Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen is an American rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Nicknamed "the Boss", he has released 21 studio albums during a career spanning six decades, most of which feature his backing band, the E Street Band. Springsteen is a pioneer of heartland rock, combining a commercially successful rock sound with poetic and socially conscious lyrics reflecting the issues of working class American life. He is known for his descriptive lyrics and energetic concerts, which sometimes last over four hours.
Steven Van Zandt, also known as Little Steven or Miami Steve, is an American musician and actor. He is a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, in which he plays guitar and mandolin. He has appeared in several television drama series, including as Silvio Dante in The Sopranos (1999–2007) and as Frank Tagliano in Lilyhammer (2012–2014). Van Zandt has his own solo band called Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul, intermittently active since the 1980s.
The Music of Pennsylvania dates from the pre-colonial-era through the 21st century, and Pennsylvania has been the birthplace for some of the most prominent musicians of their respective eras and the introduction of entire new genres of music to the nation and world.
Heartland rock is a genre of rock music characterized by a straightforward, often roots musical style, often with a focus on blue-collar workers, and a conviction that rock music has a social or communal purpose beyond just entertainment.
Guido Marzorati is a guitarist, singer, and songwriter. The son of professional musicians, he studied for several years at the Benedetto Marcello Music Conservatory. During this time he learned the acoustic guitar, influenced by The Beatles, Elliott Murphy and Bruce Springsteen, all of whom would eventually mark his style. In August 1999 he recorded his first solo album, Live at Home. In September 2000 he won the Bande Rumorose contest in Copparo (Fe). That same month, specialist magazines Buscadero and The River ran feature articles on Marzorati.
The E Street Band is an American rock band that has been the primary backing band for rock musician Bruce Springsteen since 1972. In 2014, the E Street Band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. For the bulk of Springsteen's recording and performing career, the band included guitarists Steven Van Zandt, Nils Lofgren, and Patti Scialfa, keyboardists Danny Federici and Roy Bittan, bassist Garry Tallent, drummer Max Weinberg and saxophonist Clarence Clemons.
The Iron City Houserockers were an American rock band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, led by the singer and guitarist Joe Grushecky, from 1976 to 1984.
The Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Reunion Tour was a lengthy, top-grossing concert tour featuring Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band that took place over 1999 and 2000.
Thomas Michael Stevens was an American bass guitarist from New York City. He recorded and toured with an array of rock, R&B, and pop acts as a session musician and also worked as a solo performer.
"Light of Day", sometimes written as "(Just Around the Corner to the) Light of Day", is a song written by Bruce Springsteen and performed initially by Joan Jett and Michael J. Fox with their fictitious band The Barbusters in the 1987 film Light of Day. The song has since become a staple in Jett's concerts.
Mark Dodson is a British record producer and sound engineer, who mostly works with artists in the heavy metal genre. He is best known for producing albums by Anthrax, Judas Priest and Suicidal Tendencies.
Love's So Tough is a studio album by the Iron City Houserockers. Released in 1979, the Iron City Houserocker's first album attempts to capture the presence of what was essentially a Pittsburgh bar band playing to a blue collar crowd every night. While Joe Grushecky's songwriting skills are clearly still developing, his potential is visible in cuts such as "Dance With Me" and "Heroes Are Hard to Find". The general sound of the album is reminiscent of a slightly "harder" Bruce Springsteen, and the heavy use of harmonica would be a distinguishing factor of the Houserockers for several albums to come.
Have a Good Time But Get Out Alive! is a studio album by the Iron City Houserockers. Although well-received critically, commercial success eluded the Iron City Houserockers outside of the rust belt. Among the strongest tracks are the title track, "Don't Let Them Push You Around", "We're Not Dead Yet", the two-part medley of "Old Man Bar" and Junior's Bar", and "Rock Ola" - Grushecky's first truly competent ballad.
Blood on the Bricks is a studio album by the Iron City Houserockers released in 1981. A more restrained album than their previous two efforts, the album was produced by Steve Cropper instead of hard rock producers as on Have a Good Time but Get out Alive!. Among the more popular songs on the album were the title track, along with "Saints and Sinners", and "Be My Friend" which includes a guitar riff in tribute to Van Morrison's "Here Comes the Night"; all of which still feature in Joe Grushecky's modern live performances. Like the band's previous two albums, Blood on the Bricks would be praised by critics but largely ignored by the public. Before their next album the band would change their name to simply "The Houserockers" in an attempt to achieve success outside of their native region.
Cracking Under Pressure is a 1983 studio album by the Iron City Houserockers. Cracking Under Pressure was the Iron City Houserockers' fourth and final album under the moniker and also their final album released under MCA. Veterans Ned E. Rankin and Marc Reisman had left the band and in their place was heavy keyboards and synthesizers, as was the style at the time. Also unlike previous albums, Cracking Under Pressure included several cover songs: "Loving Cup" by Earth Quake and "Hit the Road Jack" by Percy Mayfield. The songs "Angels", "Cracking Under Pressure", and "There'll Never be Enough Time" have appeared on several later compilations, most of the rest of this album is absent from later compilations and live shows. The band was dropped from MCA Records two days after the album was released, and six months after that - in June 1984 - the band broke up. When the band resurfaced in 1989, it would go by "Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers" - the name by which they still tour today.
Pumping Iron & Sweating Steel: The Best of the Iron City Houserockers is a compilation album by the Iron City Houserockers. Released in 1992 under Rhino Records, it was at the time the only Iron City Houserockers material available on compact disc.
"Land of Hope and Dreams" is a 1999 song written by Bruce Springsteen and performed by Springsteen and the E Street Band. After being performed on tour and released on multiple live albums, a studio recording was released for the first time on Wrecking Ball in 2012.
Omnivore Recordings is an independent record label founded in 2010. It specializes in historical releases, reissues and previously unissued vintage recordings, as well as select releases of new music, on CD, vinyl and digital formats. Omnivore Recordings is a part of Omnivore Entertainment Group LLC, which also incorporates sister companies Omnivore Music Publishing and Omnivore Creative, which provides A&R and art direction/design consulting for recording artists, artist estates, and other record labels.
The River Tour was a concert tour by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band in support of Springsteen's 2015 The Ties That Bind: The River Collection box set and in celebration of the 35th anniversary of Springsteen's 1980 album, The River. The River Tour ended in September 2016. Subsequently, the Summer '17 tour in Australia and New Zealand continued the tour using the same promotional image from the original legs.
American Babylon is an album by Joe Grushecky & the Houserockers, released in 1995. Grushecky supported the album by playing some East Coast and Midwest shows with Bruce Springsteen, his producer.
