![]() He actually autographed a copy of Nothing Matters… and signs it with the tag line, “Don’t Forget Me.” Sadly, I was with Brewster when he trashed the album and its autographed cover a few days later. While they’re drinking with this manager, Cougar walks into the room. Carter called her but he only talked to her maid who answered the phone. Apparently the manager guy had formerly had Rod Stewart as a client and had his ex girlfriend’s number. They’re drinking with this guy at his hotel and Carter talks the manager into giving him Britt Ekland’s phone number in L.A. I don’t know if its the same guy who renamed him “Cougar” after his automobile or not. Brewster and Carter were at this Cougar (Mellencamp) show, which was in support of his second major label LP Nothing Matters And What If It Did – and somehow Carter and Brewster ended up partying with Cougar’s manager. Once again, I was not invited… I’m beginning to see a trend. Right after we’d got to high school my buddy Brewster – of the infamous River tour snub – went to see John Cougar (as Mellencamp was known back then) with a guy I’ll call Carter (name changed to protect the very, very guilty). ![]() My journey to Mellencamp was a tad more circuitous. I left that party with nothing more than a nice beer buzz and the determination to purchase Born To Run immediately… once the beer wore off, which I did. I was sitting in this guy’s backyard, not far from the kegs talking to these two girls who while only one year older were still just out of reach. I’m embarrassed to admit, the first time I heard Born To Run in it’s entirety was at a Senior Skip Day party when I was a mere junior in high school… but that was all the way in 1981. That album led me to a lifetime of listening to Springsteen with and without the E Street Band. I still have a great fondness for that album even though my friend Brewster didn’t take me with him to the concert in KC on that tour… bygones. And believe me, when you’re in high school on an allowance a double-album was a big investment. The River ended up being my first Springsteen LP purchase. I’d heard some of the tracks from Darkness On The Edge Of Town on the radio, but I was still too newly converted to the church rock n roll and I’m not sure I realized all of the Darkness songs were Springsteen. My entry point to any artist back then was what was playing on the radio after I’d become rock n roll conscious and for Springsteen that was The River. I got into Springsteen when The River came out. To quote one of my favorite comedies, “Cats living with dogs, MASS HYSTERIA!” Mellencamp was all Farm Aid and Springsteen was out with Amnesty International… But listening to these cagey old veterans, they’re a great fit. It’s a bit of odd pairing… I always thought of Springsteen as a more natural fit for a duet with Bob Seger… those guys were pals back then. ![]() Mellencamp went on a incredible run of LPs starting with Uh-Huh (at least for me) to Scarecrow to The Lonesome Jubilee. Springsteen was in that whole Born In The U.S.A. While both these artists have had long and remarkable careers, even I will admit in the 80s they were part of the dominant rock scene that just doesn’t exist anymore. If it were say, 1986, this track would be the Number 1 song in the universe. There was a time, sadly long passed, when I think this song would be getting a Hell of a lot more attention. Well… maybe not a Clash… maybe it’s more like the Harmonizing Of The Titans. How is this song not blasting out of every radio, everywhere? Mellencamp? Springsteen? Together? Singing on the same song?! This is like the Clash of the Titans.
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