In September 1979, Jackson Browne, Graham Nash, Bonnie Raitt and John Hall launched MUSE (Musicians United for Safe Energy), an activist organisation opposed to the use of nuclear power, particularly after the accident at the Three Mile Island power station in March of that year. They organised five giant No Nukes concerts at New York's Madison Square Garden with the Doobie Brothers, James Taylor, Carly Simon, Ry Cooder, Gil Scott-Heron, Chaka Khan, Poco, Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen. On the 21st and 22nd of September, the legendary performances by the latter, backed by his E Street Band, were finally officially released.
It was an intense time for the Boss who, at the age of 30, was living through a sort of golden age, between Darkness on the Edge of Town, released in June 1978, and The River, which came out in October 1980. And even though the stage had always been his favourite terrain, Springsteen gave titanic concerts here, giving himself away every night as if it were his last show. Alongside him, Steven Van Zandt, Max Weinberg, Clarence Clemons, Roy Bittan, Danny Federici and Garry Tallent were at the peak of their virtuoso talents. Grand versions of the hits Badlands, Born To Run and Thunder Road sit alongside then-unreleased gems like The River and Sherry Darling, as well as covers of Buddy Holly (Rave On), Gary U.S. Bonds (Quarter to Three) and Maurice Williams & the Zodiacs (Stay with Jackson Browne, Tom Petty and Rosemary Butler). This makes this Legendary 1979 No Nukes Concerts with its striking sound an indispensable piece of music history. © Marc Zisman/Qobuz