{"id":2848,"date":"2010-08-08T00:00:01","date_gmt":"2010-08-08T04:00:01","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2012-03-06T21:37:24","modified_gmt":"2012-03-07T02:37:24","slug":"rock-n-roll-iwo-jima","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/blogs\/rock-n-roll-iwo-jima\/","title":{"rendered":"Rock ‘n Roll Iwo Jima"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/p>\n
Rock ‘n Roll Iwo Jima<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

On some as-yet-undetermined date in some as-yet-undetermined city (surely a United States city), Bruce Springsteen and His E Street Band<\/strong> struck the powerful, unifying, healing<\/em> pose that’s come to be known through the Halls of Rock as Rock ‘n Roll Iwo Jima<\/strong>. This is a pose that had never before been perfected on stage, not by Seger, John Mellencamp, or U2. Today we will attempt to define this term for future generations of musicians, rock critics, and music lovers, and we will begin to trace its development.
\n<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/div>\n

How did The Boss bring rock ‘n roll from this point in history to His band’s glorious state of Rock ‘n Roll Iwo Jima? The building blocks had been in place for decades, as rock artists attempted to construct their stage alignments in ways that best represented The Power and Glory of Rock. Working back in time, it’s clear that this had been an objective of the E Street Band for years.<\/p>\n

Post-9\/11 healing necessitated a full-blown attempt at finding rock’s ultimate stage alignment. The Boss’ tours regularly featured a phalanx of E Streeters.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/div>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/div>\n

The Rock ‘n Roll Phalanx<\/strong> blossomed with classic ’70s rock bands, like Lynyrd Skynyrd<\/a> and their 3-guitar attack.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/div>\n

It probably dates back further than that, with ’50s artists like Little Richard<\/a> packing in his band members and picking up on the occasional choreography of Big Band-era horn sections. From its earliest days Springsteen and His E Street Band committed to this model, beginning with a more humble Rock ‘n Roll Fife and Drum<\/strong> approach before calling in the Rock ‘n Roll Cavalry<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/div>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/div>\n

The Boss could have cruised into the present day with His band’s assortment of phalanx alignments, but what pushed Him into redefining rock stage alignments were the closing images from this famous rock movie:
\n<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/div>\n

Not only did The Band<\/strong> and Martin Scorcese<\/strong> manage to squeeze at least 4 dozen troops on stage to join Bob Dylan<\/strong> for the singing of “I Shall Be Released,” the singers are strategically placed around the mics in a way that speaks to the greater good. All musicians in this performance are equally not-as-prominent as Dylan, a skill that the E Street Band perfected in support of The Boss once The Big Man accepted his demotion.<\/p>\n