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Big Man: Real Life & Tall Tales
For the first time ever comes the inside story of Clarence "Big Man" Clemons--his life before, during and beyond the E-Street Band, including unbelievable, never-before-told adventures with Bruce Springsteen, the band, and an incredible cast of other famous characters recounted by himself and his best friend, television writer/ producer Don Reo.
Here are just a few things you'll get from reading it: The truth behind the final hours of making Born To Run; the real story of how the E-Street Band got its name; what happened when Clarence and Ringo Starr were sitting in a hotel room and Clarence got the call that Bruce was breaking up the band; how Bruce and Clarence met that dark, stormy night at the Student Prince; The E-Street band's show at Sing-Sing prison where all of their equipment blows out right as they take the stage; the secret that Robert De Niro told Clarence and Bruce they had to keep for 25 years. But that's merely a glimpse. This is not your average rock book. It is something creative, something unique, something new. It is the story of E-Street. It is the story of stories. It is the story of the Big Man.
Here are just a few things you'll get from reading it: The truth behind the final hours of making Born To Run; the real story of how the E-Street Band got its name; what happened when Clarence and Ringo Starr were sitting in a hotel room and Clarence got the call that Bruce was breaking up the band; how Bruce and Clarence met that dark, stormy night at the Student Prince; The E-Street band's show at Sing-Sing prison where all of their equipment blows out right as they take the stage; the secret that Robert De Niro told Clarence and Bruce they had to keep for 25 years. But that's merely a glimpse. This is not your average rock book. It is something creative, something unique, something new. It is the story of E-Street. It is the story of stories. It is the story of the Big Man.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2009
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681 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
June 6, 2011
Why does one read a rock and roll memoir? For larger than life stories and insights into the music, mostly. This had a lot of the former, less of the latter. It had a bizarre format, jumping through time and space like Billy Pilgrim. Clarence and his co-writer, his best friend Don Reo, alternate stories. There was a lot of emphasis on the pain that the Big Man has been playing through in the last few years (knee replacements, hip replacements, bad back). At first I was a little annoyed at the front-and-center nature of Don Reo's narrative. He's a big name-dropper, and he spent a lot of time telling stories of his own about showbiz people unrelated to Clarence Clemons. After a while I began to appreciate the thing he did offer, which was a chance to tell the story from an observer's perspective as well as the first-person. Thus we get Clarence talking about the great feeling on stage, and Don telling the story of how Clarence had to arrive on stage via wheelchair and he couldn't believe the guy then stood up and played for three hours. The backstage stories mostly involve the number of people it takes to put the Big Man together for long enough to play a show these days.
Interspersed between the time-jumping stories there are tall tales, told on gray paper to differentiate them from the truth. These stories contribute to his larger than life persona, and sometimes tell more about him than the more everyday anecdotes. Clemons comes across as a jokester, a great friend, a guy who knows how to be rich, and a teller of stories that should be true, even if they aren't. I do have to say that he comes across as a bit of a misogynist, of the type that loves women and marries them serially, but doesn't speak to many that he respects. I think there are only one or two sentences uttered by women in the whole book, and of all the celebrity names dropped the only female is Annie Leibowitz, and her story is one of the fabrications. Putting that aside, it's a good read and a great contribution to his legend.
Interspersed between the time-jumping stories there are tall tales, told on gray paper to differentiate them from the truth. These stories contribute to his larger than life persona, and sometimes tell more about him than the more everyday anecdotes. Clemons comes across as a jokester, a great friend, a guy who knows how to be rich, and a teller of stories that should be true, even if they aren't. I do have to say that he comes across as a bit of a misogynist, of the type that loves women and marries them serially, but doesn't speak to many that he respects. I think there are only one or two sentences uttered by women in the whole book, and of all the celebrity names dropped the only female is Annie Leibowitz, and her story is one of the fabrications. Putting that aside, it's a good read and a great contribution to his legend.
April 6, 2011
Well, given that I've been a Springsteen fan for most of my life (since "The Wild, the Innocent, and the E Street Shuffle), I have to say I went into this book hoping it would be a good read. I ended up really loving it - second only to Dave Marsh's earlier Bruce works.
The details regarding the shared friendship between Bruce and Clarence and the now epic mythology of their story was both revealing and somehow reassuring. I'd always hoped that the friendship portrayed in all the media hype over the years was real and not simply the work of some PR toadie. The "Born to Run" cover seems the perfect "freeze-frame" of the relationship these guys share. I was also surprised to read some of the "warts and all" aspects of Clarence's personality (cursing his butt off, consuming massive amounts of alcohol, etc.)
The references to the late, great, and much missed Danny Federici were powerful and heartfelt...and yeah, brought this long-time E Street fan to tears. There's a palpable sadness in knowing that the E Street Band will never quite be the same. God Bless You, Phantom.
The "Tall Tales" of the title are often pretty funny and usually very well told. The "straight" biographical details are both amazing and amusing. Well done, Big Man...well done!
The details regarding the shared friendship between Bruce and Clarence and the now epic mythology of their story was both revealing and somehow reassuring. I'd always hoped that the friendship portrayed in all the media hype over the years was real and not simply the work of some PR toadie. The "Born to Run" cover seems the perfect "freeze-frame" of the relationship these guys share. I was also surprised to read some of the "warts and all" aspects of Clarence's personality (cursing his butt off, consuming massive amounts of alcohol, etc.)
The references to the late, great, and much missed Danny Federici were powerful and heartfelt...and yeah, brought this long-time E Street fan to tears. There's a palpable sadness in knowing that the E Street Band will never quite be the same. God Bless You, Phantom.
The "Tall Tales" of the title are often pretty funny and usually very well told. The "straight" biographical details are both amazing and amusing. Well done, Big Man...well done!
June 25, 2014
Third time trying to write this haha, stupid phone decides when i've typed enough and decides to scroll up on its own and won't let me type anymore *glares*
I had a wonderful time with this book... Don and Clarence are excellent storytellers. .. I could listen to them all day long and not get bored:-)
I really enjoyed hearing the early days of Clarence's life and the early career of the band. Some of the stories and 'legends' were really funny.... the Norman Mailer ones were two of my favorites.
You can feel Clarence's spirit through the pages... he's a very interesting and charismatic man. I would love to sit for awhile and pick his brain even though I probably would have no idea of what to say to him.
I would suggest carving out some time for this book, its very hard to put down:-). I re-read a few of the stories as I read through the book.
If your expecting a tell-all book I would advise you to go elsewhere, this is just a fun/candid read with some great yarns the whole way through.
Highly recommended * waves*
I had a wonderful time with this book... Don and Clarence are excellent storytellers. .. I could listen to them all day long and not get bored:-)
I really enjoyed hearing the early days of Clarence's life and the early career of the band. Some of the stories and 'legends' were really funny.... the Norman Mailer ones were two of my favorites.
You can feel Clarence's spirit through the pages... he's a very interesting and charismatic man. I would love to sit for awhile and pick his brain even though I probably would have no idea of what to say to him.
I would suggest carving out some time for this book, its very hard to put down:-). I re-read a few of the stories as I read through the book.
If your expecting a tell-all book I would advise you to go elsewhere, this is just a fun/candid read with some great yarns the whole way through.
Highly recommended * waves*
March 3, 2010
I was a bit leery about picking up this book because I'd read horrible reviews of it. But I thought that perhaps people expected too much, or Bruce's dirty little secrets, or whatever. I should have paid attention to the reviews. Now, don't get me wrong, I adore Bruce and Clarence, but I just didn't see the point of this book. The co-author interjected way too much, and seemed more interested in promoting his career or name-dropping than anything related to Clarence. Clarence...well, he seemed more into the "Legend" chapters, which are his imaginings of things that happened in his life (mostly encounters with famous folks like J.D. Salinger, Norman Mailer, etc.). I didn't find anything interesting about this book at all. I didn't learn anything about his life (except for maybe the extent of the pain he's in due to knee/back issues) or his career with Bruce. Really, a complete waste of time.
October 15, 2009
Bruce Springsteen takes his music seriously -- and most biographies (like Two Hearts, etc.) are just as serious. Good books, yes, but heavy on the chin-stroking. In Big Man, Clemons reveals a philosophy of life best paraphrased as "If Bruce won't party like a Rock Star, I guess I have to for both of us." What results is a very good, breezy read that gives a unique taste of the fun, gang-of-friends side of the E Street journey. Don Reo's chapters remind a bit of "Almost Famous," giving the mega-star lifestyle a new dimension by telling it through the eyes of a friend simply along for the ride. If already a Clarence or Bruce fan, I'd put this as a must-read. If you don't like Springsteen and don't appreciate the vibe of a Bruce show, this book isn't for you (though neither is oxygen or sunlight...)...
July 3, 2011
We all knew Clarence Clemons expressed himself passionately, beautifully through his sax, but most of us who only saw him on stage didn't know it didn't end there -- that he was a storyteller par excellence. This, his memoir, is like no other -- what really happened, what didn't happen, what might have been -- who cares if the legends aren't fact? The bullshit is so much fun, and some of it might have been true. My favorite is a recapitulation of a car trip with Bruce (a notoriously bad driver), Big Man, and with Hideki Matsui deadheading in the backseat having missed the Yankee's plane home. Pure joy. I also am forever thankful that I made the effort to see him in person in order to have him sign this book. His spirit, which leaps off every page, was evident in the milisecond of time we spent face to face unseparated by football lengths of arena space crammed with fans.
March 16, 2023
Among the stories recounted, I alternated between laughing out loud in many spots and wondering in others if I should have heeded Clemons’ opening admonition that it’s best to never meet your heroes. As was noted near the end of the book, an account of Clarence Clemons’ life would fail as a straight up chronology. To work, it had to be like this - larger than life, over the top, and in spots too funny and too good to be believable. And within that context, it worked. RIP, Big Man.
August 2, 2024
Would have loved to learn more about his early days and spiritual journey. Instead we get fictional versions of real-life events. Some may think this is fun but for me, it'd pointless. Oh, and the bit where he and Bruce talk about "Nebraska" and the song 'Born in the USA' is completely false.
April 29, 2020
The Bruce book is all Bruce. Intense. Energetic. Sculpted and retouched to perfection. This bio of Clarence is all Clarence. Fun. Powerful at times. You can dance to it. But broken. The first half is a book I hoped would never end. By the end it was too much co author. Repetitive. Rambling. But the first half is tight and I would recommend it to everyone who ever felt the Spirit in the Night.
May 23, 2022
Well that was different! It probably just gives you a taste of Clarence’s life. But also I think the reader needs to take it with a big ‘pinch of salt’. Although it doesn’t profess to be all true.
Enjoyable read … except some of the jokes were abit off.
Enjoyable read … except some of the jokes were abit off.
December 28, 2023
Probably my favorite book i’ve read this year. Cried one too many times.
August 29, 2020
Just a good fun book
February 20, 2020
I just found this to be a enjoyable bio of a musician and his friendship with the Boss.
April 21, 2010
I may hate Bruce Springsteen's politics, but I love the man's music. So I couldn't wait to read this. But it was a big disappointment.
Springsteen's sax player, Clarence Clemons and his best friend TV producer (MASH, Punky Brewster)Don Reo, give a very untraditional memoir here, one that borders on stream-of-concsiousness drifting from one subject to the next, with no real coherence to any kind of chronology or story, until the end, and we almost get a blow by blow of Clemons' double knee replacement surgery. The two have included what they call legends--the pages in grey--which they say have kernels of truth with them, but have grown and expanded over the years.
But Clemons really doesn't give much insight into himself. He never speaks about why he stuck with playing an instrument his father forced him to play, never gives the readers any sense of how it feels play in one of the most recognized bands on the planet, in front of thousands of screaming fans everytime he steps on stage. Clemons speaks very little about his children from five different marriages.
In fact most of what we get about life on stage, actually comes from Reo, and given through the eyes of a fan usually watching the action from backstage.
Too much of the book is spent name-dropping--talking about hanging out with Robert DeNiro, Bob Dylan, etc. Or talking about a rich, famous musician in his 60s having a gorgeous woman in her late 20s fall in love with him. Please, tell us something that we don't expect, something much more personal. This book is more of a means to continue building the legend of The Big Man, rather than it is a personal look into the man behind the sax.
Springsteen's sax player, Clarence Clemons and his best friend TV producer (MASH, Punky Brewster)Don Reo, give a very untraditional memoir here, one that borders on stream-of-concsiousness drifting from one subject to the next, with no real coherence to any kind of chronology or story, until the end, and we almost get a blow by blow of Clemons' double knee replacement surgery. The two have included what they call legends--the pages in grey--which they say have kernels of truth with them, but have grown and expanded over the years.
But Clemons really doesn't give much insight into himself. He never speaks about why he stuck with playing an instrument his father forced him to play, never gives the readers any sense of how it feels play in one of the most recognized bands on the planet, in front of thousands of screaming fans everytime he steps on stage. Clemons speaks very little about his children from five different marriages.
In fact most of what we get about life on stage, actually comes from Reo, and given through the eyes of a fan usually watching the action from backstage.
Too much of the book is spent name-dropping--talking about hanging out with Robert DeNiro, Bob Dylan, etc. Or talking about a rich, famous musician in his 60s having a gorgeous woman in her late 20s fall in love with him. Please, tell us something that we don't expect, something much more personal. This book is more of a means to continue building the legend of The Big Man, rather than it is a personal look into the man behind the sax.
December 29, 2009
I read most of this book during a very long day a air travel. It's a quick read and very enjoyable. There were a few parts that made me laugh pretty hard. Although I love Springsteen and the E Street Band, I don't know a lot of their histories, so I did learn a bit more about Clarence than most people who would read this book. I enjoyed the semi-fictitious sections as they reminded me of Charles Mingus' 'autobiography'. I liked the double narrators, although I wish that there had been some explanation of how Don Reo and Clarence became such close and longtime friends. That is really the only part that is missing for me, because it would help to explain why the book is the way it is, or at least provide some defense against the reviewers who call Don Reo an uber-fan or sycophant. On amazon there was a reviewer who called Don a relentless name dropper -- no doubt that reviewer missed the joke when Don writes "Elvis Presley once told me I was the biggest name dropper." I think these negative reviewers also miss the love and concern the writer has for Clarence. A very nice book overall.
March 7, 2014
My wife picked this book up for me more-or-less randomly. I was a fan of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band as a teenager, and I was lucky enough to be at one of their concerts from the Born in the USA tour, but I haven't listened to them much lately. The book would have gone to the bottom of the pile, but this was the only book on the bedside table one evening, so I started reading.
Rather than telling the Big Man's story the traditional way, this book is made up of a series of stories about incidents in his life, arranged in non-chronological order. The longest story might be eight pages long. It was so easy and fun to read that before I knew it I'd finished the book. Many of the stories are part bullshit, or even all bullshit, but it's obvious which parts are bullshit and I doubt anybody minds, because it's all in fun.
Here's one tidbit from the book that I'll keep with me: happiness is made of equal parts of forgiveness and gratitude.
Clarence died of a stroke just two years after the book was published. It's a real shame that he's gone. Thanks for the music, Big Man.
Rather than telling the Big Man's story the traditional way, this book is made up of a series of stories about incidents in his life, arranged in non-chronological order. The longest story might be eight pages long. It was so easy and fun to read that before I knew it I'd finished the book. Many of the stories are part bullshit, or even all bullshit, but it's obvious which parts are bullshit and I doubt anybody minds, because it's all in fun.
Here's one tidbit from the book that I'll keep with me: happiness is made of equal parts of forgiveness and gratitude.
Clarence died of a stroke just two years after the book was published. It's a real shame that he's gone. Thanks for the music, Big Man.
January 7, 2010
Tall tales more than real life, I suspect. Maybe only of interest to die-yard Bruce Springsteen and the E Street band fans? This book was lent to me, when I lent the Andrew Loog Oldham STONED book in trade. They got the better deal.
August 2, 2013
Clarence Clemons is not one to be fucked with, Bruce Springsteen is indeed a really awesome guy away from the spotlight and this book is chock full of goofy asides that are normally covered in the typical biography type books...
April 18, 2023
RICK “SHAQ” GOLDSTEIN SAYS: “TRUE STORIES ARE GREAT… FAKE STORIES… ???WHY???”
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The issues facing a potential buyer of this book should not be how many Springsteen concerts you’ve gone to… nor how many albums/CD’s you own… or if you have a picture of the “BOSS” on your wall at home. Though I have done/own/and have all the above… I came away from this book greatly perplexed. If you were to divide this book up into its three main categories they would be: 1) Clarence Clemons’ true life story 2) False/untrue/fictional Clemons stories 3) The largest non-stop “HOLLYWOOD-NAME-DROPPING” egomaniacal display in recent memory by co-author Don Reo.
The questions that are raised by the content and format of this book poses questions that cannot be simply ignored. First of all since The “BIG-MAN” Clarence Clemons admittedly has enough interesting true life experiences to fill three books… why fill one-third of this book with “fantasy”? The author’s themselves precede these fictional chapters with statements such as: “I WAS ONLY ON HALF OF THE PHONE CALL IN THIS NEXT STORY SO I CAN’T SWEAR THAT IT’S TRUE.”… “WE’VE USED A BAR AS A FICTIONAL SETTING FOR THE NEXT STORY.”… “THIS IS ONE OF MY HOSPITAL DREAMS.”… “THE STORIES ABOUT HIM IN THIS BOOK ARE WISH FULFILLMENT.”… “THIS NEXT STORY IS ANOTHER WORK OF FICTION SURROUNDING A TRUTH.”… “THE MITIGATING FACTOR, AND THE REASON WE’VE FICTIONALIZED THIS ONE, IS BECAUSE NICK MIGHT HAVE MADE UP THE WHOLE THING.”… “THIS IS WHAT I IMAGINE IT WOULD BE LIKE TO HANG OUT WITH BOTH OF THEM AT THE SAME TIME…”… “WHAT HAPPENS AFTER I LEAVE IS MADE UP…”... “MOST OF CLARENCE’S STORIES ARE ONLY PARTIALLY B.S.. IT’S ONLY FAIR TO TELL YOU THAT I THINK THE NEXT ONE IS COMPLETE B.S.”… “IT FEELS SO REAL THAT SOMETIMES I THINK IT ACTUALLY HAPPENED.”
And so on… I can only surmise that Clarence got bad advice. He should have simply written his absolutely interesting life story and then perhaps followed it up with a novel. The fiction here depletes the power and interest of his absorbing actual life story. And then there is the annoying co-author Don Reo who is not part of the band. He is Clarence’s friend who attends concerts and drops names non-stop with more fervor than a school of sharks attacking a bloody steak. A close second to his name- dropping is the infinite amount of times that he tells you that he is sitting on the stage on one of Clarence’s equipment cases watching one concert after another. And a close runner-up in his snob quota is how many times he emphasizes and reemphasizes all the private luxury jets he bums rides on… simply because he is a friend of Clemons.
One thing the reader does come to appreciate in the midst of the added weight of fictional stories and co-author braggadocio… is the constant physical pain that Clarence is in as a byproduct of the physical deterioration of his body. He has had hip replacement surgery… knee replacements… and kidney problems… among other ailments… and at least five marriages. It is clearly evident that each concert he appears in can easily be his last. It’s too bad he didn’t take this opportunity to share more facts and leave the fictionalizing for another time.
It should also be noted that Bruce Springsteen’s foreword is less than eighteen full lines.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The issues facing a potential buyer of this book should not be how many Springsteen concerts you’ve gone to… nor how many albums/CD’s you own… or if you have a picture of the “BOSS” on your wall at home. Though I have done/own/and have all the above… I came away from this book greatly perplexed. If you were to divide this book up into its three main categories they would be: 1) Clarence Clemons’ true life story 2) False/untrue/fictional Clemons stories 3) The largest non-stop “HOLLYWOOD-NAME-DROPPING” egomaniacal display in recent memory by co-author Don Reo.
The questions that are raised by the content and format of this book poses questions that cannot be simply ignored. First of all since The “BIG-MAN” Clarence Clemons admittedly has enough interesting true life experiences to fill three books… why fill one-third of this book with “fantasy”? The author’s themselves precede these fictional chapters with statements such as: “I WAS ONLY ON HALF OF THE PHONE CALL IN THIS NEXT STORY SO I CAN’T SWEAR THAT IT’S TRUE.”… “WE’VE USED A BAR AS A FICTIONAL SETTING FOR THE NEXT STORY.”… “THIS IS ONE OF MY HOSPITAL DREAMS.”… “THE STORIES ABOUT HIM IN THIS BOOK ARE WISH FULFILLMENT.”… “THIS NEXT STORY IS ANOTHER WORK OF FICTION SURROUNDING A TRUTH.”… “THE MITIGATING FACTOR, AND THE REASON WE’VE FICTIONALIZED THIS ONE, IS BECAUSE NICK MIGHT HAVE MADE UP THE WHOLE THING.”… “THIS IS WHAT I IMAGINE IT WOULD BE LIKE TO HANG OUT WITH BOTH OF THEM AT THE SAME TIME…”… “WHAT HAPPENS AFTER I LEAVE IS MADE UP…”... “MOST OF CLARENCE’S STORIES ARE ONLY PARTIALLY B.S.. IT’S ONLY FAIR TO TELL YOU THAT I THINK THE NEXT ONE IS COMPLETE B.S.”… “IT FEELS SO REAL THAT SOMETIMES I THINK IT ACTUALLY HAPPENED.”
And so on… I can only surmise that Clarence got bad advice. He should have simply written his absolutely interesting life story and then perhaps followed it up with a novel. The fiction here depletes the power and interest of his absorbing actual life story. And then there is the annoying co-author Don Reo who is not part of the band. He is Clarence’s friend who attends concerts and drops names non-stop with more fervor than a school of sharks attacking a bloody steak. A close second to his name- dropping is the infinite amount of times that he tells you that he is sitting on the stage on one of Clarence’s equipment cases watching one concert after another. And a close runner-up in his snob quota is how many times he emphasizes and reemphasizes all the private luxury jets he bums rides on… simply because he is a friend of Clemons.
One thing the reader does come to appreciate in the midst of the added weight of fictional stories and co-author braggadocio… is the constant physical pain that Clarence is in as a byproduct of the physical deterioration of his body. He has had hip replacement surgery… knee replacements… and kidney problems… among other ailments… and at least five marriages. It is clearly evident that each concert he appears in can easily be his last. It’s too bad he didn’t take this opportunity to share more facts and leave the fictionalizing for another time.
It should also be noted that Bruce Springsteen’s foreword is less than eighteen full lines.
January 13, 2019
When all is said and done, the greatest rock ‘n’ roll band in the world isn’t the Rolling Stones, The Who, Led Zeppelin or U2 it’s Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band.
This is a memoir by it’s saxophonist Clarence Clemons - the ‘Big Man’. I say it’s a memoir but in reality it’s a bit of an odd beast. The ‘ghost writer’ is a man called Don Reo, who is a close friend of Clemons and he effectively is the co star of the book - sections of it are written from his perspective.
The book isn’t a normal autobiography (i.e. a chronological overview of Clemons life) but a mishmash of anecdotes, tall stories and I suspect outright lies. As much as I would like to believe it, I find it very hard to believe that Clemons played pool with Fidel Castro or hung out with Norman Mailer.
Sadly you don’t get to learn a lot about the early days of the E Street Band. For sure there are some decent – and believable – stories from the early days (e.g. how they got the band got its name) but a lot of the anecdotes are from the recent history of the band, since they reformed.
Clemons is sadly no longer with us, neither is Danny Federici (the organist from the band) both leave a big hole, but the Boss & his band are still touring - they are still the best out there at what they do. For a fan, this is decent, but slightly disappointing read.
This is a memoir by it’s saxophonist Clarence Clemons - the ‘Big Man’. I say it’s a memoir but in reality it’s a bit of an odd beast. The ‘ghost writer’ is a man called Don Reo, who is a close friend of Clemons and he effectively is the co star of the book - sections of it are written from his perspective.
The book isn’t a normal autobiography (i.e. a chronological overview of Clemons life) but a mishmash of anecdotes, tall stories and I suspect outright lies. As much as I would like to believe it, I find it very hard to believe that Clemons played pool with Fidel Castro or hung out with Norman Mailer.
Sadly you don’t get to learn a lot about the early days of the E Street Band. For sure there are some decent – and believable – stories from the early days (e.g. how they got the band got its name) but a lot of the anecdotes are from the recent history of the band, since they reformed.
Clemons is sadly no longer with us, neither is Danny Federici (the organist from the band) both leave a big hole, but the Boss & his band are still touring - they are still the best out there at what they do. For a fan, this is decent, but slightly disappointing read.
September 1, 2025
Book 49 of 2025
Recently watched a Springsteen tribute band. It was terrible that about 150 people, mostly older, showed up. I was hyped to go because they had a big, Black saxophone player. I didn't want to see a white guy playing CC. With that small of a crowd, ha, it was like a personal show.
Anyway, it made me want to dig this book back out for a re-read. I recall being surprised at how funny and vulgar ol' CC was. My second read was basically the same. The first third is the most interesting because there's more talk about the music and the struggles of early musicianship. The next two thirds is way too much about how good his unique life is. Towards the end there is a little more music talk.
So it's an entertaining and sometimes interesting read but a lot of it is re-imagined dialogue. No doubt some interesting stuff in there, funny at times, but there is seemingly little to do with CC's relationship with E Street, which is what I wanted to read. Who would have guessed the pain the Big Man was going through, which is interesting, but I would have loved to have read about the genesis of some of the songs and music.
Recently watched a Springsteen tribute band. It was terrible that about 150 people, mostly older, showed up. I was hyped to go because they had a big, Black saxophone player. I didn't want to see a white guy playing CC. With that small of a crowd, ha, it was like a personal show.
Anyway, it made me want to dig this book back out for a re-read. I recall being surprised at how funny and vulgar ol' CC was. My second read was basically the same. The first third is the most interesting because there's more talk about the music and the struggles of early musicianship. The next two thirds is way too much about how good his unique life is. Towards the end there is a little more music talk.
So it's an entertaining and sometimes interesting read but a lot of it is re-imagined dialogue. No doubt some interesting stuff in there, funny at times, but there is seemingly little to do with CC's relationship with E Street, which is what I wanted to read. Who would have guessed the pain the Big Man was going through, which is interesting, but I would have loved to have read about the genesis of some of the songs and music.
August 18, 2022
This has lain on my bookshelves for years but it's only now that I decided to read it.
Described as a semi-fictional autobiography it's a great book of tales from over the years, some of which might actually be true.
You do get a good sense of the dynamic between the Big Man and Bruce, and also of the unique lifestyle of the legendary.
It does end in a bittersweet way, particularly for those just getting around to reading this now.
The book was published in 2009 and climaxes as Clarence is in rehab after his knee operations and appearing with the E Street Band at the Superbowl. They were heading out on tour after this (and I caught them at Hampden Park in Glasgow along with my then 19/20 year old son).
Of course, Clarence died in 2011 which leaves many of the hopes and dreams of the future expressed in the book as unfulfilled.
The next time we saw Bruce was in 2013 on what was the second anniversary of Clarence's death. When Clarence was shown on the screens, Bruce seemed to linger watching his old partner for a long time. He's still with them in spirit.
Described as a semi-fictional autobiography it's a great book of tales from over the years, some of which might actually be true.
You do get a good sense of the dynamic between the Big Man and Bruce, and also of the unique lifestyle of the legendary.
It does end in a bittersweet way, particularly for those just getting around to reading this now.
The book was published in 2009 and climaxes as Clarence is in rehab after his knee operations and appearing with the E Street Band at the Superbowl. They were heading out on tour after this (and I caught them at Hampden Park in Glasgow along with my then 19/20 year old son).
Of course, Clarence died in 2011 which leaves many of the hopes and dreams of the future expressed in the book as unfulfilled.
The next time we saw Bruce was in 2013 on what was the second anniversary of Clarence's death. When Clarence was shown on the screens, Bruce seemed to linger watching his old partner for a long time. He's still with them in spirit.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 8, 2023
This was a strange book. I enjoyed it, but it was a bit disjointed. First, I loved the 1st person narratives told by Clarance and read by his nephew Jake (C's replacement in the E. St. Band). I found out just how funny the Big Man is. His friendship with Bruce and the rest of the band. And just how much pain he's had to endure and what it takes to get through life and the shows.
There's not too many secrets exposed here, but the feeling you get is one that you really want to be Clarence's friend.
The portions written (or told in the case of this audio book) by Clarence's friend Don Reo were both intreresting and annoying simutaneously. While they are presented as legends that may or have some truth to them. Don is a horrid writer, and his prose is always like "Clarences said." "I said" type writing. Use a little variation like replied, or commented. The reader who voiced Don's portions did a decent job of imitating Bruce's voice and cadence.
While not a deep a look into his life and expereinces there's enough to keep you enteretained and I do recommed this book.
There's not too many secrets exposed here, but the feeling you get is one that you really want to be Clarence's friend.
The portions written (or told in the case of this audio book) by Clarence's friend Don Reo were both intreresting and annoying simutaneously. While they are presented as legends that may or have some truth to them. Don is a horrid writer, and his prose is always like "Clarences said." "I said" type writing. Use a little variation like replied, or commented. The reader who voiced Don's portions did a decent job of imitating Bruce's voice and cadence.
While not a deep a look into his life and expereinces there's enough to keep you enteretained and I do recommed this book.
April 5, 2024
Fantastic book! I kept putting off this book for a long time, because the reviews of it weren't great. Reviews are greatly skewed towards the high end. Therefore, anything under 4 stars and 1000 ratings means that it isn't a very well liked book and some of the reviews of it were scathing. I believe you have to be keenly interested in the topic to pick up a book that's between 3.5 and 4 stars, if you expect to enjoy it. I never read anything that has a score lower than 3.5 stars with at least 500 reviews, because of the skew. This book barely made the cut and the poor written reviews put me off. That was a mistake. This book was hilarious! Yes, it's not a traditional biography. In fact, there is very little biography. Don Reo does most of the narrating, but the stories and names dropping certainly give you a glimpse into the fun side of the big man's life, as well as his soul and his poor health. I enjoyed it a lot and would recommend it to others. Just keep in mind it's certainly not a true biography in the traditional sense.
January 1, 2024
Big Man isn't a memoir. Big Man is an assortment of stories, some true, some not so much, that tell the reader about how Clarence Clemons, the larger than life sax man of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band fame lived his life. One shouldn't read this book to learn of the life of Clemons, but rather the influences and joys the man found in life. With assistance and perhaps literary guidance from co-author Don Reo, Clemons takes the reader on a joyful ride of people, places and most of all, music. At the core is the Big Man's love and appreciation for Springsteen and how fortunate he always felt for being on that ride himself. The world was in a better place with Clarence Clemons as a part of it. It's a lesser place without him, unless we happen to be listening to his mournful strains in Jungleland or other classic Springsteen tunes.
January 4, 2018
As someone who is not particularly avid about memoirs/biographies, I found this to be a great read. You get to learn a lot about the Big Man, but the mythology that the infuse into his life story gives it a kind of irresistible magic. Facts aren't as interesting as truth. When reading about a rock n' roll legend, it's nice to enjoy the magic instead of reading a list of all the notches in their belt. If you prefer a neatly packaged traditional biography this probably isn't for you, but if you love grand narratives I highly recommend it.
May 11, 2019
Personal stories are the best
All Springsteen fans need to read this! I've had a soft spot for Clarence since the first time I saw the "Born to Run" cover, a very long time ago. I've read most of the books about Bruce, but this is heartfelt and special. I loved it. I recently read Springsteen's book and the love between these two men is very evident in both. I'm a sucker for lasting friendships.
All Springsteen fans need to read this! I've had a soft spot for Clarence since the first time I saw the "Born to Run" cover, a very long time ago. I've read most of the books about Bruce, but this is heartfelt and special. I loved it. I recently read Springsteen's book and the love between these two men is very evident in both. I'm a sucker for lasting friendships.
August 14, 2022
Went into this half expecting a usual autobiography but instead got a series of anecdotes and tales which really lifted the lid on the Big Man’s life. Essential reading for any fan of E Street. His friendship with Bruce really comes across, and the insights into life on the road with the band are eye-opening to say the lease. Given that Clarence is no longer with us, the parts where he talks about his health are particularly sad.
August 15, 2024
For those who are fans of Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band, the Big Man provides for a fresh insight into what it is like to be behind the scenes. It also showcases the uniqueness and what was genuine about C. Although there are probably aspects of the book that may appear "cheezy" or "amusing", I thought overall the story was decently well conceived. Great background story. We miss you Clarence!
June 22, 2019
This was unexpectedly very entertaining! Not great literature, but gives you some great insights into a member of maybe the greatest American rock band. I knew nothing about Clarence before, now I feel as though we could be friends if our paths ever crossed. If you're an E Street fan you need to read this!
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