'The Ties That Bind: The River Collection' is a comprehensive
look at Bruce Springsteen's 'The River' era, one of the most
pivotal periods of time in his career. The set contains 52 tracks
on 4 CDs with a wealth of unreleased material, and 4 hours of
never-before-seen video on 3 DVDs. It is comprised of the
original 'The River' double album as released in 1980; the first
official release of 'The River: Single Album;' a CD of 1979/80
studio outtakes; a two-DVD film of never-released, newly edited
multi-camera footage from Springsteen's famed 1980 show in Tempe,
AZ, long rumored but never-before-seen; rare tour rehearsal
footage; a brand new documentary "The Ties That Bind" about 'The
River;' and a coffee table book of 200 rare or previously unseen
photos and memorabilia with a new essay by Mikal Gilmore.
'The River,' was originally released on October 17, 1980 as a
double album and reached #1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. 'The
River: Single Album' is the 10-track album that Springsteen
recorded in 1979 as a follow up to 1978's 'Darkness On The Edge
Of Town' but never released. The fourth CD on the box set is 'The
River: Outtakes,' which spans the entire 'The River' sessions in
1979 and 1980. Eleven songs are rarities that have never been
released before, and for the most part are completely unheard and
unknown even to fans, who have long considered Springsteen's
outtakes to be treasured secrets.
"The Ties That Bind," on one DVD, is a brand new 60-minute
documentary that features an interview with Springsteen
as he reflects on the tumultuous, extended period writing and
'The River.' The film transitions between Springsteen
telling the stories behind the music and illustrating them with
solo acoustic guitar performances -- interspersed with period
concert footage and rare photos of Bruce and the band in and out
of the studio. The final video component is "Bruce Springsteen &
The E Street Band: The River Tour, Tempe 1980," a new film
produced from footage professionally filmed in 1980 using four
cameras and recorded in multitrack audio. The film features 24
songs 2 hours, 40 minutes on 2 DVDs from Springsteen s November
5, 1980 concert at Arizona State University in Tempe, AZ. Widely
regarded as one of Springsteen s finest performances, this
intense show features early live versions of over half of 'The
River' songs. Also included is 20 minutes of footage from the
late September, 1980 River Tour rehearsals held in Lititz, PA,
showing Springsteen and The E Street Band working through live
arrangements of what was then unreleased material from the
upcoming album.
'The Ties That Bind: The River Collection is packaged in a 10" x
12" box with a hardcover 148-page coffee table book containing
200 studio and live photographs most of which have never been
seen before plus pages from Springsteen's s, single
covers, images and outtakes from the original album package, and
other memorabilia documenting the album. Liner notes include a
new essay from journalist Mikal Gilmore, the original Rolling
Stone album review from 1980, and Springsteen's updated comments
about the album from the 1998 "Songs" book.
Blu-Ray Content:
Blu-ray Disc 1
The Ties That Bind (Documentary)
Blu-ray Disc 2
The River Tour, Tempe 1980
Concert Part 1
The River Tour, Tempe 1980
Concert Part 2