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Title: Born to Run: The Bruce Springsteen Story (Marsh, Dave. Bruce Springsteen Story, V. 1.) by Dave Marsh ISBN: 1560251026 Publisher: Thunder's Mouth Press Pub. Date: May, 1996 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $13.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.75
Rating: 4
Summary: Infectious but flawed.
Comment: June 10, 2002
In 'Born To Run', biographer Dave Marsh successfully
immerses the reader in the origin and background of
both Bruce Springteen and the Jersey Shore of the
sixties and seventies. Some might chafe at the
occasionally purple prose (and praise), but Marsh's
tendency (not always forgivable) towards hyperbole
and emotionalism is indicative of the genuinely
live-or-die-with-Rock-And-Roll mandate by which its
subjects once lived their lives.
Particularly strong is the first half of the book,
wherein Marsh effectively paints New Jersey's
familial sixties Rock And Roll scene, the sort of
rebellious regional musical brewing pot that has
reinvented itself repeatedly across the continent
in any number of regions over the last thirty years.
The difference here is that Bruce's was the first
generation of working class youths to grow up in the
shadow of Elvis, and the Beatles, and Motown, and
rock's first great era. To these kids, Rock And Roll
was more than just something interesting to listen to
on your phonograph before supper. It was a revelation,
almost a religion.
Once the scene shifts to the late seventies and the
music industry, Marsh's take on things skews further.
His deification of Springsteen seems to be based on
little more than Bruce's having managed to not grow
a pot belly, "sell out", beat up his girlfriend, or
get busted for drugs. (Although, admittedly, that
does put the man in rare company for the times.)
The companion book to this effort, 'Glory Days', isn't
too interesting, but 'Born To Run', whether or not you
dig Bruce's music, packs a potent punch. As a glimpse
into an age of innocence and passion, it's inspiring
and re-readable . . .
. . . and it'll make you want to start a band and hit
the road.
Rating: 4
Summary: For Any Fan of the Boss Who Likes to Read
Comment: From his early days as an anonymous cover band guitarist on the Jersey Shore in the 60's, to this tag as the 2nd coming of Bob Dylan, to his triumph on the covers of Time and Newsweek, to his protracted legal battles with his manager, to finally balancing commercial success and artistic integrity on the 1980 double LP 'The River', "Born to Run" covers Bruce Springsteen's career from the 70's as he emerged as one of rock's brightest stars.
Dave Marsh portrays Springsteen as nothing short of a rock god - a visionary whose singular focus on his music carried him to the top of the rock heirarchy, who cared way more about personal and artistic integrity than he ever did about making a buck, whose whose songwriting talent was so great he never wrote a bad song, and whose worst act (other than taking too long to make his albums)was to pull an Axl Rose and dive into the audience to stop a photographer (an ex-girlfriend no less) from taking unauthorized pics at a No Nukes concert.
Aside from Marsh's penchant for placing the Boss on a pedastal, there are alot of intersting facts, tidbits, stories and analysis of the music that make it an enjoyable if not quite easy read. If you are a fan or even interested in the Boss, this is an essential read.
Rating: 2
Summary: Too Much Hero-Worship to be Objective
Comment: Dave Marsh may be THE most pompous writer to ever cover popular music, and he is completely blind to his own prejudices. He is incapable of defending his analysis, but rather hands out his opinions with an air that utterly dismisses any thought that they might be anything short of proven fact.
In Springsteen, Marsh has a subject on which he is absolutely incapable of objectivity. According to Marsh, Springsteen has never written, much less recorded, a weak song. Marsh's attempt to assign profound meaning to mediocrities such as "Drive All Night" and "The Price You Pay" would be funny if not offered with such smug seriousness.
That said, the book offers much good early biographical information, even if it is very one-sided. However, an artist like Springsteen deserves the attention of a writer willing to be objective about the subject.
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Title: Glory Days: The Bruce Springsteen Story (Marsh, Dave. Bruce Springsteen Story, V. 2.) by Dave Marsh ISBN: 1560251018 Publisher: Thunder's Mouth Press Pub. Date: May, 1996 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
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Title: It Ain't No Sin to Be Glad You're Alive: The Promise of Bruce Springsteen by Eric Alterman ISBN: 0316039179 Publisher: Back Bay Books Pub. Date: August, 2001 List Price(USD): $13.95 |
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Title: Bruce Springsteen, the Rolling Stones File: The Ultimate Compendium of Interviews, Articles, Facts and Opinions from the Files of Rolling Stones by Editors of Rolling Stone, Parke Puterbaugh, Rolling Stone Magazine ISBN: 0786881534 Publisher: Hyperion (Adult Trd Pap) Pub. Date: October, 1996 List Price(USD): $12.95 |
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Title: Backstreets: Springsteen, the Man and His Music by Charles R. Cross, Backstreets Magazine ISBN: 0517573997 Publisher: Harmony Books Pub. Date: October, 1989 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
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Title: Bruce Springsteen: Songs by Bruce Springsteen ISBN: 0380976196 Publisher: Avon Books (Trd) Pub. Date: November, 1998 List Price(USD): $50.00 |
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