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| Martha |
Perhaps this will inspire Mick and the boys to do their best! Nothing like a little healthy competition ehhh!
Entertainment
Full Story 08/07/2002 11:23:33 EST
Springsteen Album No. 1 on Charts
NEW YORK (AP) - Bruce Springsteen's "The Rising" has risen to No. 1 in its first week, selling about 526,000 copies.
The figures, released Wednesday by Nielsen SoundScan, represent the best debut of Springsteen's career.
The critically acclaimed disc is his first studio album in seven years; most of the songs on it revolve around the Sept. 11 attacks.
The singer has been on a media blitz to promote the disc. He appeared on the covers of Time and Rolling Stone, and was featured on "Nightline," "Late Night with David Letterman" and "Dateline." The "Today" show went to his adopted hometown of Asbury Park, N.J., for a live Springsteen performance.
He kicks off a tour Wednesday night in East Rutherford, N.J., at Contintental Airlines Arena. He will perform in 39 cities, and also in Europe.
This is the third Springsteen album to debut at No. 1 ("Greatest Hits" and "Live 1975-1985" also bowed in the top spot).
Copyright 2002 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. |
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| sandrew |
I'm glad for Bruce. "The Rising" has undoubtedly been buoyed by its Sept. 11 theme. The songs themselves don't live up to all the hype, and the album, by my lights, is only marginally better than what he's put out over the last decade. But, hell, I'm glad there's something that's actually worth a shit at the top of the Billboard 200.
I'll be seeing the Boss here in D.C. Saturday night. I know I'm in for a helluva show. All I can say is, the Stones better be on top of their game this Fall... |
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| jb |
When you say the stones "better be on top of their game" are you serious? Boss fans love the Boss no matter what, real stone fans love the Stones no matter what. No one is going to change their mind b/c of one performance if they are a genuine fan. Do you think the Stones, at this point in their career, actually feel the pressure to prove something? They have sold a lot of records, are the top grossing touring act of all time, and their legacy is fairly secure. Would a great new album be exciting-of course-but simply the chance to see truly the greatest band of all time should be sufficient enough...When all is said and done, it should be a memorable tour and quite likely their last. Therefore , try to enjoy and lets put all the negative stuff behind. |
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| sandrew |
I don't take the relativistic approach to music - some bands are better than others, and I don't like my favorite bands "no matter what." All I'm saying is that, while I love Bruce, he doesn't belong in the same tier as the Stones. But the Boss, like Sir Pauline, can do no wrong in the media's eyes. The Stones, because of this lazy kind of thinking, do have to prove themselves every time they go out.
I just hope that the when the Stones hit the stage on Sept. 3, they play well enough to silence the bullshit cliches. |
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| jb |
I agree with you regarding the media...absolutely ridiculous the praise the Boss recieves and the lack of publicity the Stones tour has generated so far. |
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| sandrew |
The reason, beyond the standard-fare hostility and ageism, is a feeling that there's nothing new under the sun. There is the unique stadium-arena-theater concept, but that doesn't take the place of a new album. The problem, if there is one - the publicity will pick up when they start playing - is that there's nothing real to promote.
The media considers this tour nothing but brute commerce. |
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| The Worst |
Now that he confesses to support Bush and his war against terrorism, I know, that I will never buy a CD by the boss. Don't like the "Eye for eye, tooth for tooth" thinking.
Talking about this, you can test, where you stand at www.politicalcompass.org
I scored:
Economic Left/Right: -6.12
Authoritarian/Libertarian: -8.77 |
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| Boomhauer |
Damn I hope the Stones put out a new studio album! |
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| Gazza |
>Now that he confesses to support Bush
actually..Bruce has always admitted to voting Democrat. He's never made any secret about his contempt for Bush's father's politics and I doubt very much he voted for his son either.
>and his war against terrorism, I know, that I will never buy a CD by the boss.
what are you...a fascist? Is the guy not entitled to an opinion? Wait till YOUR country gets the shit bombed out of it and hundreds of innocent people in your neighbourhood go to work one morning and never come home again. Try living with terrorism for a while,mate. Its not a lot of fun and not particularly glamourous either regardless of the source. You might end up having a different and not quite-so-liberal opinion when it comes to dealing with it. Bruce was quoted as saying he thought a military response to the 9/11 bombings was justifiable. I think you'll find most Americans would agree with that.
If anything,I'd imagine he's hardly the sort of guy who supports carpet bombings etc. Usually the flak he gets is for being TOO liberal if anything.
>Don't like the "Eye for eye, tooth for tooth" thinking.
what the fuck are you talking about? He said no such thing. If youre talking about the line in his new song "Empty sky", "I want a kiss from your lips,I want an eye for an eye" then youre missing the point that (duh) hes writing as a CHARACTER in a song for fuck's sake. Similarly just because he wrote :
a)"Into the Fire" it doesnt mean hes the widow of a member of the FDNY
b) "The Rising",it doesnt mean hes a deceased fireman and
c) "Paradise" it doesnt mean he's a suicide bomber or sympathetic to those that are (you conveniently missed THAT one out in your portrayal of him as an ignorant hawk,I notice..)
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| patioaintdry |
While I cannot help my natural cynicism in questioning Bruce's attempt to express 9/11 (sort of Bono-esque -- and that's NOT a compliment) and have never really been a fan, his endurance and ability to top the charts with thoughtful songs, especially in the current music environment, is encouraging. And I also think an eye for an eye is a great deterent against terrorism, crime and Celine Dion.
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| Martha |
If you think there is no competition amongest musicans that supersede their record sales and tour grosses, think again. I know from my relationship with musicians in another music genre that there IS a lot of ego driven competition between bands and particular musicians.
Remember Mick was in New York just last week to watch the Boss and crew tape their first show for Letterman.
And I only meant a "healthy competition" in the sense of sport, and meant no disrespect to the Stones in any way.
For fuck's sake I hear nothing but posts regarding the Stones performances past, present and future, and new material>>>where is it?? we want a new record, etc, etc.
Nothing that hasn't been said ad nauseum....and much more controversially I might add.
P.S.Thanks Gazza for the post about the Boss and his politics. |
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| The Worst |
[quote]Gazza wrote:
actually..Bruce has always admitted to voting Democrat. He's never made any secret about his contempt for Bush's father's politics and I doubt very much he voted for his son either.
Perhaps the boss has changed his mind after the 11th of September or before.
what are you...a fascist? Is the guy not entitled to an opinion? Wait till YOUR country gets the shit bombed out of it and hundreds of innocent people in your neighbourhood go to work one morning and never come home again. Try living with terrorism for a while,mate. Its not a lot of fun and not particularly glamourous either regardless of the source. You might end up having a different and not quite-so-liberal opinion when it comes to dealing with it. Bruce was quoted as saying he thought a military response to the 9/11 bombings was justifiable. I think you'll find most Americans would agree with that.
If you look at where I stand on the political compass, I'm extremely liberal and anti-fascist. The USA have financed those Islamist fundamentalists, because they helped them to fight enemies during the Cold War, so I don't believe in their role as pure victims.
Of course, like "Born In The USA", his previous release with the E Street Band, Bruce's new album will again be listened to and interpreted from people all over the political compass.
[Edited by The Worst] |
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| Gazza |
>Perhaps the boss has changed his mind after the 11th of September or before.
he hasnt.
>If you look at where I stand on the political compass, I'm extremely liberal and anti-fascist.
I have no interest in your personal beliefs. Your politics are your own and thats fair enough. Ive better things to do than look at 'political compasses' though. Personally,I dont believe in right and left. Just right and wrong.
>The USA have financed those Islamist fundamentalists, because they helped them to fight enemies during the Cold War, so I don't believe in their role as pure victims.
I've never doubted that they have (and I'd be the first person to criticize them for it) but thats not what Im arguing about..however are you trying to say that non-combatants who are merely getting on with their own lives and hurting no-one ARENT "pure victims" and that being reduced to vapour is justifiable because of the foreign policy of their government? If you are,youre a sick fuck and far from "extremely liberal". You have a pretty selective interpretation of the terms 'extremely liberal' and 'anti fascist'
>Of course, like "Born In The USA", his previous release with the E Street Band, Bruce's new album will again be listened to and interpreted from people all over the political compass.
for their own ends. Correct. Just like you did with his new record. People who dont read the lyrics properly
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| Fuc*ing Andrew |
Rising -- shameless exploitation of one of the most tragic events in American history. And you can spin that all you want! The guy's a hack! |
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| Keefness |
A 'Hack'??
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!
Bruce is a lot of things & everyone is entitled to an opinion, but, surely.."A Hack"?? C'mon. |
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| TheSavageYoungXyzzy |
Hey, it's better than "Freedom"... *shudder*...
I think Springsteen's stuff off this album is mediocre mostly, with a few good ones splashed in there, like "My City Of Ruins", and I think he did it much better than McCartney's caterwaul of "Freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeedom!" (Sorry, Paul, but I don't love you *that much*. What, were you rehearsing "Monkberry Moon Delight" the day before?)
-tSYX --- We will fight, for the right, to live with Ronn-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n*cawf*-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-nie! C'mon, Eric, do a solo!
[Edited by TheSavageYoungXyzzy] |
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| complicated |
Gazza offers food for thought I guess. The 9-11 event has turned my little extra liberal world on its ass..I don't know if Bruce is using the event, maybe he is just responding to the environment around him. I know one thing, fascism sucks! I have never seen a release in such a political climate...cannot decide what to think. I can't afford both shows so guess who wins... The Stones! (okay i'm lying, i am gonna see the stones 4 times so no Bruce for me)! |
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| Gazza |
>Rising -- shameless exploitation of one of the most tragic events in American history. And you can spin that all you want! The guy's a hack!
Hack,my ass. If you dislike the guys music,then thats fair enough - personal choice and I'd certainly not waste my energy trying to 'convert' you. . Any songwriter (or creative artist of any kind) worth a damn is inspired or motivated by whats going on around him. The Stones have done the same too....Street Fighting Man, Undercover of The Night, High Wire to name but three.
I dont think thats exploitation - theres a fine line sometimes between inspiration and exploitation but I think hes on the right side of it. He's mentioned in interviews that the part of New Jersey he lives in (Monmouth County) had more people killed on September 11th than any other part of the state and how he was moved by how so many of them had death notices in the newspaper which quoted lines from songs he'd written. I've seen TV interviews with some of the widows of the victimes he phoned after the bombings,and from what I can see they certainly dont feel that their grief has been exploited. Quite the reverse,in fact.
If he'd put out an album full of songs about driving in cadillacs or self analytical stuff about his own private life instead, he'd probably have got shit for NOT writing about 9/11 as critics would have accused him of being 'out of touch'. Damned if you do,damned if you don't.
This is one of the first albums by a major artist to have been released since the bombings. Hence the fuss about the lyrical content. I'm sure you'll find over the next few months there'll be quite a few more.
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| Joey |
Hey Gazza ............
Doesn't Jo Wood look hot in today's header picture ?
Damn I like that Blonde Bitchy look !
YES !!!!
Jo Jo
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| Gazza |
yes indeedy
last time I saw her was at Woody's Dublin show last December, practically conducting the crowd singalong to "Ooh la La" from the balcony. Shes a good mover as well! |
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| stonedinaustralia |
>This is one of the first albums by a major artist to have been released since the bombings... I'm sure you'll find over the next few months there'll be quite a few more.
But let's hope not too many more, hey Gazza.
as you say it's all a matter of personal taste in the end but i agree with your assessment
having said that, i haven't heard the album yet ('tho look forward to doing so) but i've always dug bruce big time and he is probably one of the few that could actually pull it off(particularly for someone from the u.s.) without sounding overly sentimental (bruce's biggest danger (imho)),jingoistic or just plain wrong-headed- i mean imagine what aerosmith or (you'll pardon the expression) david crosby would do with it - *shudder*
in my humble view bruce, the stones and dylan are great artists because they show the audience what they see going on but make no judgement on behalf of the audience or force their opinion's down other's throats ('tho "slow train coming" was great in a way 'cos that's exactly what bob did & isn't that just like bob and what makes him great)... they simply say "here it is...make of it what you can"
these things can be easily misunderstood and often are - witness SFM which has the "reputation" for being some revolutionary "call to arms" or something when in reality it's final point is one of apathy and resignation... after-all - "what can a poor boy do?"
[Edited by stonedinaustralia] |
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| Boomhauer |
Do any of you think that with Springsteens album going to #1 and doing pretty well, that the Stones may consider doing a new album? They may have a shot to put out a gem.
Anyway, I think that 40 Licks might do well, too. |
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| Gazza |
Doubt it would make much difference or motivate them..why shouldnt Bruce's album go to #1? hes done that quite a few times, as have the Stones.
They'll maybe put a new album out in the next 18 months but I doubt they'll have much time in the next year or so to record very much. |
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| Fiji Joe |
You think that's what Bruce is doing? Writing about what's going around him? If that were the case, we'd hear more about that nasty skank he calls a wife, or how he is going about decorating his palacial Beverly Hills Mansion. The last time he wrote about what was going on around him was "57 channels and nothing on", and that did not go over too well. TV watching sum bitch. I guess we can expect an album from him when The Partidge Family is removed from syndication. I can see it now, the album entitled, "The Bus is out of Gas", with the first release being "Danny Bonaduce's Blues"...The critics will hail it as the second coming of Sgt. Peppers. |
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| thunders |
I'll take the boss at #1,then rap crap and pop! Go Boss!! |
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| Keefness |
FiJI, you don't know what yer talkin' about...he's been livin' in Jersey for years. Still has a place in LA but he don't go there much. watch the interviews, get yer facts straight.and I truly doubt he's been sittin' around watchin' partridge family reruns. Jeezis.
[Edited by Keefness] |
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| Fiji Joe |
Yeah, I'll get my facts straight when you take diction lessons Jethro. |
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| Keefness |
Ok, Bruce moved back to New Jersey about 10 years ago. It was about the time his oldest son Evan, was to start school. He wanted his kids to grow up where he did. He talked about such things in an interview in Rolling Stone that coincided with the release of the Tracks boxset in 1998.
It's an informed guess, though speculative, that Bruce Springsteen's television tastes don't include reruns of
The Partidge Family.
And my name is not Jethro. |
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| Tops |
Just so all of you know, according to Bruce in a recent interview I read in the British magazine "Uncut," most of "the rising," including "my city of ruins" was written well in advance of September 11th. Does "inspiration" always have to be synonymous with "exploitation"? |
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| sandrew |
Below is from Billboard. It shows Bruce is having trouble selling out too, partly because people have already shelled out for the Stones and McCartney. I don't think the lack of Stones sellouts is a symptomatic of a drop in popularity; it's the market, pure and simple.
Copyright 2002 BPI Communications, Inc.
Used with permission from Billboard
Billboard
August 17, 2002
SECTION: UPFRONT; Articles; Pg. 3
LENGTH: 868 words
HEADLINE: Retailers Say That After The Events Of Last Sept. 11, Boss' Fans Are Seeking Substance
BYLINE: MELINDA NEWMAN and ED CHRISTMAN
DATELINE: LOS ANGELES
BODY:
Retailers are calling the strong reaction to Bruce Springsteen's The Rising proof that consumers are yearning for music that says something.
Fueled by a well-orchestrated media blitz, The Rising moved 525,000 units in its first week, debuting at No. 1 on The Billboard 200 and giving the Boss the biggest opening-week sales of his career during the Nielsen SoundScan era.
Released July 30 on Columbia, The Rising-Springsteen's first full studio set with the E Street Band since 1984's Born in the U.S.A.-scanned more than double the 251,000 copies sold of 1995's Greatest Hits, Springsteen's previous first-week best for one disc, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The simultaneous release of Human Touch and Lucky Town in '92 netted combined first-week sales of 454,000 units (see Over the Counter, page 75). The new tally gives Springsteen the fourth-largest debut of 2002, following sets by Nelly, Dave Matthews Band, and Celine Dion. He comes in fifth if one counts Eminem's The Eminem Show, which sold 1.32 million in its first full week of release. (Because Interscope pushed up the release of the rapper's set, issuing it on a Sunday, the rapper debuted a week earlier, with 285,000 from a weekend's worth of sales).
The Rising, produced by Brendan O'Brien, also comes in at No. 1 in five other countries: the U.K., Germany, Canada, Spain, and Italy.
With many of the album's 15 tracks written in the aftermath of Sept. 11 and with the set utilizing the events of that day as a framework, The Rising has arrived at the right time, says Bob Bell, senior rock buyer for Torrance, Calif.-based Wherehouse Entertainment: "In the current climate, people are looking for music that's meaningful."
Jim Ogletree, director of new-release purchasing for the 133-store, Norcross, Ga.-based Music Network chain, concurs: "It strikes a chord in talking about things that everybody has on their minds. Other artists would look like they were commercializing 9/11, but he and Bob Dylan are probably the only artists that could have pulled it off."
Also contributing to the album's strong sales was the biggest media push of Springsteen's career, orchestrated by manager Jon Landau, Columbia, and Shorefire Media. The week of release, Springsteen was on the cover of Time and Rolling Stone; he also dominated all three hours of the Today show, which was broadcast from Springsteen's adopted hometown of Asbury Park, N.J., on release day. That same day, Springsteen was on Nightline and Up Close; he was on Up Close again the next night. He then appeared on Late Show With David Letterman Aug. 1-2.
"He did one of the best jobs that I've ever seen in working with the label to set [the album] up," says Danny Yarbrough, Sony Music Distribution (SMD) chairman.
The TV exposure created "excitement that brought a ton of people into the store, including a lot of people that hadn't been in in a while," reports Brett Wickard, president of the nine-unit Portland, Maine-based Bull Moose.
TV play was aimed squarely at Springsteen's older fans, many of whom may not be active radio listeners. Bell says, "Labels are realizing that with adult artists, since radio is unpredictable at best, you have to have a marketing plan that allows you to succeed without radio."
The album's first single, the title track, holds at No. 57 on The Billboard Hot 100 this issue; the song enters the Hot 100 Airplay chart at No. 74.
Pricing was a factor in driving sales, as many merchants loss-leadered the album by as much as $2 on the first day of release.
The strong media setup and pricing resulted in demand outpacing supply, and some merchants reported that their stores went out-of-stock on the title. "It really caught us by surprise," says Hutch Hutchinson, store coordinator for the 73-unit, Nashville-based Central South chain. "We sold out of it, and that's good news and bad news at the same time."
But merchants report that in most cases, SMD came through with replenishment by the next day. Yarbrough says, "We did a pretty good job of getting it back into the stores." He reports that the company shipped about 1.3 million by the Tuesday street date and had 1.5 million in the market by Friday.
The album's release came one week before Springsteen kicked off a 46-city tour Aug. 7. His box-office numbers, while strong overall, have not been the instant across-the-board sellouts that past tours have seen, which is likely a reflection of the overall touring market, as well as the effect of tours by Paul McCartney and the Rolling Stones that went on sale prior to Springsteen.
Of the initial dozen Springsteen on-sales, tickets remained for shows in four cities at press time, even though promoters expect those shows to go clean. Promoters are greeting the tour with glee, as Springsteen's camp is working independently with Clear Channel Entertainment, House of Blues, Jam, Frank Productions, and Fantasma instead of picking a national tour promoter. "We think the tour is going to be great," says Jerry Mickelson, co-president of Jam in Chicago, "and we feel honored that Bruce continues to champion the cause of independent promoters."
Additional reporting by Ray Waddell in Nashville.
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