Bruce Springsteen

Only one of these awards has been one of the cross-genre "major" ones (Song, Record, or Album of the Year); he has been nominated a number of other times for the majors, but failed to win. This may change, as military service has become less popular in the last few years - nowadays, a lot of people consider being an officer more of a liability than an asset. For a detailed discography, see Bruce Springsteen discography.. As a rule of thumb, a significant number of senior civil servants and business leaders in Switzerland are general staff officers. Burgar claims to be running a Springsteen fan club. The ratio of professional versus militia officers is about 1:1. Once the legal complaint was filed, Burgar pointed the domain to a Springsteen biography and message board. Being a general staff officer is a prerequisite for a range of important jobs on Brigade and higher level, such as G2 (chief of intelligence) or G3 (chief of operations).

In November 2000 Springsteen filed legal action against Burgar which accused him of registering the domain in bad faith along with several other celebrity domains to funnel web users to his Celebrity 1000 portal site. Only 30 new trainees are selected per year and even fewer complete the demanding training. A WIPO panel ruled 2 to 1 in favor of Burgar. Future general staff officers are selected from the best company commanders and undergo battalion commander training before starting general staff training. In February 2001, Springsteen lost a domain name dispute to Jeff Burgar, who had registered brucespringsteen.com. To assure a generally high level of military leadership above the rank of first lieutenant, the Army maintains the HKA (Hoehere Kaderschule der Armee) which is responsible for an array of professionally run schools such as BUSA (Berufsunteroffiziersschule der Armee) which runs a program for professional non-commissioned officers, the MILAK (Militaerakademie) which runs a bachelor degree program for professional officers, programs for company and battalion commanders, a number of staff courses, and the General Staff and Command College (Gst S), an elite training program whose graduates leave their former branches and are inducted into the so-called General Staff Corps. [10] The E Street Band was inactive from the end of 1988 through early 1999, except for a brief reunion in 1995. Consequently, the new system has already come under pressure and is under review.

The E Street Band is considered to have started in October 1972, even though it wasn't officially billed and known as such until September 1974. In the new system, officers-to-be are selected early on from the pool of boots (based on criteria such as leadership potential but also education) and sent to officer training fairly quickly, which reduces the time these "instant officers" take to be fully trained but also means that they neither have the advantage of having been NCOs nor having had time to slowly mature as leaders. Eonline story, 11/2005Also in November 2005, Sirius Satellite Radio started a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week radio station on Channel 10 called "E Street Radio." This channel, which has since been discontinued, featured commercial-free Bruce Springsteen music, including rare tracks, interviews, and daily concerts of Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band recorded throughout their career. Unfortunately, this advantage (at least from a leadership point of view) was abolished with the Army XXI reform as a concession to the Swiss economy which was increasingly unhappy about having its future leaders away for two years at a time (the time it took to become an officer until 2004). For unstated reasons, this resolution was killed in committee. This system ensured that all officers knew what it was like to be a grunt. In general, resolutions honoring native sons are passed with a simple voice vote. officers who also have a civilian job - and future professional officers), five months of intensive training that emphasised small-unit and platoon-sized unit tactics.

Senate resolution to honor Springsteen on the 30th anniversary of the release of his Born to Run album. Instead, until 2004 officers were traditionally selected from the pool of NCOs (non-commissioned officers) and then underwent OCS (officer candidate school, which was and is open to both militia - i.e. In November 2005, New Jersey Senators Frank Lautenberg and Jon Corzine sponsored a U.S. In contrast to most other comparable Armies, officer candidates are not necessarily career regulars. (Offstage synthesizer, guitar, and percussion are also used for some songs.) Unearthly renditions of "Reason to Believe", "The Promised Land", and Suicide's "Dream Baby Dream" jolted audiences to attention, while rarities, frequent set list changes, and a willingness to keep trying even through audible piano mistakes kept most of his loyal audiences happy. Only recently have allegations been made that certain parts of the Swiss economy worked at the biddings of the Hitler regime (banks, mechanical industry, and transportation services), suggesting that not only the army, but also the economy, prevented an invasion of Switzerland. Unlike his mid-1990s solo tour, he performed on piano, electric piano, pump organ, autoharp, ukelele, banjo, electric guitar, and stomping board, as well as acoustic guitar and harmonica, adding variety to the solo sound. Those who actually served in the Swiss Army during the war never criticised this concept - even if it openly meant that the enemy could take the civilian population in the plains hostage.

Attendance was sparse in a few regions, and everywhere tickets were easier to get than in the past. Bernard passes, because Switzerland does not possess any significant natural resources. Springsteen began a solo tour at the same time as the album's release, playing both small and large venues. The Swiss government thought that the aim of an invasion of Switzerland would be to control the economically important transport routes through the Swiss Alps, namely the Gotthard, the Simplon and Great St. 1 in 10 different countries (United States, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, Italy, Germany, The Netherlands, The United Kingdom, and Ireland). The army would barricade itself in the mountains witihin the fortresses, which would be very difficult to take. Nonetheless, the album entered the album charts at No. It was intended that if the Axis Powers were to invade Switzerland, they would have to do so at a huge price.

Starbucks rejected a co-branding deal for the album, not only due to some sexually explicit content, but also because of Springsteen's anti-corporate politics. The concept of underground fortifications in the Alps stems from the so-called "Reduit" concept of the World War II. The title track concerns an ordinary soldier's feelings and fears during the Iraq War. They include underground air bases which are adjacent to normal runways; the aircraft, crew and supporting material are housed in the caverns. [9]. Permanent fortifications are established in the Alps, as bases from which to retake the fertile valleys after a potential invasion. Some of the material was written almost 10 years earlier during or shortly after the Tom Joad tour, a couple of them being performed then but never released. Tunnels are also primed with demolition charges to be used against invading forces.

It is a low-key, mostly acoustic album, in the same vein as Nebraska and The Ghost of Tom Joad although with a little more instrumentation. Moreover, tunnels and key bridges are built with tank traps. Springsteen's most recent album, Devils & Dust, was released on April 26, 2005 and was recorded without the E Street Band. There are also hospitals and command centres in such shelters, aimed at keeping the country running in case of emergencies. Whether Springsteen's stance causes a reduction in his fan base (now an older, more affluent demographic) remains to be seen as of 2005. There is a bed for every Swiss person in one of the many shelters. Springsteen's "No Surrender" became the main campaign theme song for John Kerry's unsuccessful presidential campaign; in the last days of the campaign, he performed acoustic versions of this and a few of his other songs at Kerry rallies. Swiss building codes require radiation and blast shelters to protect against bombing.

This new stance led to criticism and praise from the expected partisan sources. The abuse of military rifles is extremely rare, and when it does occur, it is usually in the form of suicide. While in past years Springsteen had played benefits for causes he believed in – against nuclear energy, for Vietnam veterans, Amnesty International, and the Christic Institute – he had always refrained from explicitly endorsing candidates for political office (indeed he had rejected the efforts of Walter Mondale to construe an endorsement during the 1984 Reagan "Born in the U.S.A." flap). The ammunition is stored in a tamper-evident sealed box that should never be opened unless ordered to do so. Several days later, Springsteen held one more such concert in New Jersey, when polls showed that state surprisingly close. 50 rounds of ammunition are issued along with the rifle for use only in wartime. A finale was held in Washington, D.C., bringing many of the artists together. The Swiss people are advised to keep the ammunition and the rifle in separate places, both out of reach of unauthorised users.

Bush. However, in January 2006, the defence authorities declared that it would take 8 years to rebuild the army to be ready for a full war against a large enemy. All concerts were to be held in swing states, to benefit MoveOn.org and encourage people to vote against George W. In contrast, it can take several weeks to several months for a militarily-active country such as the United States to mobilise its military force. In 2004, Springsteen announced that he and the E Street Band would participate in a politically motivated "Vote for Change" tour, in conjunction with John Mellencamp, John Fogerty, the Dixie Chicks, R.E.M., Jurassic 5, Dave Matthews Band, and other musicians. Switzerland claims to be able to mobilise the entire population for warfare within 12 hours. At the Grammy Awards of 2003, Springsteen performed The Clash's "London Calling" along with Elvis Costello, Dave Grohl, and E Street Band member Steven van Zandt in tribute to the late Joe Strummer; Springsteen and the Clash had once been considered multiple-album-dueling rivals at the time of the double The River and the triple Sandinista!. Swiss military doctrines are arranged in peculiar ways to make this organisation effective.

He also frequently rehearses for tours in Asbury Park; some of his most devoted followers even go so far as to stand outside the building to hear what fragments they can of the upcoming shows. Famously, members of the armed forces keep their rifles, ammunition, and uniforms in their homes for immediate mobilisation. These shows are explicitly intended for the faithful, featuring numbers such as the unreleased (until Tracks) E Street Shuffle out-take "Thundercrack", a rollicking group participation song that would mystify casual Springsteen fans. In 1993, the Swiss government ordered 34 FA-18 fighter jets from the United States of America, which were subsequently re-built in Switzerland, notably for the electronics. During the 2000s, Springsteen became a visible advocate for the revitalization of Asbury Park, and has played an annual series of winter holiday concerts there to benefit various local businesses, organizations, and causes. For example, Switzerland uses only one rifle model, the FASS 90, and two types of ground-based anti-aircraft systems, including a Swiss-built and improved version of the Stinger (Swiss army knives are also issued, although they are neither red nor considered weapons). Bob Dylan was a surprise guest on the last night, the two performing "Highway 61 Revisited" together. To reduce training and logistics costs, the Swiss military standardises on a few carefully selected types of weapons.

Bruce Springsteen lost his police escort for the second night after performing "American Skin (41 Shots)", a song about the police shooting of Amadou Diallo. In this case, the compensation is paid to the employer. The Rising tour would come to a final conclusion with 3 nights in Shea Stadium. Most employers, however, continue to pay the full salary during military service. During these shows Springsteen thanked those fans who were attending multiple shows and those who were coming from long distances or out of the country; the advent of robust Bruce-oriented online communities had made these practices easier. During military service, the employee is paid a compensation of 70% of his regular salary by the state. [8]. In general, men interrupt their work during these weeks.

But it was still strong along the coasts, and he played an unprecedented 10 nights in outdoor football Giants Stadium in New Jersey, a ticket-selling feat that no other musical act can come close to. The successive training weeks can also be postponed, but there is limited scope. While Springsteen had maintained a loyal hardcore fan base everywhere, his general popularity had dipped over the years in some southern and midwestern regions of the U.S. It is possible to postpone the initial training to finish university. A massive tour was made to promote The Rising. However, the service period of non-commissioned officers and officers is significantly longer. The title track gained airplay in several radio formats, and the record became Springsteen's best-selling album of new material in 15 years. Thereafter, men remain in the military until the age of 30 (or longer, if the military service is not yet completed), performing three weeks of training every year.

The album, mostly a reflection on the September 11 attacks, was a critical and popular success, and hailed the return of "The Boss". Initial training (following regular boot camp) for members of the AAD, Switzerland's new SAS-type Special Forces unit, which is an all-volunteer professional unit with a rigorous selection process, is 18 months. In 2002, Springsteen released his first studio effort with the full band in 18 years, The Rising, produced by Brendan O'Brien. At the age of 20, about half the service is done during an initial training period of 21 or 18 weeks, depending on the service branch, with the exception of the Grenadiers, an elite infantry unit with a 25-week boot camp. The final shows at Madison Square Garden were recorded and resulted in an HBO Concert, with corresponding DVD and album releases as Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band: Live In New York City. Conscription occurs at the age of 19 years. Springsteen's reunion tour with the E Street Band ended with a triumphant ten night sold-out engagement at New York's Madison Square Garden. As of January 2004, the income tax was raised to 3% by the Federal Council.

Highlights included a record sold-out, 15-show run at Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Those who are found unable to serve the military pay an additional 2% income tax. In 1999, the E Street Band officially reunited and went on an extensive world tour, lasting over a year. This can be on either physical or mental grounds. In 1998, another precursor to the E Street Band's upcoming re-birth appeared in the form of a sprawling, four-disc box set of out-takes, Tracks. A significant number of young men choose to avoid military service by visiting a doctor who attests to their incapability to do military service on medical grounds. The small-venue solo tour that followed successfully featured many of his older songs in drastically reshaped acoustic form, although Springsteen had to explicitly remind his audiences to be quiet during the performances. Entry to the civilian service is based on moral grounds and subject to a successful application.

This was less well-received than the similar Nebraska, due to the minimal melody, twangy vocals, and didactic nature of most of the songs. This option is only available to those found to be not physically fit enough to join the armed forces. In 1995, after temporarily re-organizing the E Street Band for a few new songs recorded for his first Greatest Hits album (a recording session that was chronicled in the documentary Blood Brothers), he released his second solo guitar album, The Ghost of Tom Joad. Since 1996, Swiss citizens can apply for civilian service instead. Unusually, the music video for the song shows Springsteen's actual vocal performance, recorded using a hidden microphone, as he refused to lip-sync to a prerecorded vocal track. For women the service is voluntary. The song, along with the film, was applauded by many for its sympathetic portrayal of a gay man dying of AIDS, especially coming from a mainstream, heterosexual musician. All able-bodied male Swiss citizens are conscripted to the armed forces.

A multiple Grammy Award winner, Springsteen also won an Academy Award in 1993 for his song "Streets of Philadelphia," which appeared in the soundtrack to the film Philadelphia. The organisation is still active in antimilitaristic work and also in the anti-war movement. I would have written just happy songs -- and I tried it in the early '90s and it didn't work; the public didn't like it." [7]. The population decided to buy the jets, although 42.9% voted against the project. Springsteen seemed to realize this dissatisfaction a few years hence when he spoke humorously of his late father during his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame acceptance speech: "I've gotta thank him because -- what would I conceivably have written about without him? I mean, you can imagine that if everything had gone great between us, we would have had disaster. In 1992, after the Swiss government decided to buy FA-18 jets, they collected about half a million signatures within one month for a referendum. An abortive acoustic band appearance on the MTV Unplugged television program that was later released as In Concert/MTV Plugged further cemented fan dissatisfaction. The second vote was in 1999, with 76.8% in favour.

However, most fans view these albums (especially Human Touch) and the "Other Band" Tour that followed as the low point in Springsteen's career; it was also during this tour that Springsteen first began using a teleprompter so as to not forget his lyrics, a practice he has continued with ever since. The first time was in 1989, when 64.4% of the voters voted in favour of maintaining the Swiss Army. As opposed to his first two albums, which dreamed of happiness, and his next four, which showed him growing to fear it, these albums saw a finally satisfied and mature Springsteen. The Swiss have voted twice on such a referendum. Also different about these albums was the confidence he displayed. There is an organised movement in Switzerland (Gruppe Schweiz ohne Armee; GSoA / Groupe pour une Suisse sans Armée; GSsA - Group for a Switzerland without an Army, in English) aiming at the abolition of the military. Human Touch and Lucky Town were even more introspective than any of his previous work. References:.

In 1992, after risking charges of "going Hollywood" by moving to Los Angeles (a radical move for someone so linked to the blue-collar life of the Jersey Shore) and working with session musicians, Springsteen released two albums simultaneously. Since the responsibilities of the NNSC have been much reduced over the past few years, only 5 people are still part of the Swiss delegation, located near the Korean DMZ. Springsteen married Scialfa in 1991; they had three children born between 1990 and 1994. Switzerland is part of the Neutral Nation Supervisory Committee (NNSC) which was created to monitor the armistice between North and South Korea. Shortly after the end of the Amnesty tour, Springsteen dissolved the E Street Band. The swiss soldiers were recognized among the other armies present on the field by their distinctive yellow beret. Later in 1988, Springsteen headlined the truly worldwide Human Rights Now! Tour for Amnesty International. It is interresting to note that none of the active soldiers were armed during the duration of the mission.

The subsequent Tunnel of Love Express Tour shook up fans with changes to the stage layout, favorites dropped from the set list, and horn-based arrangements; during the European leg in 1988, Springsteen's relationship with E Street Band backup singer Patti Scialfa became public. The mission was named SHQSU standing for Swiss Headquarters Support Unit to BiH. Reflecting the challenges of love, on Tunnel of Love's title song, Springsteen famously sang:. It's mission, part of the Swiss Peacekeeping Missions, was to provide logistic and medical support to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, OSCE. It coincided with the breakup of his first marriage to actress Julianne Phillips. From 1999 to 2001, The Swiss Army was present in Bosnia and Herzegovina with headquarters in Sarajevo. After this commercial peak, Springsteen released the much more sedate and contemplative Tunnel of Love (1987), a mature reflection on the many faces of love found, lost and squandered. However, over the years, the Swiss army has been part of several peacekeeping missions around the world.

Some fans and critics felt the song selection on this album could have been better, but in any case, Springsteen concerts are the subjects of frequent bootleg recording and trading among fans. Switzerland being a neutral country, its army does not take part in armed conflicts in other countries. The five-record boxed set Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band Live/1975-85 (also released on three cassettes or three CDs) summed up Springsteen's career to this point, and displayed some of the elements that made Springsteen shows so powerful to his fans: the switching from mournful dirges to party rockers and back; the communal sense of purpose between artist and audience; the long emotionally intense spoken passages before songs, including those describing Springsteen's difficult relationship with his father; and the instrumental prowess of the E Street Band, such as in the long coda to "Racing in the Street". The Swiss government did not officially confirm the existence of the report, but started a judiciary procedure for leakage of secret documents against the newspaper on 9 January 2006. The Born in the U.S.A. period represented the height of Springsteen's visibility in popular culture and the broadest audience demographic he would ever reach (this was further helped by releasing Arthur Baker dance mixes of three of the singles). The report described a fax sent by the Egyptian department of Foreign Affairs to the Egyptian Embassy in London, and described the existence of secret detention facilities run by the CIA in Eastern Europe. This famous appearance helped launch Cox's career. On 8 January 2006, the Swiss newspaper Sonntagsblick (Sunday edition of the Blick newspaper) published a secret report produced by the Swiss government using data intercepted by Onyx.

The music video for the song featured a young Courteney Cox dancing on stage with Springsteen. In a way similar to ECHELON, Onyx uses lists of keywords to filter the intercepted content for information of interest. In later years, Springsteen performed the song accompanied only with acoustic guitar to more explicitly make clear the song's original meaning.) "Dancing in the Dark" was the biggest of seven hit singles from Born in the U.S.A., peaking at number two on the Billboard music charts. It was completed in late 2005 and currently consists in three interception sites, all based in Switzerland. (Springsteen requested that the Reagan campaign stop using the song, as he supported Democratic Party candidate Walter Mondale.) (The campaign obliged, but the song was already linked with Reagan in the minds of many. The Onyx system was launched in 2000 in order to monitor both civil and military communications, such as telephone, fax or Internet traffic, carried by satellite. The song was widely mis-interpreted on release as nationalistic, with Ronald Reagan's presidential campaign being the foremost example. The Swiss military department maintains the Onyx intelligence gathering system, similar in concept to the American ECHELON system, but at a much smaller scale.

The title track was a tribute to Springsteen's buddies that had experienced the Vietnam War, some of whom did not come back. For example, the head of the Swiss delegation at the NNSC in Korea (see below) had a rank of major general. Springsteen is probably best known for the multi-million selling Born in the U.S.A.(1984), and the massively successful world tour that followed it. However, when Swiss Officers are involved in peacekeeping missions abroad, they often receive temporary ranks that do not exist in the Swiss Army, to put them on an equal footing with foreign officers. Springsteen did not go on tour with the release of this album. The distinctive feature of their rank insignia are traditionally stylized edelweiss (image). While Nebraska did not sell especially well, it garnered widespread critical praise. Officers which would have the title of general in other armies do not bear the title general (OF-8: Commandant de corps, OF-7 Divisionnaire and OF-6 Brigadier), as this title is strictly a wartime designation.

The album actually started (according to Marsh) as a demo tape for new songs to be played with the E Street Band - but during the recording process, Springsteen and producer Landau realized they worked better as solo acoustic numbers; several attempts at re-recording the songs in a studio led them to realize that the original versions, recorded on a simple, low-tech four-track cassette deck in Springsteen's kitchen, were the best versions they were going to get. There have been four Generals in Swiss history:. The title track on this album is about the murder spree of Charles Starkweather. In times of crisis or war, the Federal Assembly elects a General (OF-9) as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces (Oberbefehlshaber der Armee). According to the Marsh biographies, Springsteen was in a depressed state when he wrote this material, and the result is a brutal depiction of American life. The current Chief of the Armed Forces is Korpskommandant Christophe Keckeis. He followed this with the stark solo acoustic Nebraska in 1982. In peacetime, the armed forces are led by the Chief of the Armed Forces (Chef der Armee), who reports to the head of the Department of Defence and to the Federal Council as a whole.

Springsteen continued to consolidate his thematic focus on working-class life with the double album The River in 1980, which finally yielded his first hit single of his own, "Hungry Heart" (originally written for The Ramones but retained for his own use instead). Higher staff officers:. Patti Smith reached number 13 with her take on Springsteen's unreleased "Because the Night" in 1978, while The Pointer Sisters hit number two in 1979 with Springsteen's also-unreleased "Fire.". Staff officers:. number one pop hit out of a heavily rearranged version of Greetings's "Blinded by the Light" in early 1977. Captain:. Manfred Mann's Earth Band had gotten a U.S. Subaltern officers:.

By the late 1970s, Springsteen had developed a reputation in the pop world as a songwriter whose material could provide hits for others if not for himself. Non-commissioned officers:. [6]. Enlisted:. Other fans would always like the adventurous early Springsteen best. Rank designations in German and French with abbreviations and corresponding NATO codes:. Many fans consider Darkness Springsteen's best and most consistent record; tracks such as "Badlands" and "The Promised Land" became concert staples for decades to come. Member of the Federal Council heading the "Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports", (formerly "Federal Military Department"):.

Gone were the rapid-fire lyrics, out-sized characters, and long, multi-part musical compositions of the first three albums; now the songs were leaner and more carefully drawn and began to reflect Springsteen's growing intellectual and political awareness. Men who want to apply for service in the Swiss Guard need to have completed their basic military service in Switzerland. Musically, this album was the turning point of Springsteen's career. Since the reforms, women can take on any position within the armed forces. A legal battle with former manager Mike Appel kept Springsteen out of the studio for a while, and probably also contributed to the much more somber tone of his 1978 album, Darkness on the Edge of Town. About 2,000 women already serve in the army but, until the reforms ‘’Army XXI’’, were not allowed to use weapons for purposes other than self-defence. To cap off the triumph, Springsteen appeared on the covers of both Time and Newsweek in the same week, on October 27 of that year. Women may volunteer to serve in the armed forces and may now join all units, including combat troops.

[5]) With the release of Born to Run on August 25, 1975, Springsteen found success: while there were no real hit singles, "Born to Run", "Thunder Road," and "Jungleland" all received massive FM radio airplay and remain perennial favorites on many classic rock stations to this day. The armed forces have a small nucleus of about 3,600 professional staff, half of whom are either instructors or staff officers. (Decades later, Rolling Stone magazine would name the stand as one of the 50 Moments That Changed Rock and Roll. The rest continue to follow the traditional Swiss models of serving about three months at first and then doing three or four weeks per year until the required number of days or the age of 34 has been reached. On August 13, 1975, Springsteen and the E Street Band began a five-night, ten-show stand at New York's Bottom Line club; it attracted considerable media attention as well as a live broadcast on WNEW-FM, and convinced many skeptics that Springsteen was for real. Recruiting to the single-term conscripts is on a voluntary basis, but it should not exceed 20% of a year's draft. Fed by release of an early mix of "Born to Run" to progressive rock radio, anticipation built towards the new album's release. A new category of soldiers called "single-term conscripts" will discharge the total time of service of 300 days of active duty in one go.

This was Springsteen's last-ditch effort to make a commercially viable record; its wall of sound production had an enormous budget and had become bogged down in the recording process. For women, military service is voluntary. And on a night when I needed to feel young, he made me feel like I was hearing music for the very first time." [4] Landau subsequently became Springsteen's manager and then producer, helping to finish Springsteen's epic new album that was underway. All able-bodied Swiss males aged between 20 and 30 (in some cases longer) must serve, but about one third of them are excluded for various reasons. In the May 22, 1974 issue of Boston's The Real Paper, music critic Jon Landau wrote, "I saw rock and roll future, and its name is Bruce Springsteen. The mandatory time of service for normal soldiers is curtailed from 300 to 260 days. The long, full-of-life "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)" from this album would go on to become one of Springsteen's most beloved concert numbers. The defence budget of currently SFr 4.3 billion ($3.1 billion) will be trimmed by SFr 300 million and some 2,000 jobs are expected to be shed between 2004 and 2011.

Later in 1973 his second album, The Wild, The Innocent, & The E Street Shuffle came out, again to critical acclaim but no commercial profit. Starting in January 2004, the current 524,000-strong militia will be pared down to 220,000 conscripts, including 80,000 reservists. [3]. On May 18, 2003, Swiss voters approved the military reform project "Army XXI" that will drastically reduce the size of the Swiss Army. Because of his lyrics-heavy, folk rock-rooted music and the Columbia and Hammond connections, critics frequently compared Springsteen to Bob Dylan in the early days of his recording career. . His debut album, Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J., from January 1973, established him as a critical favorite [2], though sales were slow. It is equipped with mostly modern, sophisticated, and well-maintained weapons systems and equipment.

Springsteen brought many of his New Jersey-based musician friends, including guitarist Steven Van Zandt, into the studio with him, many of them forming the E Street Band. The Armed Forces of Switzerland is a unique institution somewhere between a militia and a regular army. He signed a solo record deal with Columbia Records in 1972 with the help of John Hammond, who had signed Bob Dylan to the same record label a decade earlier. Photographs by a member of the Swiss delegation. He began his recording career with the E Street Band in 1973. Swiss keep watch over fragile peace, on Swissinfo. He would also make many surprise appearances at The Stone Pony and other shore nightclubs over the years. Swiss participation to the mission NNSC in Korea.

Drawing on his extensive local appeal, his appearances in major New Jersey and Philadelphia venues routinely would sell out for consecutive nights and, much like the Grateful Dead, his show's song lists would vary significantly from night to night. Henri Guisan (1939-1945, WW II). Even after gaining international acclaim, Springsteen's New Jersey roots would reverberate in his music, with him routinely praising "the great state of New Jersey" in his live shows. Ulrich Wille (1914-1918, WW I). His New Jersey shows quickly gathered cult-like appeal for their energy, passion and longevity, most lasting in excess of three hours. Hans Herzog (1871-1872, Franco-Prussian War). Before being discovered nationally, he returned to Asbury Park, New Jersey, and performed regularly at small nightclubs there and along the Jersey shore. Henri Dufour (1847-1848, Sonderbundskrieg; and 1856-57, Neuchâtel Crisis).

They went on to perform some memorable shows at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. OF-9 General / général. He began performing in Richmond, Virginia, in late 1969 and through 1970 with singer Robbin Thompson in a band called Steel Mill. OF-8 Korpskommandant (KKdt) / commandant de corps. Bruce's sister, Pamela Sue Springsteen, had a brief film career, but walked away from acting for good to pursue her still photography career full time. OF-7 Divisionär (Div) / divisionnaire. [1]. OF-6 Brigadier (Br) / brigadier.

Marion Vinyard said that even when Springsteen was a young man, she believed him when he said he was going to make it big. OF-5 Oberst / colonel (col). The Castilles recorded two original songs at a public recording studio in Bricktown, New Jersey, and played a variety of venues, including Cafe Wha? in Greenwich Village. OF-4 Oberstleutnant (Oberstlt) / lieutenant-colonel (lt col). They helped him become the lead guitarist of The Castiles, and later became the lead singer of the group. OF-3 Major (Maj) / major (maj). When he was 16, his mother took out a loan to buy him a $60 Kent guitar, an event he memorializes in his song "The Wish." In 1965, he went to the house of Tex and Marion Vinyard, who sponsored young bands in his town. OF-2 Hauptmann (Hptm) / capitaine (cap).

At the age of 13, he bought his first guitar for $18. OF-1 Oberleutnant (Oblt) / premier-lieutenant (plt). He was inspired to become a musician when he saw Elvis Presley on the Ed Sullivan Show. OF-1 Leutnant (Lt) / lieutenant (lt). His father, Douglas, was a bus driver of Dutch and Irish ancestry and his mother, Adele Zirilli Springsteen, an Italian-Puerto Rican or Italian-American legal secretary. Chefadjutant (Chefadj) / adjudant-chef (adj chef). Bruce Springsteen was born in Long Branch, New Jersey, and grew up in Freehold Borough, New Jersey. Hauptadjutant (Hptadj) / adjudant-major (adj maj).

. Stabsadjutant (Stabsadj) / adjudant d’état-major (adj EM). Springsteen has long had the nickname "The Boss," a term which he was initially reported to dislike but now seems to have come to terms with — he sometimes jokingly refers to himself as such on stage. Adjutant Unteroffizier (Adj Uof) / adjudant sous-officier (adj sof). Much of Springsteen's iconic status in America as well as his popularity stems from his concerts, marathon shows in which he and the E Street Band energetically perform intense ballads, rousing anthems, and party rock and roll songs. Hauptfeldweibel (Hptfw) / sergent-major chef (sgtm chef). Springsteen's recordings have tended to alternate between commercially accessible rock albums and somber folk-oriented works. Feldweibel (Fw) / sergent-major (sgtm).

Springsteen is also noted for his support of various relief and rebuilding efforts in New Jersey and elsewhere, and for his response to the September 11, 2001 attacks on which his album The Rising reflects. Fourier (Four) / fourrier (four). Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A." was so popular that Ronald Reagan attempted to co-opt it during his 1984 presidential campaign, misinterpreting it as a plainly nationalistic song rather than one about the negative after-effects of the Vietnam War. Oberwachtmeister (Obwm) / sergent-chef (sgt chef). He has gradually become identified with progressive politics. Wachtmeister (Wm) / sergent (sgt). Springsteen's lyrics often concern men and women struggling to make ends meet. Korporal (Kpl) / caporal (cpl).

His most famous albums, Born to Run and Born in the U.S.A., epitomize his penchant for finding grandeur in the struggles of daily life. Obergefreiter (Obgfr) / appointé-chef (app chef). His eloquence in expressing ordinary, everyday problems has earned him numerous awards, including Grammy Awards and an Oscar, along with a huge fan base. Gefreiter (Gfr) / appointé (app). A musical heir to Elvis Presley, Woody Guthrie, and Bob Dylan, Springsteen is most widely known for his brand of heartland rock infused with pop hooks, poetic lyrics, and Americana sentiments centered around his native New Jersey. Soldat (Sdt) / soldat (sdt). He has frequently recorded and toured with the E Street Band. Rekrut (Rekr) / recrue (recr).

Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Swiss Navy. Accessed on March 17, 2005. Swiss Air Force. Bruce Springsteen biography. Army. Accessed on March 17, 2005.

GROWIN' UP BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN BIOGRAPHY PAGES 1949-2003. Smith, Andrew Bruce Springsteen loses cybersquatting dispute, The Register, February 9, 2001. Bloomsbury, 2005. 4th of July, Asbury Park: A History of the Promised Land.

Wolff, Daniel. (Consolidation of two previous Marsh biographies, Born to Run (1981) and Glory Days (1987).). ISBN 041596928X. Routledge, 2003.

Bruce Springsteen: Two Hearts : The Definitive Biography, 1972-2003. Marsh, Dave. ISBN 0684184567. Rolling Stone Press, 1985.

Springsteen. Hilburn, Robert. Da Capo, 2005. Runaway American Dream: Listening to Bruce Springsteen.

Guterman, Jimmy. Visible Ink, 2005. The Ties That Bind: Bruce Springsteen A to E to Z. Graff, Gary.

ISBN 0671868985. Simon & Schuster, 1992. Down Thunder Road. Eliot, Marc with Appel, Mike.

ISBN 0819567612. New edition of 1997 study book places Springsteen's work in the broader context of American history and culture. 1997; Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University Press, 2005. Born in the U.S.A.: Bruce Springsteen and the American Tradition.

Cullen, Jim. Hundreds of previously unreleased high quality color pictures. Complete lising of all concerts 1965-1990 - most of them with tracklists. Contains 15+ interviews and a complete list of all Springsteen songs including unreleased compositions.

ISBN 051758929X. Backstreets: Springsteen - the man and his music Harmony Books, New York 1989/1992. Cross, Charles R. Random House, 2005.

Bruce Springsteen's America: The People Listening, a Poet Singing. Coles, Robert. ISBN 0316038857. Little Brown, 1999.

It Ain't No Sin To Be Glad You're Alive : The Promise of Bruce Springsteen. Alterman, Eric. "Born to Run" named "The unofficial youth anthem of New Jersey" by the New Jersey state legislature (something Springsteen always found to be ironic, considering that the song "is about leaving New Jersey") [11]. Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, 1999.

Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 1999. The Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band: Live In New York City HBO special won two technical awards in 2001. Academy Award for Best Song, 1993, "Streets of Philadelphia" from Philadelphia. Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance, 2005, "Devils & Dust".

Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance, 2004, "Code Of Silence". Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, 2003, "Disorder in the House" (with Warren Zevon). Best Male Rock Vocal Performance, 2002, "The Rising". Best Rock Song, 2002, "The Rising".

Best Rock Album, 2002, The Rising. Best Contemporary Folk Album, 1996, The Ghost of Tom Joad. Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or Television, 1994, "Streets of Philadelphia". Best Rock Vocal Performance, Solo, 1994, "Streets of Philadelphia".

Best Rock Song, 1994, "Streets of Philadelphia". Song of the Year, 1994, "Streets of Philadelphia". Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male, 1987, "Tunnel of Love". Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male, 1984, "Dancing in the Dark".

of "Open All Night" from Nebraska. Download sample of "Dancing in the Dark" from Born in the U.S.A.. Download sample of "Thunder Road" from Born To Run. Download sample of "Badlands" from Darkness on the Edge of Town.

Suki Lahav - violin, backing vocals (September 1974 to March 1975). Ernest "Boom" Carter - drums (February to August 1974). David Sancious - keyboards (June 1973 to August 1974). Vinnie "Mad Dog" Lopez - drums (inception through February 1974, when asked to resign).

Springsteen himself does all lead vocals, most lead guitar parts, harmonica, occasional piano, and even more rarely bass guitar. Soozie Tyrell - violin, backing vocals (joined 2002, occasional appearances before that). Patti Scialfa - backing and duet vocals, guitar (joined June 1984; became Springsteen's wife in 1991; they have a daughter and two sons). Nils Lofgren - guitar, pedal steel guitar, backing vocals (replaced Steven van Zandt in June 1984; remained in group after van Zandt returned).

Steven van Zandt - guitar, mandolin, backing vocals (officially joined July 1975 after playing in previous bands; left in 1984 to go solo; rejoined 1995). Roy Bittan - piano, synthesizer (joined September 1974). Max Weinberg - drums (joined September 1974). Clarence "Big Man" Clemons - saxophone, percussion, occasional vocals, larger-than-life persona and Springsteen foil.

Garry Tallent - bass guitar. Danny Federici - organ, glockenspiel, accordion, keyboards.