NILS LOFGREN
''FACE THE MUSIC, DISC ONE''
AUGUST 2014
673:59
Disc One: Grin Years 1971-1973 - 73:06
1. See What A Love Can Do (5:01)
2. Everybody's Missin' The Sun (2:44)
3. Like Rain (3:39)
4. Outlaw (4:01)
5. If I Were A Song (3:10)
6. We All Sung Together (3:43)
7. Take You To The Movies Tonight (1:48)
8. White Lies (3:29)
9. Slippery Fingers (4:12)
10. Moon Tears (2:20)
11. Lost A Number (3:11)
12. Soft Fun (5:43)
13. Hi, Hello Home (2:31)
14. Love Or Else (3:41)
15. Sad Letter (3:14)
16. Ain't Love Nice (2:11)
17. She Ain't Right (3:28)
18. All Out (3:09)
19. Rusty Gun (2:20)
20. Beggar's Day (Eulogy To Danny Whitten) (4:21)
21. One More Time (5:10)
Produced by David Briggs
Nils Lofgren: vocals, guitars, keyboards, percussion
with
drums, vocals: Bob Berberich
bass, vocals: Bob Gordon
vocals: Neil Young, Danny Whitten, Ralph Molina (1, 4); Jerry Williams (1); Graham Nash (13); Kathi McDonald (17, 18);
Merry Clayton, Clydie King, Sherlie Matthews (21)
guitar, vocals: Tom Lofgren (14-18, 20, 21)
percussion: Bobbye Hall (20)
17 from Grin (self-titled first album) (1971)
Originally released 1971. All rights reserved by Columbia Records,
a division of Sony Music
8-13 from Grin: 1+1 (1972)
1972 Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
14-19 from Grin: All Out (1972) (Sony BMG Music Entertainment)
20-21 from Grin: Gone Crazy (1973) (A&M/Universal)
Disc Two: Solo Years 1975-1977 - 73:23
The Sun Hasn't Set On This Boy Yet
1. One More Saturday Night (3:09)
2. If I Say It, It's So (2:57)
3. Can't Buy A Break (3:18)
4. Back It Up (2:21)
5. I Don't Want to Know (Live Bootleg Version) (3:47)
6. The Sun Hasn't Set On This Boy Yet (2:47)
7. Rock And Roll Crook (2:54)
8. Two By Two (3:05)
9. Cry Tough (5:03)
10. It's Not A Crime (4:14) (Nils Lofgren & Tom Lofgren)
11. Share A Little (5:17)
12. Can't Get Closer (WCGC) (3:44)
13. Mud In Your Eye (2:43)
14. I Came To Dance (4:34)
15. Home Is Where The Hurt Is (4:12)
16. Rock Me At Home (4:36)
17. You're The Weight (Live/1977) (5:19)
18. Goin' South (Live/1977) (5:03)
19. Incidentally... It's Over (Live/1977) (4:20)
Produced by David Briggs (1-8, 11-13); Al Kooper (9, 10); Nils Lofgren and Andy Newmark (14-16); David Briggs and Nils Lofgren (17-19)
Nils Lofgren: vocals, guitars, keyboards, percussion
with
drums: Anysley Dunbar '(1-4, 6-8, 11-12); Mike Zack (5); Iim Gordon (9, 10); Andy Newmark (14-16); David Platshon (17-19)
basszwornell Iones (1-4, 6-8, 11, 12, 14-19); Scotty Ball (5, 13); Chuck Rainey (9); Paul Stallworth (Io)
keyboards: Al Kooper (5, 9, 10); Reverend Patrick Henderson (14-19)
guitar, keyboard, vocals: Torn Lofgren (5, 9, 10, 14-19)
percussion: Emil Richards (9, 1o); Holden Raphael (I3); Wornell Iones (19)
vocals: Ron Hicklin Singers (9, 10); RP. Arnold, Claudia Lennear, Buddy Miles (10); Ralph Molina, Billy Talbot (11); Patti Austin, Frank Floyd, Lani Groves, Yolanda McCullough, William Eaton, ]r., Zachary Sanders (14-16); Reverend Patrick Henderson (17-19)
arrangements: Dominic Frontiere and Al Kooper (10); William Eaton, II. (14-16)
1-4, 6-8 from Nils Lofgren (aka Fat Man) (1975) Ⓟ 1975 A&M Records
9-13 from Cry Tough (1976) Ⓟ 1975 A&M Records
14-16 from I Came to Dance (1977) 17-19 from Night After Night (1977) (A&M/Universal) Ⓟ 1977 A&M Records
5 from Authorized Bootleg (1975) (Universal / Cattle Track Road Records) Ⓟ 1975 A&M Records
Disc Three: Solo Years 1979-1983 - 76:44
Wonderland
1. No Mercy (4:07)
2. Shine Silently (3:38) (Nils Lofgren-Dick Wagner)
3. Steal Away (3:58) (Nils Lofgren-Dick Wagner)
4. I Found Her (3:33)
5. You're So Easy (6:04) (Nils & Tom Lofgren-Bob Ezrin-Dick Wagner)
6. A Fool Like Me (3:09) (Nils Lofgren-Lou Reed)
7. Night Fades Away (4:22)
8. Ancient History (4:51)
9. Sailor Boy (3:58)
10. Empty Heart (3:05)
11. Don't Touch Me (4:03)
12. I Go To Pieces (2:54) (Del Shannon) Bug Music/Mole Hole Music/Unichappell Music Inc.-BMI
13. Across The Tracks (2:55)
14. Daddy Dream (4:54)
15. Wonderland (3:31)
16. Room Without Love (3:05)
17. Confident Girl (3:05)
18. Into The Night (3:44)
19. Deadline (4:07)
20. Everybody Wants (3:41)
Produced by Bob Ezrin (I-6); Jeffrey Baxter (7-12); Nils Lofgren, Kevin McCormick, and Andy Newmark (13-20)
Nils Lofgren: vocals, guitars, keyboards, percussion
with
guitar: Tom Lofgren, Stu Daye (I-6); Ieff Baxter (7-I2); Elliott Randall (9, I2)
keyboards: Bob Ezrin (I-6); Nicky Hopkins, Greg Mathieson (7-I2)
percussion: Iody Linscott (1-6); Paulinho Da Costa (10); Jim Maelen (I5, 18, 2.0)
synthesizers: Robbie Kondor (15, 18, 20)
bass: Bob Babbitt (16); Neil Iason (7, 8, I0, 11); Neil Stubenhaus (9); David Hungate (12); Kevin McCormick (I3-20)
drums: Alan Schwartzberg (16); Ed Greene (7, 8, II, 12); Jeff Porcaro (9); Richie Hayward (to); Andy Newmark (13-2o)
saxophone: David Sanborn (6)
vocals: Tom Lofgren (1-6); Bob Ezrin (2, 4-6); Celina Phillips, Debbie Fleming (6); Del Shannon (12); Edgar Winter (13); Louise Goffin (15, 2.0)
1-6 from Nils (1979) 1979 A&M Records
7-12 from Night Fades Away (1981) 1981 Geffen Records
13-20 from Wonderland (1983) (A&M/Universal) 1933 Geffen Records
Disc Four: Solo Years 1985-1992 - 75:30
Big Tears Fall
1. Secrets In The Street (4:31)
2. Big Tears Fall (6:05)
3. Dreams Die Hard (3:34)
4. Girl In Motion (5:51)
5. Walkin' Nerve (3:54)
6. Trouble's Back (5:18)
7. Bein' Angry (5:55)
8. Valentine (6:12)
9. A Child Could Tell (4:22)
10. You (3:29)
11. Shot At You (5:47)
12. Crooked Line (4:54)
13. Someday (5:31)
14. New Kind Of Freedom (3:38)
15. Drunken Driver (6:29)
Produced by Lance Quinn and Nils Lofgren (1-3); Kevin McCormick and Nils Lofgren (4-8); Eric Ambel (9-15)
Personnel
Nils Lofgren: vocals, guitars, keyboards, percussion
with
bass, vocals: Wornell Jones (1-3); Kevin McCormick (4, 5, 7, 8); Paul “Polo” Jones (6); Andy York (9-15)
keyboards, synthesizer: T. Iavitz, Tom Mandel (1-3); Paul Griffin (3); Billy Preston (6,.7); Scott Thurston (8); Andy York (11)
guitars, vocals: Eric Ambel (9-15)
guitar: Kevin Russell (6); Neil Young (15)
saxophone: Steve Hopper Lomloardi (3); Clarence Clemons (6)
narmonica: Neil Young (10)
drums: Ringo Starr (5); Greg “Gigi" Gonaway (6); Andy Newmark (1-4, 7, 8); Frank Funaro (12); Johnny “Bee" Badanjek (9-11, 13-15)
vocals: Rick Valenti, Devereau Merriweather, Rudy Ruben (I-3); Levon Helm (6); Ringo Starr (7); Bruce Springsteen (8); Neil Young (10, 13)
1-3 from Flip (1985) (CBS/Sony) 1985 Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment. Under license from Sony Music Commercial Music Group, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
4-8 from Silver Lining (1991) 1991 Rykodisc, Inc.
9-15 from Crooked Line (1992)
Tracks 9-13, 15: 1992 Rykodisc, inc.
Track 14: 1991 Rykodisc, Inc.
Disc Five: Self-Released 1993-1998 - 76:17
Damaged Goods
1. Alone (6:08)
2. No Return (3:56)
3. Tender Love (8:39)
4. Dreams Come True (4:25)
5. Out Of The Grave (8:11)
6. Lion's Wake (2:14)
7. Damaged Goods (3:44)
8. Only Five Minutes (5:28)
9. Setting Sun (3:44)
10. Life (3:08) (Nils Lofgren-Lou Reed)
11. Nothin's Fallin' (5:07)
12. Little On Up (5:02)
13. Blue Skies (4:02)
14. Black Books (5:24)
15. Man In The Moon (3:19)
16. Believe (3:46)
Produced by Nils Lofgren (1-6, 12-16); Roger Greenawalt (7-II)
recorded and mixed by Billy Brady and Neal Avron (1-6)
mixed by Ron Freeland (12-16)
Nils Lofgrenz vocals, guitars, keyboards, percussion
with
drums, percussion, timpani: Andy Newmark (1-5, 7-11); Denny Fongheiser (6)
harmonica: Mark Wenner (2) (courtesy of the Nighthawks)
bass, percussion, samples: Roger Greenawalt (7-11)
keyboards, guitars: Tom Lofgren, Paul Bell (12-16)
saxophone: Branford Marsalis (8,10)
violins: Kim Miller, Teri Lazar (7-11)
cello: Marco Bothelo (7-11)
viola: Patricia Smith (7-I1)
vocals: Tom Lepson (2, 5); Bonnie Bramlett (3)
1-6 from Every Breath: The Original Motion Picture
Soundtrack (1993), 7-11 from Damaged Goods (1995),
12-16 from Acoustic Live (1998)
(Gattle Track Road Records)
Disc Six: Self-Released 1997-2001 - 74:47
I Found You
1. Delivery Night (5:04)
2. Code Of The Road (8:19)
3. New Holes In Old Shoes (5:14)
4. Puttin' Out Fires (6:25)
5. I Found You (4:37)
6. Love A Child (2:59)
7. Driftin' Man (3:06) (Nils Lofgren-Lou Reed)
8. Without You (3:44)
9. Heaven's Answer To Blue (4:18)
10. Seize Love (5:31)
11. Open Road (3:16)
12. Speed Kills (3:12)
13. I'm Buyin' (2:53)
14. The Wind (4:27)
15. We Got Guys (1:08)
16. Hard Lines (1:04)
17. Tears On Ice (4:47)
18. Misery (4:43)
Produced by Nils Lofgren and Tim Foster (1-3); Nils Lofgren (4-18)
Nils Lofgrenz vocals, guitars, keyboards, percussion
with
guitars, keyboards, vocals: Torn Lofgren, Steuart Smith, Larry Cragg (1-3)
drums: Iohnny “Bee” Badanjek (1-3, 17); Mike Botts (4., 6, 9); Timm Biery (5, 7, 8, 1), 12, 14); Andy Newmark (13, 15, 16)
bass: Womell Iones (1-3); Wade Matthews (5, 7 ,8, 10); Lee Sklar (4-6, 9); Roger Greenawalt (13); Andy York (17)
pedal steel: Ieffrey “ Skunk" Baxter (5)
harp: Christine Vivona (4, 6, 9)
vocals: Amanda Stalbaum, Juliana Marin, Chris Ryan, Kim Felten (5); Tess Lofgren, Amanda Hamlin, Michelle Fishman, Kerri Lazar (8); Tom Lofgren (10); Eric Ambel, Andy
York (17)
1-3 from Code of the Road: Greatest Hits Live! (1997)
4-11 from Break Away Angel (2001)
12-46 from Tujfstufil The Best of the All-Madden Team Band (2001)
(Cattle Track Road Records)
17 from Favorites (2001) (RykoDisc)
18 from Favorites (2001) (RykoDisc / Cattle Track Road Records)
Disc Seven: Self-Released 2002-2011 - 76:52
Dream Big
1. Like Rain (4:52)
2. The Star-Spangled Banner (2:41) (Francis Scott Key) P.D.
3. In Your Hands (3:21)
4. Mr. Hardcore (5:10)
5. Tried And True (1:58)
6. Frankie Hang On (3:41)
7. Fat Girls Dance (4:39)
8. I Am A Child (3:13) (Neil Young) Broken Arrow Music Corporation/Richie Furay Music-BMI
9. Mr. Soul (4:21) (Neil Young) Broken Arrow Music Corporation/Richie Furay Music-BMI
10. World On A String (3:18) (Neil Young) Silver Fiddle Music-ASCAP
11. Old School (3:12)
12. 60 Is The New 18 (3:03)
13. Miss You Ray (2:40)
14. Amy Joan Blues (2:44)
15. Dream Big (4:31)
16. Irish Angel (5:12) (Bruce McCabe) Ryan Cory Music-BMI
17. Ain't Too Many Of Us Left (4:42)
18. When You Were Mine (4:34)
19. Why Me (4:23)
20. Wreck On The Highway (4:37) (Bruce Springsteen) Bruce Springsteen Music-ASCAP
Produced by Nils Lofgren (1, 2, 5, 11-18, 20); Nils Lofgren and Roger Greenawalt (3, 4, 6, 7); David Briggs and Nils Lofgren (8-10); Brian Christian (19); mixed by Timm Biery (5)
Personnel
Nils Lofgren: vocals, guitars, keyboards, percussion
with
keyboards, vocals: Buck Brown (1, 2)
bass: Wade Matthews (1, 2); Kevin McCormick (3, 4, 6, 7)
drums, percussion: Timm Biery (1-7); Greg Varlotta (12); Gary Bruzzese (II, 17)
trumpet, trombone: Greg Varlotta (11, I5)
saxophone: Jerry Donato (11, I5)
violins: Robert Spates, Rickie Simpkins (3)
vocals: Wade Matthews (1); Willie Nelson (courtesy of Lost Highway Records)
Torn Lofgren, Mike Lofgren, Mark Lofgren (3); Bob Berberich (4.); Mary Ann Redmond
Tommy Lepson (4, 7); Graham Nash, David Crosby (courtesy of Sanctuary Records) (6);
Lou Gramm (11); Paul Rodgers (14); Sam Moore (courtesy of Miz Moore Music, Inc.) (17)
1, 2 from Nils Lofgren Band Live (2002), 3-7 from Sacred Weapon (2006)
8-10 from The Loner: Nils Sings Neil (2008), 11-19 from Old School (2011)
(Cattle Track Road Records)
20 from One Step Up/Two Steps Back: The Songs of Bruce Springsteen (1997)
(Capitol)
Disc Eight: Unreleased - 74:08
Some Must Dream
1. Keith Don't Go (3:34)
2. Try (3:38)
3. Sing For Happiness (3:16)
4. Duty (3:29)
5. Sweet Four Wings (3:47)
6. Just To Have You (2:18)
7. I'll Arise (2:51)
8. Some Must Dream (4:47)
9. Stay Hungry (3:41)
10. Heaven's Rain (3:37)
11. Whatever Happened To Muscatel (2:51)
12. You In My Arms (2:50)
13. Here For You (3:37)
14. Hide My Heart (4:23)
15. Love Is... (4:30)
16. Awesome Girl (3:36)
17. When You Are Loved (2:57)
18. Bullets Fever (3:07)
19. Message (11:19)
Produced by David Briggs (1-6); Nils Lofgren (7-19)
Personnel
Nils Lofgren: vocals, guitars, keyboards, drums, percussion
with
Grin on I-6:
drums, vocals: Bob Berberich
guitars, vocals: Tom Lofgren
bass, vocals: Bob Gordon
piano, vocals: Neil Young (1)
pedal steel: Ben Keith (3)
vocals: mystery girls (3, thank you); Maryland friends sing-a—long (5)
on 7-19:
drums: Andy Newmark (7-9); Timm Biery (14); Mark Brzezicki (19)
bass: Kevin McCormick (7, 8, 16); Wornell Iones (9); Steve Brzezicki (I9)
organ, synthesizers: Reverend Patrick Henderson (9); Simon Climie (19)
trombone, trumpet: Greg Varlotta (I1)
vocals: Lou Gramm (7, 8); Clive Cussler, Amy Lofgren, Mark McDowell, Carlos Mandelaveita,
Janet Cussler, Whitney Lind (11 sing-a-long); Rick Iames (16)
1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 18 recorded and mixed by Bob Dawson, Bias Studios, VA
3, 6 recorded at Wally Heider Studios, Hollywood, CA
7, 8 recorded and mixed by Ron Freeland, BurntHill, Clarksburg, MD
(others recorded in various home studios)
unreleased Cattle Track Road Records
Disc Nine: Unreleased - 73:12
Face The Music
1. Beauty And The Beast (3:43)
2. You Are The Melody (3:26)
3. Tears Inside (3:32)
4. Face The Music (4:49)
5. I Don't Stand A Chance (3:31)
6. What Is Enuf?!! (4:02)
7. London (4:05)
8. Go Away (4:10)
9. Heart Like A Hammer (4:13)
10. True Love Conquers Legends (3:41)
11. Yankee Stadium (3:04)
12. Sad Walk (5:25)
13. Dalmatian (4:07)
14. I'm Coming Back (4:01) (Tom Lofgren)
15. Mad, Mad World (3:33)
16. Jhoon Rhee Ad (0:31)
17. It's Better To Know You (2:44)
18. Last Time I Saw You (2:04)
19. Mist And Morning Rain (2:52)
20. Miss You ''C'' (2:41)
21. Oh Holy Night (2:58) (A. Adams-J. Dwight)
Produced by Nils Lofgren (1-11, 14-16, 19, 20); Richard Gottehrer (17, 18); Otto D’Agnolo (I2, 13, 21)
Personnel
Nils Lofgren: vocals, guitars, keyboards, percussion
with
drums: Andy Newmark (1, 4, 6-8); Gary Bruzzese (I1-13); Bob Berberich (17, 18); Michael Botts (21)
bass: Wornell ]ones (1); Kevin McCormick (6-8); Mike King (12, 13); George Daily (17, 18); A1 Ortiz (21)
pedal steel: Mike Smith (12, 13)
guitars, vocals: Tom Lofgren (14)
keyboards: T. Lavitz, Tommy Mandel (1)
vocals: Jeri Bocchino (1); Phoenix Boys Choir, Amy Lofgren (11); Paul Dowell (17)
violins: Iames Apperson, Michael Prokes (21)
cello: Mario Simiz (21)
Recorded and mixed by Lance Quinn, Ron Freeland, Bill Mueller (1)
Larry Alexander at Power Station NYC (6-8); Iamison Weddle (11, 20)
Bob Dawson at Bias Studios, VA (14, 16, 19)
Otto D’Agnolo at Chaton Studios, Phoenix AZ (12, 13, 21)
unreleased Cattle Track Road Records
Disc 10 - DVD - 114:54
I Came To Dance
1. Windy (Flip Combo) (2:03)
2. Dream Big (5:18)
3. Too Many Miles (7:35)
4. Keith Don’t Go (7:13)
5. Bein’ Angry (4:45)
6. Shine Silently (7:03)
7. Big Tears Fall (5:18)
8. I Found You (6:10)
9. No Mercy (4:24)
10. Gun and Run (8:03)
11. See What Love Can Do (8:03)
12. If I Were a Song (3:03)
13. Slippery Fingers (4:23)
14. Like Rain (4:12)
15. Moon Tears (5:25)
16. I Came to Dance (11:42)
17. Everybody’s Missin’ the Sun (3:29)
18. Ain’t Love Nice (2:35)
19. I’ll Arise (3:04)
20. Nils Lofgren: The Art of Adapting (8:11)
REVIEW
by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Nils Lofgren has a story unlike any other in rock & roll. Something of a teenage rock & roll prodigy, he first made waves when he played on Neil Young's After the Gold Rush at the tender age of 17, just around the time his D.C.-based band Grin relocated to Los Angeles in hopes of hitting the big time. Grin never became stars, but Lofgren did. His association with Young provided a launch pad for a solo career that was acclaimed and fitfully commercially successful, with the late-'70s albums Cry Tough, I Came to Dance, and Night After Night all making waves in album rock. This run at solo stardom lasted roughly a decade, beginning with his eponymous 1975 debut and ending with 1985's Flip, the record he released after joining Bruce Springsteen's E-Street Band as Steven Van Zandt's replacement in 1984. Springsteen kept Nils around once Little Steven returned to the fold and Lofgren's membership in the E-Street Band allowed him the luxury of pursuing all of his musical whims on indie labels, developing an idiosyncratic catalog known only to hardcore fans, of which there were many.
Face the Music, a massive nine-CD/single-DVD box set released in 2014, doesn't strive to convert the skeptics but its very heft suggests that Lofgren is worth consideration outside of the confines of his cult. That said, due to its very size, listening to Face the Music does require dedication. Combined, the ten discs do indeed provide a biography of Lofgren, with each disc telling a different chapter. The Grin years of 1971-1973 are on the first disc; the beginning flourishes of his solo career on the second (1975-1977), and the third disc chronicles 1979-1983, when he was collaborating with Lou Reed and Bob Ezrin while wrapping up his time on the album rock circuit. Disc four picks up the story in 1985, then ends after 1991's Silver Lining and 1992's Crooked Line, the pair of records he made for Rykodisc. The next three discs, which are a considerable chunk of the box, round up independent and self-released recordings made between 1993 and 2011; largely home-made, these recordings still sound expensive, which is one of the perks of having a day job as Springsteen's right-hand man. The final two CDs offer a clearinghouse of rarities from throughout the years, ranging from a decidedly quirky "Whatever Happened to Muscatel" co-written by author Clive Cussler to a wonderful early take on Lofgren's signature "Keith Don't Go," here performed by Grin featuring Neil Young on piano and vocals. One of the great pleasures of Face the Music is that it allows for a gem like this to be excavated, but one of the mild frustrations is that this is a decidedly personal telling of Lofgren's story, as indicated by how, apart from the live take on the DVD, this is the only version of "Keith Don't Go" here. A definitive, career-spanning box of this size should find room for such an important original recording, but the fact that Face the Music doesn't just underscores how eccentric a rocker Nils is: he follows his own path, one that sometimes touches upon familiar territory but often goes far afield, sometimes finding detours and sometimes stumbling upon dead ends, but always enjoying the journey. Perhaps it'd be better to sample this ten-disc travelog in pieces -- perhaps that's the only way to listen to a box as large as this -- but each individual installment provides its own peculiar, satisfying pleasures and, when combined, all the discs paint a deep, detailed portrait of a rocker unlike any other.
BIOGRAPHY
by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
For much of his professional rock & roll career, Nils Lofgren has been known as the lead guitarist for Bruce Springsteen's E-Street Band -- the guy who replaced Steven Van Zandt in 1984 and stayed on after Little Steven returned to the fold. Prior to the E-Street Band, Lofgren was a member of Neil Young's backing band Crazy Horse, and these associations have tended to dominate any mention of the guitarist's career, as any support for two legendary singer/songwriters would. But take away Bruce and Neil from Lofgren's résumé and he has an impressive, idiosyncratic cache in his own right, starting with the records he made with Grin, an acclaimed but underappreciated band from the late '60s, running through his own compositions with Crazy Horse and then on a series of solo recordings that started with 1975's eponymous debut. Anchored with "Keith Don't Go," a tribute to the Rolling Stones guitarist that stands as one of rock's great love letters, that record earned good reviews but his subsequent Cry Tough (1976), I Came to Dance (1977), and Night After Night (1977) performed better on the album rock charts, laying the foundation for a discography that stretched well into the new millennium, consisting of records made during downtime for the E-Street Band, or even when the group was in full force.
That constant activity suggests how music was always central to Nils Lofgren. Raised in the Washington, D.C. suburb of Garrett Park, Maryland, he began playing music at an early age, picking up the accordion at the age of five, spending time studying classical and jazz, then getting seduced by rock & roll as a teenager. Lofgren picked up guitar and piano at the age of 15, forming the band Grin with drummer Bob Berberich and bassist George Daly soon afterward. As the group played the local circuit, Lofgren happened to meet Neil Young. Impressed with Nils, Young invited the teenage guitarist to head out to California and Lofgren accepted the invitation, taking Grin with him. The band set up in a Laurel Canyon home rented by Young and began rehearsing while Lofgren played guitar and piano on Neil's 1970 LP After the Gold Rush. Lofgren was just 17.
Although Nils was so thoroughly within Young's orbit that he appeared on the 1971 album by Crazy Horse -- he played throughout and sang lead on his original composition "Beggar's Day" -- he remained devoted to his D.C. band. Grin landed a record contract with A&M Records in 1971. By this point, Daly had left the band and was replaced by Bob Gordon. Produced by Young's right-hand man David Briggs, Grin's eponymous debut arrived in 1971 and, soon enough, the group was earning more critical attention than sales. Grin worked steadily over the next few years, cutting three more records with Briggs: the 1972 LP 1+1, which featured Nils alone on the front cover, and All Out and Gone Crazy, both of which appeared in 1973 and also featured Nils' brother Tom on rhythm guitar. By that year, the group had begun to splinter and Young invited Lofgren to join his touring band and that tour spilled into the studio, when Young recorded Tonight's the Night in the haze of Danny Whitten's death.
By the time Tonight's the Night hit the stores in 1975, Lofgren had signed to A&M as a solo artist. Anchored by the Stones tribute "Keith Don't Go," Nils earned considerable praise upon its release -- future Springsteen manager Jon Landau praised it in Rolling Stone and it appeared on NME's Top 10 for the year; it also placed at 19 on the Village Voice's Pazz & Jop poll -- but it didn't sell particularly well, peaking at 141 on the Billboard charts. The following year's Cry Tough did much better. Building upon the word of mouth for the debut, album rock radio play, and tours, it went all the way to 32 on the Billboard charts. I Came to Dance and the live double-album Night After Night, both released in 1977, were also modest album rock hits -- they peaked at 36 and 44, respectively -- as was 1979's Nils. The latter was the fruit of Lofgren's late-'70s partnership with the Lou Reed axis, containing co-writes with Lou and Reed's guitarist Dick Wagner while being produced by Bob Ezrin; Nils also played on Lou's The Bells LP that year. Lofgren ended his streak of relatively highly charting albums when Night Fades Away squeaked into the first half of the Billboard Top 200 by reaching 99. He released one more album for Backstreet/MCA -- 1983's Wonderland, a record that failed to chart -- before parting ways with the label.
Prior to the release of Wonderland, Lofgren rekindled his collaboration with Neil Young, playing on the 1982 electro experiment Trans and appearing on its supporting tour in 1983. Despite this renewal, the allegiance that defined Nils Lofgren's '80s -- and would factor strongly for the rest of his career -- was his new partnership with Bruce Springsteen. When Steven Van Zandt left the E-Street Band in 1984 to pursue a solo career -- the first major shift in the band's lineup since 1975 -- Springsteen turned to Lofgren to replace his lieutenant. From this point on, Nils was the lead guitarist for the E-Street Band, appearing on Bruce's solo albums and also finding space when Van Zandt chose to climb back aboard in 1995. Bruce leaned on Lofgren but Nils also pursued his solo career, beginning with Flip, his star-studded debut for Columbia in 1985. The record didn't reach great heights –- it peaked at 150 -- but it eased Lofgren's transition from a "could've been" to a cult act. After Flip, he never showed up again on a major label. He moved to the CD-only independent Rykodisc in 1990. The label reissued 1975's Nils Lofgren that year and released the brand-new Silver Lining in 1991, followed by Crooked Line in 1992; the former was his last album to chart, reaching 153 in 1991.
By the early '90s, he had cultivated his own peculiar cult -- a contingent attracted to his blend of album rock and roots-rock, while also appreciating how he toured with Ringo Starr's All-Starr Band. Major labels never crossed Lofgren's radar in the next two decades. His move to Rykodisc was the first step in a process that brought him toward total independence by the early 2000s. He recorded steadily, alternating full-fledged studio albums like 1995's Damaged Goods and 2011's Old School, with interesting detours like 1997's Acoustic Live or 2008's The Loner: Nils Sings Neil. Lofgren would record when he wasn't playing guitar with others. During the extended hiatus for the E-Street Band in the '90s, he was often a gun for hire, playing on tours by Bruce's wife Patti Scialfa and Ringo Starr, popping up on Neil Young's Unplugged and also playing on several Springsteen solo albums. Once the E-Street Band returned to active duty in the 2000s, Lofgren continued to balance his Bruce duties with his own solo career.
All of Lofgren's journeys, from his early days with Grin through his long years as an independent rocker, was celebrated in the 2014 box set Face the Music, a nine-CD and one-DVD set selected by Nils himself.
''FACE THE MUSIC, DISC ONE''
AUGUST 2014
673:59
Disc One: Grin Years 1971-1973 - 73:06
1. See What A Love Can Do (5:01)
2. Everybody's Missin' The Sun (2:44)
3. Like Rain (3:39)
4. Outlaw (4:01)
5. If I Were A Song (3:10)
6. We All Sung Together (3:43)
7. Take You To The Movies Tonight (1:48)
8. White Lies (3:29)
9. Slippery Fingers (4:12)
10. Moon Tears (2:20)
11. Lost A Number (3:11)
12. Soft Fun (5:43)
13. Hi, Hello Home (2:31)
14. Love Or Else (3:41)
15. Sad Letter (3:14)
16. Ain't Love Nice (2:11)
17. She Ain't Right (3:28)
18. All Out (3:09)
19. Rusty Gun (2:20)
20. Beggar's Day (Eulogy To Danny Whitten) (4:21)
21. One More Time (5:10)
Produced by David Briggs
Nils Lofgren: vocals, guitars, keyboards, percussion
with
drums, vocals: Bob Berberich
bass, vocals: Bob Gordon
vocals: Neil Young, Danny Whitten, Ralph Molina (1, 4); Jerry Williams (1); Graham Nash (13); Kathi McDonald (17, 18);
Merry Clayton, Clydie King, Sherlie Matthews (21)
guitar, vocals: Tom Lofgren (14-18, 20, 21)
percussion: Bobbye Hall (20)
17 from Grin (self-titled first album) (1971)
Originally released 1971. All rights reserved by Columbia Records,
a division of Sony Music
8-13 from Grin: 1+1 (1972)
1972 Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
14-19 from Grin: All Out (1972) (Sony BMG Music Entertainment)
20-21 from Grin: Gone Crazy (1973) (A&M/Universal)
Disc Two: Solo Years 1975-1977 - 73:23
The Sun Hasn't Set On This Boy Yet
1. One More Saturday Night (3:09)
2. If I Say It, It's So (2:57)
3. Can't Buy A Break (3:18)
4. Back It Up (2:21)
5. I Don't Want to Know (Live Bootleg Version) (3:47)
6. The Sun Hasn't Set On This Boy Yet (2:47)
7. Rock And Roll Crook (2:54)
8. Two By Two (3:05)
9. Cry Tough (5:03)
10. It's Not A Crime (4:14) (Nils Lofgren & Tom Lofgren)
11. Share A Little (5:17)
12. Can't Get Closer (WCGC) (3:44)
13. Mud In Your Eye (2:43)
14. I Came To Dance (4:34)
15. Home Is Where The Hurt Is (4:12)
16. Rock Me At Home (4:36)
17. You're The Weight (Live/1977) (5:19)
18. Goin' South (Live/1977) (5:03)
19. Incidentally... It's Over (Live/1977) (4:20)
Produced by David Briggs (1-8, 11-13); Al Kooper (9, 10); Nils Lofgren and Andy Newmark (14-16); David Briggs and Nils Lofgren (17-19)
Nils Lofgren: vocals, guitars, keyboards, percussion
with
drums: Anysley Dunbar '(1-4, 6-8, 11-12); Mike Zack (5); Iim Gordon (9, 10); Andy Newmark (14-16); David Platshon (17-19)
basszwornell Iones (1-4, 6-8, 11, 12, 14-19); Scotty Ball (5, 13); Chuck Rainey (9); Paul Stallworth (Io)
keyboards: Al Kooper (5, 9, 10); Reverend Patrick Henderson (14-19)
guitar, keyboard, vocals: Torn Lofgren (5, 9, 10, 14-19)
percussion: Emil Richards (9, 1o); Holden Raphael (I3); Wornell Iones (19)
vocals: Ron Hicklin Singers (9, 10); RP. Arnold, Claudia Lennear, Buddy Miles (10); Ralph Molina, Billy Talbot (11); Patti Austin, Frank Floyd, Lani Groves, Yolanda McCullough, William Eaton, ]r., Zachary Sanders (14-16); Reverend Patrick Henderson (17-19)
arrangements: Dominic Frontiere and Al Kooper (10); William Eaton, II. (14-16)
1-4, 6-8 from Nils Lofgren (aka Fat Man) (1975) Ⓟ 1975 A&M Records
9-13 from Cry Tough (1976) Ⓟ 1975 A&M Records
14-16 from I Came to Dance (1977) 17-19 from Night After Night (1977) (A&M/Universal) Ⓟ 1977 A&M Records
5 from Authorized Bootleg (1975) (Universal / Cattle Track Road Records) Ⓟ 1975 A&M Records
Disc Three: Solo Years 1979-1983 - 76:44
Wonderland
1. No Mercy (4:07)
2. Shine Silently (3:38) (Nils Lofgren-Dick Wagner)
3. Steal Away (3:58) (Nils Lofgren-Dick Wagner)
4. I Found Her (3:33)
5. You're So Easy (6:04) (Nils & Tom Lofgren-Bob Ezrin-Dick Wagner)
6. A Fool Like Me (3:09) (Nils Lofgren-Lou Reed)
7. Night Fades Away (4:22)
8. Ancient History (4:51)
9. Sailor Boy (3:58)
10. Empty Heart (3:05)
11. Don't Touch Me (4:03)
12. I Go To Pieces (2:54) (Del Shannon) Bug Music/Mole Hole Music/Unichappell Music Inc.-BMI
13. Across The Tracks (2:55)
14. Daddy Dream (4:54)
15. Wonderland (3:31)
16. Room Without Love (3:05)
17. Confident Girl (3:05)
18. Into The Night (3:44)
19. Deadline (4:07)
20. Everybody Wants (3:41)
Produced by Bob Ezrin (I-6); Jeffrey Baxter (7-12); Nils Lofgren, Kevin McCormick, and Andy Newmark (13-20)
Nils Lofgren: vocals, guitars, keyboards, percussion
with
guitar: Tom Lofgren, Stu Daye (I-6); Ieff Baxter (7-I2); Elliott Randall (9, I2)
keyboards: Bob Ezrin (I-6); Nicky Hopkins, Greg Mathieson (7-I2)
percussion: Iody Linscott (1-6); Paulinho Da Costa (10); Jim Maelen (I5, 18, 2.0)
synthesizers: Robbie Kondor (15, 18, 20)
bass: Bob Babbitt (16); Neil Iason (7, 8, I0, 11); Neil Stubenhaus (9); David Hungate (12); Kevin McCormick (I3-20)
drums: Alan Schwartzberg (16); Ed Greene (7, 8, II, 12); Jeff Porcaro (9); Richie Hayward (to); Andy Newmark (13-2o)
saxophone: David Sanborn (6)
vocals: Tom Lofgren (1-6); Bob Ezrin (2, 4-6); Celina Phillips, Debbie Fleming (6); Del Shannon (12); Edgar Winter (13); Louise Goffin (15, 2.0)
1-6 from Nils (1979) 1979 A&M Records
7-12 from Night Fades Away (1981) 1981 Geffen Records
13-20 from Wonderland (1983) (A&M/Universal) 1933 Geffen Records
Disc Four: Solo Years 1985-1992 - 75:30
Big Tears Fall
1. Secrets In The Street (4:31)
2. Big Tears Fall (6:05)
3. Dreams Die Hard (3:34)
4. Girl In Motion (5:51)
5. Walkin' Nerve (3:54)
6. Trouble's Back (5:18)
7. Bein' Angry (5:55)
8. Valentine (6:12)
9. A Child Could Tell (4:22)
10. You (3:29)
11. Shot At You (5:47)
12. Crooked Line (4:54)
13. Someday (5:31)
14. New Kind Of Freedom (3:38)
15. Drunken Driver (6:29)
Produced by Lance Quinn and Nils Lofgren (1-3); Kevin McCormick and Nils Lofgren (4-8); Eric Ambel (9-15)
Personnel
Nils Lofgren: vocals, guitars, keyboards, percussion
with
bass, vocals: Wornell Jones (1-3); Kevin McCormick (4, 5, 7, 8); Paul “Polo” Jones (6); Andy York (9-15)
keyboards, synthesizer: T. Iavitz, Tom Mandel (1-3); Paul Griffin (3); Billy Preston (6,.7); Scott Thurston (8); Andy York (11)
guitars, vocals: Eric Ambel (9-15)
guitar: Kevin Russell (6); Neil Young (15)
saxophone: Steve Hopper Lomloardi (3); Clarence Clemons (6)
narmonica: Neil Young (10)
drums: Ringo Starr (5); Greg “Gigi" Gonaway (6); Andy Newmark (1-4, 7, 8); Frank Funaro (12); Johnny “Bee" Badanjek (9-11, 13-15)
vocals: Rick Valenti, Devereau Merriweather, Rudy Ruben (I-3); Levon Helm (6); Ringo Starr (7); Bruce Springsteen (8); Neil Young (10, 13)
1-3 from Flip (1985) (CBS/Sony) 1985 Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment. Under license from Sony Music Commercial Music Group, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
4-8 from Silver Lining (1991) 1991 Rykodisc, Inc.
9-15 from Crooked Line (1992)
Tracks 9-13, 15: 1992 Rykodisc, inc.
Track 14: 1991 Rykodisc, Inc.
Disc Five: Self-Released 1993-1998 - 76:17
Damaged Goods
1. Alone (6:08)
2. No Return (3:56)
3. Tender Love (8:39)
4. Dreams Come True (4:25)
5. Out Of The Grave (8:11)
6. Lion's Wake (2:14)
7. Damaged Goods (3:44)
8. Only Five Minutes (5:28)
9. Setting Sun (3:44)
10. Life (3:08) (Nils Lofgren-Lou Reed)
11. Nothin's Fallin' (5:07)
12. Little On Up (5:02)
13. Blue Skies (4:02)
14. Black Books (5:24)
15. Man In The Moon (3:19)
16. Believe (3:46)
Produced by Nils Lofgren (1-6, 12-16); Roger Greenawalt (7-II)
recorded and mixed by Billy Brady and Neal Avron (1-6)
mixed by Ron Freeland (12-16)
Nils Lofgrenz vocals, guitars, keyboards, percussion
with
drums, percussion, timpani: Andy Newmark (1-5, 7-11); Denny Fongheiser (6)
harmonica: Mark Wenner (2) (courtesy of the Nighthawks)
bass, percussion, samples: Roger Greenawalt (7-11)
keyboards, guitars: Tom Lofgren, Paul Bell (12-16)
saxophone: Branford Marsalis (8,10)
violins: Kim Miller, Teri Lazar (7-11)
cello: Marco Bothelo (7-11)
viola: Patricia Smith (7-I1)
vocals: Tom Lepson (2, 5); Bonnie Bramlett (3)
1-6 from Every Breath: The Original Motion Picture
Soundtrack (1993), 7-11 from Damaged Goods (1995),
12-16 from Acoustic Live (1998)
(Gattle Track Road Records)
Disc Six: Self-Released 1997-2001 - 74:47
I Found You
1. Delivery Night (5:04)
2. Code Of The Road (8:19)
3. New Holes In Old Shoes (5:14)
4. Puttin' Out Fires (6:25)
5. I Found You (4:37)
6. Love A Child (2:59)
7. Driftin' Man (3:06) (Nils Lofgren-Lou Reed)
8. Without You (3:44)
9. Heaven's Answer To Blue (4:18)
10. Seize Love (5:31)
11. Open Road (3:16)
12. Speed Kills (3:12)
13. I'm Buyin' (2:53)
14. The Wind (4:27)
15. We Got Guys (1:08)
16. Hard Lines (1:04)
17. Tears On Ice (4:47)
18. Misery (4:43)
Produced by Nils Lofgren and Tim Foster (1-3); Nils Lofgren (4-18)
Nils Lofgrenz vocals, guitars, keyboards, percussion
with
guitars, keyboards, vocals: Torn Lofgren, Steuart Smith, Larry Cragg (1-3)
drums: Iohnny “Bee” Badanjek (1-3, 17); Mike Botts (4., 6, 9); Timm Biery (5, 7, 8, 1), 12, 14); Andy Newmark (13, 15, 16)
bass: Womell Iones (1-3); Wade Matthews (5, 7 ,8, 10); Lee Sklar (4-6, 9); Roger Greenawalt (13); Andy York (17)
pedal steel: Ieffrey “ Skunk" Baxter (5)
harp: Christine Vivona (4, 6, 9)
vocals: Amanda Stalbaum, Juliana Marin, Chris Ryan, Kim Felten (5); Tess Lofgren, Amanda Hamlin, Michelle Fishman, Kerri Lazar (8); Tom Lofgren (10); Eric Ambel, Andy
York (17)
1-3 from Code of the Road: Greatest Hits Live! (1997)
4-11 from Break Away Angel (2001)
12-46 from Tujfstufil The Best of the All-Madden Team Band (2001)
(Cattle Track Road Records)
17 from Favorites (2001) (RykoDisc)
18 from Favorites (2001) (RykoDisc / Cattle Track Road Records)
Disc Seven: Self-Released 2002-2011 - 76:52
Dream Big
1. Like Rain (4:52)
2. The Star-Spangled Banner (2:41) (Francis Scott Key) P.D.
3. In Your Hands (3:21)
4. Mr. Hardcore (5:10)
5. Tried And True (1:58)
6. Frankie Hang On (3:41)
7. Fat Girls Dance (4:39)
8. I Am A Child (3:13) (Neil Young) Broken Arrow Music Corporation/Richie Furay Music-BMI
9. Mr. Soul (4:21) (Neil Young) Broken Arrow Music Corporation/Richie Furay Music-BMI
10. World On A String (3:18) (Neil Young) Silver Fiddle Music-ASCAP
11. Old School (3:12)
12. 60 Is The New 18 (3:03)
13. Miss You Ray (2:40)
14. Amy Joan Blues (2:44)
15. Dream Big (4:31)
16. Irish Angel (5:12) (Bruce McCabe) Ryan Cory Music-BMI
17. Ain't Too Many Of Us Left (4:42)
18. When You Were Mine (4:34)
19. Why Me (4:23)
20. Wreck On The Highway (4:37) (Bruce Springsteen) Bruce Springsteen Music-ASCAP
Produced by Nils Lofgren (1, 2, 5, 11-18, 20); Nils Lofgren and Roger Greenawalt (3, 4, 6, 7); David Briggs and Nils Lofgren (8-10); Brian Christian (19); mixed by Timm Biery (5)
Personnel
Nils Lofgren: vocals, guitars, keyboards, percussion
with
keyboards, vocals: Buck Brown (1, 2)
bass: Wade Matthews (1, 2); Kevin McCormick (3, 4, 6, 7)
drums, percussion: Timm Biery (1-7); Greg Varlotta (12); Gary Bruzzese (II, 17)
trumpet, trombone: Greg Varlotta (11, I5)
saxophone: Jerry Donato (11, I5)
violins: Robert Spates, Rickie Simpkins (3)
vocals: Wade Matthews (1); Willie Nelson (courtesy of Lost Highway Records)
Torn Lofgren, Mike Lofgren, Mark Lofgren (3); Bob Berberich (4.); Mary Ann Redmond
Tommy Lepson (4, 7); Graham Nash, David Crosby (courtesy of Sanctuary Records) (6);
Lou Gramm (11); Paul Rodgers (14); Sam Moore (courtesy of Miz Moore Music, Inc.) (17)
1, 2 from Nils Lofgren Band Live (2002), 3-7 from Sacred Weapon (2006)
8-10 from The Loner: Nils Sings Neil (2008), 11-19 from Old School (2011)
(Cattle Track Road Records)
20 from One Step Up/Two Steps Back: The Songs of Bruce Springsteen (1997)
(Capitol)
Disc Eight: Unreleased - 74:08
Some Must Dream
1. Keith Don't Go (3:34)
2. Try (3:38)
3. Sing For Happiness (3:16)
4. Duty (3:29)
5. Sweet Four Wings (3:47)
6. Just To Have You (2:18)
7. I'll Arise (2:51)
8. Some Must Dream (4:47)
9. Stay Hungry (3:41)
10. Heaven's Rain (3:37)
11. Whatever Happened To Muscatel (2:51)
12. You In My Arms (2:50)
13. Here For You (3:37)
14. Hide My Heart (4:23)
15. Love Is... (4:30)
16. Awesome Girl (3:36)
17. When You Are Loved (2:57)
18. Bullets Fever (3:07)
19. Message (11:19)
Produced by David Briggs (1-6); Nils Lofgren (7-19)
Personnel
Nils Lofgren: vocals, guitars, keyboards, drums, percussion
with
Grin on I-6:
drums, vocals: Bob Berberich
guitars, vocals: Tom Lofgren
bass, vocals: Bob Gordon
piano, vocals: Neil Young (1)
pedal steel: Ben Keith (3)
vocals: mystery girls (3, thank you); Maryland friends sing-a—long (5)
on 7-19:
drums: Andy Newmark (7-9); Timm Biery (14); Mark Brzezicki (19)
bass: Kevin McCormick (7, 8, 16); Wornell Iones (9); Steve Brzezicki (I9)
organ, synthesizers: Reverend Patrick Henderson (9); Simon Climie (19)
trombone, trumpet: Greg Varlotta (I1)
vocals: Lou Gramm (7, 8); Clive Cussler, Amy Lofgren, Mark McDowell, Carlos Mandelaveita,
Janet Cussler, Whitney Lind (11 sing-a-long); Rick Iames (16)
1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 18 recorded and mixed by Bob Dawson, Bias Studios, VA
3, 6 recorded at Wally Heider Studios, Hollywood, CA
7, 8 recorded and mixed by Ron Freeland, BurntHill, Clarksburg, MD
(others recorded in various home studios)
unreleased Cattle Track Road Records
Disc Nine: Unreleased - 73:12
Face The Music
1. Beauty And The Beast (3:43)
2. You Are The Melody (3:26)
3. Tears Inside (3:32)
4. Face The Music (4:49)
5. I Don't Stand A Chance (3:31)
6. What Is Enuf?!! (4:02)
7. London (4:05)
8. Go Away (4:10)
9. Heart Like A Hammer (4:13)
10. True Love Conquers Legends (3:41)
11. Yankee Stadium (3:04)
12. Sad Walk (5:25)
13. Dalmatian (4:07)
14. I'm Coming Back (4:01) (Tom Lofgren)
15. Mad, Mad World (3:33)
16. Jhoon Rhee Ad (0:31)
17. It's Better To Know You (2:44)
18. Last Time I Saw You (2:04)
19. Mist And Morning Rain (2:52)
20. Miss You ''C'' (2:41)
21. Oh Holy Night (2:58) (A. Adams-J. Dwight)
Produced by Nils Lofgren (1-11, 14-16, 19, 20); Richard Gottehrer (17, 18); Otto D’Agnolo (I2, 13, 21)
Personnel
Nils Lofgren: vocals, guitars, keyboards, percussion
with
drums: Andy Newmark (1, 4, 6-8); Gary Bruzzese (I1-13); Bob Berberich (17, 18); Michael Botts (21)
bass: Wornell ]ones (1); Kevin McCormick (6-8); Mike King (12, 13); George Daily (17, 18); A1 Ortiz (21)
pedal steel: Mike Smith (12, 13)
guitars, vocals: Tom Lofgren (14)
keyboards: T. Lavitz, Tommy Mandel (1)
vocals: Jeri Bocchino (1); Phoenix Boys Choir, Amy Lofgren (11); Paul Dowell (17)
violins: Iames Apperson, Michael Prokes (21)
cello: Mario Simiz (21)
Recorded and mixed by Lance Quinn, Ron Freeland, Bill Mueller (1)
Larry Alexander at Power Station NYC (6-8); Iamison Weddle (11, 20)
Bob Dawson at Bias Studios, VA (14, 16, 19)
Otto D’Agnolo at Chaton Studios, Phoenix AZ (12, 13, 21)
unreleased Cattle Track Road Records
Disc 10 - DVD - 114:54
I Came To Dance
1. Windy (Flip Combo) (2:03)
2. Dream Big (5:18)
3. Too Many Miles (7:35)
4. Keith Don’t Go (7:13)
5. Bein’ Angry (4:45)
6. Shine Silently (7:03)
7. Big Tears Fall (5:18)
8. I Found You (6:10)
9. No Mercy (4:24)
10. Gun and Run (8:03)
11. See What Love Can Do (8:03)
12. If I Were a Song (3:03)
13. Slippery Fingers (4:23)
14. Like Rain (4:12)
15. Moon Tears (5:25)
16. I Came to Dance (11:42)
17. Everybody’s Missin’ the Sun (3:29)
18. Ain’t Love Nice (2:35)
19. I’ll Arise (3:04)
20. Nils Lofgren: The Art of Adapting (8:11)
REVIEW
by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Nils Lofgren has a story unlike any other in rock & roll. Something of a teenage rock & roll prodigy, he first made waves when he played on Neil Young's After the Gold Rush at the tender age of 17, just around the time his D.C.-based band Grin relocated to Los Angeles in hopes of hitting the big time. Grin never became stars, but Lofgren did. His association with Young provided a launch pad for a solo career that was acclaimed and fitfully commercially successful, with the late-'70s albums Cry Tough, I Came to Dance, and Night After Night all making waves in album rock. This run at solo stardom lasted roughly a decade, beginning with his eponymous 1975 debut and ending with 1985's Flip, the record he released after joining Bruce Springsteen's E-Street Band as Steven Van Zandt's replacement in 1984. Springsteen kept Nils around once Little Steven returned to the fold and Lofgren's membership in the E-Street Band allowed him the luxury of pursuing all of his musical whims on indie labels, developing an idiosyncratic catalog known only to hardcore fans, of which there were many.
Face the Music, a massive nine-CD/single-DVD box set released in 2014, doesn't strive to convert the skeptics but its very heft suggests that Lofgren is worth consideration outside of the confines of his cult. That said, due to its very size, listening to Face the Music does require dedication. Combined, the ten discs do indeed provide a biography of Lofgren, with each disc telling a different chapter. The Grin years of 1971-1973 are on the first disc; the beginning flourishes of his solo career on the second (1975-1977), and the third disc chronicles 1979-1983, when he was collaborating with Lou Reed and Bob Ezrin while wrapping up his time on the album rock circuit. Disc four picks up the story in 1985, then ends after 1991's Silver Lining and 1992's Crooked Line, the pair of records he made for Rykodisc. The next three discs, which are a considerable chunk of the box, round up independent and self-released recordings made between 1993 and 2011; largely home-made, these recordings still sound expensive, which is one of the perks of having a day job as Springsteen's right-hand man. The final two CDs offer a clearinghouse of rarities from throughout the years, ranging from a decidedly quirky "Whatever Happened to Muscatel" co-written by author Clive Cussler to a wonderful early take on Lofgren's signature "Keith Don't Go," here performed by Grin featuring Neil Young on piano and vocals. One of the great pleasures of Face the Music is that it allows for a gem like this to be excavated, but one of the mild frustrations is that this is a decidedly personal telling of Lofgren's story, as indicated by how, apart from the live take on the DVD, this is the only version of "Keith Don't Go" here. A definitive, career-spanning box of this size should find room for such an important original recording, but the fact that Face the Music doesn't just underscores how eccentric a rocker Nils is: he follows his own path, one that sometimes touches upon familiar territory but often goes far afield, sometimes finding detours and sometimes stumbling upon dead ends, but always enjoying the journey. Perhaps it'd be better to sample this ten-disc travelog in pieces -- perhaps that's the only way to listen to a box as large as this -- but each individual installment provides its own peculiar, satisfying pleasures and, when combined, all the discs paint a deep, detailed portrait of a rocker unlike any other.
BIOGRAPHY
by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
For much of his professional rock & roll career, Nils Lofgren has been known as the lead guitarist for Bruce Springsteen's E-Street Band -- the guy who replaced Steven Van Zandt in 1984 and stayed on after Little Steven returned to the fold. Prior to the E-Street Band, Lofgren was a member of Neil Young's backing band Crazy Horse, and these associations have tended to dominate any mention of the guitarist's career, as any support for two legendary singer/songwriters would. But take away Bruce and Neil from Lofgren's résumé and he has an impressive, idiosyncratic cache in his own right, starting with the records he made with Grin, an acclaimed but underappreciated band from the late '60s, running through his own compositions with Crazy Horse and then on a series of solo recordings that started with 1975's eponymous debut. Anchored with "Keith Don't Go," a tribute to the Rolling Stones guitarist that stands as one of rock's great love letters, that record earned good reviews but his subsequent Cry Tough (1976), I Came to Dance (1977), and Night After Night (1977) performed better on the album rock charts, laying the foundation for a discography that stretched well into the new millennium, consisting of records made during downtime for the E-Street Band, or even when the group was in full force.
That constant activity suggests how music was always central to Nils Lofgren. Raised in the Washington, D.C. suburb of Garrett Park, Maryland, he began playing music at an early age, picking up the accordion at the age of five, spending time studying classical and jazz, then getting seduced by rock & roll as a teenager. Lofgren picked up guitar and piano at the age of 15, forming the band Grin with drummer Bob Berberich and bassist George Daly soon afterward. As the group played the local circuit, Lofgren happened to meet Neil Young. Impressed with Nils, Young invited the teenage guitarist to head out to California and Lofgren accepted the invitation, taking Grin with him. The band set up in a Laurel Canyon home rented by Young and began rehearsing while Lofgren played guitar and piano on Neil's 1970 LP After the Gold Rush. Lofgren was just 17.
Although Nils was so thoroughly within Young's orbit that he appeared on the 1971 album by Crazy Horse -- he played throughout and sang lead on his original composition "Beggar's Day" -- he remained devoted to his D.C. band. Grin landed a record contract with A&M Records in 1971. By this point, Daly had left the band and was replaced by Bob Gordon. Produced by Young's right-hand man David Briggs, Grin's eponymous debut arrived in 1971 and, soon enough, the group was earning more critical attention than sales. Grin worked steadily over the next few years, cutting three more records with Briggs: the 1972 LP 1+1, which featured Nils alone on the front cover, and All Out and Gone Crazy, both of which appeared in 1973 and also featured Nils' brother Tom on rhythm guitar. By that year, the group had begun to splinter and Young invited Lofgren to join his touring band and that tour spilled into the studio, when Young recorded Tonight's the Night in the haze of Danny Whitten's death.
By the time Tonight's the Night hit the stores in 1975, Lofgren had signed to A&M as a solo artist. Anchored by the Stones tribute "Keith Don't Go," Nils earned considerable praise upon its release -- future Springsteen manager Jon Landau praised it in Rolling Stone and it appeared on NME's Top 10 for the year; it also placed at 19 on the Village Voice's Pazz & Jop poll -- but it didn't sell particularly well, peaking at 141 on the Billboard charts. The following year's Cry Tough did much better. Building upon the word of mouth for the debut, album rock radio play, and tours, it went all the way to 32 on the Billboard charts. I Came to Dance and the live double-album Night After Night, both released in 1977, were also modest album rock hits -- they peaked at 36 and 44, respectively -- as was 1979's Nils. The latter was the fruit of Lofgren's late-'70s partnership with the Lou Reed axis, containing co-writes with Lou and Reed's guitarist Dick Wagner while being produced by Bob Ezrin; Nils also played on Lou's The Bells LP that year. Lofgren ended his streak of relatively highly charting albums when Night Fades Away squeaked into the first half of the Billboard Top 200 by reaching 99. He released one more album for Backstreet/MCA -- 1983's Wonderland, a record that failed to chart -- before parting ways with the label.
Prior to the release of Wonderland, Lofgren rekindled his collaboration with Neil Young, playing on the 1982 electro experiment Trans and appearing on its supporting tour in 1983. Despite this renewal, the allegiance that defined Nils Lofgren's '80s -- and would factor strongly for the rest of his career -- was his new partnership with Bruce Springsteen. When Steven Van Zandt left the E-Street Band in 1984 to pursue a solo career -- the first major shift in the band's lineup since 1975 -- Springsteen turned to Lofgren to replace his lieutenant. From this point on, Nils was the lead guitarist for the E-Street Band, appearing on Bruce's solo albums and also finding space when Van Zandt chose to climb back aboard in 1995. Bruce leaned on Lofgren but Nils also pursued his solo career, beginning with Flip, his star-studded debut for Columbia in 1985. The record didn't reach great heights –- it peaked at 150 -- but it eased Lofgren's transition from a "could've been" to a cult act. After Flip, he never showed up again on a major label. He moved to the CD-only independent Rykodisc in 1990. The label reissued 1975's Nils Lofgren that year and released the brand-new Silver Lining in 1991, followed by Crooked Line in 1992; the former was his last album to chart, reaching 153 in 1991.
By the early '90s, he had cultivated his own peculiar cult -- a contingent attracted to his blend of album rock and roots-rock, while also appreciating how he toured with Ringo Starr's All-Starr Band. Major labels never crossed Lofgren's radar in the next two decades. His move to Rykodisc was the first step in a process that brought him toward total independence by the early 2000s. He recorded steadily, alternating full-fledged studio albums like 1995's Damaged Goods and 2011's Old School, with interesting detours like 1997's Acoustic Live or 2008's The Loner: Nils Sings Neil. Lofgren would record when he wasn't playing guitar with others. During the extended hiatus for the E-Street Band in the '90s, he was often a gun for hire, playing on tours by Bruce's wife Patti Scialfa and Ringo Starr, popping up on Neil Young's Unplugged and also playing on several Springsteen solo albums. Once the E-Street Band returned to active duty in the 2000s, Lofgren continued to balance his Bruce duties with his own solo career.
All of Lofgren's journeys, from his early days with Grin through his long years as an independent rocker, was celebrated in the 2014 box set Face the Music, a nine-CD and one-DVD set selected by Nils himself.
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