I like Bruce. But I certainly don't romanticize Jersey. From what I've seen on TV, it's pretty much a hell hole. I love to travel, and will literally go anywhere with a carefree heart, but Jersey is pretty much last on my list. Behind, like, I don't know, Kansas. Or Somalia.
Oh great. Now you've put me in the awkward position of defending New Jersey. By TV, I assume
you're refering to the shows about genteel spouses and those well-mannered kids living in a
house by the beach. Because naturally the producers of said shows are primarily interested
in accurately depicting the citizens of New Jersey, and the people on those programs know they're
on television and represent the state, so they're on their best behavior. I've never seen a
moment of either one of them, so I'm just speculating here. New Jersey residents have a
well-deserved reputation for having a lot of attitude, but that can be said about much of the
greater NYC area. On the whole I don't think the people there are much better or worse than
elsewhere in the US.
Most people only see New Jersey because they're driving through it on the Turnpike to go
somewhere else. Which is a little like saying you've seen the Bay Area by driving around it on
880 and 101. It is the most densely populated state, and the swath from Philadelphia to
New York is largely a mix of suburban and urban areas. There are problem cities like Trenton,
but I don't see them as much different from Richmond or Vacaville. Off of that strip to the North
are the Appalachian Mountains and many rural communities, which are pretty much the same as
most other rural areas in the Mid-Atlantic Region. To the South it is essentially a huge sandy
penninsula, dominated by the Pine Barrens, and much of it remains relatively undeveloped.
There's naturally a lot of history associated with New Jersey, but if you're not interested in that
then there isn't much to differentiate it from other East Coast locations. There are lots of nice
beach areas, but Long Island, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia also have nice beaches. And
Atlantic City is no longer the only alternative for gambling outside of Nevada. So without a specific
reason, you might just as well visit Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, etc. But I think that's true
of most states outside of the West. Very few of them have unique, "must see" attractions apart
from historical sites.
He may be a lucky punk from Jersey, but he puts on a hell of a show, and his songs resonate. I refused to pay $114 for far away seats last time he was in town, but would have paid that for a closer experience.
I think he rose above those other Jersey punks with talent and conviction. You may not agree, but he doesn't seem to be as Jersey as the media is portraying Jersey these days.
My point is that most of his songs don't resonate with me, because they're pitched at a blue-collar
sensibility. I don't find anything particularly interesting about his music; it's middle-of-the-road rock
and roll, albeit well executed and well presented. Yes, he's talented and determined, and that is a
big part of his success. My opinion is that the fan reaction is out of proportion with the music
quality. (But what do I know? I count myself amount the ranks of Deadheads.) He most
certainly is associated with and considered representative of New Jersey. As for the media
portrayals you allude to, they are essentially cartoons, and are about as accurate as saying a walk
down Haight Street near Ashbury is what San Francisco is all about.
