Mountains

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That Rainbow Theatre 1973 show he just released, which you obviously play on, is pretty sensational. But, man, I’m deep into this [E Street Band] tour. It’s one of the things I learned with Neil when I was 18. It’s great not to be the band leader every day of your life, because there’s a lot of things that are not musical you need to deal with when you’re the band leader. They all go away when I’m in someone else’s band. But then I’m going to California, where the next day you’ve already lost three hours and you’re traveling on a show day. You can’t travel on a show day and keep your sanity if you’re Nils Lofgren. Maybe if you’re some other lunatic drinking and smoking, but not me, man. I got to get there the night before. I don’t travel on show days, period. Unless I’m with Bruce and the band. If that’s their plan, fine. But I don’t leave the tour. That’s from the night I met her at the Stone Pony. We went to the Empress Hotel that night and talked until 6:00 a.m. I was drinking way too much. I had a show in Boston the next night. I was like, “Come to Boston. I’ll put you on a train.” She said, “Oh no. I got a job. My mother would kill me. My boss would kill me.” I said, “Give me their numbers. I’ll call them.” It was about 4:30 a.m. at this point. She laughed and said, “You’re not calling my mom and my boss at 4:30 to tell them I’m going to Boston.” So we waved goodbye. I was in Jersey every few months, so I figured I’d see her. Well, I’m 35 years clean and sober. I did not mention AA by name in the song because you’re supposed to remain anonymous. But the song is a story, largely autobiographical, about someone completely in the throes of alcoholism and addiction.

NILS LOFGREN “MOUNTAINS” LYRICS NILS LOFGREN “MOUNTAINS” LYRICS

The idea of saying, “Hey, I got 13 days at home. Let’s schedule a couple shows and play.” For me, that’s madness. I want to get home to Amy, my dogs… I want to put all this aside, though I’m super grateful that there’s more work. And, man, we are in great shape with the band right now. Everyone’s happy and deep in it. In the early months of the pandemic, Nils Lofgren didn’t know what to do with himself. The guitarist had been on the road since the Sixties, when his band Grin took off, and in the years that followed he’d launched many solo tours between stints with Bruce Springsteen in the E Street Band, Ringo Starr in the All Starr Band, and Neil Young in the Santa Monica Flyers, the Trans Band, and Crazy Horse. Come Around Before I Go Insane': Sufjan Stevens''Javelin' Is a Devotional, Contradictory Indie-Folk Gem Angel Blues” is an old, unfinished song, one of the few on this record from the past. But I loved the opening lines, “Lean your weary halo on my wing/And let the peace come/As your darkness dies in my light/Even angels falter now and then.”

Nils Lofgren – “Ain’t The Truth Enough” (Feat. Ringo Starr)

On “Remember Her Name,” you’re pretty clearly singing about Amy. It even references little moments with her at the Empress Hotel in Asbury Park. I just started writing," Lofgren says. "I didn't edit myself; whatever I wrote came out - rough, gentle, in between. So long as I was excited about it, inspired, I saw it through. It's got all the different sides you might normally expect from me. It's a very emotional record. It came out better than I hoped." We’d both test and wear masks unless I was singing to keep it as safe as we could. I got Covid flying home after finishing World Record with Neil Young. I exposed Amy, but she didn’t get it, thank God. So I was very careful not to start having the traditional arrangement of, “Here’s five musicians, and they’re going to move in for three weeks.” Why didn’t we have a camera rolling? That was such a momentous tour. We did this crazy set where Neil had 16-inch glitter boots nailed to the piano, and we’re doing songs no one had ever heard. Neil’s rapping and going crazy. We’re playing this crazy music. People were throwing bottles and yelling at us. They wanted to hear the hits. Mountains will nevertheless benefit from the guitarist's profile on the Springsteen tour, which - despite a case ofCOVID early in the trek - Lofgren says he's enjoying as much as he ever has. "It's magic, man. It's easy to be honored and excited to be out touring again with Bruce and E Street," he notes. "It's hard not to be excited and have enough adrenalin with what's going on with this band and Bruce after all these years, so it's just a remarkable thing. We're feeling great about it. From my perspective, the band and the audience is as inspiring as ever. It's all great."

‎Mountains by Nils Lofgren on Apple Music

I was really hoping that the whole Crazy Horse band could do it, but that’s Farm Aid. That kind of blew my idea. Neil announced the other day that he’s playing the Roxy in L.A. on Sept. 20, which is the exact 50th anniversary of the famous opening night where you guys played. I started the record with “Ain’t the Truth Enough.” It’s a serious song from a mother’s point of view, dealing with this guy that she thought she knew and loved, home from an insurrection. And the very last song… I’m a recovering Catholic. I look at all religions as cults. I know they serve a purpose for some people, not for me. So I do believe in some higher power, not the religious kind, but something greater than us. If that’s God, fine with me. We made the record in isolation with the wonders of technology. And I kind of piecemealed together, mostly just me and Jamison working in my garage studio. It’s amazing to think this is probably the last record of new songs that’ll feature both Neil Young and David Crosby.I hadn’t thought about that, but when Neil said, “Yes.” I went, “Oh, that’s cool. They’ll both be on the record.” I didn’t really think it through like that, but you’re right. That’s heavy. I'm really blessed to be part of two great bands - I never take that for granted," Lofgren says. "My joke is to go to management of both bands and say, 'Guys, I've spent 90 years here - more than 50 with Neil, 50 with Bruce and E Street. I've been a good boy and good musician. Can you just let me make the touring schedule for both of your artists for a couple of years?' And the managers just laugh at me and say, 'Get lost.'" David said to me, “I want to sing on your record.” I said, “I’d love that, David. Let me wait until I know which song is right for you.” And sure enough, as soon as I started writing that song and I got an inkling of the chorus, I said, “Man, this one’s for David.” And he sang beautifully on it. He can do whatever he wants. That’s the thing, a guy like Neil with those songs… He just decided to go out alone. He’s doing great. If he decides, “I’m into doing a power trio with Ralph and Billy,” it’s going to be great too.