“Playing with Boss Springsteen” by Michael Purington
He Played with the Boss – Michael Purington and Bruce Springsteen
Article from The Seattle Times Arts & Entertainment Section – originally published April 6, 2008 by Seattle Times Staff
On March 23, music critic Patrick MacDonald wrote about a visit Bruce Springsteen paid to the Old Timer’s Cafe in Pioneer Square in 1980. The story goes that Springsteen asked the band, Lost Highway, whether he could play along, and that a band member, not recognizing him, said, “Sure, if you can stay in tune.” Reader Michael Purington, of Missoula, Mont., says that band member was he. His version of the story follows. Also this week: Some reaction to MacDonald’s review of Springsteen’s latest appearance in Seattle (“Springsteen, E Street Band perform ‘Magic,’ ” NWLife, March 31).
The night I rocked with The Boss
I was the guy who said, “Sure, if you can stay in tune” when Bruce asked, “Can I play?” I did recognize him; I was just being a smartass.
Here’s what happened …
We [the Lost Highway Band] were setting up our equipment when a band member said, “Mike! Springsteen’s outside the bar looking at our poster!”
Three of us ran out the door and chased him down the street. I blurted out: “Listen, I may never get a chance to talk to you again, so I want to tell you something: There was Elvis Presley, there was John Lennon, and now there’s you.”
He was very friendly, offered tickets to his show for the three band members who didn’t have them and was turning away when I asked him to sit in with us.
This invitation caused his sizable entourage to laugh out loud. At me.
Bruce said, “How late are ya playin’?”
During our first set a couple of band members said, “Let’s play ‘Badlands.’ I stepped to the microphone and told the small crowd, “There’s a young guy from New Jersey playin’ here in town tomorrow night, and we’re gonna help him out and play one of his songs.”
During the first verse I saw Springsteen sitting way down at the end of the bar staring at me. I sang “Badlands” as well as I possibly could. He started moving closer. We did a B.B. King tune. I sang it as well as I possibly could. At that point he was sitting on a stool at the other end of the bar 6 feet from the stage.
That was when he asked to jam. When he got on stage I said, “How old are you?” He said, “31.” I said, pointing at his chest, “You’re 31 and you still get zits that big?”
For the first time that night, Springsteen smiled at me.
We played “Route 66,” he got the whole band hip-shaking in sync with him and sang “Goin’ to Missoula” instead of “Goin’ to Missouri” on the choruses.
After that song I asked him, “What’s the main thing to do when I write a song?” He said, “Tell the truth.”
I suggested we do “Gloria,” and he said, “Naw.” Then I suggested “Midnight Hour” and he said, “Yeah, let’s do that.”
We played the wrong chords on the intro. The next night Springsteen kicked off his show with the right chords to “Midnight Hour’s” intro and then played “Badlands.”
I was overwhelmed and in shock by the whole experience. Then he introduced “The River” by saying, “This is for the guys in Lost Highway.”
I quit going on the road not long after that. One thing I always smile about was running around bar-to-bar in Pioneer Square after closing time trying to find Bruce with his frantic road manager.
Lying in the motel room the night before we left Seattle, my bass player said, “Well, that’s about the most amazing thing that’s ever happened in my life.”
I replied, “Uh-huh.”
I just wanted to tell you the whole story.
— Michael Purington, Missoula, Mont.
Michael Purington still plays music in Missoula but he now provides a message with some of it. He is a recovering alcoholic and has created a website that tells his story. His is a steadfast message of hope and courage. Congratulations Michael.
Check out Michael Purington’s website at the links below:
http://www.quitdrinkin.com/news.html