We're looking forward to celebrating a birthday. Bruce Springsteen was born September 23, 1949; he was born in the USA. That date is right around the corner — which means next Monday, the Boss turns 75. And this Saturday, Sept. 21, starting at 1 p.m Central, The Current is celebrating with music, with a countdown of 75 Essential Springsteen Songs. But before we do that, we need to hear from you. We want to know what your top 10 Bruce Springsteen songs are, but you got to do it by today. The poll closes today at noon, and when you tell us your favorite songs, you can enter for a chance to win a Springsteen vinyl pack.

We're also curious if you have a story about Bruce Springsteen — how has the music you know shown up in your life? Are there special moments? Are there concert moments? Have you seen him live? Even if you haven't seen him live, you were likely connected to his music in one way, shape or form. And you know what? Sometimes it just takes one person to get the ball rolling with a story. I'm not going to start, but I know someone who has a great Springsteen story, and he's here now … listen to our interview and read a transcript below.

Interview Transcript

Jill Riley: Kenny Ornberg is a radio promotions rep for Interscope Capitol labels group. Kenny, you've got a great story, and I'm looking forward to hearing your story about Bruce Springsteen. How are you?

Kenny Ornberg: I'm good. Thank you for having me. 

Jill Riley: Well, you know, Kenny, you've been in the industry a long time. I'm just gonna leave it at that. You've seen some things, you've experienced some things, and you've got a story about the taping of the "Dancing in the Dark" video that happened here in St. Paul 40 years ago, it was 1984. And Kenny, I wonder if you could kind of start by setting the scene. I mean this is June of 1984. Born in the USA, was released that month at the beginning of the month. The tour kicked off in St. Paul at the end of the month. So take us back in time.

Kenny Ornberg: OK, so I was a farm kid. I moved up here to go to go to St. Thomas, the college of knowledge, and I became friends with a girl named Laurie MacArthur who worked for Jam. There was a Minneapolis office for Jam Company Seven here, and I think to this day, Jam has produced every single Bruce Springsteen concert that's been in Minneapolis. Anyway, I was friendly with her, and she knew that I had a really bad, terrible Bruce Springsteen problem. I mean, it's embarrassing if I think about all the money that I spent on bootlegs and import records. And this was obviously before the internet. But she was kind enough to give me second-row seats for that show, and that was more than enough for me.

But then she called me the day before the show, in the morning, and said, "Don't say anything to anyone. I need you down at the Civic Center" — it was Civic Center then obviously, not Xcel [Energy Center] — she said, "I need you at the backstage door at the Civic Center at one o'clock. Don't tell anyone." And this was a day before the show, and I thought it has to have something to do with Bruce Springsteen. So I followed her rules, and I was down there probably at 12:30, and there was about 30 of us, maybe 40 of us there.

Jill Riley: Like, "Why are we here? Do we get to meet him?"

Kenny Ornberg: Exactly. Yeah. Or maybe watch a rehearsal or something, soundcheck. And we got let in. And Brian De Palma, the director of, at that time, Carrie and Dressed to Kill and Scarface, those were his big movies at the time — and this could have been the first real big director, because MTV was brand-new then too. Was there, and he greeted us, and he said, "We're going to film a video for 'Dancing in the Dark.'" So that — I'm going to say there's 40 of us there. Ninety percent of that video was shot that afternoon, the day before, and then we were all told to wear the same clothes, and then we meet side stage and go to the exact same spots that we were in, and he did the song before an intermission, then took a break, and then came out after intermission and did the song again. And so you see the panoramic shots of the of the full stadium?

Jill Riley: Yeah. 

Kenny Ornberg: That's less than 10 percent of that video. That video was shot almost entirely the day before with smoke machines and, you know, different camera angles, and we were there for between six and eight hours.

Jill Riley: That's incredible. And you know, another part of that story, I mean the memorable part of that story for anyone who watched that video on MTV because it was in heavy rotation, there was a, well, an actress that wasn't as well-known at the time, unless you watched soap operas in the afternoon or wherever, but this was before the days of Friends. But there was a, well, a famous Courteney Cox that was the star of that video — I mean, outside of Bruce Springsteen, starring in it — but she was the one that was pulled on stage to dance with The Boss. Can you talk about, you know, Courteney Cox, and what you remember of her in that video?

Kenny Ornberg: Yes, she — well, as I mentioned, we were there all day — and there weren't that many of us, so we got to know each other. She had said to me, "I don't know much about Bruce. Does he write his own songs?"

Jill Riley: What was your reaction?

Kenny Ornberg: Well, I was gobsmacked. I thought, oh my god. And then I found out that she and the two girls on each side of her, those three girls were models, and they were flown in for this. All the rest of us were all fans, and they got picked probably because of the way they looked. And I think she had done maybe a Mentos commercial or something prior to that. And so take after take, she was not as enthusiastic as Brian De Palma wanted her to be. So I would say maybe after a handful of takes, he yelled "Cut!" and kind of borderline chastised her for not being exuberant enough or excited enough to be up there dancing with The Boss. And then she picked it up a little bit.

Jill Riley: Yeah. Well, I think her dance is just so dorky in the video.

Kenny Ornberg: It's kind of like “the Carlton” [the dance popularized by actor Alfonso Ribeiro, who played the role of Carlton Banks on the NBC sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which aired from 1990 to 1996].

Jill Riley: Yeah. Well, I read that Carlton [i.e. Alfonso Ribeiro] got the inspiration from Courteney Cox.

Kenny Ornberg: Really??

Jill Riley: Carlton to do the Carlton. It really isn't — there's nothing that makes me even think that one, she was an actress; or two, that she was any sort of professional dancer. I don't know, she played the part of being, you know, looking shocked that Bruce Springsteen wanted her to come on stage. But, you know, there was, I find her to be just so, like, regular looking.

Kenny Ornberg: Maybe that's why she was picked, you know, out of a portfolio book or something. I don't know if they auditioned or what, but she did kind of have a girl-next-door look, but she was not, at the time, a Bruce Springsteen fan. Not that there's anything wrong with that. But she was told to maybe ratchet it up a little bit and be more excited. And of course, that tour did start here, and that became a hallmark of "Dancing in the Dark" for that entire tour; he would pull someone from the stage every night, and she, inarguably, was the first person to be pulled on stage.

Jill Riley: Kenny Ornberg is a radio promotions rep for Interscope Capitol labels group. This story that you're telling about being featured — I mean, really, you are not far behind Courteney Cox. I mean, you're pretty much right behind her in the video. I was rewatching it, I'm like, "Wait a minute — that is him!"

Kenny Ornberg: I obviously, I don't pay that close attention to where I appear or when I appear — two minutes and 25 seconds — I was just happy to be in the video.

Jill Riley: You're not like me. I'd be showing it to everyone, I'd be like, "Everyone, sit down."

Kenny Ornberg: I haven't as of the last 10 years. But trust me, right out of the gate, I showed it to everybody, and everybody knew all about it. I'm sure a lot of people are very tired of hearing the story.

Jill Riley: Yeah. So you were featured in the "Dancing in the Dark" video, which was taped here in St. Paul. It was the end of June, it was 1984. The tour is kicking off. That's a really incredible moment, because you mentioned that on that tour, he started doing that, like pulling a fan up on stage. He still does that to this day, doesn't he?

Kenny Ornberg: Yes.

Jill Riley: Yeah, that's pretty incredible. Well, Kenny, that story, is there anything else that you remember just from that day, or, like, having to go back and, like, you had to remember to wear the same clothes the next day?

Kenny Ornberg: I will say — and this is, if you are Bruce Springsteen fan, this, this will be good for you to hear — because it was tedious. You know, you hear stories about, "Oh, it's not that glamorous on a movie set," or, you know, "It's hurry up and wait, and there's a lot of sitting around." But it was certainly not boring, but it was a long day, and at the end of the day, after doing take after take after take, road crew wheeled out carts full of ice and beer and pop, and Bruce played the Detroit Medley, gave us like a little 20-minute concert to say thanks. And then he walked around and took pictures, like the one that you saw of me, and he was just the coolest. It was was pretty great.

Jill Riley: What did you say to him when you took a picture with him?

Kenny Ornberg: I really don't remember. Probably, "I'm a big fan," I don't know. And I wasn't prepared, and I didn't have anything to get signed. I had $1 bill, so he signed $1 bill.

Jill Riley: Incredible. Well, Kenny, usually you're kind of hanging in, you know, the side stage, or, you know, the background when we're interviewing artists here at The Current as Kenny is a radio promotions rep for Interscope Capitol labels group, so we've gotten to know Kenny very well at the station behind the scenes. And like I said, you've got a lot of great stories, and I do appreciate you sharing that story with The Current. I imagine meeting Bruce Springsteen, that was like an out of body experience I'm sure.

Kenny Ornberg: Oh, it was. And I had no idea that I would have this job, and having this job is not lost on me. I'm grateful every day that I can pay my bills and talk to people like you and David and Jade or whomever about music, and I'll be bringing Michael Kiwanuka here in a couple weeks.

Jill Riley: Can't wait.

Kenny Ornberg: I'm very, very grateful to have this job. But back in 1984, you know, a farm kid at St. Thomas, I mean, Bruce was everything to me.

Jill Riley: Yeah, beyond your wildest dreams, I'm sure.

Kenny Ornberg: Beyond my wildest dreams.

Jill Riley: Kenny, thanks for sharing your story. And now you heard Kenny's story. Now we'd love for you to share your story about Bruce Springsteen. And it may not be a "Dancing in the Dark" video story, but you've got one. Somehow Bruce Springsteen's music has shown in your life, shown up in your life, I'm sure. And we're asking you to share your 10 favorite Bruce Springsteen songs. You can share your story. You only have a few hours left as the poll closes at noon today, so help us compile the 75 Essential Bruce Springsteen Songs, and you can enter for a chance to win a Bruce Springsteen vinyl prize pack. And then listen Saturday starting at one o'clock to hear all 75 songs compiled by The Current audience, on air, online and on the current app.

Credits

Guest – Kenny Ornberg
Host – Jill Riley
Producer – Nilufer Arsala
Digital Producer – Luke Taylor

External Link

Bruce Springsteen – official site