American bluegrass band The Seldom Scene has released a cover version of Springsteen's "One Step Up" and are allegedly doing a first-class live version of it in their shows. You can read more about the band on their website. Read more

   

We were a bit early in announcing the party celebrating the 20 year birthday of Backstreets magazine last month, but now it's official. On October 21 the Fast Lane in Asbury Park will open its doors to everybody who wants to help celebrate this big event. Boccigalupe is hosting the party and some of the proceeds of the night will go to Save Tillie and the American Diabetes Association. Go to Backstreets' own website for more info. Read more

   

According to a well-placed source in Sony, Bruce, Patti and Jon Landau were recently seen in a Sony studio in midtown Manhattan mixing tracks for a DVD version of the Video Anthology which was originally released in 1989. The DVD is not only going to include the songs on that video, but will be updated to feature at least six of the videos released since 1988. A good guess would be that "Human Touch", "Better Days", "Streets of Philadelphia", "Murder Incorporated" and "Secret Garden" will be included among others. The source also said they were supposed to be working on a DVD version of the movie Blood Brothers. So, two more reasons to save up for a DVD player. Read more

   

The Nebraska tribute album scheduled to be released on November 7 is taking shape. The artists that have yet to be announced should be Dar Williams on "Highway Patrolman" and Damien Jurado and Rose Thomas on the bonus song "Wages of Sin". See the complete list here. Read more

   

A newsletter from myplay.com lists a Bruce Springsteen concert on Wednesday, September 6, 2000 at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, NJ. The question is not if this concert is going to happen (it's not... Christina Aquilera is booked for that night), but how it ended up on the list. Read more

   

The Big Man's celibacy years are definitely over. STAR magazine reports that on August 5 he tied the knot with his British girlfriend Elizabeth Connell-Barr in a romantic ceremony in the Florida Keys. Report goes further to say they were married in the waters at sunset, with musicians standing on the rocks and white flower petals floating on the water. No word on whether Bruce was present. Read more

   

Looks good for you Aussies. A source close to Max Weinberg has said that there are indeed plans in the works for a tour downunder early next year. And not only that. Asia and other surrounding areas have been mentioned in the same connection. Japan seems likely, and who knows, maybe Bruce will expand his territory to include New Zealand. The latter, however, is entirely speculation on our part. And while something definitely seems to be in the works, everything can change in a second if Bruce changes his mind. Read more

   

A new book title has shown up at Amazon: A Race of Singers : Whitman's Working Class Hero from Guthrie to Springsteen. It was written by a Bryan K. Garman and is part of the Cultural Studies of the United States series. No other info seems to be available at the moment, but the book is expected out in September. Read more

   

Nils Lofgren recently had a note published on his web page asking for people's help to find his guitar. According to the note it was stolen in November 1999 at Los Angeles Airport. And it wasn't just any of his guitars, but his first-choice guitar that he has been using for the last 6-7 years. On a more positive note, he also said he would start working on a new solo album to be released next year. Read more

   

A radio station in Melbourne reported a couple of days ago that Bruce would be in Australia in February. They quoted a "reliable source", but as always, don't get your hopes up. There is still absolutely no official word on when Bruce will hit the road again. Read more