Teardrops on the City
19 Jun 2011 03:44 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
karohemdJust as I was switching off everything to finally go to bed, @blackjoelewis tweeted "RIP Clarence Clemons". He'd suffered a stroke last Sunday and was on the long way to recovery but apparently there were complications and he passed away earlier today.
Clarence Clemons had been playing saxophone with Bruce Springsteen for almost 40 years and been an integral part of the classic E Street Band sound, just like Roy Bittan on piano and Danny Federici (who lost his fight with cancer three years ago) on organ.
I will never forget the first time I saw them live in Munich in '89. There was this huge red zoot suit with matching hat playing saxophone because you couldn't really see his face from that far away. During the tracks that didn't feature the saxophone, he would play the tambourine and other percussion instruments and provide his booming backing vocals. His stage presence and the chemistry with the other band members but especially Bruce were always things that made the E Street Band's sound special.
I want to write more but can't. All I can do is sit here, stare into empty space and listen to the '75 Hammersmith gig.
Clarence Clemons had been playing saxophone with Bruce Springsteen for almost 40 years and been an integral part of the classic E Street Band sound, just like Roy Bittan on piano and Danny Federici (who lost his fight with cancer three years ago) on organ.
I will never forget the first time I saw them live in Munich in '89. There was this huge red zoot suit with matching hat playing saxophone because you couldn't really see his face from that far away. During the tracks that didn't feature the saxophone, he would play the tambourine and other percussion instruments and provide his booming backing vocals. His stage presence and the chemistry with the other band members but especially Bruce were always things that made the E Street Band's sound special.
I want to write more but can't. All I can do is sit here, stare into empty space and listen to the '75 Hammersmith gig.
