Thursday, February 26, 2004
They're gonna make a TV movie out of me...
Today we've spent our time at the National archive of Recorded Sound and Moving Images, looking through some news broadcasts and TV shows.
We found some newsfootage of people in line for tickets outside Konserthuset in Stockholm in 1981 and 1985 and there were also pictures from the ticketdrop in Gothenburg 2002.
In a program called Magasinet from November 3rd 1988, wellknown swedish journalist Göran Rosenberg, went to Freehold to check out how the inhabitants reacted to the closing of 3M-factory and how they would vote in the upcoming election between George Bush Sr and Michael Dukakis. A very interesting programe with quite a few Bruce references.
Then we looked at a very sweet portrait of Nils Hilmer Lofgren, broadcasted June 7th 1985. We were amazed by Nils' acrobatic skills, a video showed him doing backflips, handstands and turning cart wheels while playing the guitar... The man has talent! We could also follow Nils on a visit to his swedish relatives in Värmland, among them Lars Löfgren, former head of the Royal Dramatic Theatre.
A more bizarre presentation was the program Äntligen en vit älg (Finally a white moose) from 1993. It featured wellknown swedish TV personalities like Harald Treutiger, Ulf Elfving and Jens Orback in an overcrowded studio. Among pictures of rubberboats in the moat at Kalmar Castle, interviews with all kinds of people, live music with some unknown band and a short version of Antique's roadshow, there suddenly was a glimpse of Springsteen's concert at Stadion. We could to our surprise see the most part of Better Days and Atlantic City.
After looking at the BBC documentary Bruce "The Boss" Springsteen we could enjoy another funny translation of a Springsteen song. This time it was a few lines from TV Movie that caught our attention.
My wife rolled over and told me
That my life would be immortalized
Not in some major motion picture
Or great American novel, you see
No, they're gonna make a TV movie out of me
Had become:
Men då sa min fru i sömnen
att mitt liv skulle bli legend
nu har det blivit storfilm
en sann amerikansk dollarsuccé
och nu ska det bli
en tv-film om mitt liv
Next round of interviews will be made in four weeks.
We found some newsfootage of people in line for tickets outside Konserthuset in Stockholm in 1981 and 1985 and there were also pictures from the ticketdrop in Gothenburg 2002.
In a program called Magasinet from November 3rd 1988, wellknown swedish journalist Göran Rosenberg, went to Freehold to check out how the inhabitants reacted to the closing of 3M-factory and how they would vote in the upcoming election between George Bush Sr and Michael Dukakis. A very interesting programe with quite a few Bruce references.
Then we looked at a very sweet portrait of Nils Hilmer Lofgren, broadcasted June 7th 1985. We were amazed by Nils' acrobatic skills, a video showed him doing backflips, handstands and turning cart wheels while playing the guitar... The man has talent! We could also follow Nils on a visit to his swedish relatives in Värmland, among them Lars Löfgren, former head of the Royal Dramatic Theatre.
A more bizarre presentation was the program Äntligen en vit älg (Finally a white moose) from 1993. It featured wellknown swedish TV personalities like Harald Treutiger, Ulf Elfving and Jens Orback in an overcrowded studio. Among pictures of rubberboats in the moat at Kalmar Castle, interviews with all kinds of people, live music with some unknown band and a short version of Antique's roadshow, there suddenly was a glimpse of Springsteen's concert at Stadion. We could to our surprise see the most part of Better Days and Atlantic City.
After looking at the BBC documentary Bruce "The Boss" Springsteen we could enjoy another funny translation of a Springsteen song. This time it was a few lines from TV Movie that caught our attention.
My wife rolled over and told me
That my life would be immortalized
Not in some major motion picture
Or great American novel, you see
No, they're gonna make a TV movie out of me
Had become:
Men då sa min fru i sömnen
att mitt liv skulle bli legend
nu har det blivit storfilm
en sann amerikansk dollarsuccé
och nu ska det bli
en tv-film om mitt liv
Next round of interviews will be made in four weeks.
Wednesday, February 25, 2004
Reborn at Ullevi 2003
Today we have met Mattias who saw his first show at The Globe arena, June 15th 1992.
He told us about his gigantic expectations before the first concert in 1992 and how the show had been so much better than he ever could imagine. For many years Mattias have been a very devoted fan, but after the concert at the Globe 2002 he was a bit disappointed. And the first night at Ullevi in 2003 didn't change that feeling.
"When I walked out from the arena I thought it was all over. It felt like Bruce and his music couldn't touch me, like I had grown apart from it all. And on the second night I went to the concert in a bad mood, feeling uneasy, I even thought about not going at all. But then I could see that Bruce had picked up another guitar and then he started with The Promised Land. That song is one of the best in the world and it just hit me, it got me straight through the heart. It was like Bruce reached out his hand and said 'come on, let's try again' and the rest of the night it was like he sang just for me, picking out my favorites. After that I started to listen to the records again and got back to a feeling for the music that I hadn't had in years."
Mikael preparing to shoot at Mattias' place.
Mattias also told us that he likes when Bruce is political. "For me both Nebraska and The Ghost of Tom Joad are political statements. I would really like Bruce to turn out another acoustic album that would center around what has happened after 9/11 and how the war in Iraq has affected the American people."
We also talked about the swedish fanforum springsteen.se and Mattias thought it was really fun that there are so many young fans in their early teens who discuss Springsteen's music with great gusto.
After the interview we met with Håkan Lahger, a journalist who have written a lot about Bruce Springsteen in magazines like Schlager and Slitz. We discussed some ideas and Håkan will be one of the critics we are going to interview later on.
He told us about his gigantic expectations before the first concert in 1992 and how the show had been so much better than he ever could imagine. For many years Mattias have been a very devoted fan, but after the concert at the Globe 2002 he was a bit disappointed. And the first night at Ullevi in 2003 didn't change that feeling.
"When I walked out from the arena I thought it was all over. It felt like Bruce and his music couldn't touch me, like I had grown apart from it all. And on the second night I went to the concert in a bad mood, feeling uneasy, I even thought about not going at all. But then I could see that Bruce had picked up another guitar and then he started with The Promised Land. That song is one of the best in the world and it just hit me, it got me straight through the heart. It was like Bruce reached out his hand and said 'come on, let's try again' and the rest of the night it was like he sang just for me, picking out my favorites. After that I started to listen to the records again and got back to a feeling for the music that I hadn't had in years."
Mikael preparing to shoot at Mattias' place.
Mattias also told us that he likes when Bruce is political. "For me both Nebraska and The Ghost of Tom Joad are political statements. I would really like Bruce to turn out another acoustic album that would center around what has happened after 9/11 and how the war in Iraq has affected the American people."
We also talked about the swedish fanforum springsteen.se and Mattias thought it was really fun that there are so many young fans in their early teens who discuss Springsteen's music with great gusto.
After the interview we met with Håkan Lahger, a journalist who have written a lot about Bruce Springsteen in magazines like Schlager and Slitz. We discussed some ideas and Håkan will be one of the critics we are going to interview later on.
Monday, February 23, 2004
Like father like son
Today we went out in the snow to meet Tommy who saw his first concert at Stadion, July 3rd 1988.
That first show was a mindblowing experience for Tommy, who just couldn't go straight home afterwards. "I walked the streets, filled with euphoria, I don't know what I did exactly, I was just so happy after the show. I got home about 5 in the morning and that day would be my first day at work after school. Of course I overslept and I got a scolding, but it was worth it."
Cirkus, an intimate arena with only 1650 seats.
In 1996 Tommy had managed to get two tickets to the Circus show after 12 hours in line. The temperature had been 15 degrees below zero and it had been tough to get the tickets. Tommy went to the show with his mother, and as he entered the venue he almost walked into a man who asked if Tommy would trade his ticket for one at the front row. "Of course, how much", Tommy replied. "Oh, it's for free, it's a present from Mr. Springsteen", the Man in Black said.
"I could hardly believe my luck, I thanked the Man in Black from the bottom of my heart, and then I went down the aisle to my seat. After the show I managed to shake hands with Springsteen too", Tommy told us.
Another important moment came last year when Tommy and his family had traveled to Gothenburg. The first night he went with his 8-year old son Billy. They had GA's and during Waiting on a Sunny Day, which is his son's favorite song, Tommy moved closed to the stage.
"We managed to come right next to the fence on the side of the stage and Bruce noticed Billy sitting on my shoulders. He pointed at my son and waved to him. Afterwards my friends told us we had been on the videoscreen. And Billy was so excited that he didn't want to leave the arena. We were among the last to get out of Ullevi, because Billy said 'Please dad, let's wait a little, he might come out again.' It's really fun that my son is such a big fan already."
It has been a very rewarding day, and we give our biggest thanks to Tommy for sharing so many of his memories with us.
Next interview is on Wednesday.
That first show was a mindblowing experience for Tommy, who just couldn't go straight home afterwards. "I walked the streets, filled with euphoria, I don't know what I did exactly, I was just so happy after the show. I got home about 5 in the morning and that day would be my first day at work after school. Of course I overslept and I got a scolding, but it was worth it."
Cirkus, an intimate arena with only 1650 seats.
In 1996 Tommy had managed to get two tickets to the Circus show after 12 hours in line. The temperature had been 15 degrees below zero and it had been tough to get the tickets. Tommy went to the show with his mother, and as he entered the venue he almost walked into a man who asked if Tommy would trade his ticket for one at the front row. "Of course, how much", Tommy replied. "Oh, it's for free, it's a present from Mr. Springsteen", the Man in Black said.
"I could hardly believe my luck, I thanked the Man in Black from the bottom of my heart, and then I went down the aisle to my seat. After the show I managed to shake hands with Springsteen too", Tommy told us.
Another important moment came last year when Tommy and his family had traveled to Gothenburg. The first night he went with his 8-year old son Billy. They had GA's and during Waiting on a Sunny Day, which is his son's favorite song, Tommy moved closed to the stage.
"We managed to come right next to the fence on the side of the stage and Bruce noticed Billy sitting on my shoulders. He pointed at my son and waved to him. Afterwards my friends told us we had been on the videoscreen. And Billy was so excited that he didn't want to leave the arena. We were among the last to get out of Ullevi, because Billy said 'Please dad, let's wait a little, he might come out again.' It's really fun that my son is such a big fan already."
It has been a very rewarding day, and we give our biggest thanks to Tommy for sharing so many of his memories with us.
Next interview is on Wednesday.
Sunday, February 22, 2004
Camera... and action!
So we're in for another round of interviews. Today we have met Morgan who saw his first show at Stadion, Stockholm, July 2nd 1988, and he still thinks that the second night back in '88 is the best show he has seen.
Stockholms Stadion, the arena where Bruce have played most often, 1988, 1993 and 1999.
While Morgan's two cats Borka and Lucifer tried to snuggle up in our camerabags, Morgan told us about how he managed to be among the lucky 1 500 who got a ticket to the show at Cirkus in 1996. After several hours in line outside the venue he got a ticket for the normal price and on a pair of very cold feet he could walk inside to see Bruce, past rows of scalpers. He also shared some of his memories from standing in line for other shows.
As many other fans have said, it's the interaction between Bruce, the band and the audience, that attracts Morgan too. But he also told us that the music brings about a lot of memories. Especially about his friend that introduced him to Springsteen's music. This friend died some years ago from an overdosis, but Morgan still remember all the fun they had together when he listen to the music.
As many other fans Morgan is very interested in standing close to the stage to see what happens between Bruce and the band during a concert. He thinks that the dvd-releases of Live in New York City and Live in Barcelona adds a new dimension to the recorded live preformances. Not only does the fans get the opportunity to hear Springsteen, but they also get to see his power as a live performer. Morgan really hope that there will be more dvds from future concerts.
Things went pretty well apart from me having the most hideous cold. I spent a good deal of time snivelling through the interview, but hopefully that won't show... And armed with handkerchiefs, nosespray and Fisherman's friend the second interview went better.
Today we have also talked to Tobbe. He saw his first concert in the Globe arena, June 15th 1992.
Tobbe wouldn't have become such a big fan if it hadn't been for a girl in his class who lent him a tape with Springsteenmusic. He listened to Born in the USA over and over again just to hear the drums in the end of the song.
Looking back on the shows he has seen, Tobbe thinks that Springsteen really got back in style with The Rising album.
"The nineties was almost a lost decade, with the exception of the Tom Joad-tour. It was fun to see Bruce performing his accoustic material, but there was no focus on the two albums Human Touch and Lucky Town. They where too haphazard. And Bruce looked a bit tired on the Reunion tour. He and the band was not as fit and tight as they proved to be in 2002 and 2003."
We also talked about the benefits of fanforums on the internet. "The forums makes it easier for people to stay in touch. Before they existed you only saw other fans when you lined up for tickets or for concerts and it could be years before you saw eachother again. With the internet it's easier to keep discussions going."
We finished by recording when Tobbe played som chords from a couple of Springsteen songs.
Tomorrow is another day and another interview!
Stockholms Stadion, the arena where Bruce have played most often, 1988, 1993 and 1999.
While Morgan's two cats Borka and Lucifer tried to snuggle up in our camerabags, Morgan told us about how he managed to be among the lucky 1 500 who got a ticket to the show at Cirkus in 1996. After several hours in line outside the venue he got a ticket for the normal price and on a pair of very cold feet he could walk inside to see Bruce, past rows of scalpers. He also shared some of his memories from standing in line for other shows.
As many other fans have said, it's the interaction between Bruce, the band and the audience, that attracts Morgan too. But he also told us that the music brings about a lot of memories. Especially about his friend that introduced him to Springsteen's music. This friend died some years ago from an overdosis, but Morgan still remember all the fun they had together when he listen to the music.
As many other fans Morgan is very interested in standing close to the stage to see what happens between Bruce and the band during a concert. He thinks that the dvd-releases of Live in New York City and Live in Barcelona adds a new dimension to the recorded live preformances. Not only does the fans get the opportunity to hear Springsteen, but they also get to see his power as a live performer. Morgan really hope that there will be more dvds from future concerts.
Things went pretty well apart from me having the most hideous cold. I spent a good deal of time snivelling through the interview, but hopefully that won't show... And armed with handkerchiefs, nosespray and Fisherman's friend the second interview went better.
Today we have also talked to Tobbe. He saw his first concert in the Globe arena, June 15th 1992.
Tobbe wouldn't have become such a big fan if it hadn't been for a girl in his class who lent him a tape with Springsteenmusic. He listened to Born in the USA over and over again just to hear the drums in the end of the song.
Looking back on the shows he has seen, Tobbe thinks that Springsteen really got back in style with The Rising album.
"The nineties was almost a lost decade, with the exception of the Tom Joad-tour. It was fun to see Bruce performing his accoustic material, but there was no focus on the two albums Human Touch and Lucky Town. They where too haphazard. And Bruce looked a bit tired on the Reunion tour. He and the band was not as fit and tight as they proved to be in 2002 and 2003."
We also talked about the benefits of fanforums on the internet. "The forums makes it easier for people to stay in touch. Before they existed you only saw other fans when you lined up for tickets or for concerts and it could be years before you saw eachother again. With the internet it's easier to keep discussions going."
We finished by recording when Tobbe played som chords from a couple of Springsteen songs.
Tomorrow is another day and another interview!
