Bruce Springsteen and

the most important gig review in history

22 May 1974: Number 29 in our series of the 50 key events in the history of rock music

o The Observer, Sunday 12 June 2011

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band in concert. Photograph: Andre Csillag / Rex Features

Jon Landau was a music writer who'd failed as a producer, and who was wondering about

his place in the world. Bruce Springsteen was on his second album for CBS, but far from a

star. The coming together of the two was their making. "Last Thursday, at the Harvard

Square theater, I saw rock'n'roll past flash before my eyes," Landau wrote in a confessional

review for the Boston alternative free sheet the Real Paper. "And I saw something else: I

saw rock and roll future and its name is Bruce Springsteen. And on a night when I needed

to feel young, he made me feel like I was hearing music for the very first time." Landau's

endorsement was critical for Springsteen's standing with CBS – the "rock and roll future"

line became a key part of the Springsteen mythology. More importantly, it led Springsteen

to seek out Landau as a sounding board for his ideas as he prepared his next album. Born

to Run made Springsteen a star, and Landau's contribution was so great Springsteen

decided he would be the man to guide him through his career as manager, producer, consigliere – not just his right-hand man, but his right hand.

Available At: http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/jun/12/bruce-springsteen-gig-review

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