Errors and Omissions: A Brief Musical Interlude

Monday, May 15, 2006

A Brief Musical Interlude

I was listening to a podcast today where the Times music editor talked to the writer of an article on Bruce Springsteen’s new album of Pete Seeger covers. And I wondered: when did Springsteen become irrelevant to me?

At one time, in my teens and early twenties, from “Darkness On The Edge of Town” through “Nebraska,” his music was vitally important. I caught up quickly with the back catalogue, and listened to him constantly.

I didn’t love “Born In The USA,” perhaps because that was when it seemed that everyone else discovered him.

He got me back with “Tunnel Of Love,” still his best overall album in my view and once again completely in sync with where I was personally headed at that moment (where I was headed for the next ten years, actually).

But then two CDs came out simultaneously in the early 90’s (I’m struggling to remember the titles… yes, yes, “Human Touch” and “Lucky Town”) and I didn’t love them, even though I wanted to. A song or two on each album worked, but the rest didn’t connect with me. He did an MTV Unplugged (in which he plugged in) without the E Street Band. Uninspiring. Those two CDs were the last I bought, except for the live album and the “Tracks” compilation. Now the Seeger album. I won’t be picking that one up either.

It’s not Springsteen’s fault. I changed more than he did. Where I was didn’t intersect with where he was coming from. I loved enough of his music so that I didn’t need any more songs from him.

This happens with every fan and every musician, I suppose. There’s a point at which the relationship ends, or is frozen at a point in time. Ah, well.