Bruce Springsteen + Robert Hilburn = !%$?!

Hilburn states as if fact that Springsteen is “the most celebrated rock singer-songwriter of the ‘70s and ‘80s.”

Celebrated by whom? By mainstream, middle-of-the-road rock critics, like Hilburn, who are unable to just say no to the decades-long hype campaign orchestrated by Springsteen’s manager and co-producer, Jon Landau, former senior Rolling Stone critic and one of the founding fathers of mainstream, middle-of-the-road rock criticism.

If Springsteen is so damn important, why is it that one can read the last 15 years’ worth of rock music magazines and not find a single, genuine rock ‘n’ roll artist who mentions Springsteen as an influence?

MICHAEL DAVIDSON

Studio City