Springsteen Gets A Building in His Name Today

And, despite illness rehab, shows up to joke about it, and his archives, in Jersey.

Greg Mitchell is the author of a dozen books and now writer/director of award-winning films. He was the longtime executive editor of the legendary Crawdaddy. His newsletter remains free when you subscribe. His film “Atomic Cover-up” became free via Kanopy this month and the current “Memorial Day Massacre: Workers Die, Film Buried" remains free on the PBS site. Both have companion books.

I knew that this was coming, thanks to knowing the organizers, but did not expect that Bruce would show up himself to accept (while making fun of) the honor, due to the illness that caused him to cancel months of concerts. But it happened today at Monmouth University.

The music center there has long housed Springsteen memorabilia (I’ve donated a few pieces) and archives but now it likely gets a gleaming new multi-million building. I understand the fundraising is going very, very well.

I learned about this happening when I was invited to take part in the opening panel at the sold-out October 28 symposium at Monmouth marking the 50th anniversary of Bruce’s second lp, The Wild, The Innocent and the E Street Shuffle, which I reviewed for Crawdaddy at the time, even though biased as good friend of Springsteen at the time. Unfortunately, I had to pull out but my former Crawdaddy partner Peter Knobler will be on that panel.

So, speaking of archives, here are links to some of my writings re: Bruce here on the newsletter, all quite popular when they appeared. Feel free to subscribe—it’s still somehow free.

Meeting Bruce at Sing Sing before first album.

Hanging with the Boss in the months after that.

When I rode with him back to MY hometown.

Blinded by the Type: Writing a novel at Bruce’s house.

In the studio with Bruce, Ronnie Spector and Lee Dorsey.