A new book to be released in March examines Bruce Springsteen songwriting technique and explains his arrangements, chord sequences, melodies, and lyrics. It's called Bruce Springsteen: Learn From the Greats and Write Better song and is written by Rikky Rooksby as part of the Songwriting Secrets series on Backbeat Books. This should be a hit for those who aren't content with just listening to Bruce, but need to play or write music like that themselves or just find out what his secrets are. The official release date is March 12. Read more

   

While we're waiting for more news of Bruce's upcoming album, a Danish band called My Friend George is getting local attention for their new album entitled Born in the USA. The album does not contain a cover version of Bruce's most famous song and none of the band members were born in the USA. The music doesn't even resemble Bruce's style much. It's a lo-fi album with roots in the Nineties Indie scene. So why they chose this title is a bit of a mystery. Their own explanation: "We think it's funny because we're a Danish band playing American music. We're making a little fun of ourselves. And besides, it's pretty hard to come up with a good title". You can listen to samples from the album here. Read more

   

Now you have the chance to win a 6 by 7 foot painting created on the parking lot outside Giants Stadium during Bruce's run of shows in 2003. The artist Kelly Sullivan invited fans to add their touch to the picture by signing it with finger paint. Hundreds of fans, not to mention Springsteen himself, responded to her request and the result was this big painting showing the water front of Asbury Park with the ferris wheel and merry-go-round. In order to participate in the raffle you have to buy a $20 ticket. All proceeds will go to the Community Foodbank of New Jersey. Check out their website and get a glimpse of the picture. Read more

   

If you never got around to buying the "We Are the World" single in 1985 or were too young, now you'll get another chance. The single, which apart from Bruce featured Michael Jackson, Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles and a host of other American rock stars, will be reissued on February 1. This time the proceeds of the sale won't go to feeding the Africans, but will instead go to AIDS research and victims of the tsunami. Read more

   

Is Bruce planning to release a career retrospective multi-DVD set? Rumors are swirling on the message boards after an employee at a multimedia firm allegedly told a friend they are working on a Springsteen project. The project will supposedly include footage of Bruce and the band from way back to the early Seventies as well as newer stuff from Fenway in 2003. Only time will tell if there's any truth to this and how ambitious it is going to be. Read more

   

In 1991 Sean Penn turned "Highway Patrolman" into a movie called The Indian Runner. Now the whole Nebraska album will be turned into a book of short stories. The book is called Deliver Me From Nowhere and will be published on Soft Skull Press in March. It's written by young author Tennessee Jones, who was only three years old when the album was released. It simply consists of ten short stories that are not only recycling the titles of the ten songs on Nebraska, the short stories themselves are prose versions of the songs, retelling the stories and expanding the universe of characters such as Ralph from "Johnny 99" and Wanda from "Open All Night". And perhaps surprisingly to some, it's not bad at all. It's entertaining and deeply interesting to read these tales in this format. But rather than trusting us, check out Soft Skull Press' website where you can read an excerpt from one of the stories. Read more

   

About six weeks ago we mentioned the new special Bruce issue of Uncut. If you still haven't got it, do yourself a favor and buy it. It's one of the nicest pieces of Bruce reading we've seen in a while. Those of you in America can get it at Backstreets.com. In Europe you can also get it at Backstreets, but if you want to save a little on postage there is also a chance at Mags-uk.com. Read more

   

On January 23 at 2 PM you can support victims of the tsunami in South East Asia while at the same time hearing some great music. The concert will take place at Asbury Lane and will be billed as Asbury Cares. The artists include Vini Lopez and his Steel Mill review as well as Sonny Kenn, Billy Ryan and many others. According to the Asbury Park Press, all proceeds will go to AmeriCares and/or Relief International. Tickets for the show are $20 and can be purchased in advance by sending a check or money order to Asbury Cares, PO Box 583, Asbury Park, NJ, 07712. Read more

   

According to a usually reliable source Bruce has finished recording a new album. If true, the release date is expected to be in March or April. The album is described as The Ghost of Tom Joad'ish, but with more instrumentation. The E Street Band has been involved in the recordings, but mostlly individually. A tour lasting at least 18 months is being planned. In a unique move, the tour is expected to start out low-key with only Bruce and a couple of the E Street Band members, but as it progresses more and more E Streeters will join the lineup and add their touch to the new music. As the source says, "The focus of the tour will be to emphasize Bruce as a solo performer and how his music and message are enhanced by the E Street Band". The tour will start out in small venues, but as the band joins in, larger venues willl be used. The smaller shows will mostly be in the US, with perhaps a few in Europe, but a full world tour is expected along the way. Take this information for what it is: unofficial and unconfirmed, but from a source that has been right before. And even if this is what the plan looks like now, it could be subject to change. Read more

   

Greasy Lake wishes you a happy, peaceful holiday season! Thank you for another year that brought changes both to Greasy Lake with the new design and to what we as Springsteen fans can expect from our hero. His participation in the Vote For Change Tour brought out lots of controversy, but we'd be surprised if most of the angry fans aren't quietly starting to return to the ranks. At least, let's hope a new album in the new year can bring everybody together again. Finally, as our Christmas gift to you, read special Greasy Lake reporter Maureen Shames' spell-binding account from one of last weekend's holiday show in Asbury Park. Read more