You Can Hear New Jersey in Bruce Springsteen's Songs
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EXPLORER A4 THE PRESS OF ATLANTIC CITY MONDAY, JULY 13, 2009 New Jersey musicians About Explorer This summer our Explorer pages, which appear each Monday, look at the lives and achievements of famous New Jersey residents. The Education page will return in the fall. Other New Jersey bands Bon Jovi: The rock band known for hits including “Living on a Prayer,” “You Give Love a Bad Name” and “It’s My Life” got its start in Middlesex County: Lead singer Jon Bon Jovi is originally from Sayreville, guitarist Richie Sambora is from Woodbridge and keyboardist David Bryan is from Edison. Photo provided by Mark Weiss/www.markweissgallery.com Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band is famous for the energy of its live performances. In this vintage photo, band members, from left, saxo- phonist Clarence Clemons, Springsteen, bass guitarist Garry Tallent and guitarist Steven Van Zandt mug for the audience. Other longtime band members include Roy Bittan on keyboards, Nils Lofgren on guitar, Max Weinberg on drums and Mrs. Springsteen, Patti Scialfa, on guitar. The Jonas Brothers: The teen world’s latest pop music obsession is three actor/musician brothers — Nick, Joe and Kevin — from Wyckoff, Bergen County. The brothers first gained notice on The Disney Channel, supplying music for Disney shows You can hear New Jersey and albums, then guest-starring on shows and even- tually starring in a made-for-TV movie. Their big break may have been the chance to be opening act for fellow teen megastar Miley Cyrus. They have released four albums. They won Breakthrough Artist in Bruce Springsteen’s songs of the Year at the 2008 American Music Awards. They also are the youngest band ever to appear on By DAN GROTE Springsteen has incorporated the cover of Rolling Stone. A concert movie filmed in For the Press, 609-2727234 New Jersey into many of his songs 3-D was released this year. New Jersey has been a proving and shows, from “Atlantic City” to Springsteen’s lyrics: asampling Fountains of Wayne: The alt-rock band is named ground for musicians for decades. his cover of TomWaits’ “Jersey Girl.” It’s where Frank Sinatra found out But The Boss is far from a regional after a store that sold he had a voice and a way with flavor. He and his E Street Band, the The open road Attitude lawn ornaments in women and where the Jonas group of musicians with whom he Roll down the window For the ones who had Wayne, Passaic And let the wind blow anotion, County. Bassist and Brothers began building their multi- has played since 1972, performed back your hair anotion deep inside media assault on the tween nation. at this year’s Super Bowl, and co-songwriter Adam Well the night’sbusting That it ain’t no sin Schlesinger is currently But often, when you mention Springsteen sang at President open to be glad you’re alive music and New Jersey to someone Barack Obama’s inauguration. a member of Tinted These two lanes will take –Badlands Windows, a super- in the same sentence, they will emit Still, in spite of his national fame, us anywhere the following noise: Springsteen’s music maintains a dis- We got one last chance group that also includes Cheap Trick drummer Bun “Bruuuuuuuuuce!” tinctive New Jersey vibe. From char- to make it real E. Carlos, Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha Bruce Springsteen has the honor acter studies of boardwalk hustlers To trade in these wings Fathers and sons and singer Taylor Hanson. of being in the first class inducted to the redemption he sees in fast on some wheels Well now the years have The Gaslight Anthem: This New Brunswick- into the New Jersey Hall of Fame, cars riding Route 9 at night, New –Thunder Road gone and I’ve grown during a ceremony last year, nine Jersey themes are never far away. From that seed you’ve based band credits sown years after being inducted into the The E Street Band brings the Springsteen as a major But Ididn’t think there’d influence and refer- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 15 years energy of New Jersey’s streets to the Love be so many steps ences him in some of after winning an Academy Award concert stage as well. Come Rain and storm and dark I’d have to learn on my its songs. Their second for his contribution to the movie September, Springsteen will be 60 skies own CD, “The 59 Sound” “Philadelphia” and 24 years after years old, but he still runs around well now they don’t Well Iwas young and I winning his first of 19 Grammys. At onstage as if each concert is an ath- mean athing didn’t know what to do debuted at #70 on the the induction ceremony in Newark, letic event. In June, the band head- If you got agirl that loves When Isaw your best Billboard Top 200 chart the Freehold, Monmouth County- lined the Bonnaroo festival in you steps stolen away from in 2008. Their songs mix punk, rock and soul in a raised Springsteen offered these Tennessee, putting on a three-hour and who wants to wear you sound that feels like a Saturday night at the New words of comfort for his statemates: show. your ring Now I’ll do what Ican Jersey shore. “Rise up, my fellow New Rock ‘n‘ roll photographer Mark –All That Heaven I’ll walk like aman The Fugees: The hip-hop trio that includes Lauryn Jerseyans, for we are all members Weiss, who grew up in Old Bridge Will Allow –Walk Like aMan of a confused but noble race. We of Township, Middlesex County, said Hill, Wyclef Jean and the state that will never get any hearing Born to Run in 1975 at age Pras Michel formed in respect, we who bear the cruelness 16 was an inspiration. “Bruce was Second chances the Oranges of Essex of the forever uncool. A chip on the this guy that made it seem if he Everything dies baby County. Hill, who won that’safact five Grammys thanks shoulders of those with forever could do it, anyone could. He wrote But maybe everything something to prove. And even with about struggle and the hardships to 1998’s “The that dies someday Miseducation of this wonderful hall of fame, we every kid goes through. So you comes back know that there’s another bad believed him, especially when he Put your makeup on Lauryn Hill,” is from Jersey joke just around the corner.” made a name for himself.” fix your hair up pretty South Orange. And meet me tonight in Atlantic City My Chemical Romance: The punk-pop group Groundbreaking Springsteen albums –Atlantic City formed in 2001 in Jersey City shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and has released three Born to Run, 1975 albums. Springsteen’s breakthrough album, which took him from New Jersey phenom to nationally known rock star. It features the hit Blues Traveler: The rock group fronted by har- title song, which was eventually adopted as the state’s official monica enthusiast John Popper formed in high “youth anthem.” school in Princeton, Mercer County. Born in the USA, 1984 Naughty by Nature: The 1990s rap trio of Treach, Vin Following the stark, acoustic “Nebraska”, Springsteen broke Rock and DJ Kay Gee, known for hits such as “Hip Hop out the big, commericial rock anthem sound for his most main- Hooray” and “OPP,” came together in East Orange. stream album. Springsteen balked when Ronald Reagan, apparently misunderstanding the lyrics and the performer’s politics, tried to use the title track as a campaign song. Springsteen on the Web The Rising, 2002 You can find a variety of Springsteen videos and live After recording four albums with other musicians, Springsteen performances on YouTube. brought the E Street Band back together for “The Rising.” The album is his response to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. brucespringsteen.net is the official Springsteen It deals with grief and regret, but celebrates hope, and the idea AP photo Press graphic site, with news, lyrics and album overviews. that moving on after a tragedy can be a victory. backstreets.com is an elaborate Springsteen fan site. Coming next week: It’s been 40 years since Apollo 11, when New Jersey’s Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon. On the Web: To download this page or earlier pages, search Explorer now at www.PressofAtlanticCity.com C M Y K.