Monmouth U.’s Bruce Springsteen Archives to Host Virtual Preview of Nils Lofgren Album Aug. 20
August 18, 2020
The Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music at Monmouth University will release a sneak preview of Nils Lofgren’s new album, Weathered, on Thursday, Aug. 20 at 10 a.m. on Soundstage.
Soundstage, a brand new monthly online series presented by the Springsteen Archives and hosted by music historian and executive director of the Archives, Bob Santelli, explores new works, trends, and contemporary issues in American music. The series can be accessed via the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music website or via the Springsteen Archives’ Facebook page.
“Soundstage will showcase new music, ideas, and trends in American popular music, starting with projects from members of the E Street Band,” Santelli says. “In this period of COVID, it’s re-assuring that exciting new music is still being made by artists like Nils Lofgren and David Sancious.”
In between E Street Band and Crazy Horse work, master rock singer songwriter-guitarist Lofgren fit in his first tour with a full band in over 15 years. The 16-track collection, issued on Lofgren’s own Cattle Track Road Records in double-CD configuration, was produced by the musician and his wife Amy, and is due out on Aug. 21.
It was recorded on the road during select intimate tour dates in the U.S. supporting his recent Blue with Lou studio album. Improvisation has always been a key element in live performances for Lofgren, a veteran member of some of the greatest rock bands in history, as well as an accomplished and successful solo artist.
“All the band members are old friends used to being encouraged to stretch out and improvise with me,” Lofgren explains. That freedom shows throughout Weathered. “Our crew did a fabulous job getting everything right for us to do our best every night.” He continues, “Regularly hearing inspired, improvisational surprises from your fellow bandmates elevated our interaction and made for one-of-a-kind, unique shows every night. We all thrive in a live setting and at every show, the audience kicked the music up to a special level we only reach with their contagious, inspired energy.”
Lofgren, a native of Chicago, formed his first band, Grin, in 1968. At 18 years old, Lofgren was pulled from reasonable obscurity to join Neil Young’s band, contributing guitar and piano work to “After the Gold Rush.” Lofgren stayed on with Young throughout part of the ’70s, appearing also on the Tonight’s the Night album and tour.
In 1984, following the departure of Steven Van Zandt, Lofgren joined the E Street Band just prior to the launch of the globetrotting Born in the U.S.A. tour. He was also part of the Tunnel of Love Express tour in 1988.
In the early 1990s, during the hiatus of the E Street Band, Lofgren performed with Ringo Starr’s All-Starr Band and released a number of well-received albums under his own name (including Silver Lining, which featured a duet with Springsteen on “Valentine”). And when the E Street Band reconvened in 1999, Springsteen diplomatically answered the question of which guitarist would be brought back into the fold by including both Van Zandt and Lofgren. Lofgren is still touring and releasing solo albums between E Street Band tours and his reunion with Neil Young and Crazy Horse.
