{"id":42478,"date":"2025-07-31T13:20:21","date_gmt":"2025-07-31T13:20:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/31\/how-bruce-springsteen-saved-his-bandmate-from-arrest-and-violence\/"},"modified":"2025-07-31T13:20:21","modified_gmt":"2025-07-31T13:20:21","slug":"how-bruce-springsteen-saved-his-bandmate-from-arrest-and-violence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/31\/how-bruce-springsteen-saved-his-bandmate-from-arrest-and-violence\/","title":{"rendered":"How Bruce Springsteen Saved His Bandmate From Arrest and Violence"},"content":{"rendered":"


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E Street Band<\/a> co-founder David Sancious reflected on the way Bruce Springsteen<\/a> looked after him, and explained why he had no regrets about quitting just before the Boss hit big.<\/p>\n

The keyboardist \u2013 who\u2019s continued to collaborate with Springsteen over the years \u2013 helped inspire the band name when he was being dropped off at his E Street home after a show in 1974.<\/p>\n

Sancious went on to work with Peter Gabriel<\/a>, Sting<\/a>, Eric Clapton<\/a>, Santana<\/a> and others, but as he told the Guardian<\/a><\/em> in a recent interview, he never forgot Springsteen \u2013 and selected two moments that demonstrated the band leader\u2019s character.<\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong>\u00a0Why Bruce Springsteen Wasn’t Happy With His Biggest Album<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThe police used to raid these places [where we played] and card everyone,\u201d he said of a show that took place when he was 17. \u201cOne night I\u2019m on stage with Bruce and the cops are hanging out at the front door.\u201d<\/p>\n

Springsteen and saxophonist Clarence Clemons<\/a> enlisted the help of two others to surround Sancious and hide him. \u201cI was in the middle moving slowly, trying not to draw any attention,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

On another occasion, he continued, he\u2019d fallen foul of racist behavior. \u201cI was at the beach and there were two guys making threatening gestures and saying inappropriate racial stuff.<\/p>\n

\u201cClarence comes along and sees what\u2019s going on. He sat down right next to me. And then Bruce comes walking by. Bruce found a piece of driftwood and he kept hitting it in his hand \u2013 like he was saying, \u2018I\u2019m not going to let you hurt our friend.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Why David Sancious Doesn\u2019t Regret Quitting the E Street Band<\/h3>\n

Sancious appears on Springsteen\u2019s first three albums, but by the time the 1975 breakthrough LP Born To Run<\/a><\/em> was released, he\u2019d quit to sign a solo record deal. \u201cI felt very happy for him, honestly,\u201d he said of the Boss\u2019 success. \u201cI knew it was going to happen for him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe did shows in Texas in 1974 and the crowd went nuts. We finished the show and the audience wouldn\u2019t leave. Bruce used to end the set with a song called \u2018For You\u2019 that he would play by himself on piano and we would go off stage and watch. I remember standing there looking at him and thinking, \u2018As soon as everybody finds out about this guy he\u2019s going to blow up. It\u2019s going to go crazy.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

He said that all the big artists he\u2019d worked with had \u201cmore in common than you might think: none of them had a plan B \u2013 they all did it out of a love for music.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pressed on whether he regretted leaving the E Street Band, Sancious explained why he didn\u2019t. \u201cThere is a whole life I would have missed out on, working with all these other artists and making my own music. If I had to do it again would I do the same thing? Absolutely. Because I didn\u2019t walk away from anything \u2013 I walked towards something.\u201d<\/p>\n

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30 of the Highest-Grossing Rock Tours Ever<\/h2>\n
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Touring is expensive, but it sure can be lucrative, too.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Gallery Credit: Allison Rapp<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n