I couldn't be happier that this day fell on a Thursday.
Today, June 2, is the 33rd anniversary of one of my favorite records of all time, Bruce Springsteen's "Darkness On The Edge Of Town."
Now, the 33rd anniversary of something isn't normally celebrated - as a society, we tend to lean toward milestones and we make a big deal out of the 30th or 40th or 50th anniversary of whatever important event we want to celebrate.
But this 33rd birthday of one of rock ‘n' roll's most essential records gives me an excuse to talk about my favorite artist ever. And since it's on a Thursday, I have even more reason to turn this into my weekly column.
"Darkness On The Edge Of Town," Springsteen's fourth studio album, is perhaps most noteworthy for being the follow-up to arguably the greatest album of all time, "Born To Run."
"Born To Run" catapulted Springsteen from a cult following in large Northeast markets to a national presence, and eventually into a global force.
Following up "Born To Run" was a task that should have made Springsteen flinch, but he delivered what some consider to be one of his best LPs.
From the opening drum blasts of the powerful "Badlands" to the forever-catchy verses and guitar solo in "Candy's Room" to the fan-favorite chorus in "The Promised Land," the record has something for everyone in its 10 tracks.
For me, a diehard Springsteen fan since birth thanks to my dad, "Darkness" will always have its own niche. It's not quite a top five record from The Boss, but from a critical standpoint it certainly deserves to be mentioned right up there with "Born To Run."
Despite not having a successful single, "Darkness" left a great legacy. It was ranked the 151st greatest album of all time by Rolling Stone magazine and in 2010 a documentary of the making of the album was unveiled at the Toronto Film Festival.
In reviewing the premier of the documentary, Stephen Whitty of the Newark Star-Ledger quoted Springsteen as saying, "More than rich, more than famous, more than happy - I wanted to be great."
Great he was, and great he still is. If you're not familiar with The Boss' discography, there's no artist on the planet I would recommend more wholeheartedly.
