers which tours they’re most looking forward to.
The Black Keys made the list with their first headlining arena tour, which kicks off in Ohio (their homestate) in March. The Rolling Stones were another fan favorite, who are celebrating their 50th Anniversary and reportedly touring for the first time since 2007, though nothing’s been confirmed yet. Check out the rest of the list of readers’ 10 Most Anticipated Tours on RollingStone.com.
— Jasmine Stein
Don’t screw this up, 2012. With early promises of major tours and highly anticipated reunions, this year is shaping up quite nicely in the realm of rock music. The Beach Boys are hitting the road (complete with Brian Wilson), the Rolling Stones are turning 50 (and hinting at a tour), and both Bruce Springsteen and Van Halen are planning to release new albums.
But the bigger they come, the harder they fall – so here’s hoping that things don’t go horribly awry. To read the rest of Our 10 Greatest Hopes and Fears for 2012 in rock music, head on over to RollingStone.com.
— Parry Ernsberger
Despite remaining off the road for the past two years, Bruce Springsteen has been showing up all over the place. Last month, the Boss strummed a few chords from “Born To Run” on a New Jersey beach and now video has surface of him busking with a guitar in Boston’s Public Garden. Reportedly in town to drop his son off at college, it seems Bruce decided to have a little fun and borrowed a local busker’s guitar. We’re pretty sure his son was not surprised—even move-in day is still another day in the Springsteen household.
Read more on The Boss’ impromptu performance over at RollingStone.com.
—Colin Jones
Few questions in life are tougher than this: What is Bruce Springsteen’s best song? We couldn’t figure it out — so instead, we asked you.
So, our faithful readers, is it the classic anthem “Born to Run”? Or perhaps the quieter “Nebraska”? Or maybe it’s the stadium shaking “Badlands”? You voted. We counted. Now pay tribute to The Boss and check out the results over on RollingStone.com.
Legendary E Street Band saxophonist Clarence Clemons died last night after suffering a stroke on June 12th.
Bruce Springsteen said of his longtime friend and collaborator: “He loved the saxophone, loved our fans and gave everything he had every night he stepped on stage. His loss is immeasurable.”
RIP, Big Man.
