Jungleland: A Springzine

Jungleland: A Springzine

by Matthias Scherer Author

I've often insisted that it's impossible to understand or appreciate listening to the music of Bruce Springsteen until you hit the age of 30. But after that point, you might begin to understand the iconographic and brilliant design of Mr Brian Deller that proclaims, "The Only Boss Worth Listening To" next to a photo of young Bruce with curly hair and a headband. This is a limited-edition fanzine about Bruce Springsteen written by "second-generation" Springsteen fans. The contributors explain the appeal of "The Boss"'s  music for people who were born after he first broke through to the mainstream. Beautiful layout conveys the essays, recollections, ramblings, and short stories captured here. But my favorite article looks at Bruce's views on women through how he talks about them in song. The whole fan affair is heartwarming, telling, honest, and well thought out. For many of us, once your punk upbringing relaxes enough to allow you to see past the complex production of these records, you can begin to see how Bruce is a visual storyteller and how justified his influence is on all kinds of writers.