Rock Relics

The Bruce Springsteen Special Collection is like the Promised Land for fans of the Boss. And it’s got a new permanent home at Monmouth University.

Main text by Mark Blackmon; Captions by Tony Marchetti
Photos by Matt Furman

When Monmouth University announced plans for its collaborative partnership to establish The Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music, global interest in the Bruce Springsteen Special Collection skyrocketed.

A portion of the collection, composed of Springsteen’s written works, photographs, periodicals, and artifacts, had been on loan to Monmouth since 2011. Last fall, it was formally gifted to the university for inclusion in the Archives by The Friends of the Bruce Springsteen Special Collection Inc., a nonprofit organization established to help preserve the history of the singer and his music.

“When Bob Crane and I started this collection more than 15 years ago, we imagined something big: something impressive, permanent, and unique, an unparalleled resource of use to fans, students, and scholars around the world,” said Christopher Phillips, publisher and editor of the Springsteen fanzine, Backstreets Magazine, and former president of the Friends, which formally disbanded in January 2018.

“Given the importance of Bruce Springsteen’s work in our own lives, we wanted to preserve and consolidate all this material before it faded away. But I don’t think either of us imagined how much the collection would grow—thanks to the dedication, labor, and generosity of fans worldwide—and that we’d eventually find such a perfect home. As a founder, I couldn’t be more pleased to have discovered a partner in Monmouth University to preserve and expand the collection for future generations.”

The collection originated in 2001 when Backstreets organized a fan-to-fan campaign to collect and organize essential documents from each phase of Springsteen’s career, ensuring that the historic record would be publicly accessible to all. Originally housed in the Asbury Park Public Library, the collection today contains more than 35,000 items from 47 countries. And it’s still growing, as fans—and the Boss himself—continue to donate to it. We asked Eileen Chapman, who oversees the collection for Monmouth, to give us a peek at what’s inside.

Clockwise from top left: A collaboration between Springsteen, photographer Danny Clinch, and skater Mike Vallely, the limited-edition skateboard was produced for charity in 2016; A postcard for “Cover Me,” the second single off of 1984’s Born in the U.S.A.  ; a 45-rpm picture disc for “Dancing in the Dark” in the shape of the single’s B-side, “Pink Cadillac”; one of the badges that got fans into the “Meadowlands Boardwalk” area outside Giants Stadium during the summer 2003 tour; letter - In 1984, Andreé Rathemacher wrote Springsteen to request an interview for a school project she was working on. Several months later, she got this response in the mail. “[It’s] a good illustration of how [he] always tried hard to be a ‘normal guy,’—he took the time to answer a letter from a kid in school,” says Rathemacher, who’s now a librarian at the University of Rhode Island; live show recordings; promotion pins from various eras of Bruce’s career; Two of the dozens of Bruce-related comics in the collection: “Hey Boss!” and “Transformers,” which includes the story, “The Adventures of Brick Springhorn and the Tenth Avenue Band.”
Clockwise from top left:
  • A collaboration between Springsteen, photographer Danny Clinch, and skater Mike Vallely, the limited-edition skateboard was produced for charity in 2016.
  • A postcard for “Cover Me,” the second single off of 1984’s Born in the U.S.A. 
  • A 45-rpm picture disc for “Dancing in the Dark” in the shape of the single’s B-side, “Pink Cadillac.”
  • One of the badges that got fans into the “Meadowlands Boardwalk” area outside Giants Stadium during the summer 2003 tour.
  • Letter - In 1984, Andreé Rathemacher wrote Springsteen to request an interview for a school project she was working on. Several months later, she got this response in the mail. “[It’s] a good illustration of how [he] always tried hard to be a ‘normal guy,’—he took the time to answer a letter from a kid in school,” says Rathemacher, who’s now a librarian at the University of Rhode Island.
  • Live show recordings on cassette.
  • Promotional pins from various eras of Bruce’s career.
  • Two of the dozens of Bruce-related comics in the collection: “Hey Boss!” and “Transformers,” which includes the story, “The Adventures of Brick Springhorn and the Tenth Avenue Band.”
An itinerary, lapel pin, backstage passes, and ticket from Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band’s 1978 Darkness Tour.
An itinerary, lapel pin, backstage passes, and ticket from Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band’s 1978 Darkness Tour.
There’s in—and then there’s in. Lucky fans might score a backstage pass, but only tour staffers received itinerary books (left), which list hotels, local amenities, timetables, and contact info for each stop on that leg of the tour. The collection also includes five decades’ worth of tickets sent in from around the world (right).
There’s in—and then there’s in. Lucky fans might score a backstage pass, but only tour staffers received itinerary books (center left), which list hotels, local amenities, timetables, and contact info for each stop on that leg of the tour. The collection also includes five decades’ worth of tickets sent in from around the world (right).
Springsteen met several future members of the E Street Band while playing at the Upstage Club, a now defunct music venue and coffeehouse (Green Mermaid Café) that was located in Asbury Park, New Jersey. The piano behind the sign belonged to Southside Johnny, another frequent Upstage performer.
Springsteen met several future members of the E Street Band while playing at the Upstage Club, a now defunct music venue and coffeehouse (Green Mermaid Café) that was located in Asbury Park, New Jersey. The piano behind the sign belonged to Southside Johnny, another frequent Upstage performer.
A limited-edition “Interview with Bruce Springsteen” vinyl picture disc from the U.K.
A limited-edition “Interview with Bruce Springsteen” vinyl picture disc from the U.K.
Steel Mill, a band that featured Springsteen and several future E Street Band members, played numerous shows at what was then Monmouth College. This poster is from the band’s May 10, 1970, performance on campus.
Steel Mill, a band that featured Springsteen and several future E Street Band members, played numerous shows at what was then Monmouth College. This poster is from the band’s May 10, 1970, performance on campus.
A bandana produced by Minneapolis radio station KTCZ-FM “Cities 97” for 1999’s Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Reunion Tour; a prototype jacket produced for 1988’s Tunnel of Love Express Tour (it’s one of only two that were made, says Eileen Chapman, who oversees the Special Collection); a T-shirt from a 2002 fan-led campaign to get Springsteen to run for the U.S. Senate (the singer declined).
A bandana produced by Minneapolis radio station KTCZ-FM “Cities 97” for 1999’s Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Reunion Tour; a prototype jacket produced for 1988’s Tunnel of Love Express Tour (it’s one of only two that were made, says Eileen Chapman, who oversees the Special Collection); and a T-shirt from a 2002 fan-led campaign to get Springsteen to run for the U.S. Senate (the singer declined).
Clockwise from top left: A 45-rpm single of 1985’s “I’m Goin’ Down” from Japan; an undated set list in Springsteen’s handwriting; a drumstick, signed by Max Weinberg, that was among the items donated by the estate of Obediah “Obie” Dziedzic, Springsteen’s former assistant (it reads: “1st Day John Eddie Albany, July 22 1985, For Obie with all my love, Max”); a puzzle based on the 1950 book, Brave Cowboy Bill, which in part inspired Springsteen to write the 2014 children’s book, Outlaw Pete; the single “Born to Run” featuring The Hollies’ Allan Clarke on vocals (Clarke was the first to record Springsteen’s anthem, but the Springsteen version was released first); WNEW-FM used to play a morning block of Springsteen music which the station called the “Bruce Juice” segment; a T-shirt from the Born in the U.S.A. Tour.
Clockwise from top left:
  • A 45-rpm single of 1985’s “I’m Goin’ Down” from Japan.
  • An undated set list in Springsteen’s handwriting.
  • A drumstick, signed by Max Weinberg, that was among the items donated by the estate of Obediah “Obie” Dziedzic, Springsteen’s former assistant (it reads: “1st Day John Eddie Albany, July 22 1985, For Obie with all my love, Max”).
  • A puzzle based on the 1950 book, Brave Cowboy Bill, which in part inspired Springsteen to write the 2014 children’s book, Outlaw Pete.
  • The single “Born to Run” featuring The Hollies’ Allan Clarke on vocals (Clarke was the first to record Springsteen’s anthem, but the Springsteen version was released first).
  • WNEW-FM used to play a morning block of Springsteen music which the station called the “Bruce Juice” segment.
  • A T-shirt from the Born in the U.S.A. Tour.
The collection includes several scrapbooks that Bruce’s mother, Adele Ann Springsteen, compiled during her son’s rise to stardom, one of which includes original copies of Time and Newsweek from October 1975, when Bruce became the first musician in history to simultaneously appear on the covers of both magazines.
The collection includes several scrapbooks that Bruce’s mother, Adele Ann Springsteen, compiled during her son’s rise to stardom, one of which includes original copies of Time and Newsweek from October 1975, when Bruce became the first musician in history to simultaneously appear on the covers of both magazines.
Personal scrapbook of Bruce’s mother, Adele Ann Springsteen.
Personal scrapbook of Bruce’s mother, Adele Ann Springsteen.
Personal scrapbook of Bruce’s mother, Adele Ann Springsteen.
Personal scrapbook of Bruce’s mother, Adele Ann Springsteen.
One of several alternate photos considered for the Born in the U.S.A. album cover. The now-iconic red hat that’s shoved into Bruce’s back pocket on the actual cover is also part of the Special Collection.
One of several alternate photos considered for the Born in the U.S.A. album cover. The now-iconic red hat that’s shoved into Bruce’s back pocket on the actual cover is also part of the Special Collection.

 

Celebrating 40 Years of “Darkness”

The Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music will hold its inaugural academic conference, Bruce Springsteen’s Darkness on the Edge of Town: An International Symposium, from April 12 to 15 at Monmouth University.

The event, which coincides with the 40th anniversary of Springsteen’s 1978 album, will include keynote lectures by Peter Ames Carlin, author of the 2012 biography Bruce; photographer Frank Stefanko, whose work graces the album covers of Darkness and The River; Dick Wingate, a music industry and digital entertainment executive, who product-managed Darkness for Columbia Records; and Thom Zimny, a Grammy- and Emmy-Award-winning director who has served as Springsteen’s film and video archivist and collaborator since 2001. Smaller breakout sessions will explore the roles gender, depression, dreams, religion, spirituality, psychology, politics, economics, and many other themes play in Springsteen’s work. The conference will also include several musical performances, as well as a bus and walking tour of Bruce-related sites in Asbury Park and Freehold led by Jean Mikle and Stan Goldstein, authors of Rock & Roll Tour of the Jersey Shore.

A number of ticketing options are available. Visit the symposium homepage for a complete schedule of events as well as registration information.