The “Boss brand”

For those who know me well, they will likely find it hard to believe that there was a time when I actually hated Bruce Springsteen.  Worse yet, I lived in New Jersey at the time, going to school at Rutgers, working at the college radio station around the time “The River” was released.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDeqN5W4eV4]

I can’t remember why I hated him, probably the old “you can’t understand the words” thing.   Looking back, I missed many an opportunity to take part in what was a sport at the time, trolling the Jersey clubs in search of Bruce on the off chance that he would take the stage for the evening.

It was not until I was invited to the opening night at the Brendan Byrne Arena (now the Izod Center, with many names in between and fodder for another blog post) that I went to my first Springsteen concert in 1981 (I think).  They say you cannot truly understand the Springsteen experience and the devotion that follows unless you see him and the E-Street Band live and for me that was true.  On the spot I became one of the converted.

There have been dozens of shows since then.   Seventh row on the floor in Hampton in the 80’s with tickets I got on the day of the concert.  The time my wife, then six-months pregnant with our daughter shleped to the top of the Continental Arena (which is also now the Izod Center, see), I thought she was going to have the baby then and there.  Amnesty in Philly, many shows at the Garden that I thought would be my last because I never pictured them playing this long.  What has struck me and still does over the years is the core Springsteen “point of view” hasn’t changed.

Sure, the music has morphed over the years from the Jersey Shore sound to the anthemic “Born in the USA” extravanzas to “Nebraska” and “Tom Joad” and finally “The Rising” to the “Seegar Sessions.”  But the core beliefs of the struggle of the common man and the need to help him has always been weaved through.  Even when he “went Hollywood” during the 80’s, he was still singing about Vietnam vets and the high school guy who peaked at 17 when “he could throw that fastball by you, make you look like a fool.”

And he has always put his money where is mouth is, raising money for food banks around the country (this time if you have ten grand and want to donate you can meet him backstage) or playing to pump up the candidacies of politicians whose views jived with his.

So as I get ready to venture to Charlottesville with my wife and 14 friends who literally span the almost 30 years since I saw Bruce for the first time, I find myself reflecting on what I find most comforting — the consistency of the “Boss Brand.”

As a consumer of it, I know exactly what to expect on Tuesday, almost three hours of a musical revival that will fill my musical soul but leave me wanting more all at the same time.

And as consumers isn’t that we want and expect from the brands we to which we are most loyal?  As the world changes around us there is some great comfort in that.

So while some might make fun of our/my devotion, I will continue to follow and pay homage to one of the great social marketers of our time.  He has created a community of followers who span the globe, not through the current SM tools like Facebook or Twitter but by using his “guitar” and by learning “how to make it talk.”

Would love to hear comments about people who you follow in similar ways.  Thanks.