I guess sparks aren't flying on E-Street tonight, are they.
RIP Clarence Clemons, 1942-2001
Bruce and Clarence were Scooter and the Big Man, they were black and white, they were big and small. It was still a bold move in the early '70s, especially in some parts of the country, to have an African-American in your band, much less one you danced with, rubbed butts with and engaged in a long soulful kiss with; the country was only a few years out of the Civil Rights movement and there are stories of gigs the band didn't get and hotels they were told they weren't welcome in. But the pairing would become iconic, forever commemorated in Eric Meola's now-legendary cover photo for Born to Run; 34 years later, the world was greeted with the almost identical image as the E Street Band began their set during halftime at the Super Bowl in 2009.
I've heard about it three hours ago, then I read the article I linked and I started sniffing all over again. I'm feeling like someone I knew personally died, which probably doesn't make that much sense, but when you're into Bruce's music everyone playing in that band becomes someone you sort of feel like you know personally. Everyone and the walls of their houses know how much I like Bruce's music exactly, but fact is, without the ESB it wouldn't have been the same and without him especially it wouldn't have been the same. And the ESB won't be the same from now - I'm pretty sure that they will go on, but it'll be with a hole on the stage. I'm so very glad that I had the chance to see him live twice (and that I had the chance to get smashed on a SUV to take the picture I posted). And well, nothing lasts forever, but when you see them live, you kind of believe for three hours that it might be - thanks for that. And for everything else, because without Clarence we wouldn't have had Bruce (or well, he'd have made different things, which is pretty much the same) and the last half of my life would have been poorer for it.
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