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Bill Chinook / Bruce Springsteen

Has anyone ever heard Bruce Springsteen mention Bill Chinook? Bill was a "founder" of early E Street Band w/ some members joining up w/ Bruce's band. He was making that Asbury sound before Bruce, but I have never heard "the Boss" mention him. I may be partial to him because he settled up here in Maine way back in the 1970's and played often in the bars and dance halls. And released a couple excellent albums, Dime Store Heroes is one of my favorites.
128x128thepigdog
loomisjohnson
1,941 posts
 
i'll agree with marty that his music started sucking post-BITUSA when he started trying to write major statements--i feel the same way about jackson browne and the much less gifted john mellencamp. he did get off a good one now and again after BITUSA (as stated above, I did like his lowkey woody guthrie thing), and his records certainly sounded better, but the for me all his essential stuff was pre-1985 or so.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,179 posts
 
He was interesting early on and from DOTEOT into the 80s but not so much to me of late. I probabably should give some of his later stuff more of a fair try though. I think he took offense to BITUSA being used for political purposes and that seemed to trigger a bigger focus in political things to counter that with him. That whole deal did not help with me but in all fairness I’ve not given much of his later stuff a chance and he has had his moments over the years that can stike a chord with me from time to time, more so when romanticizing about more everyday things in regular peoples lives (at least those in Jersey) as he did in a lot of his early classic works or just having some fun and rocking out. Pink cadillac is a great rock and roll tune!

I am not from Jersey but went to school at Rutgers during his earlier heyday years. He was the rock God there for sure. I never quite saw him that way but learned to appreciate why most there did.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,788 posts
 

Cleeds---Au contraire! Lots of Rock 'n' Roll swings, even The Beatles. Ringo is known to swing pretty well; listen to "Kansas City". Rock 'n' Roll drumming was created by New Orleans drummer Earl Palmer, one of Max Weinberg's (Bruce's drummer) heroes. Terry Williams of Rockpile and Dire Straights swings like crazy, as did (R.I.P.) Tom Ardolino of NRBQ.

But "swing" does not just mean to play in a "shuffle" rhythm, it means being loose and flexible, reacting to what the other musician's are playing. Max Weinberg is a very "stiff" drummer, like a boring drum machine. One drummer who values swing a lot is Charlie Watts, though he doesn't get much opportunity to display his abilities at it.

I suppose one could differentiate between Rock and Rock 'n' Roll, but that could lead to a LOT of disagreement!

bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,788 posts
 

My post partially quoted by Cleeds was removed because I used a bad word. Here it is with a less naughty word substituted.

That's it Loomis---The E Street Band doesn't swing! Look at the drummer; he sits straight up, like the stick (no pun intended ;-) up his rear (that's what his playing sounds like) extends all the way up his back.

loomisjohnson
1,941 posts
 
at least when mr. trump is annointed we'll be able to discourse freely without fear of such rigid censorship
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