Darkness' Reissue To Include Unheard Springsteen Tunes

Bruce Springsteen is rolling out a deluxe version of his classic 1978 disc Darkness on the Edge of Town this fall, and, according to E Street Band guitarist Steve Van Zandt, the set will feature at least ten outtakes - and possibly more. In an interview with a U.K. radio station, Van Zandt said, "We're doing a little bit of fixes on some Darkness on the Edge of Town outtakes, which is going to be a really fun reissue coming for Christmas."

Van Zandt also revealed that Springsteen's engineer has been combing the vault for unheard material from the Darkness era and - much like the Rolling Stones’ recent Exile on Main Street reissue - the release will likely include new vocal overdubs on the old material. "We put ten or so outtakes on the [1998] Tracks box set and we [have since] found ten more," Van Zandt said. "I'm not sure how many we'll put on there. We'll go back and he might finish a lyric on one or two, or finish a harmony on one or two, but we'll keep them intact pretty much."

Van Zandt didn't mention whether or not the reissue will feature a bonus concert film, similar to the 1975 live footage that appeared on the 2005 reissue of Born to Run. The 1978 Darkness On The Edge of Town tour is considered to be one of Springsteen’s greatest – and several complete filmed shows circulate through the fan community in various degrees of quality.

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Song Stories

“Too Close”

Next | 1998

Next was formed in Minneapolis when the uncle of Terry "T-Low" and Raphael "Tweety" Brown, who was a gospel choir director, introduced the brothers to Robert Lavelle "R.L." Huggar. Sounds of Blackness singer Ann Nesby groomed the R&B group before handing them over to Naughty by Nature's KayGee, who wrote and produced "Too Close." The idea for the song was sparked "from a conversation we had with several girls at a nightclub," explained T-Low. "It's talking about the club scene, with guys getting out of hand and the female telling him to back up, asking, 'What are you doing?'" 

More Song Stories entries »

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