184-471: Max Weinberg (born April 13, 1951) is an American drummer and television personality, most widely known as the longtime drummer for Bruce Springsteen 's E Street Band and as the bandleader for Conan O'Brien on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien . He is the father of former Slipknot drummer Jay Weinberg . Weinberg grew up in suburban New Jersey and began drumming at an early age. He attended college planning to be
368-778: A Special Tony Award . He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999, received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2009, was named MusiCares person of the year in 2013, and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016 and the National Medal of Arts in 2023. In 2010, Rolling Stone ranked Springsteen 23rd on its list of the " 100 Greatest Artists of All Time ", describing him as "the embodiment of rock and roll". Springsteen
552-529: A float that took him outside the studio and purportedly to the airport. Weinberg returned to the show on August 3, after flying back from a Springsteen show that had ended early into the same morning in Spain. Of being Tonight Show bandleader, he said, "I think one of the biggest thrills in my life was seeing my name in the same sentence as Doc Severinsen, who, in my view, is the gold standard for 'Tonight Show' bandleaders. There's never been anyone who did it quite near
736-807: A patriot in the American Revolution , which evolved into the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War . The Springsteen surname originates in Groningen , a province in the Netherlands , and is topographic , translating to "jump stone" and meaning a stepping stone used on unpaved streets or between two houses. Springsteen's Italian maternal grandfather was born in Vico Equense and emigrated through Ellis Island . He arrived in
920-497: A "very active spiritual life" but joked that this "made it very difficult sexually" and added "once a Catholic, always a Catholic". He grew up hearing fellow New Jersey singer Frank Sinatra on the radio, and became interested in being a musician by the age of seven after seeing Elvis Presley 's performances on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1956 and 1957. Soon after, his mother rented him a guitar from Mike Diehl's Music in Freehold for $ 6
1104-512: A 2020 article in The Wall Street Journal , Weinberg described the drum as having a "... a real calfskin head and a white strap. I played it all over the house." Weinberg has also acknowledged The Ventures as a major influence on him in a TV interview in 1988 to celebrate that band's 30th anniversary and he actually sat in on drums during the performances. Weinberg started playing at the age of six. His first public appearance came at
1288-497: A 5-acre (2.0 ha) farm in Monmouth County ; after feeling taken advantage of in the deal, Weinberg became a scrupulous researcher in real estate matters, often spending days at town halls looking over obscure zoning regulations. While on tour, he studied books about architecture, and dreamt of building houses in the style of Frank Lloyd Wright or Richard Meier . He made a full recovery from his injuries in time for Born in
1472-557: A DVD was released called The Lost West Side Story Tapes that captured a 1985 performance of this along with other numbers. A live recording of the "Channel One Suite" is on the album Mercy, Mercy recorded at Caesars Palace in 1968. The album was acclaimed as the "finest all-round recording by Buddy Rich's big band". In the 1950s, Rich was a frequent guest on The Steve Allen Show and other television variety shows, most notably on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson . Rich and Johnny were lifelong friends, and Johnny Carson
1656-499: A Dream (2009). The next albums, Wrecking Ball (2012) and High Hopes (2014), topped album charts worldwide. In 2017, 2018 and 2021, Springsteen performed the critically acclaimed show Springsteen on Broadway , in which he performed songs and told stories from his 2016 autobiography ; an album version from the Broadway performances was released in 2018. He released the solo Western Stars (2019), Letter to You (2020) with
1840-543: A Springsteen Village Voice newspaper ad that famously requested, "no junior Ginger Bakers," in reference to Ginger Baker 's reputation for long drum solos. Weinberg auditioned with Springsteen and the core E Street Band in mid-late August of that year at the SIR studios in Midtown Manhattan , bringing a minimalist drum kit with him consisting only of hi-hats , a snare drum and a bass drum . He knew one Springsteen song from
2024-517: A U.S. No. 1 pop hit with a heavily rearranged version of Greetings ' "Blinded by the Light" in early 1977. Patti Smith reached No. 13 with her version of Springsteen's unreleased " Because the Night " with revised lyrics by Smith in 1978. The Pointer Sisters hit No. 2 in 1979 with Springsteen's then unreleased " Fire ". Between 1976 and 1978, Springsteen provided four compositions to Southside Johnny and
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#17328550914952208-420: A band and toured in the U.S. and Australia. By the age of 15, he had become the second-highest-paid child entertainer behind Jackie Coogan during the 1930s. His jazz career began in 1937 with clarinetist Joe Marsala . He became a member of the big bands led by Bunny Berigan and Artie Shaw . Rich considered himself a featured performer and disliked bandleaders. He claimed that the musicians "hardly look at
2392-466: A bit as he aligned with the Mighty Max persona and went to fashionable parties. Weinberg had a reduced role on Springsteen's 1987 Tunnel of Love album, replacing Springsteen's drum machine parts on a few tracks, but the full band was in place for the 1988 Tunnel of Love Express and Human Rights Now! tours. Weinberg called the latter tour's visiting of many third-world spots around the globe one of
2576-483: A book and he told him to get in touch with me. I did the book and Tommy wrote the foreword. Technically, I was Buddy's teacher, but I came along after he had already acquired his technique." When asked if Rich could read music, Bobby Shew , lead trumpeter in Rich's mid-1960s big band replied, "No. He'd always have a drummer there during rehearsals to read and play the parts initially on new arrangements. Buddy would just sit in
2760-546: A chance sidewalk meeting outside the Carnegie Deli with newly selected Late Night host Conan O'Brien , where Weinberg spoke about his ideas for music on the show. O'Brien promised Weinberg an audition. Within a few days, Weinberg put together The Max Weinberg 7 , recruiting musicians he had worked with during his career, including on the Killer Joe project, starting with guitarist and arranger Jimmy Vivino . Weinberg decided
2944-687: A chance to recover. Weinberg's wife Becky unintentionally triggered one of the tour's most celebrated episodes. She was a fan of the This Week with David Brinkley television program and invited panelist George Will to the Washington-area Capital Centre show. After seeing the band perform, Will became convinced that they were exemplars of hard-working patriotism and traditional American values; he wrote, "... consider Max Weinberg's bandaged fingers. The rigors of drumming have led to five tendonitis operations. He soaks his hands in hot water before
3128-682: A concert, in ice afterward, and sleeps with tight gloves on." Will further decided that Springsteen might endorse Ronald Reagan in the 1984 presidential campaign and talked to the campaign, which later led to Reagan's famous extolling of Springsteen at a stop in Hammonton, New Jersey , and Springsteen's subsequent negative response. For his efforts, Weinberg was named Best Drummer in the Playboy 1985 Pop and Jazz Music Poll and Best Drummer again in Rolling Stone 's 1986 Critics Poll. The adulation got to him
3312-464: A cult following. In his January 1970 review of Steel Mill's show at The Matrix , music critic Philip Elwood wrote in the San Francisco Examiner that he had "never been so overwhelmed by a totally unknown talent" and called Steel Mill "the first big thing that's happened to Asbury Park since the good ship Morro Castle burned to the waterline of that Jersey beach in '34". Elwood praised
3496-642: A dismissal. When Rich was home from touring with Shaw, he gave drum lessons to a 14-year-old Mel Brooks for six months. At 21, he participated in his first major recording with the Vic Schoen Orchestra who backed the Andrews Sisters . In 1939 Rich joined the Dorsey band, leaving in 1942 to join the United States Marine Corps, in which he served as a judo instructor and never saw combat. He
3680-662: A drummer and I'm good. I was put here to play the drums. To turn my back on that ability was wrong." He played at the January 1993 inauguration of Bill Clinton . Weinberg auditioned in 1993 to be the principal drummer on the Broadway show The Who's Tommy , but was selected instead as the second substitute. Despite the very low pay, Weinberg was nevertheless happy: "I'd buried drumming so far into my psyche. I felt I'd resurrected it." Of Springsteen's work, Weinberg felt "that I would never get to play these songs again." In July 1993, Weinberg had
3864-495: A drummer from the age of five, when he saw Elvis Presley and his drummer, D. J. Fontana , appear on The Milton Berle Show in April 1956. Decades later, Weinberg said, "I think anybody who wanted to develop a life in rock 'n' roll music had a moment. That was my moment," and Fontana became a major influence on him. Weinberg received a child's conga drum from his father after he watched a TV show featuring bandleader Xavier Cugat . In
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#17328550914954048-472: A eulogy at Rich's funeral in 1987. In 1983, Rich underwent quadruple bypass surgery, and was often visited by Sinatra in the hospital. Billy Cobham said that he met Rich in a club as a youth asking him to sign his snare drum, but Rich "dropped it down the stairs". Rich held a black belt in karate, which proved beneficial to him, his temper, and his health. According to bassist Bill Crow , Rich reacted strongly to Max Roach 's increasing popularity when he
4232-523: A famous percussionist in his own right. Weinberg graduated from Columbia High in 1969. Another band he was in, Blackstone, recorded an eponymous album for Epic Records in 1970. Weinberg first attended Adelphi University , and later Seton Hall University , majoring in film studies . His general goal was to become a lawyer, but he was still most viscerally interested in a music career and kept his drum set in his car in case any chances to play arose. He performed at weddings, bar mitzvahs, and bars, then landed
4416-425: A fine sense of timing. Weinberg also suffered from repetitive stress injury and tendinitis , eventually requiring seven operations on his hands and wrists. He studied for a while with noted jazz drummer Joe Morello ; Weinberg credited Morello for helping him to learn how to play with the tendinitis. The River Tour Springsteen and E Street Band shows that opened New Jersey's Meadowlands Arena in 1981 became one of
4600-416: A five-record box set (also on three cassettes or three CDs), was released near the end of 1986 and became the first box set to debut at No. 1 on the U.S. album charts. It is one of the most commercially successful live albums of all time, ultimately selling 13 million units in the U.S. During the 1980s, several Springsteen fanzines were launched, including Backstreets magazine. Springsteen released
4784-525: A good drummer serves his band's music. Witnessing his father lose two summer camps in The Poconos impressed upon him the fragility of economic success and led to a strong work ethic . His father's financial setbacks also provided a reason for Weinberg to find steady work as a drummer, while still in his teens and attending high school, to help his family pay bills. When the British Invasion hit in 1964,
4968-468: A group he formed, Killer Joe, called Scene of the Crime . He had sought out this career path because "I didn't want to continually be competing with 'Mighty Max'," but he found business life unfulfilling. Because of that, and for personal reasons as well, he needed to return to performing. Weinberg later reflected, "I felt at times, after the E Street Band broke up, so anonymous it was painful." He looked through
5152-522: A heart attack in 1983, Rich was presented with a 1940s-vintage Slingerland Radio King set, refurbished by Joe MacSweeney of Eames Drums, which he used until his death in 1987. Rich's typical setup included a 14"×24" bass drum , a 9"×13" mounted tom , two 16"×16" floor toms (with the second tom usually serving as a towel holder), and a 5.5"×14" snare drum . His cymbals were typically Avedis Zildjian : 14" New Beat hi-hats , 20" medium ride , 8" splash , two 18" crashes (thin and medium-thin). Sometimes
5336-481: A high school physical education teacher. He has three sisters, Patty, Nancy and Abby. He grew up in Newark as well as in the neighboring suburban towns of South Orange and Maplewood . The young Max was exposed to music early on, attending Broadway shows weekly from the age of two and liking the big sound put forth by the pit orchestras . He then liked the rhythms of country and western music . He knew he wanted to be
5520-462: A job in the pit band for the Broadway musical Godspell . Weinberg was still living at home when he met Bruce Springsteen on April 7, 1974, when his band, The Jim Marino Band, were Springsteen's support at Seton Hall. Springsteen had parted ways with his drummer, Vini "Mad Dog" Lopez , earlier that year, and the replacement, Ernest "Boom" Carter , lasted only six months before leaving with pianist David Sancious to form Tone . Weinberg answered
5704-406: A lawyer but got his big break in music in 1974 when he won an audition to become the drummer for Springsteen. Weinberg became a mainstay of Springsteen's long concert performances. Springsteen dissolved the band in 1989, and Weinberg spent several years considering a law career and trying the business end of the music industry before deciding he wanted to continue with drumming. In 1993, Weinberg got
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5888-507: A legal secretary and was the family's main breadwinner. He is of Dutch, Irish, and Italian descent, and grew up Catholic in Freehold, New Jersey . Springsteen's paternal ancestors were among the early Dutch families who, in the 17th century, settled in colonial-era America , then part of the Dutch Republic known as New Netherland . Springsteen's paternal ancestor, John Springsteen, was
6072-651: A loan to buy him a $ 60 Kent guitar, an act he later memorialized in his song "The Wish". In 1965, he went to the house of Tex and Marion Vinyard, who sponsored young bands in town. They helped him become the lead guitarist and subsequently one of the lead singers of the Castiles , a band that recorded two original songs at a public recording studio in Brick Township and played a variety of venues, including Cafe Wha? in Greenwich Village . Marion Vinyard said she believed
6256-519: A long-time dream by going to Super Bowl XLIII in February 2009 with Springsteen and the E Street Band's half-time performance, where he was joined by some of the other members of the Max Weinberg 7. The ending of the O'Brien Late Night and beginning of The Tonight Show coincided with the start of Springsteen and the E Street Band's 2009 Working on a Dream Tour . O'Brien told a Variety reporter at
6440-460: A lot more to music than just playing one chord or two chords". During medical therapy following a brain tumor operation, a nurse inquiring about drug allergies asked Rich whether there was anything he couldn't take. He replied, "Yes, country and western music." Rich toured and performed until the end of his life. In early March 1987, he was touring in New York when he was hospitalized after suffering
6624-539: A media backlash, as critics began wondering if Springsteen was for real or the product of record company promotion. Springsteen was hurt by the backlash and disliked his newfound attention. When the E Street Band arrived in London for their first concerts outside North America, Springsteen personally tore down promotional posters in the lobby of the Hammersmith Odeon . A legal battle with Appel kept Springsteen out of
6808-457: A mix of party songs and introspective ballads. Released in October 1980, The River became Springsteen's biggest and fastest-selling album yet, topping the U.S. Billboard chart. The single " Hungry Heart " became his first top ten single as a performer, reaching number five, while " Fade Away " reached No. 20. Several songs on The River foreshadowed the direction of Springsteen's next record,
6992-464: A muscular, drums-driven jump blues vibe, partly derived from the Killer Joe sound, is what he would use as a starting point for the group's sound. At the early August audition, the outfit impressed O'Brien with their ability to play not just rock but also rhythm and blues, soul, jazz, pop, and big band swing; Weinberg was so anxious to land the job that he threw up afterward. After a final meeting with executive producer Lorne Michaels , they were hired as
7176-518: A number of jazz and rock drummers such as Joe Morello , Steve Gadd , Max Roach , Billy Cobham , Dave Weckl , Simon Phillips , Steve Smith and Peart, accompanied by the Buddy Rich Big Band. A second volume was issued in 1997. Phil Collins was featured in a DVD tribute organized by Rich's daughter, A Salute to Buddy Rich , which included Steve Smith and Dennis Chambers . Rich's technique, including speed, smooth execution and precision,
7360-465: A paralysis on his left side that physicians believed had been caused by a stroke. He was transferred to California to UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles for tests, where doctors discovered and removed a brain tumor on March 16. He was discharged a week later, but continued to receive daily chemotherapy treatments at the hospital. On April 2, 1987, he died of unexpected respiratory and cardiac failure after
7544-484: A prerecorded instrumental track. This technique was developed on the " Brilliant Disguise " video. In 1995, after temporarily re-organizing the E Street Band for a few new songs recorded for his first Greatest Hits album (a recording session that was chronicled in the documentary Blood Brothers ), and also one show at Tramps in New York City, he released his second folk album, The Ghost of Tom Joad . The album
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7728-696: A prolonged frustration over their inability to capture a more resonant drum sound. Weinberg soon regretted not playing faster on " Badlands ", and tempos did speed up on that number and some others during the accompanying Darkness Tour . He did later say that "It was a ballsy thing to play a single stroke roll through the entirety of 'Candy's Room ' " and that it was the kind of choice a session musician never would have tried. Weinberg suffered an acknowledged "drumming slump" around 1980, and his time-keeping skills were criticized by Springsteen. What could pass unnoticed in concert became apparent on record, and Weinberg practiced drumming components for months in order to regain
7912-424: A prolonged local controversy over his plans to subdivide a portion of his 65-acre (26 ha) Middletown Township, New Jersey , property into lots for new homes. Some of his neighbors strongly protested the move, and they and some in the press accused him of hypocrisy; Weinberg defended himself by saying the conservation foundation was not against all development, just thoughtless development. A scaled-down version of
8096-584: A rawer hard rock sound. Its lyrics focus on ill-fortuned people who fight back against overwhelming odds. Released in June 1978, Darkness on the Edge of Town sold fewer copies than its predecessor, but remained on the Billboard chart for 167 weeks, selling three million copies in the U.S. Its three singles—" Prove It All Night ", " Badlands ", and " The Promised Land "—performed modestly. The supporting Darkness Tour
8280-624: A reflection on the September 11 attacks , was a critical and popular success. The title track gained airplay in several radio formats, and the record became Springsteen's best-selling album of new material in 15 years. Kicked off by an early-morning Asbury Park appearance on The Today Show , The Rising Tour commenced; the band barnstormed through a series of single-night arena stands in the U.S. and Europe. Springsteen played an unprecedented 10 nights at Giants Stadium in New Jersey. The Rising won
8464-515: A regular venue for Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi , Southside Johnny , and other local national acts, The Stone Pony has since been described as "an integral part of music history for decades." After seeing Springsteen's performance at the Harvard Square Theater, music critic Jon Landau wrote in the May 22, 1974, issue of Boston 's The Real Paper that, "I saw rock and roll future, and its name
8648-487: A sailor suit playing an arrangement of The Stars and Stripes Forever behind a large bass and snare drum - an act which concluded with him emerging from behind the drums tap-dancing to thunderous applause. Rich would sneak into jazz clubs at an age when he looked old enough to sit on the drum set, and fell in love with jazz. By the age of 4, he was headlining Broadway, billed as "Baby Traps the Drum Wonder." In his teens, he led
8832-551: A settlement deal with NBC for himself and his staff, Weinberg as well as Richter had to reach their own agreements with the network. In February 2010, Weinberg underwent a twelve-hour open heart valve repair surgery to correct a condition he had known about and had been monitoring since the mid-1980s. His recovery took place over three to five months, and Weinberg kept news about the operation private until an interview eight months later. In April 2010, O'Brien began his The Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour . While
9016-602: A simple single-stroke roll on the snare drum picking up speed and power, then slowly moving his sticks closer to the rim as he got quieter, and eventually playing on the rim itself while still maintaining speed. Then he would reverse the effect and slowly move towards the center of the snare while increasing power. Though well known as a powerful drummer, he did use brushes . On the album The Lionel Hampton Art Tatum Buddy Rich Trio (1955) he played with brushes almost exclusively. In 1942, Rich and Henry Adler wrote Buddy Rich's Modern Interpretation of Snare Drum Rudiments , which
9200-464: A thousand dreams inside your hearts. It rests in the message of hope in the songs of a man so many young Americans admire—New Jersey's own, Bruce Springsteen." Two nights later, at a concert in Pittsburgh , Springsteen told the crowd, "Well, the president was mentioning my name in his speech the other day and I kind of got to wondering what his favorite album of mine must've been, you know? I don't think it
9384-572: A treatment related to the malignant brain tumor. His wife Marie and daughter Cathy buried him in Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles. He was 69. Since Rich's death, a number of memorial concerts have been held. In 1994, the Rich tribute album Burning for Buddy: A Tribute to the Music of Buddy Rich was released. Produced by Rush drummer/lyricist Neil Peart , the album features performances of Rich staples by
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#17328550914959568-525: A voice to immigrants and others who rarely have one in American culture. The lengthy, worldwide, small-venue solo acoustic Ghost of Tom Joad Tour that followed presented many of his older songs in drastically reshaped acoustic form, although Springsteen had to explicitly remind his audiences to "shut the fuck up" and not to clap during the performances. Following that tour, Springsteen moved from California back to New Jersey with his family. In 1998, he released
9752-465: A week, but it failed to provide him with the instant gratification he desired. In ninth grade, Springsteen entered Freehold High School , a public high school, but did not fit in there either. A former teacher said Springsteen was a "loner who wanted nothing more than to play his guitar". He graduated in 1967, but felt so alienated that he skipped his graduation ceremony. He briefly attended Ocean County College , but dropped out. At age 19, Springsteen
9936-640: A whole world of possibilities. —Springsteen on the impact of the Beatles From 1969 through early 1971, Springsteen performed with the band Child, which later changed its name to Steel Mill and included Danny Federici , Vini Lopez , Vinnie Roslin , and later Steven Van Zandt and Robbin Thompson . Steel Mill performed at various Jersey Shore venues and also outside of New Jersey, in Richmond, Virginia , Nashville, Tennessee , and California , and gathered
10120-441: A woman played by Max's real-life wife, Becky. Weinberg says of his comic persona: "[I]t's playing against type. I've been happily married for nearly 30 years, with two wonderful children. It's not what I portray on the show, and that's funny." Weinberg continued his one-man college shows, now titled E Street to Late Night: Dreams Found, Lost, and Found Again . Weinberg returned to the E Street Band briefly when Springsteen re-grouped
10304-546: A year. Highlights included a record sold-out, 15-show run at Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey and a ten-night, sold-out engagement at New York City's Madison Square Garden. A new song played at these shows, " American Skin (41 Shots) " (about the police shooting of Amadou Diallo ), proved controversial. In 2002, Springsteen released his first studio effort with the full band in 18 years, The Rising , produced by Brendan O'Brien . The album, mostly
10488-485: Is Bruce Springsteen." Springsteen met Landau in Boston a month prior and the two became close friends; Landau subsequently became the co-producer of Springsteen's next album, Born to Run , in February 1975. As Springsteen's last-ditch effort at a commercially viable record, Springsteen became bogged down in the recording process while striving for a " Wall of Sound " production. When his manager, Mike Appel , orchestrated
10672-512: Is Max a great drummer, Max reads Bruce's mind. You can't learn that." Weinberg bought a house overlooking the water in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey , triggering a lifelong interest in real estate and home design. Tempos slowed to an oft dirge-like pace on Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978); rehearsals and recording of the album stretched out over a long period, with Springsteen and bandmate and co-producer Steven Van Zandt experiencing
10856-438: Is boring. I know teachers who tell their students to practice three, four, six hours a day. If you can't get what you want after an hour of practice, you're not going to get it in four days." In the same article, Rich also discourages playing drums with one's bare hands. When asked if he could do such a thing, he replied, "Yes, but why destroy your hands? I could think of a hundred ways to use my hands rather than to break them on
11040-451: Is considered one of the most influential drummers of all time. Rich was born and raised in Brooklyn , New York , United States. He discovered his affinity for jazz music at a young age and began drumming at the age of two. He began playing jazz in 1937, working with acts such as Bunny Berigan , Artie Shaw , Tommy Dorsey , Count Basie , and Harry James . From 1942 to 1944, Rich served in
11224-698: Is one of the most coveted in drumming and has become a common standard. Gene Krupa described him as "the greatest drummer ever to have drawn breath". Roger Taylor , drummer of Queen , acknowledged Rich as the best drummer he ever saw for sheer technique. Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker has credited Rich as the greatest drummer of all time. Rich's influence extends from jazz to rock music, including drummers such as Dave Weckl , Vinnie Colaiuta , Adam Nussbaum , Simon Phillips , Hal Blaine , John Bonham , Carl Palmer , Ian Paice , Gregg Bissonette , Jojo Mayer , Tré Cool , and Bill Ward . Phil Collins stopped using two bass drums and started playing
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#173285509149511408-513: Is regarded as one of the more popular snare drum rudiment books. Adler met Rich through a former student. Adler said, "The kid told me he played better than Krupa. Buddy was only in his teens at the time and his friend was my first pupil. Buddy played and I watched his hands. Well, he knocked me right out. He did everything I wanted to do, and he did it with such ease. When I met his folks, I asked them who his teacher was. 'He never studied', they told me. That made me feel very good. I realized that it
11592-632: Is the ninth-most played song in Springsteen's concert catalog; as of June 2020, he has played it live 809 times. In February 1974, The Stone Pony , a music venue and bar, opened on Ocean Avenue in Asbury Park , and Springsteen played there regularly. Several years later, in the early 1980s, prior to the start of the Born in the U.S.A. Tour in June 1984, Springsteen also met his second and current wife Patti Scialfa at The Stone Pony during her performance there. As
11776-403: The 1984 presidential campaign became the subject of considerable folklore . In 1984, conservative columnist George Will attended a Springsteen concert and then wrote a column praising Springsteen's work ethic. Six days after the column's publication, then President Ronald Reagan , in a campaign rally in Hammonton, New Jersey , made brief mention of the song, saying, "America's future rests in
11960-591: The Billboard Top Rock Tracks chart. The Born in the U.S.A. period represented the height of Springsteen's visibility in popular culture and the broadest audience he would ever reach (aided by the release of Arthur Baker 's dance mixes of three of the singles). From June 15 to August 10, 1985, all seven of his albums appeared on the UK Albums Chart : the first time an artist had charted their entire back catalogue simultaneously. Live/1975–85 ,
12144-435: The Billboard chart. Nevertheless, it surprised critics, who praised it as a brave artistic statement. In 1984, Springsteen released Born in the U.S.A. , which sold 30 million worldwide, and became one of the best-selling albums of all time , with seven singles hitting the top ten. The title track was a bitter commentary on the treatment of Vietnam veterans , some of whom were Springsteen's friends. The lyrics in
12328-519: The E Street Band , although the name was not used until September 1974. Springsteen acquired the nickname "the Boss" during this period, since he took on the task of collecting his band's nightly pay and distributing it among his bandmates. The nickname also reportedly sprang from games of Monopoly , which Springsteen played with other Jersey Shore musicians. Springsteen was signed to Columbia Records in 1972 by John Hammond, who had signed Bob Dylan to
12512-411: The E Street Band . Springsteen is a pioneer of heartland rock , combining a commercially successful rock sound with poetic and socially conscious lyrics reflecting the issues of working class American life. He is known for his descriptive lyrics and energetic concerts, which sometimes last over four hours. Springsteen released his first two albums, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. and The Wild,
12696-663: The IRS $ 40,000. In July 1969, they placed a tax lien on him for $ 141,606 for back taxes. Rich filed for bankruptcy the next month, and the IRS seized his home in Las Vegas. Rich was notoriously short-tempered. Singer Dusty Springfield slapped him after several days of "putting up with Rich's insults and show-biz sabotage". He had a rivalry with Frank Sinatra which sometimes ended in brawls when both were members of Tommy Dorsey's band. Nevertheless, they remained lifelong friends, and Sinatra delivered
12880-565: The Marines !" Another instance was when an Australian musician loudly debated with Buddy in the bus. Tormé also was familiar with Buddy's dislike of rock , but he states that "when some of these rock drummers came to greet Buddy after a show, he was always charming and polite. And he never, at least in my presence, disparaged them in any way." Rich also held a low opinion of country music , which he considered "a giant step backwards", and opined that "the young people ... need to realize that there's
13064-653: The U.S. Marines . From 1945 to 1948, he led the Buddy Rich Orchestra . In 1966, he recorded a big-band style arrangement of songs from West Side Story . He found lasting success in 1966 with the formation of the Buddy Rich Big Band , also billed as the Buddy Rich Band and The Big Band Machine . Rich was known for his virtuoso technique, power, and speed. He was an advocate of the traditional grip , though he occasionally used matched grip when playing
13248-495: The Yellow Pages for jobs and played at bar mitzvahs for $ 125; he later said "[I] was glad to do it." Weinberg became the live drummer for 10,000 Maniacs in 1992 after their drummer Jerry Augustyniak was injured five days before a five-week tour. He went after that assignment once he heard it was open and later said, "I lived on a bus and had a roommate. Not exactly like the E Street Band, but I loved it. It reminded me that I am
13432-628: The hi-hat after reading Rich's opinion on the importance of the hi-hat. In 1980, Rich was awarded an honorary doctorate of music from Berklee College of Music . In 1986, a year before his death, Rich was elected into the Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame in the category of bandleader, and drum set player. On September 30, 2017, Rich was honored with a Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars . In 2016, readers of Rolling Stone magazine ranked Rich No. 15 in their list of
13616-653: The minimalist , folk-inspired solo effort Nebraska , released in September 1982. Springsteen recorded the songs on the album as demo recordings at his home in Colts Neck, New Jersey , intending to re-record them with the E Street Band, but after poor test sessions he decided to release the recordings as is. The album chronicled dark hardships felt by everyday blue-collar workers, as well as bleak tales of criminals, cops, and gang wars. Nebraska sold minimally compared to Springsteen's three previous albums, but reached No. 3 on
13800-556: The musical in the mid-1960s; he found the music quite challenging and it took him almost a month of constant rehearsal to perfect. It later became a staple of his live performances. A six-minute performance of "Prologue/Jet Song" from the suite, performed during Frank Sinatra's portion of the Concert for the Americas on August 20, 1982, is on the DVD "Frank Sinatra: Concert for the Americas". In 2002,
13984-519: The toms . Despite his commercial success and musical talent, Rich never learned how to read sheet music , preferring to listen to the drum parts played in rehearsal by whoever was his drum roadie at the time and relying on his excellent memory. Rich was born in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn , New York, to Jewish parents Bess Skolnik and Robert Rich, both American vaudevillians . At 18 months old, he became part of his parents' vaudeville act, dressed in
14168-634: The traditional grip . He used the matched grip when playing floor toms around the drum set while performing cross-stickings (crossing arm over arm), which was one of his party tricks, often leading to loud cheers from the audience. Another technique he used to impress was the stick-trick, a fast roll performed by slapping two drumsticks together in a circular motion using "taps" or single-stroke stickings. He often used contrasting techniques to keep long drum solos from getting mundane. Aside from his energetic, explosive displays, he would go into quieter passages. One passage he would use in most solos started with
14352-410: The 100 Greatest Drummers of all time. In a readers' poll in 2011, he ranked No. 6. Rich was known as a performer and endorser of Ludwig , Slingerland , and Rogers drums . While endorsing Slingerland in the '60s and '70s, Rich sometimes used a Fibes snare drum together with a Slingerland drum kit. He switched exclusively to Ludwig in the late 1970s through the early 1980s. While recovering from
14536-761: The 1977 Meat Loaf album, Bat Out of Hell , playing on the Steinman-penned tracks " Bat Out of Hell ", " You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth " and " Paradise by the Dashboard Light ". At a point in 1983, Weinberg was featured on the number one and number two songs on the Billboard Hot 100 , Bonnie Tyler 's " Total Eclipse of the Heart " and Air Supply 's " Making Love Out of Nothing at All ", both Steinman creations. Weinberg also recorded with Southside Johnny and
14720-567: The Asbury Jukes , Gary U.S. Bonds , Ian Hunter and Carole King . On October 18, 1989, Springsteen unexpectedly called Weinberg to say he was dissolving the E Street Band. As Weinberg later said, "That's why they call him the Boss." The news from Springsteen left Weinberg "a zombie for about six months". Even before the band's breakup, Weinberg had returned to school at Seton Hall University in early 1989. The band breakup occurred during his second semester at Seton Hall, on his way to completing
14904-523: The Asbury Jukes , including " The Fever " and "Hearts of Stone", and collaborated on four more with Steven Van Zandt , producer of their first three albums. In September 1979, Springsteen and the E Street Band joined the Musicians United for Safe Energy anti-nuclear power collective at Madison Square Garden for two nights, playing an abbreviated set while premiering two songs from his upcoming album. The subsequent No Nukes live album, as well as
15088-580: The Beatles and their drummer, Ringo Starr , became a huge influence on Weinberg. He began playing in local New Jersey rock bands, playing the music of The Rolling Stones , Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels , and The Young Rascals . While a member of The Epsilons, he played at the 1964 New York World's Fair . He attended Columbia High School in Maplewood; there he knew Leigh Howard Stevens , who would become
15272-554: The Conan show to participate in the long and successful 2002–2003 Rising Tour . In the early 2000s, Weinberg was at the center of annual holiday benefit shows at Asbury Park Convention Hall , billed as Bruce Springsteen, the Max Weinberg 7 and Friends. Weinberg was a member of the board of trustees of the Monmouth Conservation Foundation and won a conservation award in 2002. Nevertheless, during 2002 and 2003, he got into
15456-511: The E Street Band for Greatest Hits (1995), and recorded the acoustic album The Ghost of Tom Joad (1995) and the EP Blood Brothers (1996) solo. Springsteen dedicated The Rising (2002) to the victims of the September 11 attacks . He released two more folk albums, Devils & Dust (2005) and We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions (2006), followed by two more albums with the E Street Band, Magic (2007) and Working on
15640-560: The E Street Band participated in the Vote for Change tour, with John Mellencamp , John Fogerty , the Dixie Chicks , Pearl Jam , R.E.M. , Bright Eyes , the Dave Matthews Band , Jackson Browne , and other musicians. The solo record Devils & Dust was released in April 2005. It is a low-key, mostly acoustic album, in the same vein as Nebraska and The Ghost of Tom Joad . Some of
15824-630: The E Street Band, and a solo covers album Only the Strong Survive (2022). Letter to You reached No. 2 in the US, making Springsteen the first artist to release a top-five album across six consecutive decades. One of the album era 's most prominent musicians, Springsteen has sold more than 71 million albums in the U.S. and over 140 million worldwide, making him the 27th best-selling music artist of all time as of 2024. His accolades include 20 Grammy Awards , two Golden Globes , an Academy Award , and
16008-654: The Grammy for Best Rock Album and was nominated for Album of the Year at the 45th Annual Grammy Awards in 2003. In addition, "The Rising" won the Grammy for Best Rock Song and for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance , and nominated for Song of the Year. At the ceremony, Springsteen performed the Clash 's " London Calling " with Elvis Costello , Dave Grohl , and E Street Band member Steven Van Zandt and No Doubt 's bassist, Tony Kanal , in tribute to Joe Strummer . In 2004, Springsteen and
16192-624: The HERO Award from Big Brothers Big Sisters of America in October 1990 for his work for that organization. The Big Beat was republished in 1991. Weinberg thought his career as a musician was over and considered himself retired as a drummer. He went into the music business instead, joining a distribution company as a business partner. He worked as an executive for the Music Master label. He formed his own record company, Hard Ticket Entertainment, in 1990. In 1991, they issued an album that he produced by
16376-525: The Indian tabla player Ustad Alla Rakha on the album Rich à la Rakha . He performed a big-band arrangement of a medley from West Side Story that was released on the 1966 album Swingin' New Big Band . The "West Side Story Medley", arranged by Bill Reddie, highlighted Rich's ability to blend his drumming into the band. Rich received the West Side Story arrangement of Leonard Bernstein 's melodies from
16560-523: The Innocent & the E Street Shuffle , in 1973. Although both were well received by critics, neither earned him a large audience. He changed his style and achieved worldwide popularity with Born to Run (1975), followed by Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978) and The River (1980), Springsteen's first album to top the Billboard 200 chart. After the solo effort Nebraska (1982), he recorded Born in
16744-489: The Innocent & the E Street Shuffle was met with critical acclaim but limited commercial success. Springsteen's songs became grander in form and scope with the E Street Band providing a less folksy, more rhythm and blues vibe, and lyrics that romanticized teenage street life. " 4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy) " and "Incident on 57th Street" became fan favorites, while " Rosalita (Come Out Tonight) " continues to rank among Springsteen's most beloved concert numbers. "Rosalita"
16928-408: The Light " and " For You ", and because of his connection with Hammond and Columbia Records, critics initially compared Springsteen to Bob Dylan . "He sings with a freshness and urgency I haven't heard since I was rocked by ' Like a Rolling Stone '", Crawdaddy magazine editor Peter Knobler wrote in a March 1973 profile of Springsteen's that included photographs taken by Ed Gallucci . Crawdaddy
17112-698: The Marino band, " Sandy ", and played it. His drumming on the Fats Domino song " Let the Four Winds Blow " sealed the position as his. A week later, he was offered the $ 110 per week job (US$ 680 in 2023 dollars), and he quit college immediately, about six academic credits short of a degree. Weinberg's first public performance came on September 19, 1974, at The Main Point in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania . Weinberg rose to success as
17296-414: The Max Weinberg 7 as the "saving grace" of the show. Weinberg established an image by dressing in high-quality suits and a tie; he said, "I like us to look sharp and play sharp," and "I don't want to look like the audience, I want to look different." Weinberg became a television celebrity, and his visibility and stature grew from Late Night and established an image for him beyond Springsteen. Indeed, much of
17480-406: The O'Brien show. Springsteen said, "Once again, I want to express my appreciation to Conan O'Brien, and everyone on his team, for making it possible for Max to continue to do double duty for both us and for him. We promise to return him in one piece." The younger Weinberg began playing during segments of the tour's shows, and got a very positive response from audiences and reviewers as a spark plug for
17664-579: The Philharmonic , and Charlie Parker ( Bird and Diz , 1950). In 1956, Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich recorded the collaboration album titled Krupa and Rich , which featured the song "Bernie's Tune", in which they traded drum solos for a total of six minutes. In 1959 Buddy Rich and Max Roach recorded Rich versus Roach with their respective bands of the time. From 1966 until his death, he led successful big bands in an era when their popularity had waned. He continued to play clubs but stated in interviews that
17848-528: The Reunion Tour was extended in length, shows were generally restricted to weekends, so as to permit Weinberg to fulfill his Late Night responsibilities. At NBC, the coexistence between the drummer's two bosses was known as the Weinberg-Springsteen Rule, and was not typically extended to other talent at the network. While Weinberg did not forget the breakup and long separation, he viewed it as "at
18032-587: The Seeger Sessions Band (and later shortened to the Sessions Band). The tour proved very popular in Europe, selling out everywhere and receiving some excellent reviews, but newspapers reported that a number of U.S. shows suffered from sparse attendance. Buddy Rich Bernard " Buddy " Rich (September 30, 1917 – April 2, 1987) was an American jazz drummer, songwriter, conductor, and bandleader. He
18216-459: The St. Rose of Lima Catholic School in Freehold, where he was at odds with the nuns and rebelled against the strictures imposed upon him, though some of his later music reflected a Catholic ethos and included Irish Catholic hymns with a rock music twist. In 2012, Springsteen said that it was his Catholic upbringing rather than his political ideology that most influenced his music. He said his faith gave him
18400-501: The Tonight Show Band. Andy Richter was back as an announcer, making Weinberg's role as a foil a little uncertain. Gradually, Weinberg and the band's roles in the comic aspects of the show began to assert themselves. On June 25, Weinberg departed The Tonight Show temporarily for four weeks to join Springsteen and band part-way through their European leg; this was conveyed on the show via a comedy bit that had his drum riser turn into
18584-501: The U.S.A. (1984) with the E Street Band, which became his most commercially successful album and the 23rd-best selling album of all time as of 2024. All seven singles from Born in the U.S.A. reached the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 , including the title track . Springsteen mostly hired session musicians for the recording of his next three albums, Tunnel of Love (1987), Human Touch (1992), and Lucky Town (1992). He reassembled
18768-464: The U.S.A. (1984), which featured an aerobics -timed beat on some tracks that also owed something to the popular Phil Collins drum sound . Weinberg's own experimentation since the Darkness days had also led to a more reverberant sound. Overall, Weinberg's more fluid drumming combined with Roy Bittan 's use of synthesizers and better overall production to give Springsteen a more modern sound, resulting in
18952-514: The US. The album's two singles, "Born to Run" and "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" reached No. 23 and 83, respectively, on the Billboard Hot 100. According to author Louis Masur, the album's success was tied to the fears of growing old held by a generation of late teenagers. In October 1975, Springsteen appeared on the covers of both Newsweek and Time in the same week, becoming the first artist to do so. The magazines' cover stories resulted in
19136-495: The United States unable to read or write English, but went on to become a lawyer and impressed the young Springsteen as being "larger than life". Springsteen has two younger sisters, Virginia and Pamela (born c. 1962). Pamela Springsteen worked briefly as an actress and later as a photographer; she took photos for three Springsteen albums, Human Touch , Lucky Town , and The Ghost of Tom Joad . Springsteen attended
19320-409: The acoustic MTV Unplugged television program (later released as In Concert/MTV Plugged ) was poorly received and cemented fan dissatisfaction. Springsteen won an Academy Award in 1994 for his song " Streets of Philadelphia ", which appeared on the soundtrack to the film Philadelphia . The video for the song shows Springsteen's actual vocal performance, recorded using a hidden microphone, to
19504-565: The actress's career. The song " Cover Me " was written by Springsteen for Donna Summer , but his record company persuaded him to keep it for the new album. A big fan of Summer's work, Springsteen wrote another song for her, " Protection ". Videos for Born in the U.S.A. were directed by Brian De Palma and John Sayles . Springsteen played on the " We Are the World " song and album in 1985. His live track "Trapped" from that album received moderate airplay on US Top 40 stations as well as reaching No. 1 on
19688-489: The age of seven when he sat in on a bar mitzvah band playing " When the Saints Go Marching In ". The bandleader, Herbie Zane, was the leading act for bar mitzvahs and weddings in the area; he was impressed with young Weinberg and brought him along on other engagements as a kind of novelty act. Weinberg thus became a local child star, drumming in a three-piece mohair suit. He gained an appreciation for showmanship and
19872-486: The album becoming Springsteen's best-selling one ever and spawning a record-tying seven Top 10 hit singles . Springsteen later said of the album, "Max was the best thing on the record." Weinberg's most well-known drum part came on " Born in the U.S.A. ", where his snare drum paired against Bittan's signature synthesizer riff on the opening and throughout the main part of the song. The recording then descends into improvised chaos; Springsteen had told Weinberg, "When I stop, keep
20056-581: The artists he had seen on televised variety shows . It was initially unknown whether Weinberg would be part of O'Brien's new late night show on TBS cable that began in November 2010, as no specifics had been worked out for that show while O'Brien focused on his tour. In June 2010, the Max Weinberg Big Band Tour began with a show in Red Bank, New Jersey 's Count Basie Theater . Weinberg said that he
20240-449: The attention of several people who went on to prove influential to his career development, including managers Mike Appel and Jim Cretecos, who in turn brought him to the attention of John Hammond , a talent scout at Columbia Records . In May 1972, Springsteen auditioned for Hammond. In October 1972, Springsteen formed a new band for the recording of his debut album, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. The band eventually became known as
20424-589: The band in early 1995 to record a few new songs for the Greatest Hits release. The regrouping was only temporary and the band returned to inactivity. Also in 1995, Weinberg drummed on two of Johnnie Johnson 's songs: "I'm Mad" and "She Called Me Out of My Name," on Johnson's 1995 album Johnnie Be Back . Weinberg spent two years building an 8,900-square-foot (830 m) house in Middletown Township, New Jersey , that they moved into in 1999; he picked up many of
20608-507: The band were indeed coming with him. Weinberg had not missed an E Street Band show since joining the outfit in 1974, and E Streeter Van Zandt said that no amount of rehearsal by another drummer could replace Weinberg's "intuitive understanding" of Springsteen's performance gambits. The conflict was resolved when son Jay became a substitute drummer for his father during parts of the Working on a Dream Tour that Max could not make due to commitments to
20792-824: The band's "cohesive musicality" and called Springsteen "a most impressive composer". In San Mateo , Steel Mill recorded three original Springsteen songs at Pacific Recording. As Springsteen sought to shape a unique and genuine musical and lyrical style, he performed with the bands Dr. Zoom & the Sonic Boom from early-to-mid-1971, the Sundance Blues Band in mid-1971, and the Bruce Springsteen Band from mid-1971 to mid-1972. His songwriting ability included, as his future record label described it in early publicity campaigns, "more words in some individual songs than other artists had in whole albums". He brought his skills to
20976-600: The band. Max Weinberg said Jay's segments allowed him a "total out-of-body experience. For the first time in – I've been with Bruce for 35 years – I've been able to go out in the audience and enjoy a Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band concert." In one case, Jay did one show of a two-night stand on the East Coast and Max then took a red-eye flight back from Los Angeles to do the second. The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien premiered on June 1, 2009, with The Max Weinberg 7 now expanded to eight and referred to as Max Weinberg and
21160-429: The bandleader," and that the drummer is the real "quarterback" of the band. For Shaw's part, he felt that Rich didn't follow direction and finally asked the drummer, "Who are you playing for? Me, yourself, who?" Rich admitted that he played for himself and his audience, whereupon Shaw suggested that Rich should accept the offer he had received from Tommy Dorsey : "I think you'd be happier there." Rich took Shaw's advice as
21344-427: The brass ring twice." In the early phases of the show, Weinberg was involved in occasional comedy bits, but mostly focused on his musical responsibilities, including the selection of walk-on music for guests. The band got a 30-second featured spot each night after O'Brien's opening monologue. O'Brien often received poor notices during the early years of Late Night , and Jon Pareles of The New York Times pronounced
21528-407: The class and the brilliance of Doc Severinsen in the original Tonight Show Band. I used to think when I was a kid what a great job that must be – you know, same place, every time, everyday. Lo and behold, here I am 40 years later, doing it. That sounds deep, deep, deep, deep, deeply satisfying to me." On September 25, Weinberg left The Tonight Show again for two months to join Springsteen and band for
21712-619: The concert "the most important rock concert ever, anywhere" in his 2013 book Rocking the Wall. Bruce Springsteen: The Berlin Concert That Changed the World . The concert had been conceived by the Socialist Unity Party 's youth wing in an attempt to placate the youth of East Germany , who were hungry for more freedom and the popular music of the West. However, it is Kirschbaum's opinion that
21896-419: The daily Late Night work. When the tour concluded with ten shows at New York's Madison Square Garden , on several days Weinberg taped the Conan show at Rockefeller Center in the late afternoon, put his hands in ice and changed from his suit into jeans and a vest, and played with Springsteen at night. The experience of doing both left him "professionally speaking, as alive as I've ever felt." Of his position on
22080-441: The drum platform behind Springsteen, he says, "I have the best seat in the house." His energy level was no less, as he could be seen jumping a foot off his seat during some songs. His daughter Ali joined the band on keyboards several times during the tour. Weinberg's steady drumming helped power Springsteen's 2002 comeback album, and the first E Street Band studio recording in 18 years, The Rising . Weinberg took more time off from
22264-476: The drummer for Springsteen's E Street Band, as his powerful yet controlled beat solved the E Street Band's drumming instabilities. On Born to Run (1975), Weinberg's drumming evoked two of his idols, Ringo Starr and Levon Helm , and he covered his snare drum with heavy paper towels to capture some of the Memphis soul sound. While travelling on tour, Weinberg became known for his exact requests, such as specifying
22448-492: The drums going." Upon the restart, intentional drum breakdowns matched bass swoops and guitar feedback; Springsteen subsequently said of the performance overall, "You can hear Max – to me, he was right up there with the best of them on that song." Weinberg said it was one of his most intense musical experiences. On the subsequent Born in the U.S.A. Tour , Springsteen generally interspersed hard-rocking song sequences after every three or four numbers in order to give Weinberg's hands
22632-421: The empty audience seats in the afternoon and listen to the band. ... He'd only have to listen to a chart once and he'd have it memorized. We'd run through it and he'd know exactly how it went, how many measures it ran and what he'd have to do to drive it." In a Modern Drummer interview, Buddy had this to say about practicing: "I don't put much emphasis on practice anyhow. I think it's a fallacy to believe that
22816-465: The final, American portion of the Working on a Dream Tour. The same drum-riser-to-float comedy bit was used, except this time the float was "hit" and demolished by a truck just outside the studio (and airing of the segment was delayed a few days due to O'Brien legitimately injuring himself during the same show). The tour wrapped on November 22, 2009, in Buffalo, New York ; Weinberg was back on The Tonight Show
23000-414: The following month with a favorable outcome, but did not reveal publicly the news of this health situation for another six years. Bruce Springsteen Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Nicknamed "the Boss", he has released 21 studio albums during a career spanning six decades, most of which feature his backing band,
23184-431: The following summer's No Nukes documentary film, represented the first official recordings and footage of Springsteen's fabled live act and Springsteen's first tentative dip into political involvement. The recording sessions for Springsteen's fifth album, The River , lasted 18 months. The 20-track double album was an attempt at capturing the energy and feel of the E Street Band playing live on stage and featured
23368-564: The furnishings for it from locations around the world during subsequent tours. The Max Weinberg 7 released a self-titled album in 2000 on Hip-O Records ; Weinberg said he waited until then because "I wanted to change my style of playing and hone my style before I committed to a record." He was especially proud that the band had successfully backed Tony Bennett during a late 1990s appearance on Late Night : "Two years ago if you'd asked me if I could play with Tony Bennett, I would have said absolutely not. I'm not in his league. But we played with him
23552-472: The highest-profile reunions in rock history was thought to be of long-term benefit to the television show's appeal, and an arrangement was worked out wherein Weinberg took a leave of absence from Late Night in order to go out on this and subsequent tours. When he was tied up with Springsteen, drummer James Wormworth took his place, and the band was led by Jimmy Vivino ("Jimmy Vivino and the Max Weinberg 7"). When
23736-532: The highlights of Weinberg's career. On June 22, 1981, Weinberg married Rebecca Schick, a Methodist who had grown up in Tinton Falls, New Jersey , and whom he had met through a mutual friend. Springsteen and the band played at their wedding, which was officiated by the same rabbi that Weinberg had while growing up. Becky Weinberg worked as a high school history teacher. They had two children, daughter Ali (born c. 1987) and son Jay (born 1990). In 1984, they bought
23920-558: The hora and playing everything from Dixieland jazz to Acker Bilk 's " Stranger on the Shore ". Weinberg attended Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel, a Reform Judaism congregation in South Orange, where he was inspired by a local rabbi and had what he later described as "a wonderful Jewish background." He would later say that the Jewish concept of seder , meaning order, became key to his vision of how
24104-419: The house band. The band performed on the show every night since its premiere on September 13, 1993. O'Brien later said of the Weinberg choice, "The energy and enthusiasm of his music coincided with the show I wanted to do. Plus, his tan offset my ghostly complexion." Weinberg held the title of music director on the show, while Vivino did most of the arranging. Of his career rebound, Weinberg said simply: "I grabbed
24288-451: The legal profession, he has had no regrets: "The world needs more drummers and fewer lawyers." However, Weinberg's stint as Tonight Show bandleader was not to last long. The 2010 Tonight Show host and timeslot conflict erupted, and after an intense period of public turmoil, the last O'Brien show took place on January 22, 2010, finishing with Weinberg propelling a guest-filled seriocomic rendition of " Free Bird ". While O'Brien negotiated
24472-481: The majority of his band's performances were at high schools, colleges, and universities rather than clubs. He was a session drummer for many recordings, where his playing was often less prominent than in his big-band performances. Especially notable were sessions for Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong , and the Oscar Peterson trio with bassist Ray Brown and guitarist Herb Ellis . In 1968, Rich collaborated with
24656-545: The material was written almost 10 years earlier, during or shortly after the Ghost of Tom Joad Tour; a few of the songs had been performed at that time but unreleased. The title track concerns an ordinary soldier's feelings and fears during the Iraq War . The album topped the charts in ten countries. Springsteen began the solo Devils & Dust Tour at the same time as the album's release, playing both small and large venues. Attendance
24840-406: The more you practice, the better you become. You can only get better by playing. You can sit in a basement with a set of drums and practice rudiments all day long, but if you don't play with a band, you won't learn style, technique, and taste, and you won't learn how to play for a band and with a band. It's like getting a job, any kind of job, it's an opportunity to develop. And practice, besides that,
25024-413: The most rewarding things the band had done. In 1984, Weinberg published The Big Beat: Conversations with Rock's Greatest Drummers , a series of interviews conducted over two years with drummers from various eras, including Starr, Helm, D. J. Fontana , Charlie Watts , Dino Danelli , Hal Blaine and others. The book captured drummers revealing more about their musical approaches than they normally did to
25208-530: The much more sedate and contemplative Tunnel of Love in October 1987. The album is a mature reflection on the many faces of love found, lost and squandered, and the full sound of the E Street Band is included only selectively. Although it sold less than Born in the U.S.A. , it was a commercial success, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard 200. On July 19, 1988, Springsteen's concert in East Germany attracted 300,000 spectators. Journalist Erik Kirschbaum called
25392-411: The new show. Weinberg said his health was better than ever but that the "life-changing experience emotionally and spiritually" of the surgery, a desire to remain in New Jersey with his family, and an interest in exploring new musical directions had all played a role in his departure from O'Brien. Another health scare happened in June 2011 when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer . He had surgery for it
25576-445: The next day. With no E Street Band projects in sight for at least the next year or two, Weinberg was left to concentrate on his bandleader role. Even though Weinberg was living in Los Angeles for The Tonight Show , he retained his home in New Jersey and considered that his permanent residence: "I'm not really moving. I'm living out here, but it's more like an extended road trip." Regarding his decision to stay in music rather than pursue
25760-478: The other night, and it was wonderful. We swung." Springsteen reunited the E Street Band in 1999 on a more lasting basis, for the Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Reunion Tour . This posed a dilemma for Weinberg, whose greater loyalty was to O'Brien and NBC . Indeed, up until then Weinberg had never missed a Late Night show, appearing in over 1,000 in a row. However, allowing Weinberg to tour for one of
25944-498: The particular brand of paper towels to use for his drums or the standards for his hotel rooms. Weinberg never adopted the "rock and roll lifestyle"; he treated his music seriously and kept to the mantra, "Show up, do a good job, and give them more than their money's worth." One compromise Weinberg did have to make was sometimes playing on the High Holy Days . During shows, Springsteen built up the personas of his bandmates, and Weinberg
26128-445: The plan was approved by the town's zoning board, and in 2008 Weinberg went ahead with plans to sell the lots. Weinberg generally avoids political comments, but did campaign for John Kerry in the 2004 United States presidential election . Springsteen himself also made appearances on Late Night in 1999, 2002, and 2006. Weinberg participated in the 2004 Vote for Change tour then drummed on Springsteen's 2007 album Magic . There, he
26312-434: The press and was thus considered an important addition to the rock literature. In 1986, Weinberg began taking a one-man show "Growing Up on E Street" to college campuses around the country. It contained some short films that Weinberg produced as well as a question-and-answer session. Weinberg also played as a session musician , enjoying particular success in connection with songwriter and producer Jim Steinman . He drummed on
26496-470: The release of an early mix of " Born to Run " to nearly a dozen radio stations, anticipation built toward the album's release. The album took over 14 months to record with six months spent recording "Born to Run" alone. E Street Band members David Sancious and Ernest Carter departed after "Born to Run" was completed, and were replaced by Roy Bittan and Max Weinberg on piano and drums, respectively. Springsteen battled with anger and frustration throughout
26680-555: The remaining 21 credits needed to obtain his bachelor's degree in communications . He graduated from there later in 1989. He then briefly attended Yeshiva University 's Cardozo School of Law , but withdrew after six weeks. Weinberg asked Ringo Starr for advice on how to go on when the band that had made your life had broken up. Weinberg and Springsteen remained on friendly terms during this period. In 1990, Weinberg began offering motivational seminars oriented towards corporations to augment his one-person college show business. He received
26864-499: The rest of the group was part of the tour under the moniker The Legally Prohibited Band, Weinberg was not (except for a brief appearance at one show). Instead, he assembled and staged appearances by the Max Weinberg Big Band, a fifteen-piece ensemble with twelve horns that mostly plays the music of Frank Sinatra , Buddy Rich , Count Basie , and Maynard Ferguson . Weinberg's interest in the genre dated back to his childhood and
27048-517: The rim of a drum." Rich was married to Marie Allison, a dancer and showgirl, on April 24, 1953, until his death in 1987. They had a daughter in 1954, Cathy, who later became a vocalist and carried on her father's band. Rich was also cousin of actor Jonathan Haze . Rich lived in Williamsburg, Brooklyn . In March 1968 he was convicted of failing to report $ 50,000 of income in 1961 and was given five years' probation , fined $ 2,500 and ordered to pay
27232-419: The role as bandleader of The Max Weinberg 7 for Late Night with Conan O'Brien . Weinberg's drums-driven jump blues sound and his role as a comic foil prospered along with the show, giving him a second career. In 1999, Springsteen re-formed the E Street Band for a series of tours and albums; Weinberg worked out an arrangement that allowed him to play with both O'Brien and Springsteen. In 2009, Weinberg moved to
27416-550: The same label a decade earlier. Despite the expectations of Columbia Records' executives that Springsteen would record an acoustic album, he brought many of his New Jersey–based colleagues with him, who would later form the E Street Band, which the band formally named several months later. His debut album Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. , released in January 1973, established him as a critical favorite, though sales were slow. Because of Springsteen's lyrical poeticism and folk rock -rooted music exemplified on tracks like " Blinded by
27600-426: The same time the most horrifying experience I've ever been through and the most liberating." In any case, he immediately felt comfortable playing with Springsteen once more: "Right from the first downbeat of the first rehearsal, it was there again." His drumming for the E Street Band was more relaxed and mature than before, showing more confidence and finesse, and his hands and fingers were in better shape for having done
27784-420: The sessions, saying he heard "sounds in [his] head" that he could not explain to the others in the studio. He also dealt with two producers who had opposing views, which Springsteen had to meet in the middle of. During the recording of " Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out ", Steven Van Zandt conceived the horn parts for the horn players on the spot in the studio after Springsteen and Bittan had failed to write proper ones by
27968-544: The short-lived Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien as leader of Max Weinberg and The Tonight Show Band . Upon that program's conclusion, Weinberg was not invited to follow O'Brien to the new Conan show. Weinberg continued playing with Springsteen, and in 2014 was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the E Street Band. Weinberg was born on April 13, 1951, to a Jewish family in Newark , New Jersey, to parents Bertram Weinberg, an attorney , and Ruth Weinberg,
28152-483: The show surviving, with Weinberg's personality providing a foil to O'Brien's and with "the Max Weinberg 7 [leaving] television viewers wishing they were in the studio to hear more." Their sound also fit into the swing revival going on during the late 1990s. In 2000, O'Brien sidekick Andy Richter left the show, and Weinberg became the " second banana ". Weinberg continued to present an obvious visual foil: as O'Brien said, "If you looked at this guy you would never know he
28336-437: The show's young fan base, and some of the staff on the show itself, were unaware of Weinberg's past role in the E Street Band. In 1994, Rhino Records released Max Weinberg Presents: Let There Be Drums , a three-volume set of CDs that highlighted drumming that Weinberg admired on songs from the 1950s through the 1970s. Recaps in 1998 of the first five years of Late Night concluded that the band had been an important element in
28520-519: The sprawling, four-disc box set of outtakes , Tracks . Later, he would acknowledge that the 1990s were musically a "lost period" for him: "I didn't do a lot of work. Some people would say I didn't do my best work." Springsteen was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999 by Bono (the lead singer of U2), a favor he returned in 2005. In 1999, Springsteen and the E Street Band reunited and began their extensive Reunion Tour , which lasted over
28704-437: The studio for nearly a year, during which time he kept the E Street Band together through extensive touring across the U.S. and continued writing new material. Reaching a settlement with Appel in May 1977, Springsteen returned to the studio, and the subsequent nine-month recording sessions with the E Street Band produced Darkness on the Edge of Town . The record stripped the "Wall of Sound" production of Born to Run for
28888-602: The success of the concert catalyzed opposition to the regime in East Germany, and helped contribute to the fall of the Berlin Wall the following year. Later in 1988, Springsteen headlined the worldwide Human Rights Now! tour for Amnesty International . In October 1989, he dissolved the E Street Band. In 1992, after risking fan accusations of "going Hollywood" by moving to Los Angeles and working with session musicians , Springsteen released two albums at once: Human Touch and Lucky Town . An electric band appearance on
29072-405: The time of the announcement that he hoped that Weinberg would follow him to Los Angeles and that he also hoped an arrangement could be worked out to let Weinberg go on the road with Springsteen as had been done for past tours. Whether Weinberg would stay with O'Brien and move or not became a subject of conflicting news reports. Nevertheless, O'Brien confirmed on February 18, 2009, that Weinberg and
29256-430: The time the players arrived to record. He joined the E Street Band shortly after. Mixing for Born to Run lasted until July 20, 1975, just before a concert tour began. Born to Run was mastered while the band was on the road. Springsteen was furious at the initial acetate, throwing it into the swimming pool of the hotel he was staying at. He contemplated scrapping the entire project and re-recording it live before he
29440-429: The verses were entirely unambiguous when listened to, but the anthemic music and the title of the song made it hard for many, from politicians to the common person, to get the lyrics—except those in the chorus, which could be read many ways. The song made a huge political impact, as he was advocating for the rights of the common working-class man. The song was widely misinterpreted as jingoistic , and in connection with
29624-566: The young Springsteen when he promised he would make it big. In the late 1960s, Springsteen performed briefly in a power trio known as Earth, who played in various clubs in New Jersey and at a major show at the Hotel Diplomat in New York City . This was different, shifted the lay of the land. Four guys, playing and singing, writing their own material. [...] Rock 'n' roll came to my house where there seemed to be no way out [...] and opened up
29808-535: Was drafted , but failed his physical examination because of a concussion he suffered in a motorcycle accident two years earlier combined with his behavior at induction, both of which reportedly made him unacceptable for military service . In failing his examination, Springsteen likely avoided conscripted service in the Vietnam War . In 1969, when he was 20 years old, Springsteen's parents and sister Pamela moved to San Mateo, California ; he and his sister Virginia, who
29992-427: Was Springsteen's largest up to that point and featured shows that lasted upwards of three hours in length. The staff of Ultimate Classic Rock said the tour solidified Springsteen and the E Street Band as "one of the most exciting live acts in rock 'n' roll". By the late 1970s, Springsteen earned a reputation as a songwriter whose material could provide hits for other bands. Manfred Mann's Earth Band had achieved
30176-522: Was a fan of Liberace and Sammy Davis, Jr. He grew to idolize drummer Buddy Rich and become a fan of Gene Krupa and saw drummer Ed Shaughnessy of Doc Severinsen 's band on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson as having an ideal job as well as admiring the level of playing and serious sartorial style of the Tonight Show musicians. Weinberg stayed with Zane until junior high school and learned rhythms such as cha-chas , merengues , polkas , and
30360-502: Was an early champion of Springsteen; Knobler profiled him in the magazine three times, in 1973, 1975, and 1978. In June 1976, Springsteen and the E Street Band acknowledged the magazine's support by giving a private performance at the magazine's 10th Anniversary Party in New York City. Springsteen's second album, The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle , was released in November 1973, eleven months after Greetings from Asbury Park . Like Springsteen's inaugural album, The Wild,
30544-400: Was booking appearances by his big band through 2011 and that with regard to O'Brien, "I literally have not thought about it. There have been no discussions. It's kind of an open question." In September 2010, it was announced Weinberg would not be part of the show, now named Conan ; Jimmy Vivino took over leadership of that band, with Wormworth replacing Weinberg full-time on drums. The split
30728-555: Was born at Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, New Jersey , on September 23, 1949, to Douglas Frederick "Dutch" Springsteen (1924–1998) and his wife, Adele Ann (née Zerilli; 1925–2024). Springsteen's father worked as a bus driver and other jobs. His father had mental health issues throughout his life, which worsened in his later life. His mother, who was originally from the Bay Ridge neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York , worked as
30912-505: Was comically presented as a twisted character with sexual fetishes and homicidal tendencies in comedy bits. When O'Brien was host of Saturday Night Live on March 10, 2001, his monologue featured a visit from the SNL studio to the Late Night studio (only a few floors apart in the same building, 30 Rockefeller Plaza ), where O'Brien discovers Weinberg engaged in sexual intercourse on his desk with
31096-411: Was disappointing in a few regions, and except in Europe tickets were easier to get than in the past. In April 2006, Springsteen released We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions , an American roots music project focused around a big folk sound treatment of 15 songs popularized by the radical musical activism of Pete Seeger . A tour began the same month, with the 18-strong ensemble of musicians dubbed
31280-684: Was discharged in 1944 for medical reasons. After leaving the Marines, he returned to the Dorsey band. In 1946, with financial support from Frank Sinatra, he formed a band and continued to lead bands intermittently until the early 1950s. Following the war, Rich formed his own big band, which often played at the Apollo Theater and featured backing vocals from Frank Sinatra . In addition to playing with Tommy Dorsey (1939–1942, 1945, 1954–1955), Rich played with Benny Carter (1942), Harry James (1953–1962, 1964, 1965), Les Brown , Charlie Ventura , Jazz at
31464-509: Was documented in a series of secret recordings made on tour buses and in dressing rooms by pianist Lee Musiker , who concealed a compact tape recorder in his clothing while on tour with Rich in the early 1980s. On one recording, Rich threatens to fire trombonist Dave Panichi for having a beard. Although he threatened many times to fire members of his band, he seldom did so and, for the most part, praised his musicians in television and print interviews. The day before his death, April 1, 1987, Rich
31648-402: Was frequently referred to as "the Mighty Max". Weinberg started a long practice of keeping his eyes on Springsteen every moment during the show, even when Springsteen was behind the stage, as he never knew when Springsteen would change a tempo or suddenly deviate from the set list . Decades later, E Street guitarist Steve Van Zandt would say of Weinberg, "What nobody understands is that not only
31832-502: Was himself a drum enthusiast. In 1973 PBS broadcast and syndicated Rich's February 6, 1973, performance at the Top of the Plaza in Rochester, New York . It was the first time thousands of drummers were exposed to Buddy in a full-length concert setting, and many drummers continue to name this program as a prime influence on their own playing. One of his most widely seen television performances
32016-539: Was in a 1981 episode of The Muppet Show in which he engaged Muppet drummer Animal (performed by Frank Oz , drums played by Ronnie Verrell ) in a drum battle. Rich's famous televised drum battles also included Gene Krupa , Ed Shaughnessy and Louie Bellson . Perhaps the most viewed television appearance was on Here's Lucy in the 1970 episode "Lucy And The Drum Contest". Rich cited Gene Krupa , Jo Jones , Chick Webb , Ray McKinley , Ray Bauduc , and Sid Catlett as influences. He usually held his sticks with
32200-479: Was inspired by John Steinbeck 's The Grapes of Wrath and by Journey to Nowhere: The Saga of the New Underclass , a book by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Dale Maharidge and photographer Michael Williamson . The album was generally less well-received than the thematically similar Nebraska due to the minimal melody , twangy vocals, and political nature of most of the songs; however, some praised it for giving
32384-411: Was married and pregnant at the time, remained in Freehold. In 1964, Springsteen saw the Beatles ' televised appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show . Inspired, he bought his first guitar for $ 18.95 at the Western Auto appliance store. Thereafter, he started playing for audiences with a band called the Rogues at local venues, including Elks Lodge in Freehold. Later that year, his mother took out
32568-405: Was part of a core rhythm section comprising himself, Springsteen, bassist Garry Tallent , and pianist Roy Bittan , who did the tracks first; other members' contributions were added later. Weinberg then took more time off from the Conan show to do the 2007–2008 Magic Tour . Weinberg repeated his role in the core section in recording Springsteen's Working on a Dream album. Weinberg also fulfilled
32752-493: Was something physical, not only mental, that you had to have." Adler denied the rumor that he taught Rich how to play. "Sure, he studied with me, but he didn't come to me to learn how to hold the drumsticks. I set out to teach Buddy to read. He'd take six lessons, go on the road for six weeks and come back. He didn't practice. He couldn't, because wherever the guy went, he was followed around by admiring drummers. He didn't have time to practice. ...Tommy Dorsey wanted Buddy to write
32936-490: Was stated as being mutual, with O'Brien saying, "Max has been a huge part of my life for the past 17 years and he is an incredible bandleader and musician," and Weinberg thanking his band and saying, "17 years – a lifetime on TV ... my association with Conan, his staff, and crew has been a deeply rewarding experience for me." Weinberg subsequently acknowledged that "we both wanted to go in different directions," but both looked forward to Weinberg occasionally stopping by to sit in on
33120-400: Was stopped by Landau. Springsteen was sent multiple mixes as he was on the road and rejected all of them, approving the final one in early August. Born to Run was released in August 1975. It proved to be a breakthrough album that catapulted Springsteen to worldwide fame. The album peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart, eventually going seven times platinum in
33304-415: Was the Nebraska album. I don't think he's been listening to this one." He then began playing "Johnny 99", with its allusions to closing factories and criminals. " Dancing in the Dark " was the biggest of seven hit singles from Born in the U.S.A. , peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard singles chart. The video for the song showed a young Courteney Cox dancing on stage with Springsteen, which helped start
33488-448: Was the drummer for Charlie Parker , especially when a jazz critic stated Roach had topped Rich as the world's greatest drummer. Drummer John JR Robinson told Crow he was with Roach when Rich drove by with a beautiful woman seated next to him and yelled, "Hey, Max! Top this!" Nonetheless, the two worked together on the 1959 album Rich Versus Roach , and Roach appeared on the 1994 Rich tribute album Burning for Buddy . Rich's temper
33672-416: Was the drummer in a huge rock 'n' roll band. You would say he was the guy who did the band's accounting. But Max is the authoritative, buttoned-down adult in the midst of all this madness." Weinberg reveled in O'Brien's youthful audience: "To be 49 and appreciated by 14-year-olds again? What a thrill!" Weinberg engaged in stare-downs with O'Brien and gave scripted screeds about newsmakers. Additionally, Weinberg
33856-488: Was visited by Mel Tormé , who claimed that one of Rich's last requests was to hear the tapes of his angry outbursts. Tormé was working on an authorized biography of Rich and included excerpts of the tapes in the book, but he never played the tapes for Rich. In Mel Tormé's biography of Buddy, he notes that while Buddy was tough on his band, there were a few instances when some members stood up to him. One departing musician told Rich, "I came to this band to play music, not join
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