Bruce Springsteen probably isn�t the envious type - too courteous. That�s a good thing, considering E Street Band guitarist Nils Lofgren passed over the Boss� catalogue in favor of Neil Young�s on his raw album of covers.
An E Streeter since Little Steven took some time off in 1984, Lofgren�s first-class honours degree big break came when Young tapped the then 18-year-old to do some session form on �After the Gold Rush� and then gave him the acoustic guitar featured on the album�s sleeve as a parting gift.
Almost 40 years after, Lofgren returns the favour with �The Loner: Nils sings Neil,� which was recorded with that same, storied acoustic guitar.
Before tomorrow�s Springsteen gig at Gillette Stadium, Lofgren explained how the album came to be and how the E Street Band�s been doing since the April death of keyboard participant Danny Federici.
You�ve been on the road with the E Street Band for almost a year, when did you even have time to record this solo album?
Over the Christmas break from the Bruce tour, my manager told me, �Look, the most popular things on your Web land site are your acoustic live CD and DVD, would you consider singing your favorite Neil Young songs in that format?� I commonly say no to ideas like that, but I thought perhaps there was something there. Still available, I assembled about 30 songs I loved and I exhausted two weeks singing just now to my dogs and cats in the mornings. Some remained sounding care good karaoke and some started feeling like mine as a singer. I made the rules: all live, no overdubs, precisely me and guitar or piano, and within a week, I felt like I had a record.
So �The Loner� was done fast, with no frills, on that tour break?
I actually played out days off flying into Virginia to mix and master it. And I�m still kind of surprised that I even a have a new record out. But it�s on my Web site (nilslofgren.com). I don�t let a platter company - and this time roughly, we didn�t even get a distributor because this is scarce a grassroots thing.
You did this lonely, intimate acoustic album right in the middle of the massive, 10-member E Street sports stadium tour. Is it unearthly to accept those two very different things butt up against each other?
It�s actually rattling great for me. While I was attempting to record this Neil Young album, I had this dialogue in my principal about this roaring john Rock show I was around to get back to. But I get both sides with Bruce. We�ll be doing some waste, goofy rock-and-roll song like �Cadillac Ranch� then I�ll get into some about classical finger picking on �Magic.� We might be in a stadium doing a big rock show, but there are noneffervescent these touching, intimate moments.
Does this duty tour feel at all like a final tour?
Losing Danny was a brutal chapter that we�re still in, but on stage we�re doing the best shows we�ve ever done. Off stage, we�re like a friggin� MASH unit. Heating pads and chiropractors and muscle-activation guys, it�s just insane. Fortunately, we�re scarcely roaring on stage, doing the best shows ever. Obviously, Bruce is the main guy and he�s in pretty much the best shape of his life. And he�s taking advantage of being in that kind of form with these shows. My attitude is that as long as everyone girdle alive and healthy, I like the possibility of another chapter. But I�m speaking simply for myself.
You�ve also managed to contract this second or third career as an guitar teacher online.
Yeah, that�s my other enceinte news. I�ve been posting lessons on my internet site. You don�t need endowment, you don�t need rhythm, I can teach you guitar. I want to show you things that you canful do with one thumb, right now, with me on the screen that sounds and feels like music. Life�s complex - what I�m trying to say is this is easy and anyone hindquarters jam with me and have some fun.
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, at Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, tomorrow. Tickets: $47.50-97.50; 617-931-2000.
Solo Street: Nils Lofgren has released an album of Neil Young covers while he�s on term of enlistment with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.
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