“….is it a bird” audience responds “NO”

“….is it a plane” more noise from the audience “No”

“..It’s Big Man - Clarence Clemons” cue cheering, Bruce continues with “….Big Man joined the band, From the coastline to the city…” (Tenth Avenue Freeze Out, Springsteen 1974)

[1] Or…see the youtube intro from London

And the rock and roll party continues with the E Street Band, entertaining thousands of Bruce Fans the world over, but you didn’t need me to tell you that, you knew already.Bruce’s stage sidekick, Clarence Clemons died after a stroke a week ago and left him paralysed and the surgeons operated 4 times on his brain, I guess his body could only take so much.

[2]

But what of my connection to him?

I first saw the E Steeters in a 4 hour marthon show around March 1982 at the NEC in Birmingham, what a show. My first Bruce concert, I went along with Barry and Ian Sargeant, who afterwards were not that enthralled, the music and show was just something else to me, energy, music and a real connection with his audience, and throughout the E street band pumped provided the sound. Memorably the first half of the show closed with Bruce stood on one set of speakers and Clarence on another pile of PA’s blasting the Thunder Raod solo, with the audience in raptures.

Ever since I have always managed to catch Bruce for 2 or 3 nights on a tour of the UK, have obly missed his one nighter at the Albert Hall, sometimes I confess am I too old to chasing Bruce up and down the country, can I be bothered? I ask myself and everytime the show is like a homecoming, Just great.

Clarence has always been there, and his presence is huge, I always look out for tracks with the saxaphone, because I love how it is intermingled with the sound of the songs.  The turn of the nineties was a disappointment when ‘Human Touch and Lucky Town were released, albums without the e streeters, previously, Tunnel of Love was more of a solo effort but Bruce toured with the E streeters, and I had begun to wonder if the saxaphone was going down the list of sounds bruce was moving towards.

Thankfully not, as recent interviews suggest he always looked at ways of getting the sound of the E street band into his records, and that included the saxophone of Clarence .

I often saw Clarence Clemons with Pete, my good friend from Congleton, one year at the MEN, Manchester he had 2nd row seats for us. WOW!  The evening was the re-union tour, and I took my little Kirsten with us - 10 at the time - she was at her first concert.

Being so close to the front we attracted Clarence Clemons to her presence (stupidly waving arms and pointing to her) but he did notice and came to the front of the stage and smiled at her (not me and Pete) and acknowledged her presence.  LAter in the show, he got Bruce to come over and acknowlege her, with a smile and eye contact and a pointed finger.  Double Wow! it just proved to us, Bruce and Clarence do make a connection every night with the audience.

Would I miss a show? never, he is the Boss, now he has lost a friend and a great musician, already Danny Federici has been lost to cancer, 2 down, Max Weinburg, Steve Van Zandt, Garry Talent and Professor Roy Bittan remain from the old line up of the 1970’s - will they continue? my guess is yes, but how and when I don’t know.  Bruce was down to tour Australia this year for the first time since Born in the USA album.

Clarence Clemons - Big man, big sound, big voice, big loss.

This is what Bruce said 18/June : “Clarence lived a wonderful life. He carried within him a love of people that made them love him. He created a wondrous and extended family. He loved the saxophone, loved our fans and gave everything he had every night he stepped on stage. His loss is immeasurable and we are honored and thankful to have known him and had the opportunity to stand beside him for nearly forty years. He was my great friend, my partner, and with Clarence at my side, my band and I were able to tell a story far deeper than those simply contained in our music. His life, his memory, and his love will live on in that story and in our band” (source:brucespringsteen.net)

Long live the ‘heart stopping, true rocking, greatest house band, the world famous E…Street…Band…. ‘

(Source of picture: www.morethings.com/music/springsteen/bruce_springsteen_photos/born-to=run.jpg)