There's a couple of great recent boots which illustrate Nils' brilliance. On "Because the Night", from the current European tour, he is showcased. He seldom uses a pick -- he's a fingerpicker, and delivers a fantastic solo.

Many of you know of his admiration for Keith, but Nils has firmly established his own identity, both as a solo artist and as a part of the E Street Band.

His solo on Youngstown during the 1999-2000 tour is for me the top notch of Nils Lofgren.

Murder Incorporated from the tour of about 10 yrs ago showed that he is the best guitarist in the E Street band. I am pretty sure he plays mostly with a thumb pick. His stuff from Grin in the early70s is awesome song writing and playing wise.

What's the name of the Grin song where he says "Take me", near the end?

Remember his mini-trampoline during the BITUSA tour?

"No Anchovies, Please"

I just bought Nils Lofgren live at Rockpalast 1979 on DVD and it´s very, very good. The solo on "You´re so easy" is outstanding. Nils rules!

bassplayer617 Wrote:
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> There's a couple of great recent boots which
> illustrate Nils' brilliance. On "Because the
> Night", from the current European tour, he is
> showcased. He seldom uses a pick -- he's a
> fingerpicker, and delivers a fantastic solo.
>
> Many of you know of his admiration for Keith, but
> Nils has firmly established his own identity, both
> as a solo artist and as a part of the E Street
> Band.


Indeed. I couldn't agree more. His playing on the Magic tour has been sublime. Way better than Miami Steve's.

Keith Don't Go is a great song. I saw Nils with the E Street band in Cologne a few weeks ago. What a brilliant guitar player.

"cry tough" is a great album and the live "night after night" is excellent but this one doesn't exist on CD. You need to find the vinyl. First time I saw him was at the Bataclan in Paris in 1979. Great memory.

I went to one of the shows that Night After Night was recorded at.

I think it was at that show--or maybe the one the year before when Cry Tough was released (both at the Roxy) that they handed out buttons that said, "Nils Is Next!" The meaning of that being that he was going to be the next big new star to break out on the heels of Bruce, who himself had just recently gotten big with Born To Run.

It used to rankle Nils fanatics that his eventual boss (THE Boss!) used the dangling sneakers visual on Born To Run material. Nils had beaten him (or at least his cover designers had preceded Bruce's art directors) with that image on the cover of the first Grin album, a couple of years before Born To Run.

Well, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em!

While Cry Tough has one of my favorite Nils songs--"Mud In Your Eye"--an understated/underappreciated track (sort of like "Connection" is for the Stones) the best early Nils album is his self-titled debut.

The live radio station promo album Back It Up!! that came out between his first and Cry Tough (and widely bootlegged at the time) has finally come out as an official release.

Nils WILL be next...one of these days!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008-01-01 17:41 by loog droog.

Once again -

What's the name of the Grin song where he says "Take me", near the end?

"No Anchovies, Please"

The song I was asking about is "White Lies". He also wrote "Beggar's Day" - recorded by Nazareth among others.

Hiding much of a great talent in the contect of the E-Street band if you ask me.
That's not to disrespect Springsteen's band or anything...it's bit like what would have happened if,say, Rory Gallagher, had joined the stones in 75.

Too bad Nils get just ONE showcase spot per Bruce/ESB show these days. Granted his talent and skill fill the periphery of their sound but I actually liked them better before Miami Steve came back.


I saw Nils do a stunning SOLO show a couple years back. Not acoustic per se but backing himself w/ electronics and telling stories from all phases of his career - more so about Neil Young than Bruce.

Gallagher with the stones. Euh! THE BAR IS OPEN

aprilfool Wrote:
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> Gallagher with the stones. Euh! THE BAR IS OPEN


Luckily they got the health freak Ron Wood.

The story according to Rory's brother is, essentially, that Rory was kind of up for it...but the timing didn't work out.
The rest as they say, is history [or mythology ?]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008-01-02 18:58 by Spud.