Never could I have imagined how much one man’s music could effect my life, yet here I am reflecting on a lifetime of inspiration, born of heartfelt lyrics and stories, of soaring guitars, sumptuous sax and piano solos and drums that reverberated n your gut. It is a look at how those tools brought such joy and love to so many like me. And all that from an unassuming, skinny, scruffy guy with a raspy voice from New Jersey.

Bruce’s music entered my consciousness at the tender age of 14, a mere two years after my father’s long illness had led to his death. To my young ears and wounded heart, it felt like these first two albums were delivered to save me. They represented hope and that was a feeling I hadn’t known growing up.

I was a Delaware kid, from the suburbs north of Wilmington in a town called Claymont, which was nowhere until President Biden. He too grew up there. It was just shy of the Pennsylvania border. Highway I-95 was built in my backyard where woods once stood, forever robbing us of peace and quiet. It wasn’t anyone’s definition of paradise. Our household felt unlike anyone else’s I knew. I have a physically challenged older brother, who loves musical theater, so all I heard on the record player prior to Bruce, were show tunes and classical played by my mom. She was an art teacher, a frazzled single parent after caring for my dad as he faded away. And then there was my feisty and affectionate Russian grandmother, Nadia. Her presence was a godsend. But her reaction to Rock music was itself a broken record… “Vhy do dey schrrreem?” That’s all I ever heard.

Needless to say, Rock n’ Roll was very unpopular in my house, but it stirred my soul in ways I never knew prior to hearing it. I was determined to make it my own, but it made me for friction on the heels of already challenging times.

Before all the heartaches, Atlantic City was where my family headed each summer for a token week-long vacation, while Dad was still able to walk. The carnival atmosphere was intoxicating and magical. A favorite activity was riding rental bikes on the boardwalk, which made a distinctive clacking sound, not unlike that of a train as they rolled across the sun-drenched boardwalk. And yes, the pinball “pleasure machines” were ubiquitous.

I can recall the day I happened to hear Bruce’s first two albums at a friend’s house while playing pool in his den. It instantly felt like I was back at the Jersey shore, carefree and joyful like that ten-year-old kid again. But it was more than mere nostalgia. The music also offered the stuff I craved as a teen; rebellion, escapism, girls, cars, characters, parties, and the promise that there was something bigger and better awaiting. There were also standout tunes like Incident on 57th Street, which to my ears, sounded like it was straight outta West Side Story. This was significant, for it helped make Bruce’s music and lyrics that much more relatable. It wasn’t such a stretch after-all.

When one of us finally landed a driver’s license in 1975, we took advantage of it and bought tickets to Bruce’s show at the Widener College Field House in Chester, PA. The venue was a typical gymnasium with horrible, echoing acoustics. There were two shows in early February. Our show was the first, on the night of the 6th. We eagerly got in line in the freezing cold, waiting with shivering anticipation to enter the hall, but the start time was delayed by at least an hour and a half, and no one explained why. It was years later that I learned from one of the many Bruce books, that his manager, Mike Appel, had 8’ sheets of acoustic foam hung across the entire ceiling like bats in a cave. This helped dampen the gym reverb. Bruce’s attention to such acoustic detail would become legendary in and of itself as the years would pass.

Shortly before the doors were to open, someone realized the foam was within reach of the cig lighters that were held up like beacons at concerts. It was a fathomable horror should one of the panels get lit. The place could have gone up in flames. Countless sheets of foam had to be raised higher, enough to alleviate any possibility of this happening. Now in hindsight, this is a novel memory, and needless to say, the show was well worth the wait. It was an introduction to a journey that would last a lifetime.

This was the tour where Bruce’s violinist Suki Lahav, a young Israeli gal in a flowing white dress, played such gorgeous sounds, it sent chills down your spine. It was all so powerful, so authentic and heartfelt, and it was unlike most bands from that time. In encompassed many genres of music. That night, I was indoctrinated, converted and forever committed to this man and his music.

By mid 1975, I had my version of a freedom machine, a 1972 blue VW Super Beetle. Notably, stuffed in what was called a “hatchback” for this model Bug, by lowering the back seats, was my prized souvenir from that memorable concert, a sheet of the gray acoustic foam that I managed to steal at the end of the concert. By standing on my tallest friend’s shoulders, I just managed to wrap my fingers around the bottom edge. One quick yank, and the calliope, including me, crashed to the ground. That foam served as luxurious bedding for me and my girlfriend Sharon. It was an incarnation of Spirit in the Night and/or Growin’ Up, manifesting in my teenage world. Later, this trusty vehicle would take myself and my best friend Joe out west on an epic, camping journey that set the stage for where I would call home as an adult, and where I’d be seeing a lot more Bruce concerts.

From Darkness to The Promised Land

Time passed in 1976. Graduation was in June, and big plans were made in study hall prior to the big day. I had to get outta that town. It was a deathtrap; a suicide rap and I chose Colorado for college and skiing. By now, besides Bruce’s music, skiing and photography had become my obsessions. With my 8 track carefully custom mounted in the glovebox, my trusty VW gassed up, I was a free spirited seventeen year old. Nothing could stop me. Certainly not my mother. And Bruce came along for the ride like a trusty friend. But as time passed, that first concert began to feel like an eternity ago, like some sort of teenage wet dream that would never be relived again.

In 1978, I was now two years outta high school, living in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, attending college, and skiing in Vail and Aspen, much to my amazement. Life had dramatically improved on so many levels. Then one day, the clouds parted and the gods delivered Bruce back to the promised land. He was finally returning in the flesh, this time to a place called Red Rocks Amphitheater, in Denver. It’s a unique, amazing venue looking like something out of an old western set. We’re talking towering, cathedral scale red rock walls, and wide rows of bench seating, great for dancing. It was a mere three hour drive to this true rock venue. I convinced a few of my soon-to-be luckiest Western friends to join me. They were accustomed to listening to guys like Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson, and I just couldn’t relate. I was an east coast fish outta water, and I’m sure they noticed, but they agreed to come along. By this time, I was already a concert aficionado, so we arrived early, and managed to land great seats in the third row. The wait began but it was a beautiful place to hang out, to take in the scenery and to anticipate the magic in the night, that was to come.

As a budding pro photographer, I decided to risk confiscation and bring my camera. So there we sat, baking in the sun, whiling away the hours. Now imagine my shock when I happened to peer through the telephoto lens, and spot a dark-haired, handsome young dude who happened to be leaning against a flat on the right side of the stage, and suddenly realize it was Bruce, the man himself. I recall it took me a moment, as I couldn’t believe my eyes. He was no longer scruffy faced, but I knew that face well. He was clean cut, polished, mature, and even just standing there, he possessed that cool swagger to his stance. How was it that no one else noticed? There were probably fifty people lounging around in the bright Colorado light, and no one spotted him but me.

He was just taking it all in, gazing up at the amazing rock setting like a tourist. He too was experiencing the place for the first time. My mind was churning. So what now? There was only one thing to do, it was obvious, but it required chutzpah. I casually got up, slung the camera over my shoulder, and nonchalantly strolled to the front of the stage. My heart started racing. And what’s more, I was wearing “the shirt”, the cherished emblem of my youth, my slate gray, yellow silkscreened flag of honor… my Greetings from Asbury Park T-shirt. This was bought by an older friend’s brother at The Main Point in Bryn Mawr, PA, a favorite Bruce venue. The shirt was significant in my mind. I figured he’d know I was a longtime fan with that shirt, and based on his twinkling, smiling reaction, he actually did.

Bruce gave me an affirming, warm smile, nodding as if to say, ‘hey old friend, how ya doin’?’ I was star-struck, and of course he’s had that effect on me for almost 50 years now. Nowadays, I know it was with good reason. Bruce was a legend to me, even back in 1978. I managed to summon the courage to raise the camera, and snap a couple photos, then sheepishly lowered the camera and realized I was staring like a goofy groupie. I had to somehow gracefully break the spell before others realized at whom I was gawking. I didn’t want a crowd to ruin his peaceful moment so I smiled back with as much coolness as I could muster, turned and walked conspicuously back to my seat. I recall being barely able to contain my excitement to my friends, repeating giddily, “That’s him! That’s Bruce!”. ‘Huh? Really?’ They were baffled. Why would a rockstar be hanging around the stage midday? It was one of those moments etched in my mind that I cherish to this day. Bruce has always kept it real.

The show started on time, like the proverbial bolt of lightning. My friends who hadn’t known Bruce’s music, were immediately thrilled and absorbed. By the time he belted out Streets of Fire, the second song, they were enraptured. I remember I looked to my left, and their jaws gaped like converts. It was the power of rock n’ roll in its purest, most impeccable delivery. Every note was intensely and passionately delivered. I felt so proud for I knew all this was coming. This was the era when Bruce unleashed his confidence in his talents, into a show that was crisp, raw, immediate and so powerful. The passion hit you in your gut. He belted out those songs like there would be no tomorrow. He still does this to this day of course, but there’s no denying the power of a rocker like Bruce, finally playing after all the false starts, now in his prime. This was the Darkness tour.

I’ve seen a lot of shows over the years, and none have disappointed, but there was something about this one that seared into my memory bank, a feeling that still makes me verchlempt. It was profound. It was rock history, and I was there.

Wrecking Ball And The Pit

More recently, well ten years ago now, I finally got into The Pit. This time it was in Portland, Oregon and I lucked out. My friend Randy, a Colorado buddy, convinced me in a number of coaching calls, the Pit was worth the effort. He was so right. I landed in the center, third mortal back from the stage. Bruce surfed over me in a crush of excitement, and I helped hoist him back onto the stage with steadfast loyal support. That was a crazy, honorable experience. It’s noteworthy to compare this show to the early ones, for the energy and passion was still there. It was just delivered in a 60 year old version. But to be that close to the man and his band, was nothing short of phenomenal. As others have often stated, it was like a religious experience. I’ll never forget it and will definitely try for The Pit at least once more, before I die.

Neon Lights On Broadway

And then there was the Broadway show. That same friend Randy, now a Bostonian, called me with an idea. How could we not? It was a great trip, starting in Boston, with a drive to Manhattan together that became another fabulous memory.

One of the things I’ve always loved about Bruce’s shows are the stories he’d tell between songs. The older I get, the more I appreciate the art of storytelling, and Bruce is masterful.

Ticket prices calmed down after he extended the run and we jumped at the chance. We checked into the nearby Sheraton and decided to meander down to the theater and check out the scene before his usual arrival around six p.m. We weren’t going to stay, but found ourselves enjoying the folks there.

Even a downpour didn’t thwart our enthusiasm. Luckily, more like fatefully, I had brought “the shirt”. It was stuffed in my pocket in the off chance I could get it autographed.

I must admit, seeing Bruce in person, out of context, is jarring. I guess because he’s become a legend, seeing him on the street like that, was surreal.

So, when he emerged from the SUV onto the sidewalk, I was in awe. He kindly took time signing people’s stuff. I was by the stage door so it was anyone’s guess if I’d get an autograph, and he was about to exit, when he spotted my flag of honor… my forty year old faded, pitted shirt, the one I wore at Red Rocks in ’78, waving above the fan’s heads in front of me. Bruce suddenly stops, looks up and says in that familiar rasp, “Watcha got there?”. I’m stunned to have his attention, and I blurt out, “I’ve been holding onto this a long time Bruce!” He motions to hand it over, holds it up like he’s just found a long-lost treasure, shakes his head and utters simply, “Wow”.

He stares at it like it has teleported him to another time and place. There’s a long pregnant pause, making the moment even more surreal. Then he starts looking for something to place it on to sign it. I offer my back, he shakes his head no, but the guy near him with the Darkness album hands it to him. He lovingly stretches the shirt out over the album, begins to sign his name on the shoulder, and officially places my artifact into rock n’ roll history. I thank him for making my day, he smiles a warm acknowledgment, waves us all goodbye and darts through the stage door.
I’m now on cloud nine. I suddenly feel this strange sense of completeness I never imagined. It was like a special part of my life story, following this American troubadour, had suddenly come full circle.

My only regret is in not mentioning that day at Red Rocks, of me in my shirt, of both of us in our youth. Bruce has done thousands of concerts, but maybe, just maybe, he’d have recalled the moment.

The Broadway show was so affirming, so illuminating… a look behind the scenes of the stories and songs that served us all so well. Afterwards, Randy and I reflected on it all. The Broadway show was conveying what we the fans were all feeling, along with Bruce. Like a shared cross-country drive, we were all reflecting on our lives, how we got here, what it’s all meant, and how sharing the journey made it that much sweeter.

As I write this, Bruce has just announced he’s hitting the road again in 2023. It’s much welcomed good news. Long live The Boss, and the East Street Band. And thanks Bruce… for the memories.

Keith Brofsky
June 2022

Keith Brofsky is a professional photographer working and living in Seattle, WA.
Thanks to Keith for sharing his wonderful Bruce Springsteen journey with the rest of us.
Cheers, Lawrence Kirsch

ps If you have a Bruce story of your own that you would like to share with the Springsteen fan community,
please email with any concert photos (that you personally took), and or personal memorabilia to this email address and I will try to post a new story every week: ForyouBruce99@yahoo.com

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Bruce Springsteen’s Darkness on the Edge of Town broke new ground for The Boss in 1978. A counterpoint to the operatic elegance of Born to Run, the album was an angry, raw record that burst forth after a three-year hiatus. Because of its darker tones, some might call Darkness a difficult album, but despite this, it’s a cherished gem for many fans.

As fans, we all wish that we could own a certain precious item from Bruce Springsteen’s career. It could be a vintage concert poster from the Steel Mill era, a ticket stub from one of the legendary 1978 concerts, a rare Japanese promotional record, a mid-80’s promotional jacket distributed to selected industry people, even an original handwritten manuscript for Born to Run… And some of us are lucky enough to own such items. Below are seventeen cool collectibles from the Darkness on the Edge of Town era that will make any fan of Springsteen’s most powerful album be envious.

Peter Schöfböck and Eddy Wehbe

“Badlands” Sheet Music (U.S.)

1. “Badlands” Sheet Music (U.S.)
Originally considered as one of several potential sleeve artwork designs for the Darkness album, this classic Eric Meola photograph eventually made it onto the cover of the sheet music for the “Badlands” single, issued by Warner Brothers Publications in August 1978. According to Meola, the photo was shot during the summer of 1977, just a few days after Elvis Presley’s death, when he and Springsteen travelled from Salt Lake City to Reno together. It shows Bruce driving down a dirt road in a 1965 Ford Galaxie convertible, with heavy storm clouds looming in the sky above; an image that arguably would have mirrored the album’s content like no other. While copies are rather hard to find these days and consequently tend to fetch steep prices, this sheet is definitely an item worth tracking down for its sheer graphic impact.

2. “The Promised Land” / “Streets Of Fire” 7-Inch Single (U.K.)
Issued exclusively in the U.K., which was the only country in the world to release not just two, but three singles off the Darkness album. Unlike most other European markets, CBS London caught up on the concept of picture sleeves rather late (in October 1980, to be precise), so this 7-inch disc still came in one of their decidedly boring plain company logo sleeves. However, packaging aside, it still ranks among one of the rarest Bruce Springsteen 45s today, simply because a large portion of the British population was either unaware of or totally indifferent to its very existence, and hence failed to buy a copy.

“The Promised Land” / “Streets Of Fire” 7-Inch Single (U.K.)

“The Promised Land” / “Streets Of Fire” 7-Inch Single (U.K.)

“The Promised Land” / “Streets Of Fire” 7-Inch Single (U.K.)

3. “Darkness On The Edge Of Town” 8-Track Tape Cartridge (North America)
The only worldwide release of the album which – “due to programming requirements” – contains “Candy’s Room” twice, not to mention a totally different song sequence. This is the kind of information that “Ultimate Backstreets Trivia Quiz” questions are made of!

“Darkness On The Edge Of Town” 8-Track Tape Cartridge (North America)

4. 1978 Springsteen Promo Neon Sign (U.S.)
In the late 1970s, CBS Records utilized fancy neon sign displays to promote their major artists at U.S. retail stores. This cool Springsteen sign, produced as a marketing tool for the Darkness album, has now become an impossible-to-find rarity.

1978 Springsteen Promo Neon Sign (U.S.)

In recent years, only one has surfaced at an online auction of vintage rock ‘n roll memorabilia. “The neon lights were used by CBS a number of times for star acts in that era,” said Dick Wingate, the man in charge of CBS marketing for the release of the Darkness album. “They came from the sales department for support at the local retail level.”

1978 Springsteen Promo Neon Sign (U.S.)

5. “Prove It All Night” / “Factory” 7-Inch Single (Japan)
CBS/Sony Japan’s art department has always been famous for creating unique and pretty striking artwork for domestic Springsteen 7-inch releases, and in this particular case, they certainly used their “creative license” to the max. Why not take Frank Stefanko’s original front cover photo for the album, cut Bruce’s image out of it, and paste him in front of a New York City night street scenario for a more dramatic effect? That is exactly what happened; with the result being one of the oddest and most unusual picture sleeve designs ever known to the Springsteen-collecting community.

“Prove It All Night” / “Factory” 7-Inch Single (Japan)

“Prove It All Night” / “Factory” 7-Inch Single (Japan)

“Prove It All Night” / “Factory” 7-Inch Single (Japan)

6. “Darkness on the Edge of Town Is Platinum” Columbia Records Promo Poster (U.S.)
To commemorate the event of Darkness reaching certified platinum status less than four weeks following its release, Columbia Records had this awesome promo poster printed up, which featured a great posed shot of Springsteen that again was taken by Eric Meola. The same artwork was also used for an elaborate, two-page center-spread ad that ran in Billboard magazine around the same time. “The ‘Platinum’ shot was done during a session at my studio in NYC for potential use on Darkness,” said Eric Meola. “But my good friend Frank Stefanko’s wonderfully moody rose wallpapered bedroom shot won out — and deservedly so.”

“Darkness on the Edge of Town Is Platinum” Columbia Records Promo Poster (U.S.)

7. “Badlands” / “Streets Of Fire” 7-Inch Single (Italy)
Another case of a Springsteen single being widely ignored by the record-buying public, the Italian “Badlands” 45 – featuring a superb and totally unique color picture sleeve – has become immensely rare because it sold poorly when it was released. In fact, CBS Italy had so many unsold copies left as of October 1980 that they decided to give them away as “freebies” with the domestic magazine Music, adding special stickers to both the sleeves and A-side labels.

“Badlands” / “Streets Of Fire” 7-Inch Single (Italy)

8. “Last American Hero From Asbury Park, N.J.” Promo LP Sampler (Japan)
A Japanese exclusive, this promotional sampler was a part of the promotion for Darkness, yet, for some reason, only contained tracks from his first three albums. The black-and-white picture sleeve is the actual inner-sleeve photograph for the Darkness LP, taken by Frank Stefanko during the album’s photo shoot sessions. Limited to probably less than 100 copies, Last American Hero is one of the rarest Springsteen items ever, and arguably the rarest in this format.
Frank Stefanko’s photo is titled “Among the Cabbage Roses”
http://www.morrisonhotelgallery.com/photo/default.aspx?photographID=1438
The sampler contains an insert with Japanese song lyric translations and the disc has special white “Sample” labels.

“Last American Hero From Asbury Park, N.J.” Promo LP Sampler (Japan)

9. December 1978 Winterland San Francisco Concert Poster (US)
Original art designed by Randy Tuten. Winterland 1978. ’nuff said.

December 1978 Winterland Concert Poster (US)

10. Dylan/Springsteen (shared) CBS Promo Ad (West Germany)
A full-page ad promoting both Darkness and Bob Dylan’s “Street Legal” LP that ran in German music magazines in the summer of 1978. What makes it so special is the Springsteen-related text, which is nothing short of hilarious; from the boasting headline (“One Of Them Already Is A Myth. The Other Will Become One. You Bet!”) to the almost surreal description of the album itself, stating that it sounds “like Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry and Bob Dylan had fathered a son together,” and raving about the “congruent octaves” in Bruce’s singing voice, which at times is “satirizing David Bowie’s theatrics,” while on other occasions “seems to drag behind the aggressive saxophone gallop on Jesus sandals” (we kid you not)

. Granted, CBS’ German marketing department was never known for holding back on the kind of over-the-top Springsteen hype that would even make former Springsteen manager Mike Appel blush, but they certainly outdid themselves here.

Dylan/Springsteen (shared) CBS Promo Ad (West Germany)

11. Darkness on the Edge of Town Promo Picture Disc LP (U.S.)
If there ever was something like a “classic” Bruce Springsteen vinyl collectible (apart from the legendary “script cover” promo version of the Born To Run LP), this is probably it. The full album in the form of a high-quality, excellent-sounding picture disc, released to radio stations and music journalists only, and never made available commercially.

Darkness on the Edge of Town Promo Picture Disc LP (U.S.)

According to Dick Wingate, who served as CBS’ product manager for the “Darkness” album release, no more than 1,000 of these were pressed, although you can easily find still-sealed ones on eBay every other week. Unfortunately for collectors, counterfeits have been in circulation for quite some time, which can only be distinguished from genuine copies by actually dropping the needle on them (the counterfeited version has much poorer sound), while a more recent (2008) fake Darkness picture disc LP is a lot easier to detect by both its notably different graphic design and the absence of the original white die-cut display sleeve and lyric sheet.

Darkness on the Edge of Town Promo Picture Disc LP (U.S.)

Darkness on the Edge of Town Promo Picture Disc LP (U.S.)

12. “Prove It All Night” (Live Version) 12-Inch Acetate (U.S.)
In the summer of 1978, Columbia Records had planned to release a promotion-only 12-inch single of two live cuts, “Prove It All Night” and the instrumental “Paradise By The Sea”, (as it was still called back then) from Springsteen’s July 1 show at the Community Auditorium in Berkeley, Calif., for radio station airplay; with Darkness sound engineer Jimmy Iovine being on hand to professionally record and mix the material. Unfortunately, the project never got any further than this super-rare, one-sided acetate pressing, although both tracks eventually were distributed to radio DJ’s in tape form. The recording contains a powerfully raw and dynamic performance of “Prove It All Night” complete with its famous extended piano/triangle/guitar intro. The fact that it was not included on the “Live/1975-85″ box set – or at least issued as a single B-side – remains something of a mystery to this day. Our picture shows one of the sleeve stickers produced for the acetate.

“Prove It All Night” (Live Version) 12-Inch Acetate (U.S.)

13. September 1978 Passaic Capitol Theatre Marquee (U.S.)

September 1978 Passaic Capitol Theatre

September 1978 Passaic Capitol Theatre

When Bruce Springsteen played the Capitol Theatre in September 1978, the promoter and owner of the Theater, Join Scher had a theatre marquee specially created for these three homecoming shows. Literally “highlighting” Bruce’s legendary three-night stand at the Capitol Theatre in Passaic, New Jersey from September 19 to 21, 1978 (the first show of which was broadcast and subsequently bootlegged as “Pièce De Résistance”), the awesome marquee designed by artist/fan Arlen Schumer now is almost as famous as the concerts themselves.
At the conclusion of the shows, Scher kept one side for himself and had the other side custom built into a functional frame to include lighting, and presented it to Springsteen. The marquee remained in Springsteen’s Holmdel NJ home until it was removed by then tour manager Bob Chirmside. The marquee was then sold by Chirmside to Billy Smith in June 1986 and was a prominent display item in the Asbury Park Rock and Roll Museum during it’s period of operation through the summer of 1988 at The Palace Arcade. In November 1991, Springsteen collector, Marty Venturo, purchased the marquee from Billy Smith.
The “other” side was auctioned off a few years ago and was purchased by the owner Paul Epstein of record store Twist and Shout, in Denver, Colorado.

Twist & Shout, Denver, Colorado

It should be noted that one prominent design note related to the Marquee is that it features the name BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN and then the other band members by name without specifically identifying or saying E STREET BAND which is extremely rare and noteworthy.

Several cool photos taken outside the Capitol at the time the shows took place (as well as Arlen’s original artwork) can be viewed online at his official website, www.arlenschumer.com.

September 1978 Passaic Capitol Theatre

September 1978 Passaic Capitol Theatre

14. Darkness on the Edge of Town CBS/Sony Promo Ad (Japan)
Featured in popular Japanese pop/rock magazines such as Music Life, this handsome little ad depicted a particularly cool 1978-era Lynn Goldsmith “personality” shot of Bruce not widely published elsewhere, though CBS/Sony Japan did use the original color version of this same photo for their mega-scarce Darkness promo poster.

Darkness on the Edge of Town CBS/Sony Promo Ad (Japan)

15. “Badlands” Original Mock-Up Album Sleeve Art (U.S.)
The photographs were taken by Eric Meola in 1977 and were considered for the Darkness on the Edge of Town album’s front and back cover art. The Bruce photograph was shot at Meola’s studio in NYC for potential use on the album cover art, but the eye-patched Clarence Clemons photo, which oddly ended up here, was shot for Clarence personally.

“Badlands” Original Mock-Up Album Sleeve Art (U.S.)

[Part #1: The prototype and its title]
These vintage cover paste-ups come from the Columbia Records art department and are a very early concept design dating from October 1977. At this stage, the album’s proposed title was “Badlands”, but Springsteen would later change it to Darkness on the Edge of Town reportedly because Bill Chinnock released an album titled Badlands in early 1978.

The early album track list included “Independence Day” (later released on “The River”) and “Don’t Look Back,” which was replaced at the last minute for the title track and remained unreleased until 1998 when it was included on the Tracks box set. “Candy’s Room” was still under the work-in-progress title “Candy’s Boy.” “Adam Raised A Cain,” “Something In The Night,” “Factory,” and even “Darkness On The edge Of Town” were not on the album track list at that stage.

“Badlands” Original Mock-Up Album Sleeve Art (U.S.)

[Part #2: Other alternate covers]
There have been other alternate covers as well, including the Meola photo used for the above-mentioned “Badlands” music sheet, and others that are similar to what was eventually released. A print proof with the title “Racing in the Street” and standard Frank Stefanko cover shot has also surfaced.

“Badlands” is also the title of a 1973 Terrence Malick’s film that later inspired Springsteen’s Nebraska, but that’s not all there is to the story. After the release of Born to Run, Jon Landau introduced Springsteen to classic movies. To find a title for the new album, the two jokingly went through Andrew Sarris’s book “The American Cinema: Directors and Directions 1929-1968.” Springsteen picked “American Madness,” a 1932 Frank Capra film, while Landau selected “History Is Made at Night,” a 1937 Frank Borzage film. As far as it’s known, no artwork utilizing either of these two titles was ever produced.

“Badlands” Original Mock-Up Album Sleeve Art (U.S.)

16. Darkness on the Edge of Town Reel-To-Reel Tape (U.S.)
One of only four Springsteen albums officially released in this format, this vintage 7-inch, 4-track reel playing at 3 ¾ inches per second and housed in a nifty cardboard picture box is still very popular with collectors even in our hi-tech times of digital media.

Darkness on the Edge of Town Reel-To-Reel Tape (U.S.)

Darkness on the Edge of Town Reel-To-Reel Tape (U.S.)

Darkness on the Edge of Town Reel-To-Reel Tape (U.S.)

17. “Badlands” / “Candy’s Room” 7-Inch Single (Holland/France)
It’s “Bruce Springsteen, guitar semi-god” on the picture sleeve for this outrageously elusive 45 single, which was a Dutch export pressing made for exclusive distribution in France and marks the only worldwide appearance of “Candy’s Room” on a single of any format. Don’t expect to get back much change from your $1,000 or thereabouts if you manage to locate a copy.

“Badlands” / “Candy’s Room” 7-Inch Single (Holland/France)

“Badlands” / “Candy’s Room” 7-Inch Single (Holland/France)

“Badlands” / “Candy’s Room” 7-Inch Single (Holland/France)

“Badlands” / “Candy’s Room” 7-Inch Single (Holland/France)

Peter Schöfböck and Eddy Wehbe
December 12, 2013

I became a Bruce fan in early 1987, after listening to the Roxy 1975 live version of “Thunder Road” from the “Live/1975-85” box set (a copy I borrowed from my sister-in-law out of pure curiosity what all the hype surrounding it was about). Didn’t care much about Springsteen before that. I started to get seriously into collecting in the early 1990s; mainly inspired by Chris Hunt’s “Bruce Files” in the “Blinded By The Light” book. Originally I bought stuff through small ads in “Goldmine” and “Record Collector” magazines as well as at local record fairs. Many items also were purchased from “Badlands” in the U.K. I created the Lost In The Flood collectors’ website together with my partner-in-crime Alf Weber in October 2001. In early 2013, after 20+ years of collecting, I decided to quit that little “hobby” and sell my collection.
Fave song on “Darkness”: “Something In The Night”
Fave Springsteen show of all time: Winterland 12/15/78, though I personally do believe that Bruce’s first solo acoustic tour for The Ghost of Tom Joad (1995-97) was just as important a tour in his career as the 1978 one.
Peter Schöfböck

Darkness on the Edge of Town was released long before my parents had even met, which explains why I’ve been a Springsteen fan for only twelve years, and a collector of his releases for less than eight. It all starts with a good-looking picture sleeve or two before the obsession takes over and you feel the need of owning every variant of every release Springsteen has put out. Much credit goes to Peter Schöfböck’s Lost In The Flood website which has played a major role in this story. Because Darkness is the dearest to my heart, some of the most treasured items in my collection come from that era: the above-mentioned “Last American Hero” promo LP and the “Badlands” mock-up album sleeve to name a few. Now, when will I have the Passaic Capitol Theater marquee hanging on my bedroom’s wall?
Eddy Wehbe – Springsteen Lyrics web site: Springsteenlyrics.com

Special thanks to: Steen Andersson, Alessandro Cattaneo, Dan French, Eric Meola, Yosuke Ono, Mike Simpson, Jyrki Virta, and Dick Wingate

Limited Edition Bruce Springsteen book, The Light in Darkness.
The book focuses on Darkness on the Edge of Town, Bruce’s iconic 4th album
and 1978 tour. Jam packed with over 100 fan stories and 200 original amazing
photos from the 1978 tour, including a full 16 pages dedicated to the 1978 Cleveland
Agora concert, this book is a must have. I’d like to thank everyone who contributed to, supported and purchased the Bruce Springsteen book,
The Light in Darkness. Thanks to the Springsteen fan community, it’s been an incredible success and we are completely sold out
The Light in Darkness
The book is not sold in stores.

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Montreal Forum Springsteen Concert Poster: November 8, 1978

J’étais prêt car j’écoutais constamment depuis quelques mois les albums ” Born to Run ” et ” Darkness on the Edge of Town” . De plus, étant photographe amateur j’avais l’intention de prendre des photos avec mon Nikkormat et surtout utiliser ma lentille Nikor de 300 mm.

Mes billets : première rangée ,deus sièges à l’extrémité de la rangée. Endroit idéal pour prendre des photos, si on me le permettait, mais très difficile pour les tympans d’oreille puisque nous avions un immense haut-parleur à peine quelques pieds devant nous. Des sièges extraordinaires!

Ma seule crainte était celle de ne pas avoir apporté assez de pellicules photographiques : deux seuls films de 36 poses! Être à court de pellicule constitue le cauchemar de tout photographe je pense …Ce cauchemar, je l’ai vécu tout au long de cette soirée magique! La foule est nombreuse et fébrile. Tout juste avant que les lumières s’éteignent et que Bruce et le E Street Band ne s’installent, je sens que la soirée sera fantastique et qu’un grand moment est sur le point de se produire.

Les lumières s’éteignent et voilà on y est …

Bruce Springsteen, Montreal 1978
© Jean Garon

Alors défilent les chansons “Streets of Fire”, “Spirit in the Night” , “The Ties That Bind”, puis la très attendue “Darkness on the Edge of Town”. Là on atteint un très haut niveau. Suivent ” Independence Day”, “The Promised Land”, “Prove It All Night”, “Racing in the Street”, “Thunder Road”. Moi qui n’était pas friand du saxophone, je le suis devenu ce soir-là ! Je me suis même demandé si je rêvais car ce spectacle dépassait mes espérances. Quelle intensité depuis le tout début !La foule est en délire et renversée .Je dois revenir à la raison car il ne me reste que quelques photos à prendre.

Bruce Springsteen, Montreal 1978
© Jean Garon

Suivent “Mona/She’s the One”, “Backstreets”, “Rosalita “. Le public est sidéré et en redemande, et Bruce livre la marchandise avec satisfaction. Le concert est terminé mais la foule réclame Bruce et son groupe le E Street Band. Je suis épuisé mais eux le sont beaucoup plus que moi. Quelle joie d’être présent au Forum ! Il ne me reste plus que 4 ou 5 photos à prendre et le rappel s’en vient. Quel rappel !! “Born to Run ” pour débuter. Ce n’était une surprise pour personne mais ça fait un effet bœuf ! Puis ‘Detorit Medley ” alors là je suis complètement KO, ayant toujours été un grand fan de Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels. Bruce est debout sur un haut-parleur et déchire sa chemise. Je suis totalement assommé. Quelle énergie après plus de 3 heures de spectacle ! Pour moi le moment le plus fort vient de se produire. Tout le monde est exténué. D’où leur vient toute cette énergie ?

Bruce Springsteen, Montreal 1978
© Jean Garon

Jean Garon

P.S. Je ne suis ni un journaliste professionnel ni un photographe professionnel, alors je requiers de votre part un peu d’indulgence pour cet article et pour les photos l’accompagnant.

Montreal Forum Springsteen Ticket: November 8, 1978

Bruce Springsteen, Montreal 1978 © Jean Garon

Limited edition Springsteen book, The Light in Darkness, less than 120 copies left.
Focusing on Springsteen’s Darkness on The Edge of Town 1978 album and tour

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Save on Shipping- November-December 2013
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*The Light in Darkness book is not sold in stores.

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