A Big Man's tall tales from a life spent on E Street

In his role as Bruce Springsteen's sidekick and "minister of soul" in the E Street Band, sax player Clarence Clemons has cut always cut a larger than life figure. It's no surprise, then, that his autobiography -- the first written by a member of the group -- is called "Big Man: Real Life & Tall Tales."

Clemons, 67 -- who will join forces with Springsteen and Co. for a concert Sunday night at the Bradley Center that will feature a performance of the "Born to Run" album in its entirety -- co-wrote the book with his friend, television executive Don Reo.

If you are a hardcore Springsteen fan, this might not be the "tell-all" book of your dreams. At the same time, though, it's a very compelling read.

In a brief foreword, Springsteen states, "This book gets as close to the "truth" about Clarence Clemons as I can imagine. Mere facts will never plumb the mysteries of the Big Man."

As usual, Bruce's writing cuts to the quick. For all the time he spends in the spotlight, Clemons is still a mysterious and almost mythical figure in the band. The bond he shares with Springsteen is visible and tangible and Reo does a fine job of explaining it during of the book's best-executed passages. But, people may not feel like they "know" Clemons.

Reading this book can change that. At times, you'll feel like you've pulled up a barstool next to Clemons during one of his legendary sessions at a beachside bar. As enjoyable as the 400-page journey seems, it's hard not to notice the omissions.

There are few nuggets about legendary recording sessions, band bickering, details from the group's move from clubs to theaters to arenas to stadia. Outside of Springsteen and the late organist Danny Federici, Clemons offers little in the way of insight about the personality of his bandmates or the relationship forged over more than 30 years.

Though the authors admit up front that some of the tales are "stories we have told over the years in cars, bars planes, trains and rooms in hotels and hospitals," and that "most of them contain some fact and a lot of fiction," some of the chapters come off like dream sequences. Others are penned by Reo, who tagged along on big chunks of "The Rising" and "Magic" tours and may be seen in some circles as a polarizing figure.

The narrative in the book shifts from Clarence's first-person accounts to Reo's viewpoint and to the aforementioned "legend" or dream sequences. It's a strange construction, but it works because this isn't a detailed, chronological biography. Word has it that Springsteen himself, who has kept detailed journals over the years, is shopping such a book to publishers.

People who dislike this book will no doubt blame Reo. Some of that may come out of jealousy or envy. On one hand, who wouldn't want to be friends with the Big Man? Who wouldn't want to tag along on private jets and crash backstage parties?

Reo plays the part of a fan / reporter when he conveys details about the scene (such as the fact that Springsteen and his wife, Patti, don't fly on the same jet unless they are with their children -- because they don't want the kids orphaned by a crash). At other times, Reo's penchant for name-dropping and "can you believe I'm here?" stories seems a bit excessive.

There is a strong chance, though, that the book wouldn't have happened without Reo's involvement. One thing Reo does is paint a picture of the physical pain that Clemons endures in order to perform. Clemons has had hips and knees replaced, which prompted him to sit for long parts of the stage show. He's had kidney problems and a minor heart attack. Yet, he's kept up with a rigorous tour schedule and refers to the stage as the "healing floor" where pain takes a three-hour holiday.

Reading this book will probably take less than three hours, but there are more than enough nuggets to make it worth the ride. I enjoyed reading about Clemons' dressing room, aka "The Temple of Soul," the legendary show at Sing Sing prison, the secret that Robert DeNiro revealed to Clemons and the way that the E Street Band got its name.

Milwaukee fans will be particularly interested to find that Rec proclaims his all-time favorite Springsteen show was the Harley-Davidson anniversary gig on Aug. 30, 2008.  It was the last show of a long tour. Danny Federici's son, Jason, joined the band on accordian for a version of "Sandy." And, there were numerious highlights, including covers of "Wooly Bully" and the very appropriate "Born to Be Wild."

Reo's detailed account of that night -- from the Midwest Airlines charter plane leaving  Newark and returning after the show -- is enough to make hard-core fans in Milwaukee feel like they got their money's worth.