A question for all E Streeters

And now to the burning question of the day, at least for a major Bruce Springsteen fan like myself.


I noticed yesterday that Bruce and the E Street Band announced a new tour to back up release of a new album, “Wrecking Ball.”


They’ve already released a single, “We Take Care of Our Own.” You can listen to it here.


The tour kicks off March 18 in Atlanta, Ga., and will arrive for two nights at the Wells Fargo Center in South Philly on March 28-29. Tickets go on sale at Comcasttix.com Saturday morning.


Life is good, right? Absolutely.


I don’t know if it’s because I grew up in a small town, or that most of what we did as teens amounted to riding around in cars, trying to impress girls and drinking beer, but I’ve always identified with Springsteen’s lyrics and his music.


And therein lies the problem. It's not just Bruce. It's the band, in my humble opinion the best, tightest band I've ever seen, and I've seen tons of them. OK, not in a lot of years. It's the E Street Sound that first drew me in a lifetime ago when I discovered 'Greetings From Asbury Park.' I will never forget regaling my friends at the University of Colorado, and urging all of them to join me to see for themselves when Springsteen and the E Street Band played the picturesque Red Rocks Amphitheatre on the 'Darkness on the Edge of Town.' Many of them got so tired of hearing me talk about it that they went along for the ride. They didn't regret it. It's still the best Springsteen show I've ever seen. "Big rocks you got out here," he deadpanned.


But when the band takes the stage March 18 in Atlanta to kick off their U.S. tour, something will be missing. Something integral. The signature of the E Street Sound.


The Big Man won't be there. Clarence Clemons, the legendary E Street Band sax player and longtime Springsteen sidekick, died last summer of complications from a stroke.


This will mark the first tour since his passing.


So here is my question. Can you have an E Street Band without its signature sound? I refer of course to that wailing sax, so integral to so many Springsteen classics.


When I heard about the tour, I went to brucespringsteen.net to get more information. They listed the members of the band. There is no one listed as playing sax.


The E Streeters have been through this before. Danny Federici died of melanoma a few years ago, and the band persevered. Charlie Giordano is playing keyboards on this tour.


But replacing that wailing sax, which to so many "is" the E Street sound, is another matter.


What I’m wondering is if they can tour without a sax player, or if they are simply not yet ready to announce who will try to fill the Big Man’s boots.


If anyone knows, please post a comment on the blog.


I have always loved Springsteen and the E Street Sound. I’m just not sure it’s the same without its signature sound.


Rest well, Clarence. 


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