RENO 911: PROTESTS BEGIN OVER UNHEARD D&D SONG
Already, controversy is swirling around one of the songs on Bruce Springsteen's forthcoming album, Devils & Dust. The song in question is "Reno," which has at least one anti-gambling activist up in arms for its "glorification of wagering, and the deliciously decadent lifestyle to which it leads." James Beltswaggle, of the National Anti-Monetary Betting & Losses Association, has denounced the song's portrayal of a "glitzy and glamorous ride through a modern-day Xanadu" as "folderol and claptrap." Though he admits to not yet having heard the song, Beltswaggle told the New York Post, "It's complete garbage. Bruce used to sing about being out of work, getting laid off at the shipyard, drinking raw eggs for breakfast... and now it's all high-life, rolling-in-dough fairy tales. He's a flying fruitbasket. And you can quote me on that."
- April 1, 2005

APPEL COMPUTERS PRESENTS: THE iBOSS
A special edition iPod for Bruce "The Boss" Springsteen was unveiled today by Steve Jobs and Jon Landau at Apple Headquarters in Cupertino, CA. Clearly, Springsteen was having a laugh on us when he referenced Bill Gates during his U2 induction speech... but he wasn't joking about the hardware. With Springsteen's signature inscribed on the back, the new iPod comes in 20G and 40G models, each of which will include his entire Columbia catalog, as well as an 80G model which will add every live version of "Bobby Jean" ever played.

The "iBoss," as Jobs referred to it, is "a device that plays music." However, this one does not include a Shuffle feature; Landau explained that the original integrity of the song order is crucial to an understanding of the story Bruce has been telling over his career. But the extra touches are numerous and subtle, from the sweat-stained protective case to the "rosy" glow of the backlight.

A commercial to promote the iBoss was set to feature a silhouetted Springsteen dancing the Boogaloo, which in the end was not approved. A more "generic" 15-second TV spot will be used instead, with the Apple hippie-chicks grooving to "The Hitter."
- April 1, 2005

SOLO MINUS ONE: D&D TOUR FINALLY TAKING SHAPE
What's the sound of no hands strumming?
In an effort to pare down the Devils & Dust tour to its true essence, Springsteen himself will not be appearing on the tour. "When I started playing the songs with a band, I realized that I needed to strip down the sound, to create a one-to-one relationship between the audience and the musician. But these songs require so much quiet -- even when it was just me up on stage, the presentation didn't feel stripped down enough." After reportedly calling Sting for advice, Springsteen has broken up with himself -- officially, "put his professional relationship with himself on indefinite hiatus" -- in an effort to become more musically adventurous. The Devils & Dust tour will feature Bruce's guitar tech playing washes of synthesizer chords while remaining offstage; onstage, an old gypsy woman will sit on a lone stool, staring off into the night. "Remember," Bruce said, giving a last piece of advice before hopping on his motorcycle, "Dark clouds... it should sound like dark clouds."
- April 1, 2005