Jordana Pollack
Field Notes
11/25/14
INTERVIEWS
Eric Wellman- Former Producer of Q104.3’s Morning Show (Through Email)
Me: Why is Classic Rock still so popular today even though it is 40 years old?
Eric Wellman: “We have three generations that are hard core classic rock fans.
Me: But don’t they all listen to the same thing?
Eric Wellman: “Guys who listened to the Beatles and Stones, were also listening to
70’s and 80’s music like Bruce Springsteen. It was one big tent, and everything fit”.
Me: As program director of Q104.3, what have you done to target all three generations as well as keep it all relevant?
Eric Wellman: As program director, I began to add “newer” songs from the mid-late
80’s and started playing less songs from the early 60’s in order to gain that younger audience’s attention.
Me: Why do you think Springsteen in particular is still so current?
Eric: “Bruce is a 65 year old stuck in a 30 year olds body. His constant touring, new albums and apparent dedication that is put into his music, fans and shows are what makes him so relevant, 40 years after his first album release.
Jim Kerr— Long time Radio Personality. Host of Jim Kerr Rock and Roll
Morning Show (Through Email)
Me: As a long time radio DJ, how do you think Classic Rock has evolved in out contemporary music environment?
Jim: “From the British Invasion on…[classic rock] had a life of it’s own and lasted longer than genres that seemed dominant at the time.”
Me: What do you believe is the key to its endurance?
Jim: The key to classic rock’s endurance and longevity is it’s cross-generational and cultural appeal.

Me: How do you think Bruce Springsteen fits into that subculture?
Jim: As one segment of audience aged out, enough new fans were listening because
Bruce keeps himself so relevant, unlike many other artists.
Me: How do you think he achieves that?
Jim: He achieves that significance through writing about real life struggles, participating in current fund raisers, and constantly writing new material accompanied by world tours.
Joe Cristiano: Q104.3 Producer Jim Kerr Rock and Roll Morning Show (Phone
Interview)
Me: As a long time producer of a classic rock radio show, how do you personally think Springsteen stays so current?
Joe: Bruce is still relevant because what he sings about is still relevant. The themes he wrote about in the 70’s and 80’s are still things that we are struggling with today.
Me: What in his songs specifically does he talk about that is so relatable?
Joe: Bruce sings a lot about inequality, war, and dissatisfaction with out elected leader. He once said “I spent most of my life as a musician measuring the distance between the American dream and American reality” and that is what I think people relate to.
David Pollack. Long time Bruce fan. My dad. (In person interview)
Me: As a fan of Springsteen since the 70’s, what have you noticed Bruce do over the years that keeps him so relevant today?
David: Bruce continues to write and sing songs about social justice and many important issues of the day that affect our lives.
Me: As a fan, what act of Bruce’s is personally most important to you?
David: I am personally, as well as many others, fascinated and touched by the way he takes on causes such as support for veterans; food for the hungry and political issues such as performing for the President’s campaign. These are important causes, especially today which is a main reason he is still very significant.
Me: Having been to many live shows, what have you noticed about Bruce’s fan base?

David: Compared to dozens of other Classic Rock artists I’ve seen live, Bruce’s fan base is the most devoted, loyal and close-knit group of people. No matter where people are from, their gender, age or occupation, once at a Bruce concert together, they all become family. That’s the affect Bruce has on his fans.
Springsteen Fan Blogs
Esquire Blog: Steve Matoren. “Confessions of a Hardcore Bruce Springsteen
Fan. The Boss Matter To Us Because We Matter To Him”
-Referring to his 90 live show experiences:
“It's also the people I've befriended from all over the world that keep me coming back. An 18-year-old Scottish blogger, a Denver restaurant owner, a fellow
University of Florida alum, a TV sportscaster from Philadelphia, a housewife from
Indiana, a few divorcees, a Canadian nurse, an Irishman in Milan, an Italian rock journalist, an outlaw country DJ, an attorney from San Diego who pulled himself up from homelessness in high school thanks in part to inspiration from Bruce, and many, many more who share my passion for all things Springsteen. I've lived, I've loved, and I've lost, all across the E Street Nation.”
Chris Jordan, Asbury Park Press. Sept. 13 th , 2014
“I feel some other bands of comparable stature, like the Rolling Stones, tried to keep commercially relevant past the point it was possible for them. Springsteen is not trying to write the next hit, but he has a following worldwide who shows up for everything he does.”
“When Springsteen speaks, people — including presidents and governors — listen.”
"Whether you like it not, Springsteen has managed to stay relevant."
Matt Rodden. “Why Bruce Springsteen Is More Relevant Than Ever”.
Junkee.com. Aug. 2013
“When Springsteen sings his new songs this tour, don’t take a bathroom break.
When he starts talking about the state of the world, listen up. It’s 2013, and the Boss is as relevant as he’s ever been.”
“The king kept on singing over his shoulder down to the rest of us, about blue collar workers and ill-treated veterans, about abandonment and activism and the potential of the collective. And though the gap between he and they continues to grow, he continues to sing into the maw, and the people continue to listen.”

DOCUMENTARY
“Springsteen & I,” Made by Fans, For the Fans. Springsteen & I Captures Spirit of Springsteen Fandom.
Jon Braager- Voice in the film
“I felt like I was the only one there. It was like he was playing for me.”
“ During the last verse of the song [Blood Brothers], the guy next to me put his arm around me. It didn’t seem weird at all.”
Viewer of the film (Found on “Classic Rock Blog”)
“Springsteen & I masterfully captures the spirit of Bruce fandom, revealing not just the connections that we have with Springsteen’s music but the connections that we have with each other through Springsteen’s music.”
Indeed, though we are of different ages, different races, and different sexes…as
Springsteen fans, we are all part of a special brotherhood…a family… one that finds hope, faith and strength in Bruce Springsteen’s music. The “I” in Springsteen &
I represents all of us – unified – as we travel through our land of hopes and dreams.
Voice in film (name unknown)
“To me, Bruce means love. Not for Bruce but for you” (wife videoing him)
On Sight
Billy Joel Concert- 11/25/14
Tonight, I had the privilege of seeing Billy Joel live at Madison Square Garden for his
11 th show there this year. Still sold out and packed. Sting AND John Mellencamp came onstage for a surprise performance. Outstanding. Proves how Classic Rock is still so very popular. Billy Joel selling out each month he performs as MSG.
Springsteen concerts 2009-2014
Over the course of 15+ Bruce shows I’ve been too I’ve witness a community that is

not seen with other artists. The friends I’ve made and people I have met exceed anything I’ve encountered at other Classic Rock shows. Bruce interacts with fans and while he may give more attention to some people, the people near them are nothing short of happy for them. High fiving, hugging and arms around people you have just met are considered totally normal at a Springsteen show.