Sister of the Boss

Back in the day, I was some kinda Bruce Springsteen fan. You're all saying to yourselves, "Yeah, so was I...." No. You were not. I was a crazy, lunatic, obsessed fan. In high school, I used to pretend I was his sister, Pamela, who was just a few months older than I. I didn't do it in an overt way, though. My friend Danette and I would go out to lunch, and when they asked for the reservation name, I'd quietly say "Springsteen." Then Danette would say, "You know, like Bruce? She's his sister!" And I would shush her, out of modesty. I also sent Bruce birthday cards every September.

The first thing I did when I got to college was transfer my bazillion photos of the Boss from my suburban bedroom wall to my dorm wall. I made quite a few friends that way, let me tell you. Since I was not allowed to go to concerts in high school, as soon as I got to college, I slept out all night on the sidewalk to buy tickets for the Boss's show in Hartford. This is not hyperbole: I spent the night on a sidewalk on Main Street in Middletown, Connecticut, in order to be near the front of the line when the TicketMaster Ticketron (Thanks, Susan!) booth opened in the morning. (For you youngsters in the audience: We had no Internet Tubes, we had no credit cards, we had no nuthin' back then.) At the show, I forced my way up to the stage and threw a party invitation up there. "He might come! That's the sort of thing he'd do! Just come to a regular ol' college party!" Shyeah.

I've appreciated every new avenue Bruce has explored over the years, and I'm thoroughly digging his recent embrace of those old Pete Seeger tunes. And his politics are right up my alley too.

Anyhow, imagine my surprise and delight to learn that Pamela Springsteen has become a well-respected photographer! I had no idea until I happened to see a photo at the new No Depression site with her byline. To my alter ego, I say, "Well done!" (And your bro ain't bad either.)

Comments

[Elena]

And I thought Palin was scary! ;-) LOL, you could have been Courteney Cox!

[roberta]

Of all the great armies of rock fans, few can match the devotion of Bruce Springsteen's. Anyone who has experienced Springsteen in concert will testify that the bond between audience and artist transcends the usual adulation. Something magical, almost mystical happens. Some might describe it as spiritual-most definitely it is life affirming. It is in trying to nail this phenomenon that the beautiful hardbound book 'For You' was launched.
Edited by Lawrence Kirsch and replete with an amazing welter of outstanding photographs, it's a mind-blowing collection of thoughts and stories from fans of every age and many nations, each explaining why Springsteen occupies such an important place in our hearts. Covering all four decades of Springsteen's career it is possibly the ultimate tribute for it is the fans who have made the journey and whose words tell us as much about them as they do about Springsteen. The warmth and humanity that flows from every page is truly moving and provides a beacon of hope from which we can all draw strength in these hard times.

[Kate]

I don't know if Danette is out there, but I can corroborate that the suburban bedroom wall of photos was something to behold! I even saw the college version, but wasn't it more of a traveling exhibit?

[Mark]

Wow. Just, just. Wow. I am impressed.

I slept outside plenty of times for tickets to plenty of concerts (Kinks, Genesis...), and even spent a night outside the Moorestown (NJ) Mall to get to the Born in the USA tour when it hit Philly. Tickets for the two scheduled shows ran out about 10 minutes before we hit the front of the line.

A third show was added about an hour after we left.

[Susan]

I'm with you. As I was in high school that day, my mother stood in line for me at the Ticketron in Norwich (I think you might have to check your records about what the outfit was called ... don't think it was Ticketmaster until well after the tour you slept out for, which I'll bet was "The River") for that Hartford show to no avail, as the danged thing sold out. My mom lived in Jersey most of her life and the people in line with her apparently loved her stories of Highway 9 and Asbury Park's heydays. She had a great time, but no show for me until 1984.

I was/am such a fan that when I was past my early Sept. due date with my little guy in 2004, I was hoping he would hold out until Sept. 23, Bruce's birthday. Not quite ... he was born the 22nd. I don't feel like such a whackadoodle after reading your story. :)

[raych]

AH ha ha ha!!! Shushing modestly indeed. *tear*