No Gaslight Anthem without Springsteen?

http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/the-gaslight-anthem?before=1324962507
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You post so much good music like Gaslight Anthem and Frank Turner, but I don't understand the Springsteen thing at all, I mean whyyyyyyy.
--Anonymous

We wouldn’t have The Gaslight Anthem or Frank Turner without Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band. Alright, so they’re songs that belong more to my parents’ generation than mine- but if that stops them being relevant then I’ve been looking at a very different version of the world than you have.

I fucking love looking at pictures of Gaslight Anthem. No homo.

Harbortown wrote:

I fucking love looking at pictures of Gaslight Anthem. No homo.

True-site has great pics of the band

I think what the writer said in response to the "why Springsteen" comment is right on. Bruce's music is about the average man and woman, it could be you and me, the couple down the street, your best friends, or even your parents, his songs are that relatable. Even the songs that were written over 30 years ago are still relevant today. I don't see how someone can not get that. I was listening to The River earlier today and these lines really hit me:

"I got a job working construction for the Johnstown Company/
But lately there ain't been much work on account of the economy/
Now all them things that seemed so important/
Well mister they vanished right into the air/
Now I just act like I don't remember/
Mary acts like she don't care."

I bet we all can relate to this words on some level. Sorry for writing so much, I just love that song and it's been stuck in my head all day.

Bruce isn't their only influence. I hear as much Tom Petty in Gaslight as I do Bruce. Just because Bruce is from Asbury Park does not mean there would be no Gaslight without him. They have plenty of other influences as well. During Brian's "Left of the Dial" cover he said there'd be no Gaslight with The Replacements.

http://flavorwire.com/249578/ranking-springsteen-wannabes-from-best-to-worst#6

Ranking Springsteen Wannabes from Best to Worst

The Gaslight Anthem

If there’s one band apart from The Hold Steady who frequently get cited as Springsteen-alikes, it’s The Gaslight Anthem. The comparisons are pretty obvious — The Gaslight Anthem are from New Jersey, after all, and specialize in the sort of heart-on-sleeve all-American rock that Bruce purveyed with such success during the 1980s. The band themselves have tried to play down the connection — ”I could pretend like he’s this amazing, big part of our life, but the connection is something the media came up with,” Alex Rosamilla told The Toronto Star in 2010. “To anyone who thinks we’re copying Bruce Springsteen, I would say, ‘Fuck you.’”

bobbyw24 wrote:

http://flavorwire.com/249578/ranking-springsteen-wannabes-from-best-to-worst#6

Ranking Springsteen Wannabes from Best to Worst

The Gaslight Anthem

If there’s one band apart from The Hold Steady who frequently get cited as Springsteen-alikes, it’s The Gaslight Anthem. The comparisons are pretty obvious — The Gaslight Anthem are from New Jersey, after all, and specialize in the sort of heart-on-sleeve all-American rock that Bruce purveyed with such success during the 1980s. The band themselves have tried to play down the connection — ”I could pretend like he’s this amazing, big part of our life, but the connection is something the media came up with,” Alex Rosamilla told The Toronto Star in 2010. “To anyone who thinks we’re copying Bruce Springsteen, I would say, ‘Fuck you.’”

That's a very different stance than the one Brian takes.

I would agree that there would be no Gaslight Anthem without Springsteen but only in the same way that I'd say that there would be no Springsteen without Dylan, or Dylan without Woodie Guthrie .etc.etc.

Every musician is a product of their influences, SPringsteen appers to be the biggest influence upon Brian Fallon's lyrics and on his life. I'm aware of the influences that Tom Petty, Tom Waits, The Clash and The Replacements have had on the band but I just think that Springsteen in the major influence on the major player in the band - Brian Fallon

Philo wrote:

I would agree that there would be no Gaslight Anthem without Springsteen but only in the same way that I'd say that there would be no Springsteen without Dylan, or Dylan without Woodie Guthrie .etc.etc.

Every musician is a product of their influences, SPringsteen appers to be the biggest influence upon Brian Fallon's lyrics and on his life. I'm aware of the influences that Tom Petty, Tom Waits, The Clash and The Replacements have had on the band but I just think that Springsteen in the major influence on the major player in the band - Brian Fallon

Well stated

bobbyw24 wrote:

Philo wrote:

I would agree that there would be no Gaslight Anthem without Springsteen but only in the same way that I'd say that there would be no Springsteen without Dylan, or Dylan without Woodie Guthrie .etc.etc.

Every musician is a product of their influences, SPringsteen appers to be the biggest influence upon Brian Fallon's lyrics and on his life. I'm aware of the influences that Tom Petty, Tom Waits, The Clash and The Replacements have had on the band but I just think that Springsteen in the major influence on the major player in the band - Brian Fallon

Well stated

Very good, Philo!

I gotta say it took TGA to get me into Springsteen cos I grew up in the 80s when Springsteen was a mega-star who I (probably mistakenly) lumped in with the likes of Michael Jackson and Madonna.

The 80s were strange as it was the discontent in the youth that eventually gave birth to grunge via The Pixies and Sonic Youth.

Remember, this was pre-internet when buying an album meant not buying an album from 5 other acts, if you know what I mean - you had to be sure!

Steve70s wrote:

Remember, this was pre-internet when buying an album meant not buying an album from 5 other acts, if you know what I mean - you had to be sure!

Someone else who remembers the world before the Internet!

yeah - I used to seek out my friends who had records I didnt and go round with my box of TDK C-90 tapes to record their stuff - real piracy!

in the pre-internet days the choice was almost not whose record to buy, but whose to rule out.