Midnight Oil

[Powderworks] The Boss

GrnVillageGirl@aol.com GrnVillageGirl@aol.com
Sat, 21 Sep 2002 22:14:38 EDT


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I am very familiar with Bruce Springsteen's work. The difference is that he 
writes mainly about personal relationships, while the Oils write more in the 
'universal' sense.
In a million years, the Oils would never produce a "Rosalita," much as 
Springsteen would be incapable of coming up with a "Warakurna."
Bruce is a creature of the suburbs, the seashore and the city (much like the 
Oils, originally, now that I think of it) so these settings turn up most 
often in his work -- excepting "Nebraska," which has a more rural sensibility 
on some tracks. Nonetheless, he doesn't write about the land and the earth so 
much as he does about people, and matters of the heart and soul. That is his 
particular interest, and gift.
BTW, if anyone here hasn't heard "Nebraska" (which has gotten rather short 
shrift, as it's not one of his 'big rock & roll' albums), I suggest you give 
it a good listen. It's an extraordinary artistic achievement, and so moving 
that it gives you chills.
I'm also a big fan of the underrated "Tunnel of Love."
When it comes to putting on a rock show, Springsteen (who turns 53 on Monday 
-- so happy birthday, Bruce) takes a back seat to no one. It's a different 
experience entirely from the Oils, like comparing apples and oranges, except 
that both artists will leave you exhilarated, moved, exhausted, thrilled. I'm 
not saying one is better than the other, so don't start throwing tomatoes.
I've seen literally thousands of concerts in my life, including over 3 dozen 
Springsteen shows since 1976, and about 2 dozen Oils shows -- give or take a 
few -- since '85.
Steve Earle is also an exceptional songwriter, championing the downtrodden 
and particularly the imprisoned, although his performances have nowhere near 
the electricity of either Springsteen or Midnight Oil.
The question was, I think, do we as Americans have anybody who speaks to the 
same issues as the Oils in such a powerful way? And the answer is, I think 
not. The good thing is, as other Powderworkers have already pointed out, we 
DO have the Oils -- thank goodness they're still in action, still as vital 
and still as powerful -- and their music is transcendent enough to embrace 
the globe, while remaining distinctly Australian in origin.
Fortunate, aren't we?




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<HTML><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><BODY BGCOLOR="#ffffff"><FONT  style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=2>I am very familiar with Bruce Springsteen's work. The difference is that he writes mainly about personal relationships, while the Oils write more in the 'universal' sense.<BR>
In a million years, the Oils would never produce a "Rosalita," much as Springsteen would be incapable of coming up with a "Warakurna."<BR>
Bruce is a creature of the suburbs, the seashore and the city (much like the Oils, originally, now that I think of it) so these settings turn up most often in his work -- excepting "Nebraska," which has a more rural sensibility on some tracks. Nonetheless, he doesn't write about the land and the earth so much as he does about people, and matters of the heart and soul. That is his particular interest, and gift.<BR>
BTW, if anyone here hasn't heard "Nebraska" (which has gotten rather short shrift, as it's not one of his 'big rock &amp; roll' albums), I suggest you give it a good listen. It's an extraordinary artistic achievement, and so moving that it gives you chills.<BR>
I'm also a big fan of the underrated "Tunnel of Love."<BR>
When it comes to putting on a rock show, Springsteen (who turns 53 on Monday -- so happy birthday, Bruce) takes a back seat to no one. It's a different experience entirely from the Oils, like comparing apples and oranges, except that both artists will leave you exhilarated, moved, exhausted, thrilled. I'm not saying one is better than the other, so don't start throwing tomatoes.<BR>
I've seen literally thousands of concerts in my life, including over 3 dozen Springsteen shows since 1976, and about 2 dozen Oils shows -- give or take a few -- since '85.<BR>
Steve Earle is also an exceptional songwriter, championing the downtrodden and particularly the imprisoned, although his performances have nowhere near the electricity of either Springsteen or Midnight Oil.<BR>
The question was, I think, do we as Americans have anybody who speaks to the same issues as the Oils in such a powerful way? And the answer is, I think not. The good thing is, as other Powderworkers have already pointed out, we DO have the Oils -- thank goodness they're still in action, still as vital and still as powerful -- and their music is transcendent enough to embrace the globe, while remaining distinctly Australian in origin.<BR>
Fortunate, aren't we?<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
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