E Street Riots, by Arthur Tebbel – Pop Art #133

June 21, 2011 Arthur Tebbel 10 Comments

Dear Art,

It is with overwhelming sadness that we inform our friends and fans that at 7:00 tonight, Saturday, June 18, our beloved friend and bandmate, Clarence Clemons passed away. The cause was complications from his stroke of last Sunday, June 12th.

-Official Statement, BruceSpringsteen.net

 

Oh boy,

Sometimes a story like this breaks just as I’m going to press and it’s a struggle figuring out what to say not knowing what the world will be like when this actually publishes on Tuesday.  I will do my best.

I assume New Jersey is completely gone.  What started as simple memorials undoubtedly turned into full-scale riots not unlike what we saw in Vancouver last week.  The only difference is this time instead of a small minority of Canadian idiots trashing a beautiful city it was the population of New Jersey, with a higher idiot concentration to start with, destroying the far less beautiful New Jersey.  I assume when Tatiana, my lovely editor, chooses a photo to run with this piece it will be the future Pulitzer-winner featuring the burning of a landfill in front of a food science laboratory.  Somewhere a Native-American is crying while a much smarter Native-American is laughing his ass off.

It would only make sense if the tribute concert were held on Monday night, last night.  I’m sure there was really top-notch talent from the world of rock and roll there to pay tribute.  I’m sure we’ve all heard the haunting sound of Born to Run played without a saxophone.  Dried the tears from our eyes as the special closed on a saxophone on a stand not being played in a spotlight as the lights slowly dimmed.  It was really the least the world could have done for a prominent member of a band that changed rock and roll forever.  Maybe former President Clinton appeared to honor a fellow sax player.  That would have been pretty rad.  I’m just sorry I couldn’t watch it before this went to press.

I guess it’s all going to be ok.  If the gulf coast region can recover from the effects of both Hurricane Katrina and the BP oil spill then New Jersey can eventually rebuild from these riots.  Maybe my children will see a New Jersey just as thriving as it was last week, which is to say a dim reflection of the culture of both New York and Philadelphia.  Some day, hopefully soon, we can all just sit back with some records featuring The E Street Band and just take pleasure in being able to live with such a group of talented musicians before the ravages of time started to pull them apart.  I also envy the Art of the future who already knows whether or not they replaced Clemons in the band and knows how one of the greatest rock acts I’ve ever had the pleasure of seeing turns out.  Maybe I’ll write him a letter; I can’t stand the suspense.