Set Lusting Bruce: The Bruce Springsteen Fan Podcast

Host Jesse Jackson welcomes returning guest Scott Shea—author of All the Leaves Are Brown and a forthcoming Waylon Jennings book—to discuss the anniversary of Bruce Springsteen signing with Columbia Records in June 1972 and the recent death of Clive Davis. Shea highlights Springsteen’s rare 54-year label loyalty, early rocky years, and how Born to Run marked progress before larger commercial success arrived with The River and “Hungry Heart.” He recounts the origin story of Springsteen’s deal, focusing on manager Mike Appel’s cold calls, John Hammond’s pivotal audition, and Clive Davis approving the signing. They also discuss Columbia’s artist roster, Davis’s career arc from Columbia to founding Arista, Springsteen’s evolving vocals and live arrangements, reactions to the latest tour’s political tone, and Shea’s ongoing research for his Waylon Jennings biography.

00:00 Podcast Welcome

00:51 Meet Scott Shea

02:13 Columbia Anniversary

04:51 Why Bruce Stayed

06:49 Band Loyalty Talk

08:50 Clive Davis Passing

09:59 Hammond and Appel Story

20:02 Cold Call Breakthrough

21:25 The Audition Moment

23:12 What If He Was Missed

23:44 Cafferty Career What Ifs

24:59 Clive Davis Origins

26:16 Columbia Breakthrough Signings

27:28 Arista Records Reinvention

28:56 Springsteen Tour Politics

30:40 Cranky Bruce And Banter

33:12 Born In USA Outtakes

36:44 Waylon Book Progress

39:02 Wrap Up And Plugs

40:05 Podcast Housekeeping
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Host Jesse Jackson welcomes back musician and actor Levi Petree to catch up on Bruce Springsteen, starting with reactions to recent shows and the tour’s purposeful, righteous energy, including standout moments like “War” into “Born in the U.S.A.,” “Long Walk Home,” “House of a Thousand Guitars,” “American Skin (41 Shots),” and the Tom Morello “Tom Joad” performance, plus crowd differences and setlist changes between nights. They discuss Springsteen’s onstage comments condemning political violence, the challenge of balancing deep cuts with casual-fan expectations, and the craft of setlist construction. Levi shares mixed feelings about the film “Delivery From Nowhere,” then talks about Springsteen’s unreleased-albums tracks before spotlighting his new EP “Sunday Morning Donut Run,” including the nearly seven-minute closer “A Big Love,” and where to stream it.

https://www.levipetree.com/
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Host Jesse Jackson welcomes writer, podcaster, and comedian Courtney Kocak, who grew up in small-town Minnesota and now splits time between Austin and Los Angeles, to discuss her debut memoir, Girl Gone Wild. Courtney traces her musical influences from classic rock radio and movie soundtracks to college-era rap, indie, and classic rock, and shares how reading and acting shaped her love of storytelling. She recounts joining the Girls Gone Wild tour via a Craigslist ad, realizing the behind-the-scenes coercion and exploitation, and leaving after seven weeks amid depression and financial stress. The conversation follows her pivot from acting to writing, essaying, and podcasting, including her long-running show Private Parts Unknown, plus The Bleeders and Podcast Bestie, and touches on Stevie Nicks, Lilith Fair, stand-up goals, and the “Thunder Road” question of whether Mary gets in the car.

https://www.courtneykocak.com/

00:00 Patreon Thanks

01:28 Meet Courtney Kocak

03:38 Growing Up With Music

07:10 College Tastes And Mixes

09:36 Books And Acting Bug

12:17 Acting School And Regrets

16:00 Girls Gone Wild Origins

19:20 Behind The Scenes Reality

20:52 Leaving The Tour

23:41 Finding Meaning Afterward

25:49 Funny Book Chapters

27:01 Leaving Acting for Writing

31:02 Finding Her Voice

31:43 Stevie Nicks Obsession

33:47 Private Parts Unknown

39:39 Creative Bucket List

40:50 Stand-Up and Perspective

44:41 Thunder Road Mary Debate

47:31 Where to Find Courtney

49:05 Final Sign-Off and Blessing
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On a JKL Media Podcast one-off special, Lou introduces Canadian prog-rock/metal trio Rush and asks Karen and Jesse for reactions, starting with a yes/no on Geddy Lee’s voice (Karen yes, Jesse no). Lou frames Rush as a technically revered “musician’s band,” outlines the members’ roles, and compares their music to headphone-focused listening like Pink Floyd. Karen and Jesse discuss songs from Lou’s list—both like “The Spirit of Radio,” Karen names “Tom Sawyer” as her favorite and relates to “Subdivisions,” while Jesse says many tracks sound similar but appreciates the lyrics and openness to the experience. They praise the 2010 documentary for its celebrity supporters and for revealing the band’s low-drama, nerdy camaraderie, highlighting Alex Lifeson’s humor and Neil Peart’s tragedy and return to music, and they note interest in a needed “chapter two” and the band’s later-era touring and new drummer Anika Nilles.

00:00 Welcome and Setup
00:39 Geddy Voice Debate
01:23 Rush Primer
03:04 Song List Reactions
04:03 Rush Recognition Talk
07:56 Karen Favorites
10:22 Documentary Overview
11:53 Karen Doc Impressions
15:14 Jesse Doc Takeaways
18:36 Toronto Roots and Memories
20:04 Rick Moranis Connection
20:55 Neil Peart Tragedy
21:26 Band Reunites Again
21:43 Neil Peart Cancer Secret
22:50 Annika Nilles Joins Tour
24:48 Why Rush Endures
26:48 Comedy And Early Memories
29:10 Musicianship Deep Dive
32:09 Low Drama Band Culture
34:25 Canada Love And Fandom
37:33 Live Videos And Wrap Up
40:13 Where To Find Everyone

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Phil Mastroianni Mastrean from Pittsburgh is not happy with the 2026 Land of Hope and Dreams Springsteen tour. We get into Phil’s musical roots, first Bruce show in 1984, and a fandom spanning roughly 220 concerts, with favorites like “Backstreets,” “Darkness on the Edge of Town,” and “Born to Run.” The conversation turns to why Phil is skipping the current tour: he believes it was announced as politically motivated, feels high ticket prices clash with that message, and sees the shows as focused on criticizing the current administration, which he views as inconsistent and alienating to fans. Jesse emphasizes community, respectful disagreement, and his own experience of the shows as hopeful rather than purely political.

01:28 Meet Phil From Pittsburgh

02:01 Steelers Cowboys Banter

03:39 Early Music And Bruce Discovery

05:21 First Show Hooked

06:52 Community And Show Magic

09:17 Favorite Songs And Travel

10:52 Why This Tour Feels Different

14:15 Politics And Ticket Prices

17:14 Backlash And Fan Fallout

21:15 Still Listening Or Taking A Break

25:12 Divorce Papers Filed

26:48 Bruce Impact On Life

27:20 Fandom Fallout Debate

30:36 Platform And Legacy

32:43 Finding Common Ground

35:58 Songs Still Chasing

38:00 Songs That Evolve

43:41 Western Stars Live Wish

45:27 Farewell And Kindness
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