Set Lusting Bruce: The Bruce Springsteen Fan Podcast

In this B-side episode of Set List and Bruce, Jesse welcomes back Dale Hansen for a wide-ranging conversation that begins with Hansen reflecting on long-winded interviews and leads into his love of Rod Stewart, first seeing him live at the Cowboys’ 1996 Super Bowl in Phoenix, and why Stewart’s persona, gravelly voice, and story-driven songs resonate with him—so much so that he’s planned Rod Stewart songs for his funeral. Hansen then shares memories of late NBA coach Don Nelson, including their first meeting tied to Nelson’s 1961 Iowa–Ohio State game and a darkly comic Maui poker story involving Willie Nelson. The discussion also covers Nelson’s Dirk Nowitzki draft, Hansen’s approach to avoiding definitive hot takes, and why he always believed Troy Aikman would thrive in broadcasting, illustrated with personal stories from an Iowa graduation visit and the “potato salad” saga.

https://www.youtube.com/@DallasDialoguewithDale

00:00 Talking Too Much

02:13 B-Side Episode Intro

02:53 Rod Stewart Discovery

04:17 Funeral Playlist Plans

10:59 Don Nelson Tribute

11:34 First Meeting Story

17:11 Maui Poker Tale

24:25 Dirk Draft Debate

27:14 Trusting Coaches and Scouts

29:22 Aikman on the Mic

30:56 Iowa Graduation Surprise

36:53 Potato Salad Legend

41:13 Protecting Sources on Planes

43:22 Winning Over Stats

45:39 Fantasy Numbers Debate

50:45 Podcast and Homeless Crisis

54:30 Final Thanks and Farewell
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Host Jesse Jackson welcomes writer and musician David Starkey to Set Listing Bruce to discuss Starkey’s book On Track: Bruce Springsteen 1973–1987, Every Album, Every Song and his lifelong relationship to Springsteen’s recorded work. Starkey shares how growing up between Sacramento and summers in Beaumont shaped his musical tastes, from Johnny Cash and Aerosmith to discovering Springsteen via Greetings and being captivated by Born to Run and Darkness on the Edge of Town. They talk about the current tour, its political tone, Tom Morello’s guitar work, ticket prices, and setlist debates. Starkey explains his writing process, what he learned by re-listening (especially the importance of piano), and why 1987 marks an era’s end. The conversation also touches on poetry vs. lyrics, Starkey’s interview series The Creative Community, upcoming projects, and the “Mary question” from Thunder Road.

https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Bruce-Springsteen-1973-1987/David-Starkey/On-Track/9781789524710

00:00 Podcast Welcome

00:39 Meeting David

02:03 Early Music Obsessions

03:44 Family Sounds and Travel

06:59 Johnny Cash Tangent

09:04 Finding Springsteen

10:03 Live Shows and Politics

13:54 Ticket Prices Debate

14:28 Writing and Poetry

18:08 Why This Bruce Book

20:05 Born in the USA Memories

22:14 Researching the Albums

23:53 Why Stop at 1987

25:43 Concert Banter Debate

26:59 River Tour Pacing

27:55 Writing More Personally

29:33 Hot Takes On Songs

30:51 Family Discovers Nebraska

32:06 Biopic Who Is It For

34:35 Bruce Creative Evolution

36:46 Never Repeating Himself

39:41 His Interview Show Origins

41:09 Next Books And Memoir

44:12 Where To Find The Book

45:54 Final Thanks And Signoff

46:24 Podcast Housekeeping

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Pride Month Reflections, Bruce as Lifeline, and the Thunder Road “Mary” Question (with Beverly)

Host Jesse Jackson welcomes Beverly, a longtime Bruce Springsteen fan from Missouri now living in Kentucky, to discuss how Springsteen’s writing—especially around gender and politics—has resonated throughout her life. Beverly shares growing up with little music at home, discovering Bruce through “Dancing in the Dark” at 17, and how Born in the U.S.A. became her gateway to the full catalog. She recounts missing the Born in the U.S.A. tour, first seeing Bruce on the Human Touch/Lucky Town tour, later seeing the E Street Band on the Reunion Tour, and attending about 25 shows including Wrecking Ball-era dates and Springsteen on Broadway. They talk about fandom as comfort during family milestones, illness, and political turmoil, favorite tour moments and speeches, underrated songs she hopes to hear (“Spare Parts,” “Moonlight Motel”), and end with Beverly’s answer to whether Mary gets in the car in “Thunder Road.”

00:00 Welcome and Introductions
01:24 Beverly Background
02:06 Growing Up Without Music
04:02 First Records and Covers
05:05 Discovering Bruce at 17
09:21 First Concerts and Tours
11:20 Counting Shows and Empty Nest
12:05 Bruce and Bourbon Trip
15:07 Concert Adventures and Broadway
17:05 Songs as Family Soundtrack
18:29 Bruce Politics and Hope
21:41 Letter to You in 2020
24:40 Passing Fandom to Kids
27:31 Nebraska and Dark Stories
28:02 Tour Highlights and Moments
28:27 Speeches Hit Hard
29:06 Defending the Setlist
29:55 Catalog Depth Debate
32:17 Songs Change With Age
34:00 Lyrics as Lifelines
35:56 Family Fan Moments
37:02 Songs Theyre Chasing
42:04 Whats Next for Bruce
43:13 Reunion Tour to Rising
53:11 Thunder Road vs Sandy
54:56 Final Thanks and Goodbye

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Host Jesse Jackson welcomes John Gulla to Set Lusting Bruce for a wide-ranging conversation beyond Springsteen. John, a Miami native, describes discovering music early, teaching himself by ear, forming a high-school a cappella group that pursued recording contracts and moved from Miami to New York and Washington, DC, before he left the group around age 25 due to financial realities and marketing challenges. He discusses choosing bass guitar, being left-handed, and returning to the University of Miami by working there to complete a Classics degree and a master’s. A devoted Firefly fan, John recounts contributing to The Signal and attending Awesome Con. He then pitches his six-year Rumcast podcast, explaining rum’s global diversity, additive issues, and entry recommendations, plus their Rumcast Reserve bottlings. John answers the “Mary question.”

https://www.rumcast.com/

00:00 Patreon Thanks

01:29 Meet John and Tonight’s Topics

02:03 Early Music Spark

03:05 Musical Home and Learning by Ear

05:45 High School A Cappella Crew

07:08 Chasing the Dream to NYC

08:15 MTV Karaoke and Record Deals

09:35 When to Walk Away

13:01 Parents Support and Band Fallout

15:33 Marketing Challenges and Aftermath

16:53 Why Bass Guitar

19:15 Reinventing Through College

21:50 Classics and Love of Latin

24:24 Firefly Fandom Begins

27:24 The Signal and Early Podcasting

30:09 Awesome Con Trip

31:40 Panels and Fandom Fun

32:37 Rumcast Origin Story

36:20 Rum Rules and Additives

41:13 Starter Rum Picks

45:54 Firefly Podcast Pact

46:19 Animated Firefly Hopes

49:48 Why Firefly Endures

52:30 Rumcast Reserve Update

53:26 Thunder Road Mary

56:04 Wrap and Housekeeping
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Host Jesse Jackson welcomes Springsteen fan Audrey Hunn, a Philly-born travel agent and craft business owner, who recalls discovering Bruce through The River at summer camp and building friendships via the E Street community and her nearly 10,000-member Facebook group, “Calling All Bruce Springsteen Fans.” Audrey estimates she has attended close to 200 shows, praises the latest tour’s sound, song choices, and the Morello “Ghost of Tom Joad” performance, and describes pivotal experiences: her first show in Philadelphia the night John Lennon was killed, getting a long-sought jacket autograph at the Sirius “Carousel” Promise event, enduring an overnight wait to be first at a Freehold book signing, hosting Jake Clemons for a living-room show, and dancing with Bruce during “Dancing in the Dark” after 56 days sober. She discusses nine years of sobriety, how Bruce’s music helped, and answers that Mary Question.
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