When you think of Bruce Springsteen, you think about a bonafide rock legend. He’s called The Boss for a reason, as the way that he plays with such vigour and owns every inch of a stage during his live shows is unlike anything else in music. When you think about his music, you think about rock ‘n’ roll. However, there is much more to Springsteen than that.
Granted, rock music plays a big part in what Springsteen loves, as from early on in his life, Springsteen was excited by the prospect of playing guitar. “‘I Wanna Hold Your Hand’ came on the radio in 1964,” said Springsteen, recalling the first time he heard The Beatles, “That was going to change my life because I was going to successfully pick the guitar up and learn how to play.”
“I saw Elvis on TV and when I first saw Elvis, I was 9 but I was a little young, tried to play the guitar but it didn’t work out, I put it away,” he said, “The keeper was in 1964, ‘I Wanna Hold Your Hand’ on South Street with my mother driving.”
It might not be surprising to hear that Bruce Springsteen was massively influenced by The Beatles; however, many other genres and styles of music play a part in his work. For instance, when discussing the album Nebraska, it came to light that the synth-punk outfit Suicide influenced him.
“That’s one of the most amazing records I think I ever heard,” he said when discussing the band’s 1977 debut, “I really love that record.” The band’s horror-infused music inspired Springsteen to write from the point of view of bad people.
Additionally, removed from Springsteen’s signature stadium sound, on his most recent tour, he’s been closing shows with an acoustic version of ‘I’ll See You In My Dreams’. It’s an interestingly serene note, especially since the gig comprises a brass band, electric guitars and some unbelievable backing singers. However, when you learn more about the bands Bruce Springsteen liked and who influenced him, it’s unsurprising that he opted for the occasional acoustic number.
One band that he described as underrated was The Havalinas. They used to play acoustic music, leading to a sound that felt incredibly intimate. “The Havalinas are a relatively obscure group,” he said, “They were a great group that kind of went under the radar, but they were in Los Angeles and I always really liked them.”
Springsteen continued, “They were kind of an acoustic rock group, with a standup bass player and mainly-acoustic guitar and a drummer, and I liked the way they sounded and what they wrote about.”
When you listen to Springsteen, you might hear rock music, but there is a lot more that plays into his sound than just rock. One underrated band whose steady music and intimate nature certainly influenced him is The Havalinas.
