The Ties That Bind

We all know the tenuousness of bonds. Family, friendship, workplace ... regardless of their perceived sanctity, the bonds between us snap without warning.

Bruce Springsteen is a legendary singer, songwriter, performer, liberal activist & patron saint of Asbury Park. His music defines moments, months, years ... eras ... of my life, and the lives of many people I know. Growin' up and becoming a man without his impact is unimaginable.

Springsteen turned the ridiculous age of 60 yesterday. 'Ridiculous' because it's 25 years since the release of Born in the USA -- which means 25 years since I picked up a reserved copy from a record shop at the Morris County Mall the spring I graduated high school. 'Ridiculous' because The River is nearly 30 years old -- which means memories of listening to my cassette recordings of the 'new' double album in the back of yellow school buses going to or returning from away basketball games certifies me as a Very. Old. Man. Springsteen, 60? F*cking ridiculous.

Every two weeks my friend Wil Sperry broadcasts a 3-hour radio program called 'The Will Sparrow Show'. I've been Wil's 'international co-conspirator' since March. Yesterday's show featured special co-host Frank Cole helping Wil celebrate Springsteen's 60th b-day and upcoming NY area concerts with 3 hours of songs that are as familiar to me as the fingers typing these words. Listening made me wistful, and got me thinking about walking the Asbury Park boardwalk on quiet winter mornings ... Driving with Jeff along backstreets in piece-of-shit cars listening to Jeff's latest Springsteen bootleg discovery from the Englishtown flea market. The dozens and dozens of times I've left a venue with a sore jaw after smiling and singing for 3 hours along with 5,000 or 18,000 or 75,000+ others. (Perfectly captured by the photo atop this post taken in an emptying Meadowlands parking lot many years ago.)

Mostly, listening to Wil & Frank made me miss the brother- and sisterhood of friends who've graciously allowed me to share the joy of Springsteen shows with them. There is nothing -- nothing -- like it in the world ... and it makes wishing a complete stranger a very, very happy 60th birthday not so f*cking ridiculous at all.