Bruce Springsteen talks about 'monster' bellyache, Freehold music roots on SiriusXM show

Bruce Springsteen said he has a “bitch of a bellyache” on his SiriusXM “From My Home to Yours” show on Monday, Oct. 9.

“Let me take a moment and thank my fans affected by our postponed shows for their understanding,” said Springsteen, referring to his peptic ulcer disease that halted the 2023 tour across America and Canada. “I am deeply sorry but this belly thing, despite my ability to laugh at it, has been a monster and is still unfortunately rocking my internal world.”

Peptic ulcer disease is characterized by discontinuation in the inner lining of the gastrointestinal tract because of gastric acid secretion or pepsin, according to the National Library of Medicine.

“It's better this week than it was last, and I want to thank everyone for their support and well wishes,” Springsteen said. “We will see you in the new year and we will bring it to you in your town at the top of our game — there's no other way.”

The episode was taped two weeks ago at Springsteen's Colts Neck studio with the Freehold crew, which includes ‘60s era musicians Mike Wilson and Mike Domanski of Legend, and Donnie Powell and Craig Caprioni, members of the Rogues.

Yes, the legend is true: Springsteen was kicked out of his first band, the Rogues.

“I was unceremoniously thrown out because my guitar was too cheap,” said Springsteen with a laugh. “We're going to talk about that right now. I'm sure Donnie (Powell) voted to keep me in, but Jay Gibson, wherever you are, I know you voice was against it.”

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Powell confirmed he was on Springsteen's side in 1965.

“Actually, I wanted to straighten that out today,” Powell said. “Craig (Caprioni) and I had nothing to do with it. Now, if you think back in the day, if you had good equipment, took some lessons, and could really play a chord, you were the leader of a band and you (Springsteen) brought Jay in and he was our main guy.”

“And he threw me out,' Springsteen said. “Anyway, it all worked out.”

Springsteen subsequently joined the Castiles, who rehearsed at the home of Tex and Marion Vinyard in Freehold.

“They were childless so they welcomed us as teenagers into a house the size of your thumb and we set up our equipment and we jammed there every day from 3 to 6 p.m.,” Springsteen said. “That was the hive of our earliest rock 'n' roll activity. They gave us their home, they gave us their support, gave us their money to buy … microphones and amps when Tex would get paid on the weekend. They were essential, essential to the development of young bands in Freehold.”

Wilson is a year younger than Springsteen, and Legend was considered a “baby band” of the Vinyard scene.

“(Tex and Marion) were the nicest people, other than my parents, actually, that I had ever met,” said Wilson, who later became the mayor of Freehold. “Just sitting there in that living room listening to the Castiles practice. You guys practiced about five, six times a week, and Legend practiced maybe twice a week and you could tell that with Legend.”

Growing up with '60s music in Freehold connected the crew, including Springsteen and Powell.

“When we used to get together, just you (Springsteen) and me, at my house that was the first time I ever interacted with another person doing music at that time,” Powell said. “Everybody was in their own little bubble and this music thing was blowing up.”

“The same with me!” Springsteen said. “We were a two-piece band like the White Stripes except we sucked! This first night I came over the thing I remember the most was you, who's the drummer, you taught me 'Honky Tonk' (by Bill Doggett) on the guitar. It was the first thing every guitar player learned to play.”

Springsteen, in his teens, eventually became an elder statesman of the scene, whose nod of approval meant something.

“I'll never forget we were upstairs in the attic playing 'Paperback Writer' by the Beatles and Bruce was outside on his way up and he actually said to us, 'You know,' and that was the first time Bruce ever said something really nice, 'that sounded really good guys,' which gave us a lot of confidence.”

The Freehold crew still convenes, without their instruments, in town from time to time. Monday’s radio show was the first time they’ve spoken in public with Springsteen about their time in the scene.

“It was a great, great time to be young and in Freehold and to have friends who were in bands with you, to have music be a such a central part of your life,” said Springsteen toward the close of the show. “I have known and remembered these guys for my whole life from that incredible shaping moment that we shared together down in Freehold, New Jersey.”

The episode, which featured songs from the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Animals, Yardbirds, Dave Clark Five, Motifs, Castiles and more, is available anytime on the SiriusXM app. Upcoming E Street Radio show broadcasts of the Oct. 9 show are 4 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 10; 8 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 11; 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12; 9 a.m. Friday, Oct. 13; 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 14; and 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 15.

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Chris Jordan, a Jersey Shore native, covers entertainment and features for the USA Today Network New Jersey. Contact him at @chrisfhjordan; cjordan@app.com

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Bruce Springsteen talks about monster bellyache on SiriusXM show