May 9, 2005

On This Day In 1974

Bruce Springsteen, opening for Bonnie Raitt in Boston, played the most important gig of his career. In the audience was Rolling Stone scribe (and future Boss manager) Jon Landau, who wrote the next day: "I saw rock & roll's future and its name is Bruce Springsteen." The pullquote heard round the world.

Ever feel that way after a rock show? Or the opposite? Let's play Madlibs.

I SAW ROCK & ROLL'S ________ AND ITS NAME IS _________.

Posted at 9:03 AM

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68 Comments

I saw Rock & Roll's freakish makeover widow and opportunistic, talentless daughter and their names are Priscilla and Lisa Marie Presley.

Posted by: Suspicious Minds at 05/09/05 12:13 PM | Reply
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I saw "rock n' roll's" future, and it never even occurred to me, when Blink 182 opened for my band years ago.

Ack!

Posted by: Billy K at 05/09/05 12:14 PM | Reply
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I saw Rock n' Roll's retirement home and its name is VH1.

Posted by: adam at 05/09/05 12:18 PM | Reply
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I saw rock 'n' roll's downfall and its name is East London

Posted by: chris at 05/09/05 12:28 PM | Reply
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i saw rock & roll's height of lowest common denominator exploitation and her name is gwen stefani

Posted by: somebody at 05/09/05 12:32 PM | Reply
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I saw Rock N' Roll's 'taint, and its name is Fiery Furnaces

Posted by: Jonah at 05/09/05 12:39 PM | Reply
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I saw rock & roll's bloodsucking tick, and its name is ultragrrrl.

Posted by: J.E.B. Stuart at 05/09/05 12:49 PM | Reply
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Sheesh!
I guess nothing good has happened since this day 31 years ago.

Posted by: Fred at 05/09/05 1:04 PM | Reply
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I saw rock & roll's _aging_flacid_penis_ and its name is _liam_gallager_.

Posted by: matthew at 05/09/05 1:26 PM | Reply
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i saw rock and roll's future and it's name is reggaton

Posted by: tejano at 05/09/05 1:27 PM | Reply
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There's an interesting article/review on Slate about the influence Jon Landau subsequently wielded over the Boss' career... http://www.slate.com/id/2117845

Posted by: Jed at 05/09/05 1:27 PM | Reply
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I saw rock and roll's blistery, puss-filled sex-change scar and it's name was Christian Rock.

Posted by: drew at 05/09/05 1:31 PM | Reply
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I saw rock and roll's past and future and it's name was Hot Snakes.

Posted by: Johnson at 05/09/05 1:33 PM | Reply
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i saw rock n' roll's embarrasing failure and it's name is rivers cuomo.

Posted by: jotoole at 05/09/05 1:35 PM | Reply
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I saw rock and roll's splendiferousness and it's name is Ticonderoga.

Posted by: narge at 05/09/05 1:36 PM | Reply
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I saw rock n' roll's STD and it's name is the Herpes of Carlos D.

Posted by: jenny at 05/09/05 1:38 PM | Reply
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Good entry, Scott.

I saw rock n'roll's pompous, ridiculous, insulting parody and its name was pretty much anything released by Vice records.

Also, Vice magazine is basically what Parade magazine would be had the Nazis won.

Posted by: jed at 05/09/05 1:39 PM | Reply
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I saw rock and roll's savior and his name is Dave Longstreth.

Posted by: jane goodall at 05/09/05 1:41 PM | Reply
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Haha! I love the Cuomo one! Brilliant (and sadly true)

Posted by: Jackie at 05/09/05 1:47 PM | Reply
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Yes! I second you on Ticonderoga, narge.

Posted by: birdWire at 05/09/05 2:00 PM | Reply
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I saw rock and roll's most mysgonistic, fat, bullying, laughable, pretty short on talent, pathetic asshole and it's name is Fred Durst!

Posted by: Grimmone at 05/09/05 2:41 PM | Reply
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I saw Rock & Roll's birth certificate and its name is actually Rhythm & Blues.

Posted by: Presto at 05/09/05 2:42 PM | Reply
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i saw rock n roll's younger zit popping pain-in-the-ass brother, and it was called linkin park.

Posted by: EasyP at 05/09/05 2:44 PM | Reply
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I saw rock n roll's murderer and its name is clear channel

Posted by: nicky at 05/09/05 3:04 PM | Reply
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I saw rock and roll's saviours from it's own self-importance and its name was Tenacious D.

Posted by: GaryF at 05/09/05 3:23 PM | Reply
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I saw rock & roll's future and it's name was censored by the FCC.

Posted by: dee at 05/09/05 3:24 PM | Reply
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i saw rock & roll's little sister and it's name is smoosh.

Posted by: inchworm at 05/09/05 3:40 PM | Reply
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I saw Rock and Roll's choice of wood stain, and it was Light Walnut.

Posted by: SC at 05/09/05 3:45 PM | Reply
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I saw Rock and Roll's onomatopoeia and it was Air Supply.

Posted by: Topher at 05/09/05 3:49 PM | Reply
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nice clearchannel rip nicky I like it!!

Posted by: tejano at 05/09/05 3:54 PM | Reply
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I saw rock n' roll's bleating, malnourished goat and its name is Pitchfork.

Posted by: Andy at 05/09/05 4:08 PM | Reply
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cheers to Andy and Adam, yours were awesome!

geers to the rivers cuomo haters you have no taste!

Posted by: loveandeath at 05/09/05 4:12 PM | Reply
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I saw rock n' rolls future on Friday and it's name was THE MARS VOLTA

Posted by: mlf at 05/09/05 4:26 PM | Reply
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I saw rock & roll's underwear and it had its name written inside.

Posted by: Tequila Red at 05/09/05 4:37 PM | Reply
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I saw rock & roll's past and it's its future

Posted by: Niagra at 05/09/05 4:44 PM | Reply
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I saw rock and roll's saviours, and they are Three Happenin' Guys.

Posted by: madskrillz at 05/09/05 4:45 PM | Reply
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I saw rock & roll's 30-year-long obituary and its name is Rolling Stone magazine.

Posted by: the management at 05/09/05 4:48 PM | Reply
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I saw this rock and roll generation's anwser to Pat Boone and its names are Hillary Duff and Ashlee Simpson and Good Charlotte.

Posted by: Grimmone at 05/09/05 4:49 PM | Reply
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I saw rock and roll's better sounding cousins for free on the internets and they were called Uncle Tupelo and Son Volt.

Posted by: wunderdog at 05/09/05 4:59 PM | Reply
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I saw rock n' roll's bad case of diarreah and it's name is Ryan Adams' recorded musical output.

Posted by: E.B. at 05/09/05 5:15 PM | Reply
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I saw rock n' roll's nadir and it's name is major-label emo.

/missed "nadir" on the PSAT
//will never forget its meaning

Posted by: UglyRedHonda at 05/09/05 5:29 PM | Reply
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I saw Rock 'n Roll's playist on iTunes, and it had a inexplicable emphasis on Dogstar.

Posted by: Topher at 05/09/05 5:43 PM | Reply
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I saw Rock N Roll's Mom and she was still Hotter than Liz Phair.

Posted by: fred at 05/09/05 7:02 PM | Reply
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I saw a blogger who claimed today is the anniversary when actually it was May 22, 1974

http://home.theboots.net/theboots/articles/future.html

Great read

Posted by: Metamoros at 05/09/05 7:03 PM | Reply
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i saw rock 'n roll's new decaf blend of new order extra-lite and its name is the killers espresso roast

Posted by: marsh at 05/09/05 7:06 PM | Reply
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I saw rock 'n roll's Carrot Top, and it is Steve Bays.

Posted by: chzplz at 05/09/05 8:35 PM | Reply
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i saw rock 'n roll's saviour and it is the internet

Posted by: mat coz at 05/09/05 9:07 PM | Reply
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I saw rock n roll's superman 64 and its name is donkey konga 2

Posted by: mykingdom at 05/09/05 10:03 PM | Reply
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I saw rock and roll's boobies and [their names are] Saggy and Plaztick!

Posted by: Perks at 05/09/05 10:54 PM | Reply
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I saw rock'n'roll's homework and its name is misspelt.

Posted by: henry's cat at 05/10/05 9:11 AM | Reply
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I saw rock 'n' roll's next "great American band" and its name is the M's.

Posted by: Jeff at 05/10/05 9:28 AM | Reply
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i saw rock 'n' rolls favorite song and it was mood ring by relient k

(christian rock is awesome, dont know what you people are smokin... even though relient k isnt really rock... whatever)

Posted by: beka at 05/10/05 10:01 AM | Reply
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I saw rock 'n' roll's tattoo and it was a stabbed heart wrapped with a banner that said, "Mama Mounted Faust." And I noticed, before rock 'n' roll hitched up its pants and went looking for the bathroom, that there was a mermaid and a skull. And Africans, lots of Africans.

Posted by: J I M at 05/10/05 10:27 AM | Reply
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i saw the future of rock and roll and it was conor oberst and rivers quomo. mock away, but its true.

Posted by: ryan at 05/10/05 12:08 PM | Reply
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I SAW ROCK & ROLL'S supposed hero who saved rock and roll back in 1974 AND now im wondering what relevance bruce springsteen has anymore? none. unless you like songs about girlfriends 30 years ago, and back when fighting in the war was romantic.

i dont believe a word of this.... who really saved rock and roll?

billy joel?

Posted by: jeff topping at 05/10/05 12:14 PM | Reply
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I SAW ROCK & ROLL'S formerly unrealized desire to eat itself AND ITS NAME IS stereogum.

Posted by: greg at 05/10/05 1:15 PM | Reply
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I SAW ROCK 'N ROLL'S whatchamacallit? AND ITS NAME IS whatshisname?

I SAW ROCK 'N ROLL'S DOWNFALL, AND ITS NAME IS DRM

Posted by: Ninja at 05/10/05 2:36 PM | Reply
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I saw rock and roll's future and it's boring.

Posted by: oldskool at 05/10/05 2:40 PM | Reply
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I saw rock and roll's future and it's yesterday's now music today.

Posted by: lee paris at 05/10/05 2:42 PM | Reply
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I saw rock 'n' roll's painful menstrual bloat and her name is indie rock.

Posted by: tanya at 05/10/05 3:58 PM | Reply
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I saw rock'n'roll's increased feeling of self-consciousness and its name is anonymous.

Posted by: ultra at 05/10/05 4:17 PM | Reply
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I saw Rock and Roll's future and its name was Stereogum's Ipod.

Posted by: fred graver at 05/10/05 5:37 PM | Reply
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I saw rock n roll's marketing strategy and its name was brand alliance.

Posted by: sarah at 05/10/05 7:59 PM | Reply
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I visited rock and roll the other day. He was sipping prune juice while sitting atop his rascal scooter and ranting about how his bitch of an ex-wife, Paul Mcartney, was sucking him dry with alimony payments. Mostly he just sleeps all day and watches soaps.

Posted by: sancho panzo at 05/11/05 12:36 AM | Reply
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I saw rock and roll's false blog and it had a whole column of "Premium Advertisers". It yelled it was better than clear channel yet it was populated with amazon affiliate links galore.

Posted by: Cyanbane at 05/11/05 1:42 AM | Reply
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I saw hip hop's demise and it's name was the black eyed peas. eesh.

Posted by: smitty at 05/11/05 12:06 PM | Reply
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i saw rock and rolls spandex and it's name was Van Halen....too bad they were the fucking best.

i bought a VH mirror from sometime in the 80's off of ebay a couple of years ago and it fell down and broke about two weeks ago and i haven't even picked any of it up because i'm so fucking heartbroken. not that anybody cares.

Posted by: The Bird at 05/11/05 12:27 PM | Reply
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I saw rock and roll's present and its name is Ted Leo.

I saw rock and roll's milque toast trend-baiting clothesless emporer and its name is iPod.

Posted by: Geech at 05/12/05 3:17 PM | Reply
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