BBailey182's Full Review: Clarence Clemons and Don Reo - Big Man: Real Life ...
Martin and Lewis? Defunct. Lennon and McCartney? Didn't happen. Cruise and Kidman? Nope.
It's tough for a couple to stay together. But some have done it. Mick Jaggar and Keith Richards, of course. And then there Bruce Springsteen and Clarence Clemons. Or, if you prefer, and you probably do, the Boss and the Big Man.
Clemons has written a book about his life appropriately called "Big Man," and it's unique as memoirs go. The literary effort is a bit all over the place, but still manages to be entertaining.
When Springsteen made it big in music around 1977, Clemons quickly became something of a folk hero in the band. He was indeed a big man, having tried to play some semi-pro football in his younger days. His saxophone was often featured in Springsteen's work, helping to give the music a somewhat distinctive sound. His personality also came through nicely in concert, as "The Big Man" became something of an alter ego during shows.
The book is co-written by Don Reo, a man who has done plenty of work in television (writing, producing, etc.) and is a good friend of Clemons. The two trade off in writing anecdotes here. Clemons does most of the writing, and Reo's sections are mostly -- but not exclusively -- about Clemons and the times they had together. There are dozens of chapters here, and they are in no particular order. For those of you who like your stories told in a linear manner, this may not work too well. But overall, it comes off like listening in on an interesting conversation with two old friends -- bouncing from here to there.
Supposedly members of the E Street Band have signed some confidentiality agreements, but Clemons is relatively open when it comes to his own life. Most of the "revelations" are about himself -- multiple wives, drug use, taking advantage of the, um, opportunities that being a rock star can present, etc.
There are a few insights into Clemons musically, as well. He writes about how he was with Ringo Starr in Japan when he got the call in the late 1980's from Springsteen that he was breaking up the band for a while. He discusses how the E Street Band got its name, a great story concerning a former member of the band.
Clemons' health supplies something of a topical ending to the book. During the 2008 "Magic" tour, the Big Man didn't look so good and wasn't his usual active self on stage. Turns out a rock and roll lifestyle has taken a toll, and he eventually needed operations on his hips and knees. Clemons was in rough shape about a year ago, but he pulled himself together in time for the band's appearance at the Super Bowl last February. The Big Man has made it through the current tour pretty well, according to reports.
There are a couple of drawbacks to the book, and the first is an odd editorial decision. The text is broken up by tales that didn't really happen -- conversations with Robert DeNiro, Norman Mailer, and Kinky Friedman. The book is 364 pages long, and it's a little tough to know what the point was. The true-life adventures are quite enough without added legends.
There's also a little too much of the "Clarence is a really great guy" and "I can't believe I'm traveling with the E Street Band" from Reo. A couple of references would have been plenty.
Nevertheless, Clemons' story is still a brisk one, fun to read with plenty of tales of adventures from the road -- even if you aren't a huge fan of the band. As Springsteen has said about Clemons, "You want to be like him but you can't." "Big Man" is a good way to see what Mr. Clemons is like when he's not playing at an arena near you.
For the first time ever comes the inside story of Clarence Big Man Clemons--his life before, during, and beyond the E-Street Band, including never-bef...More at Buy.com
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