Bruce Springsteen Rock and Roll Future: Photos and Recollections

Photographer Schnier offers insider snapshots of a moment in the early career of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. The band had two albums under its belt by the spring of 1974, but lackluster sales had made Columbia Records consider dropping them. But on May 9, 1974, when the band played at the Harvard Square Theater with Bonnie Raitt in Cambridge, Mass., rock critic Jon Landau was there and declared, “I have seen the future of rock and roll and its name is Bruce Springsteen,” a statement that instantly changed the band’s trajectory. Fan and amateur photographer Schnier was also at that show, and his recollections of that night and his photographs fill this adoring souvenir. From soundcheck to showtime, Schnier gives readers a window into a legendary performance via images and commentary (“He was a Jersey kid with the smoothness of Sinatra and the sharp edge of a razor”). Stark shots of Springsteen and his fellow band members, along with short interviews, add depth and color to his narrative. Schnier gained notoriety for his expertly shot photo of Springsteen alone at the piano (the sequence is given an elaborate gatefold treatment), but not every shot is a winner, as some are blurry or too dark. Springsteen fans will appreciate this unique snapshot of a pivotal show in the rock legend’s career. (BookLife)