Springsteen to Perform "The River," "The Wild" In Full at MSG

Earlier this year Rolling Stone asked Steven Van Zandt about rumors that Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band were going to play complete albums on their tour. "It could be something like that," he said. "If I could pick, it's gotta be The River. I'd want to include the outtakes on the Tracks collection. Then you have a hell of a show."

It took a while, but Steve is getting his wish. According to the band's official Website, the group will play the 1980 double album in its entirety (no word on the outtakes) when they play Madison Square Garden on November 8th. The day before, they will play 1973's The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle at the same venue. For the past month Springsteen has been playing either Born to Run, Born in the U.S.A. or Darkness on the Edge of Town in full at his shows.

The only date without an announced album is the finale in Buffalo on November 22nd. What do you want to hear then? Greetings From Asbury Park? Tunnel Of Love? Our vote (and we know this is an unpopular opinion) is for the best tracks from Human Touch and Lucky Town. The songs sound much better when played with the E Street Band. Check out this performance of "Souls Of The Departed" from Charlotte in 2008:

Last week, Springsteen played a marathon set at MSG as part of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 25th anniversary celebration, then came back the following night to join U2 for "Because the Night" (with Patti Smith) and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For." Check out photos from the historic shows here:
• The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 25th Anniversary: Night One
• The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 25th Anniversary: Night Two

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Song Stories

“Smells Like Teen Spirit”

Nirvana | 1991

"Smells Like Teen Spirit," named after a brand of deodorant marketed to girls, was Kurt Cobain's attempt to "write the ultimate pop song," he said, using the soft-loud dynamic of his favorite band, the Pixies. Cobain "had that dichotomy of punk rage and alienation," the song’s producer, Butch Vig, told Rolling Stone, "but also this vulnerable pop sensibility. In 'Teen Spirit,' a lot of that vulnerability is in the tone of his voice." Sadly, by the time of Nirvana's last U.S. tour, in late '93, Cobain was tortured by the obligation to play "Teen Spirit" every night. "There are many other songs that I have written that are as good, if not better," he claimed.

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