Now that Jersey is having a worse, late in the day, pandemic count than we are here in Philly, it is perhaps the best moment to show the Garden State some love. Who better to do that than the unofficial overlord of the state, Bruce Springsteen.
Don’t look back, Jack
Jack Antonoff may best be known as the co-songwriter and producer to some of the greatest hits from Taylor Swift, Lorde, St. Vincent, Lana Del Rey, Carly Rae Jepsen and The Chicks. But, for the record, he’s also a New Jersey-born multi-instrumentalist, singer and Bleachers front-man who, on his new single, “chinatown,” features fellow New Jerseyan Bruuuuuuuuuuce. Bleachers also has another new single, “45,” but who cares? “chinatown,” man.
In a statement, Antonoff wrote, “chinatown” starts in NYC and travels to new jersey. that pull back to the place i am from mixed with terror of falling in love again. having to show your cards to someone and the shock when you see them for yourself. thinking you know yourself and where you are from… having to see yourself through somebody who you want to stay… i started to write this song with these ideas ringing in my head. to further understand who you are pushes you to further understand where you are from and what that looks and sounds like. there are pieces in that that are worth carrying forever and pieces worth letting die. “chinatown” and “45” are both the story of this — “chinatown” through someone else, “45” through the mirror. as for bruce, it’s the honor of a lifetime to be joined by him. he is the artist who showed me that the sound of the place i am from has value and that there is a spirit here that needs to be taken all over the world.”
Even the “chinatown” video, directed by Carlotta Kohl, features The Boss.
The New ‘Jersey Boys’ – Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi and Jon Stewart
I don’t know many people that traveled by car on Thanksgiving Day, but, the few who did all went to Jersey, and all reported back that Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, and Jon Stewart were on billboards across the interstate (billboards along the interstate, itself, sounding like a lyric in a Springsteen tune). Only rather than selling a new show or a new album (which each man has) the three famed Jersey-born celebs were wearing COVID masks under the words, “Wear a friggin’ mask!”
The Boss in Summer: Springsteen releases his 1999 stand at Philly’s First Union Center
The just-launched advertising effort is the first phase of the state’s “Mask Up” campaign, put together by Jersey’s First Lady Tammy Murphy, the NJ Pandemic Relief Fund and Interstate Outdoor Advertising. Currently, there are 30 billboards along the highway, with three additional billboards going up in East Rutherford and near the Meadowlands Arena for December.
“I provided the free billboard space for a creative concept that the NJ Pandemic Relief Fund (of which I am a board member) came up with,” said Drew Katz, CEO of Interstate Outdoor Advertising based in Cherry Hill, NJ. “The credit for the concept comes from the First Lady, Tammy Murphy who is a dynamo and whose goal is to save lives. My sense is that this came together very quickly and that the Bruce, Jon and Jon (who have been very helpful for the cause) wanted to help again.”
The Boss himself got in on the action, tweeting:
Teamed up with some fellow New Jerseyans to encourage everyone this holiday season to wear a friggin’ mask. Let’s all come together and #MaskUpNJ so we can get back to what we do best – singing along and dancing together. @FirstLadyNJ @NJ_PRF @NJGov pic.twitter.com/djovXOxiIu
— Bruce Springsteen (@springsteen) November 25, 2020
Since its inception during COVID, the NJ Pandemic Relief Fund raised $39.5 million from 60,000+ donors and has given $30 million to 460+ organizations helping the state’s most vulnerable citizens. Interstate Outdoor Advertising (IOA)was founded in 1984 in Cherry Hill, NJ by the late Lewis Katz, and is the largest NJ Based OOH media company with over 1200 outdoor advertising signs.
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