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A Conversation With Joe Maddon

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Marc Lancaster/The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 16, 2007

Joe Maddon's devotion to the work of rocker Bruce Springsteen runs deep, to the point that the Devil Rays manager's favorite Springsteen album ('The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle') is listed in his biography in the team's media guide.

Now that the offseason is here, Maddon has reveled in the return of the all-Boss, all-the-time channel on Sirius satellite radio that coincided with the Oct. 2 release of 'Magic,' Springsteen's first studio album with the E Street Band since 2002's 'The Rising.'

Speaking from his home in Southern California, Maddon offered up his thoughts on Springsteen's latest:

What are your impressions of the new album?

I've got it pretty much as being a page out of the past - more an attempt to go back to the roots when he first began. It was all about the songs in the beginning, and this gets back to that - though these are more hook-oriented, maybe to appeal more to the pop culture. Overall, I'm hearing, I think, a little bit of his roots and maybe a little bit of what's happening today.

How does it stack up to his previous work?

I don't think it's great, but I think it's very good.

Any favorite tracks so far?

I'd have to say 'Radio Nowhere' ... and 'Gypsy Biker' - being a biker myself.

Are you a bigger fan of Springsteen's work with the E Street Band or his more stripped-down efforts like 'The Ghost of Tom Joad' and 'Nebraska'?

I always did prefer the full band, but the one album that I liked was 'Nebraska.' I really enjoyed 'Nebraska,' which was a radical departure at that time. But I really enjoy the E Street Band. 'Greetings from Asbury Park' and 'The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle' both released in 1973, when Maddon was 19 years old and Springsteen 24 - those are still my favorite CDs. The other stuff is great, but for me, Springsteen is always going to be defined for me with his first stuff.

Any plans to catch Springsteen on tour this offseason?

He's coming out here to L.A. Oct. 29-30 and somebody's working on some tickets for me. I definitely want to try to fit it in.

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