I was digging through my CD collection today (gasp!!…not mp3’s or ipod??) I grabbed Bruce Springsteen’s “Born To Run” as it’s been a while since I had a listen to it. The songs played as I continued wiring a Dual Classic amp I was finishing up. I realized how I had never really payed much attention to the guitar parts on that album because they are so entwined within the songs and because frankly – the guitar tone is just OK, an old Telecaster through a Fender Twin I think?

Bruce Springsteen: Born to Run (album cover)

What grabbed me is the way Bruce pilots the band with push/pull rhythms and energy that ebbs and flows from start to finish on almost every song. He has the ability to “conduct” the band with his guitar and that is really rare for a singer/songwriter who happens to play guitar. I always felt John Lennon was another musician that had this ability as well – the ability to drive a band where it needs to go and arrive when it needs to get there. It’s not about technical know-how or even amazing tone with these guys. It’s about feel,timing, guts and energy.  So many of these things are easy to forget about with all the other distractions of being a musician.