CD Review: Bon Jovi – What about Now

CD Review: Bon Jovi – What about Now

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Bon Jovi - What about Now

To some extent, Bon Jovi has always lived in Bruce Springsteen’s shadow, except perhaps when it comes to album sales. Springsteen gets all the critical acclaim, while still managing to sell loads of records. Springsteen has been called the “new Bob Dylan.” He’s New Jersey’s favorite son, the voice of the common man, an honest-to-goodness poet who can, in gritty, powerful language, pen a tense murder ballad or capture the heartbreaking emotions stirred by a factory closing in a rust-belt town.

Bon Jovi, on the other hand, would be the answer to this bathroom-wall, fill-in-the-blank sentence, “For a good time, call _____.” That’s not exactly fair, but with Jon’s good looks, his band’s hair-metal past and little in the way of literary ambition, Bon Jovi has found themselves in the cross hairs of “serious” music critics for years, these pale shut-ins having unloaded a steady barrage of stinging barbs in their direction that has continued unabated. But, really, is there that big a difference between Springsteen’s “Rosalita (Come out Tonight)” and “Livin’ On a Prayer?” Unabashedly romantic and exuberant, these escapist, all-we-have-is-each-other anthems about young love and breaking free of impoverished circumstances by getting out of Dodge are life-affirming sing-a-longs, with great big hooks and the kind of blind optimism that destroys dreamers.

So why is Bon Jovi targeted for abuse, while Springsteen has been elevated to sainthood? Indulging in easy platitudes has never helped him gain favor with music scribes, but it’s probably more because of albums like What about Now, which finds the entire band sliding into adult-contemporary blandness and spouting artless clichés, such as, “If you want to start a fire, it only takes a spark,” from the overly earnest title track. His heart in the right place, Bon Jovi has never played it safer musically or lyrically, standing up for the hungry, the restless and those who are down for the count in what amounts to an inspirational sermon of a title track, throwing his support behind the faithful and the teachers, and anybody else who needs the healing power of Bon Jovi to walk again.

On this newest record of bighearted anthems and simple sincerity, Bon Jovi almost begs for artistic credibility and then abandons the pretense in tracks like “Army of One,” where undying solidarity is pledged for the troops and Bon Jovi repeats the words “never give up” over and over again – both fine sentiments, but ones also voiced at every sporting event held in America. Yes, it’s gratifying seeing Bon Jovi develop a social consciousness, but every song on What about Now seems to have a tear-jerking “Oprah” moment, and after song after song of this, the LP loses its ability to be affecting in any way. There’s less insipid socio-political commentary on local TV morning shows. Say what you will about the pop-metal superficiality of Slippery When Wet, but it was never a crashing bore like What about Now, a record that is only happy to carry the weight of the world on its shoulders, even as the air just seems to go out of the deflated “I’m With You” and “Amen.”

And there are not-so-subtle sonic deviations, too, as Bon Jovi’s sound has come to resemble U2 more than say Poison, with heady, starry-eyed tracks like “Room at the End of the World” and “That’s What the Water Made Me” aiming for the glorious heavens of chiming guitars that Bono and The Edge see when their rockets’ red glare spreads across a night sky. And then there’s the Heartland folk and rather likable, dog-eared country of their beguiling Lost Highway record of 2007 that manifests itself in the sobering, underdog drama of this record’s “The Fighter” – so quiet and genteel, but pretty, nonetheless, with its well-arranged mix of strings and horns – off their latest LP.  

Where’s the fun? Where are the wild hearts and sly grins of their youth? Has maturity sapped these cheery rogues of their ability to raise a little PG-13 hell? Jon Bon Jovi is far more serious and concerned about what’s going on his America than ever, living in hope while offering a helping hand to the downtrodden in the uplifting “Because We Can” or holding onto what’s good in an otherwise nasty, brutish life as the rushing melodic flood and the twinkling golden guitars of “Beautiful World” crash over the levees. These are stirring pop songs, played with panache, especially with the all-too-infrequent guitar supernovas of Richie Sambora – seemingly on the outs now with the group – blowing up here and there. And “Pictures of You” is a charming, sincere ode to true love, while “What’s Left of Me” is a rousing piece of faded Americana.

Does Bon Jovi deserve more credit for growing up a little? Is it too cynical to question Bon Jovi’s motives on What about Now? Probably, but in this era where taking issue with any of the causes Bon Jovi advances here would be tantamount to treason, it’s not such a bad thing to ask critically if they have gone a bit overboard in trying to save the world on What about Now. 

–   Peter Lindblad 

Public Enemy ready to bum rush the show

Hip-hop legends about to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

By Peter Lindblad

Chuck D. and Public Enemy were itching to unleash Yo! Bum Rush the Show on a world that wasn’t at all

Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation of
Millions to Hold us Back

prepared for its incendiary political and social commentary or its revolutionary sound collages. In 1986, however, their record company had different priorities.

While working at the radio station WBAU, the emcee with the powerful, hard-hitting delivery and a keen intellect had already rapped on the Public Enemy #1 tape put together by PE’s sonic mastermind Hank Shocklee.  

As Chuck D. recalls, “It actually was a demo for radio promo in 1984 that created a lot of havoc,” and it was passed around from “Yo! MTV Raps” host Doctor Dre and then “… to [Run DMC’s] Jam Master Jay and then [Def Jam Recordings founder/record producer] Rick Rubin and the Beastie Boys as well. It was my first record, and it was actually supposed to come out in ‘86, but because it was in the CBS system … [Bruce] Springsteen pushed back the Beastie Boys and pushed back us, so we got caught up into releasing our first record in ’87 instead of ’86. By that time, a lot of the terrain of hip-hop and rap music had changed, and [Public Enemy #1] would have been groundbreaking if it had come out in ’86, but it’s interesting at least.” 

Coming off the massive success of Born in the U.S.A., Springsteen was about to unveil the five-CD box set Live/1975-85, and the music industry was abuzz with anticipation. Hip-hop wasn’t the proven cash cow it would become, and Public Enemy was put on the back burner.

However, their time would come, and when Public Enemy arrived, emcee Chuck D., hype man Flava Flav, the Bomb Squad production team, DJ Terminator X and the Professor Grif-led, fake Uzi-toting Security of the First World dance team turned hip-pop – and popular music, as well – on its collective ear. Touted as the “Black CNN,” Public Enemy addressed subjects important to African-Americans that white America was too scared, too apathetic or too bigoted to confront.

Against a backdrop of sirens, a crazy mix of samples, hard funk rhythms and minimalist beats, Chuck D. voiced his truth with all the subtlety of a howitzer, while Flava Flav – sporting his trademark big clocks – played the court jester. What they had to say was vitally important, as was how the 2013 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees said it.

Born Carlton Ridenhour, Chuck D. attended Adelphi University on Long Island in the early ‘80s. While studying graphic design, Chuck D. worked as a DJ at the school’s radio station, WBAU, where he met Shocklee and Bill Stephney. Sharing an interest in politics and hip-hop, the three bonded, and Ridenhour began appearing on Stephney’s radio show as Chuck D.

As for Flav, he grew up as a self-trained musical prodigy in Roosevelt, N.Y., playing multiple instruments. His teenage years were troubled ones, however, as he found himself in hot water with the law on numerous occasions and eventually dropped out of high school. Around that time, Flav and Chuck D. began hosting their own college radio show, while also working for Chuck D.’s father’s delivery service.

Soon, the various components that made up Public Enemy coalesced, with Chuck D. and Flava Flav out in front. Featuring Hank and Keith Shocklee, Eric “Vietnam” Sadler, Gary G-Wiz and Kerwin Young, the Bomb Squad was assembled, stacking a wide-ranging variety of samples on top of one another in a single track with an innovative cut-and-paste approach and avant-garde sensibilities. Whipping up a frenzied racket, with the noisy scratchings of Terminator X adding to the sonic mix, Public Enemy drew the attention of Rubin, who wanted them for his Def Jam label.

Though known for his production work with the likes of thrash-metal titans Slayer, Rubin took a hands-off approach with Public Enemy.

“Truthfully speaking, we never really worked hand-in-hand with Rick,” says Chuck D. “It was probably the first time he let something be autonomous, and we wanted to be autonomous. But at the same time, we welcomed Rick to add in whatever he wanted to add in. And I think he’s proud of that fact.”

Still, with Rubin around, the Run DMC-influenced Public Enemy assimilated elements of heavy rock, pushing guitars to the fore on their raw debut Yo! Bum Rush the Show in startlingly original fashion. Further on down the road, they would take it to another level. “I should say the first time we went into a rock-rap was Vernon Reid [Living Color guitarist] playing on ‘Sophisticated Bitch’ on Yo, Bum Rush the Show, and then on the second album, we had that Slayer sample [‘Angel of Death’] on ‘She Watches Channel Zero,’” recalls Chuck D., who says that Rubin did the mix for “She Watches Channel Zero” and loved the results.

While Yo! Bum Rush the Show finds Public Enemy in its developmental phase, 1988’s It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back was a fully realized vision of radical sociopolitical diatribes set to the Bomb Squad’s game-changing, wildly original aural murals of stomping funk, free-jazz insanity and slamming hard rock. Doors didn’t just open for them. They kicked them down and rushed in, demanding everyone’s attention with irrepressible singles “Don’t Believe the Hype” and “Bring the Noise.”

Anthrax was among those who were already listening. Drummer Charlie Benante and guitarist Scott Ian were Public Enemy’s biggest ambassadors among the thrash-metal community, and in 1991, they asked Chuck D. about doing a thrash-metal remake “Bring the Noise,” who wasn’t interested initially.

“Scottie Ian was a fan from the jump, man,” says Chuck D. “Charlie and him thought it was cool to wear our t-shirts in front of a hundred thousand people at the Monsters of Rock gig. People were asking, ‘Ooooh, who’s Public Enemy?’ So, he was our first guy, man (laughs).”

With Ian in their corner, Public Enemy suddenly had crossover potential, and to show how much he thought of Anthrax, Chuck D. invoked the name of New York City’s most aggressive thrash-metal street gang in the fiery original version of “Bring the Noise.”

“That was what made me name check them in the song, ‘Bring the Noise,’” says Chuck D. “I was telling ‘em that music is all the same – ‘Wax is for Anthrax.’ And so I’m name checking everybody from Eric B. to Sonny Bono and Yoko Ono and Anthrax – imagine (laughs)? So Charlie and Scott came back and said, ‘Look, we want to do a thrash version, Chuck. Let’s get on it.’ And I was like, at that time, ‘Well, I mean, I already did the song. You guys cover it.’ They said, ‘But we want you on it.’ And they just went ahead and did it, and I got on and we did the video, and we did the tour and Charlie and Scott made history.”

So did Public Enemy, releasing a series of powerful and oftentimes controversial records like 1990’s Fear

Public Enemy - Fear of a Black Planet

of a Black Planet – their most successful album, with singles such as “911 is a Joke” and the blazing anthem “Fight the Power,” a track which figured prominently in the Spike Lee film “Do the Right Thing” – and Apocalypse ’91 … The Enemy Strikes Black. Even as they endured Flav’s drug problems and a media firestorm over Grif’s alleged anti-Semitic remarks in the press, with each LP, Public Enemy pushed the envelope.

“The whole key was to make them totally different,” explains Chuck D. “The whole thing about rock is to never repeat yourself … over the course of a catalog, you should be able to say, ‘Okay, wow! Now there’s something different,’ but you’re not going to not sound like yourself. But you can actually say that we went over here, and we knew that people wanted this particular sound, and we went the opposite way.”

Eventually, Public Enemy, hugely influential in bringing about a golden age of rap during the 1980s and 1990s, left Def Jam to go independent. In the years since, Public Enemy has resurfaced numerous times to challenge the status quo, experiencing a surprise revival in England with the hit “Harder Than You Think” off 2007’s 20^th anniversary LP How Do You Sell Soul to a Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul? It was their highest-charting single ever in the country. They even returned to tour in 2012 and 2013 on the strength of two 2012 albums – Most of My Heroes Don’t Appear on No Stamp and Evil Empire of Everything, made with full instrumental bands and Terminator X’s late ‘90s replacement, DJ Lord. Tech savvy, Chuck D. was all in early on in embracing the possibilities of digitization and the Internet, and he’s been instrumental in establishing the first-ever HipHopGods.com Classic Tourfest Revue, featuring Public Enemy and a revolving lineup of rap artists from the golden age of hip-hop.

“I was really impressed with what they did, over the years, with classic rock, how they separated classic rock from the mainstream – I guess [I wanted to do the same for] the pioneering, golden era and spirit of rap and what was happening in the mainstream, contemporary, major record industry. We need to take care of it,” says Chuck D.

Best of 2012 - Classic Rock

Rush, Thin Lizzy, The Doors, ZZ Top find fountain of youth

By Peter Lindblad

Shaking off the rust that inevitably comes with old age, a number of classic-rock artists showed everybody that they refuse to go gently into that good night.

Rolling Stones - Grrr! 2012

Whether it was the Rolling Stones’ revving up their best song in years with “Doom and Gloom,” or Aerosmith bringing their own brand of “Global Warming” to the masses in live shows that were full of piss and vigor, old greats like those icons, as well as KISS and Bruce Springsteen, burned their AARP cards and did the kind of great work – be it in the studio, as with Springsteen’s Wrecking Ball or Heart’s Fanatic, or on the road – expected of them 20 or 30 years ago.

There were incredible songs, such as Springsteen’s “We Take Care of Our Own” or Joe Walsh’s “Analog Man,” and albums like KISS’s Monster that had unexpected vitality and inspired performances. And tours like the Loverboy/Journey/Pat Benatar triple bill served notice that many of these bands are still capable of delivering the goods onstage. Truly, though, one band rose above them all in 2012, putting out one of the best records of their career and finally getting their just due from critics, while other releases simply outshined the competition. Here’s the best classic rock had to offer in 2012.

Artist of the Year: Rush

Rush - Clockwork Angels 2012

Voters for the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame finally saw the light in 2012. After shunning Rush for so long, they did the right thing for once and selected the Canadian progressive-rock power trio for membership, perhaps earning them some small measure of goodwill from their harshest detractors – although they stand to be inundated with slings and arrows for denying Deep Purple again, and deservedly so. What exactly was it that tipped the scales for Rush this time around? Could it be the fact that they produced one of the year’s best albums in Clockwork Angels? Undoubtedly, that had something to do with it, especially when critics that had been unkind – to put it charitably – toward Rush in the past gave in and applauded a record of sublime beauty, complex musicianship and soaring ambition. A sci-fi concept album with a compelling anti-authoritarian narrative, steam-punk imagery and coming-of-age drama, Clockwork Angels is a tour de force of heavy, intricately constructed guitars (see “Headlong Flight” and “BU2B” for proof), crafty melodies, shifting moods and textures, and epic arrangements – in other words, a Rush album. Sometimes the Rock Hall voters need to be hit over the head a number of times before they finally get it, and it seems that Rush knocked some sense into them in 2012.

Album of the Year: ZZ Top – La Futura (Universal Republic)

ZZ Top - La Futura 2012

La Futura, as it turns out, is deeply rooted in ZZ Top’s past, and that makes it a welcome sight in 2012. A spicy, simmering pot full to the brim of Texas blues-fired boogie, with some of the tastiest licks Billy Gibbons has cooked up in quite a while – this being ZZ Top’s first album in nine years – La Futura is nasty and mean from jump-street, with tracks like “Chartreuse,” “Big Shiny Nine” and “I Don’t Wanna Lose, You” recalling the wicked, dusty Panhandle grooves of dirty classics like “La Grange,” “Tush” and “Cheap Sunglasses.” Like a strutting striptease, the tantalizing “Consumption” is trashy, honky-tonkin’ fun, while the soulful “Over You” is a surprisingly tender and heartfelt love song that comes straight out of the Stax Records playbook. And even though a lot of La Futura harkens back to 1973, it has a modern production sheen to it that doesn’t tame these lions, and the first single, “I Gotsta Get Paid,” has more swagger and tight, stop-start hooks than the Black Keys could ever hope to obtain.

Song of the Year: Rush – “The Wreckers” (off of the album Clockwork Angels on Roadrunner Records)

No one has ever accused Rush of sounding like R.E.M. or The Byrds or Matthew Sweet, and there’s good reason for that. Jangly power-pop has never been Rush’s cup of tea – that is, until now. There’s a bright, sunny quality to the guitars in the intro and the verses to “The Wreckers” that couldn’t possibly sound less like Rush, and yet there it is. And it reaches out its hand to invite you in, a warm smile on Geddy Lee’s face and Alex Lifeson’s colorful guitar licks beckoning with a shiny, happy sound that may or may not hide a dark truth. Be careful of these men, for they are not what they seem. Ultimately, they want to warn you that what is sometimes sold as the truth can often be a lie, as Lee sings in the transcendent choruses, “All I know is that sometimes you have to be wary of a miracle too good to be true.” “The Wreckers,” on the other hand, is not. At the very least it is angelic. Awash in swerving, swooping strings and cinematic keyboards, those magical, glorious choruses where a world-weary Lee dispenses that sage advice are some of the most emotionally powerful and soul-stirring moments Rush has ever brought to bear on record. And there is a bridge in “The Wreckers” that is dangerous to cross, for it traverses a deep, wide canyon of synthesizers, crashing drums and doom-laden guitars that is simply magnificent to behold. Do not be wary of “The Wreckers.” It might not be a miracle, but it’s pretty damn close.

Best Concert DVD: The Doors at the Bowl ‘68 (Eagle Vision)

The Doors - Live at The Bowl '68 2012

For its historic value alone, “The Doors at the Bowl ‘68” is heads and shoulders above any concert DVD released this year. Restored in painstaking fashion from the original camera negatives, the band’s entire performance from that night is included here, and it features the band in high spirits. Loose and improvisational when the occasion calls for it, the threesome of John Densmore, Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger could go on endless journeys into the jungles of the musical subconscious, but they could be tight and sinewy. Playing at the famed Hollywood Bowl for the first time – in the area they called home, no less – The Doors set the night on fire, and a particularly impish and focused Jim Morrison howled and sang with a primal energy that only he could summon. An abundance of incisive and fascinating bonus features put the event into perspective and the inclusion of performances of “Hello, I Love You,” “The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat)” and “Spanish Caravan” that had previously been lost to time have found their way back. And it’s good to have them again.    

Best Documentary DVD: Freddie Mercury – The Great Pretender (Eagle Vision)

Onstage, Freddie Mercury was indestructible, a force of nature whose flamboyant showmanship knew no bounds and whose voice rang out as clear as a bell in loud stadiums full of adoring fans who hung on his every word – that is, when they weren’t singing along with him. That was the Freddie the world knew. But, in his personal life, Mercury was less sure of himself, a man who sometimes made mistakes and was a slave to his appetites. “Freddie Mercury – The Great Pretender” explores every facet of the singer’s extraordinary life, from his globe-trotting childhood through his wildly successful, if sometimes contentious, studio work with Queen and on to his fascination with opera and the ups and downs of his inconsistent solo work. Loaded with archival images and video footage – including sensational live material – “Freddie Mercury – The Great Pretender” also packs in revealing, insightful commentary and fascinating anecdotes from Brian May, Roger Taylor and a host of other Queen confidantes. It’s a loving portrait of an artist who died too young, and yet, it’s a completely honest rendering that pulls no punches. Mercury probably wouldn’t have it any other way. 

Best Live Album: Thin Lizzy – Live in London 2011 (Four Worlds USA)

Thin Lizzy - Live in London 2011

Phil Lynott isn’t going to come walking through that door … ever again. He’s gone, but the amazing rock ‘n’ roll he left behind deserves to be heard in a live setting, doesn’t it? And who better to play it than Thin Lizzy survivors Scott Gorham and Brian Downey. A fitting tribute to their fallen friend, this concert LP is 19 tracks of explosive hard-rock, containing all the Thin Lizzy hits and then some in a fantastic set list. The mix is primed for optimum power, and this collection of musicians performs classics like “Jailbreak,” “Cowboy Song” and “The Boys are Back in Town” with grit, enthusiasm and swashbuckling panache, those well-executed, signature twin-guitar leads tangled up so exquisitely like ballroom dancers twirling around on the edge of a switchblade. There’s a lot of ground to cover with Thin Lizzy, and this particular incarnation does its best to thumb through the catalog and pick out only the choicest cuts. It’s a flawed record, to be sure, but there’s no doubting the joy and electricity with which Lizzy performs these classics. Word has it that some of the boys from this version of Lizzy are starting a new band called Black Star Riders. Based on this release, which in my eyes becomes more thrilling with repeated listens, expectations should be exceedingly high for them.

Best Reissue: Blue Oyster Cult – The Columbia Albums Collection (Legacy Recordings

Blue Oyster Cult - The Columbia Albums Collection 2012

The word “exhaustive” doesn’t even begin to describe this archeological dig. For starters, this set, released in celebration of Blue Oyster Cult’s 40^th anniversary, gathers together every last one of their studio albums released between 1972 and 1988, from their self-titled debut LP on through to Imaginos. That means it includes classic albums such as Agents of Fortune, Spectres, Fire of Unknown Origin, and Cultosaurus Erectus, among others. Oh, and did I mention the live albums? On Your Feet or on Your Knees, Some Enchanted Evening and Extraterrestrial Live are remastered for greater sonic impact and expansiveness. Packed to the gills with great photos and fascinating liner notes, there is a 40-page booklet that accompanies the collection, which is packaged so snugly and efficiently that it won’t throw your cataloging system – if you have one – completely out of whack. You want rarities? There’s a disc for that, too, plus another that gathers as many of their radio broadcasts as they can find and downloads and a bushel full of bonus tracks. Where other classic-rock artists, or rather their record labels, seem to take pleasure in releasing their past works in dribs and drabs, offering very little in the way of rare stuff, Blue Oyster Cult has done it in one fell swoop and they have given the people what they wanted.

Best Book: Gregg Allman – My Cross to Bear (William Morrow)



Gregg Allman - My Cross to Bear 2012

Written in collaboration with esteemed music journalist Alan Light, “My Cross to Bear” finds Gregg Allman in a reflective, confessional mood. Ambling easily through the past, Allman takes his time getting to the real meat of the story, but when he does, the tales he tells are sometimes unsettling, occasionally funny, and often heartbreaking. Life, love, drugs and music – that’s what Allman’s book is about, and it’s a portrayal that isn’t a flattering one. Looking into the mirror, Allman sees his flaws in sharp relief and is willing to expose them for all to read. Once you get past all the self-excoriating personal revelations, there is plenty of behind-the-scenes information on the Allman Brothers to excite fans of their music.

Vintage Rock 'n Roll Posters are a Hot Ticket at Backstage Auctions

Let's be honest here; who grew up NOT having a poster pinned to their wall? Exactly - and while your parents complained, truth is they did it too. As will your children...and their children. Fact is that posters are so much more than just an over sized sheet of paper. Some might call them art, others see them as legitimate collectibles but whatever the motivation, in the end it all comes down to this one simple word.....'Magic'.

Rolling Stones 1975 Original North American Tour Poster

Whether it was your favorite album, your first concert, an iconic image that defined 'you' or simply a reminder of good times, posters have meaning. So much so that endless books have been written about them, websites are dedicated to them and ultimately, they have become staples in our culture - and our collection. Backstage Auctions is offering nearly 100 collectible posters, lithographs and unique proof prints in their 2012 Rock & Pop Auction, which is taking place this very week.

Leading the pack is a nice collection of almost 50 San Francisco concert posters from the old & new Fillmore, containing many of the great names from those memorable years, such as Janis Joplin, Byrds, Jefferson Airplane, Santana and naturally, the Grateful Dead.

Grateful Dead 1966 Fillmore West BG-41 Original Poster

A most impressive assortment of rare proof prints featuring Pink Floyd, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones is certain to receive much attention, if nothing else for the simple fact that these proofs are one of only a handful and often vary from the final version.

Bruce Springsteen 1984 "Born In The USA"
Album Art Proof Prints

Some of these lots even contain the original photos used for the artwork and it goes without saying that something like that gives a whole different meaning to the word 'exclusive'.

Bruce Springsteen 1984 "Born In The USA" Album "Photo" Proof

Another grouping that deserves a special mention is the collection of original punk posters, showcasing the likes of the Sex Pistols, the Clash, Blondie, to the more obscure D.O.A., Lydia Lunch, Mumps and Teenage Jesus & The Jerks.

Sex Pistols 1978 Warner Bros. Promo Poster

And while not necessarily a poster, the auction also features a small collection of silk screen banners which all came from the recently closed Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame New York Annex. With measurements exceeding 10 - 15 foot, these are impressive and prestigious pieces of serious wall decoration

Eric Clapton 1970s Silkscreen JUMBO Wall Banner
NY Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Annex

The Backstage Auctions' 2012 Rock 'n Pop Auction is open for bidding November 3 - 11th, but is available now for previewing the entire catalog. VIP All Access Registration is FREE and only takes a minute or two.

View Posters:  Posters & Handbills

View Proof Prints and Banners:  Original Artwork

Springsteen is "The Boss" - Collectibles & Memorabilia Hit the Auction Block

This year’s Rock 'n Pop Auction at Backstage Auctions is filled with an enormity of unique and rare collectibles from an assortment of legendary artists. The usual suspects - Beatles, Stones, Floyd, Zeppelin - notwithstanding, we have an impressive collection of distinctive relics from other legitimate giants of the Rock and Pop that is guaranteed to surprise even the most seasoned collector. Our collection of Bruce Springsteen items is a prime example.

We have over 40 unique Springsteen lots comprised of well over 100 exceedingly rare pieces - from unusual promotional and tour apparel, rare promotional swag and display items to vintage signed press photos, concert photos, negatives and album art proof prints - we’ve just about got it all! Featured below are just a few highlights of this amazing collection that we hope you will enjoy shopping as much as we enjoyed assembling!

For starters we’ll go wayyyyyyy back to the early days - 1973 to be exact - for this exceptionally rare live ‘Song to Orphans’ acetate! This piece is legendary, as the song has never been officially released. Bruce wrote the song shortly after his private audition with John Hammond at the CBS building in New York City, NY. The acetate featured in the auction, is the recording that dates back to Bruce’s performance at Max’s Kansas City in New York on January 31st, 1973. Slightly shorter versions of this performance circulate the internet - but those pale in comparison to owning the original acetate!

1972 Bruce Springsteen "Song To Orphans" Acetate

Also from the early 70s is this original 11 x 14 inch photo, made by Peter Cunningham at the request of CBS Records. The photo was taken at the New York offices of CBS Records, right before the release of Bruce Springsteen's ' Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.' release. The photo has been signed by Cunningham in the bottom right corner.

1973 Bruce Springsteen Original "Asbury Park" photo

Fast forward several years to 1978 and here we find this awesome lot featuring three exceptionally rare promotional posters for Springsteen’s fourth album Darkness on the Edge of Town. Though Darkness wasn’t as commercially successful as its predecessor Born to Run, the album nonetheless remains a ‘must have’ for Springsteen fans, and these promotional posters are no exception. All three are in various different sizes, but all are generally in Excellent overall condition!

1978 Bruce Springsteen
Darkness on the Edge of Town Promo Poster

Of course, no Springsteen collection would be complete or worthy of praise without a signed piece! This 1984 CBS press photo is boldly signed by Bruce and is in pristine condition!

1984 Bruce Springsteen Signed CBS Photo

Similarly - no ‘Boss’ collection would be justified without unique apparel! The 2012 Rock & Pop auction boasts a number of vintage Springsteen t-shirts, jackets and sweaters that one would be hard-pressed to find anywhere else. Take for example this 1984-1985 Born in the USA promotional silk tour jacket. These were produced by CBS Records and intended only for management and tour personnel! Good luck finding these elsewhere, let alone in flawless condition!

Born In The USA '84 - '85 Springsteen Promo Tour Jacket

This is just a very small sample of the 40+ overwhelming Bruce Springsteen lots assembled and featured in the Backstage Auctions 2012 Rock 'n Pop Auction.  The preview is LIVE and bidding begins November 3!

View Now:  Bruce Springsteen Memorabilia