The phenomenon of BITUSA eventually culminated in a startling series of stadium shows. These were bittersweet times for me and Shoney. How could the Coliseum and the deluge of media and fans lend themselves to the intimacy and raucousness of the shows earlier in the decade? Jumbotrons and huge radio promotion were not part and parcel to a Springsteen concert, Bruce wasn't, after all Mick Jagger.
Yet there we were. Me, Shony and 90,000 of our closest friends (Rob Lowe said hello, more on him later) Bruce did a great job bringing these some intimacy to these venues. To his credit Bruce has never relied on elaborate props or lighting and his staging is spartan . Occasionally, he'll have a gag prop or two: over the years there have been chalkboards with a map of New Jersey, a carny ticket-taker window, a calliope and on Halloween, a coffin (you have to see it!) But no dragons or spaceships.
The whole idea of this many Springsteen fans was unsettling, how can he be speaking to so many people? where was the voice I heard when I was 16? Well, he grew up (Bruce, not me) at the shows Bruce went into the intro for a cover of "War (what is it good for?)" with a admonishment to the Reagan-era crowd that "In 1985, blind faith in your leaders or anything could get you killed" Shit, if he had seen what W was gonna be doing in 20 or so years he would've praised the restraint and humanity of the Reagan Presidency. But this issue, I leave for another blog.
Digression from main Bruce blog #3
During this time my girl and I hadn't seen each other for a good 6 months, we parted after the summer shows and I had started dating someone else. When she moved down to LA, I was surprised that she came looking for me (I was living at my parents house, not in the basement, but still a loser nonetheless!) The tall, cool , aloof chick was in my parents house: crying. What the fuck? I really didn't even think she liked me. Never can tell with the quiet, smart ones eh? This does bring up a very underrated and desirable quality that my girl has: she rarely talks about "us". Her feelings are not aired out in a constant need-for-reciprocation, affirmation, justification, or general vociferation. I have to make a note to myself to remember this. Unlike most relationships, I (the titular male) need to hear from her, more frequently than she needs it from me, weird huh? Poor thing got an earful from me a couple months ago when I was feeling under appreciated (Am I a woman?) She's taken to leaving little sweet notes for my needy eyes.
Anyway, she confessed that beneath that candy-thin shell of a cool exterior and tall visage she was in-fact, not indifferent to me (as I suspected) but was (amazingly) pretty hung up on your humble narrator (phew!) I didn't even now how to react, I had been dating another girl (I won't debase myself and my wife's good will by mentioning her specifically on a blog dedicated to my love) but, it did mark the beginning of the end for the Other girl.
There were timing issues, a horrible family tragedy, and my own stupidity to overcome (many, many times) but we would become a couple.
Tunnel of Love
Things that had gotten so far out of hand had started to pull back to more modest and reasonable levels for long term Bruce fans. Tunnel of Love was bittersweet and stark, there were some sentimental songs about love gone good, unrequited love and love gone bad. Some people were saying that if Bruce is writing about his own experiences (and why wouldn't he) than it sounded like his marriage was in serious trouble. Or put this way: If your spouse or significant other writes and sings "Brilliant Disguise" youse in trouble, dude.
The Tunnel of Love tour saw Bruce moving back to the smaller arenas (thank you god) My sweetheart and I went on opening night at the LA Sports arena (back when it was just a drab dump vs. and old drab dump) I couldn't help but notice Bruce and Patti during the duets. I don't have a huge bevy of core talents, but one of them is that I'm rather observant, to my salesman's eyes, Bruce and Patti looked to be in love... My wife (girlfriend at the time) said "You're crazy" Boy, did I ever hit that one on the head.
Side notes on Red heads
The firebug community (those of us who prefer lasses with scarlet manes) for the most part don't care how that hair got to be so red, while natural is always preferable, the woman who feels like her hair should be red also warms our hearts. The red hair is a statement, a political affiliation for the spirit. I have all sorts of red issues: Firstly, my mother was a natural redhead (sharp wit and bad temper too) she was pretty domineering and I can say with supreme certainty that there was no Oedipal leanings (or even a scant thought) but for some reason I always found Ann-Margret, Rita Hayworth, that chick from "Boogie Nights" and even pre-fucked up and blond Lindsay Lohan to be infinitely more desirable than any blond I ever saw. So there's that. For my leanings, god or whatever wickedly self-amusing, wiseacre has bestowed upon me the reddest of redheads for my daughter. I will spend my 50's keeping firebugs like me at bay and be put in the very pathetic position of having to discourage mofo's (not unlike myself) from getting too chummy with my little red angel. Cursed fates.
To be continued...
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