Host Jesse Jackson welcomes Denver-based Springsteen fan Tracey Konigsbauer, who grew up in Philadelphia and says Bruce has always been in her blood. Tracey shares her musical influences (soul, R&B, Prince, The Roots, classic hip hop, The Beatles), her own playing (saxophone inspired by Clarence Clemons, plus guitar), and her move to Colorado. She discusses how Tunnel of Love became her gateway to deeply absorbing Bruce’s lyrics, reflects on seeing Bruce seven times on the East Coast (including Meadowlands and Philly), and recalls an emotional 2012 Philly performance of “Jungleland” after Clarence’s passing as Jake Clemons took the solo. Tracey talks about Bruce and politics, songs she loves and chases, being moved by “I’ll See You in My Dreams,” her local music life in Denver, and answers the “Thunder Road” question: she doesn’t think Mary gets in the car.

00:00 Show Intro

00:48 Meet Tracey

02:38 Denver And East Coast Shows

04:43 Musical Roots And Influences

06:52 Moving Without A Network

10:36 Discovering Bruce Early

11:43 Tunnel Of Love Connection

14:37 Seven Shows And Favorites

16:17 Jungleland Without Clarence

18:08 Bruce And Politics

22:13 Songs That Matter Most

23:24 Top Bruce Picks

23:57 Shore Album Memories

24:40 Marys Place Porch Flashback

26:23 Husband Joins The Fun

28:36 Songs Still Chasing

29:39 Letter To You Grief

31:59 Concert Buddies And First Show

33:00 Red Rocks And Summer Shows

36:41 Sports Allegiance And Bruce Truce

39:19 Does Mary Get In

40:45 Final Thoughts And Real Estate

43:34 Podcast Farewell Message

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In a cross over episode, JKL Media Reviews discusses Rebecca Ross’s YA romantasy Divine Rivals, chosen by Karen after previous picks by Lou and Jesse. Lou, not a romance fan, says the book didn’t change his view of romance novels and critiques passive characters, trope-heavy misunderstandings, and underdeveloped worldbuilding, especially the vague setting and limited exploration of the warring gods Dakra and Enva. Jesse enjoys the premise of a WWI-like magical war, likes the characters and love story, and praises elements like the magic typewriters, Roman’s conflict with his family, and supportive elders. The group debates the typewriters as a plot device, the gods’ role in the war, and the twist involving Iris’s brother Forest, then speculates about where the sequel Ruthless Vows will take the story.

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Host Jesse Jackson welcomes John Mountain, a longtime Bruce Springsteen fan now living in Bakersfield, California, who first connected with Bruce through the 1981 “No Nukes” concert film and was especially moved by “The River.” John shares his early musical influences, love of movies and horror, and how Springsteen’s songs feel cinematic, including connections between “Nebraska” and Terrence Malick’s “Badlands.” He recounts seeing Springsteen live three times—finding the “other band” show disappointing, loving the solo “Ghost of Tom Joad” tour stop, and praising the 1999 E Street Band reunion. John also discusses Springsteen’s politics, favorite artists and albums, and picks standout Bruce tracks.

00:48 Meet John

01:59 Growing Up With Music

04:18 First Records And Elton

05:11 Discovering Bruce Via No Nukes

09:24 Movies And Nebraska

12:25 Seeing Bruce Live

17:08 Politics And Patriotism

19:49 Moving To California

21:27 Horror Movies Deep Dive

24:21 Mike Flanagan Favorites

27:03 Flanagan Film Picks

28:14 Core Cast Spotlight

31:36 Back To Music Talk

31:56 Murder Ballads Deep Dive

34:47 Wide-Ranging Favorites

37:57 Bruce Album Breakdown

42:34 Thunder Road Mary Debate

44:24 Social Media And Farewell

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Jesse Jackson welcomes retired Dallas sportscasting legend Dale Hansen, who reflects on covering the Cowboys across decades, loving sports more for drama than wins and losses, and feeling lucky throughout a 41-year TV career. Hansen discusses his 2019 journalism speech about speaking truth to power and worries about U.S. politics and media capitulation, then traces his lifelong connection to music through radio, his eclectic tastes, and why Bruce Springsteen’s live shows—especially the Austin concert—still amaze him. He shares stories about Elvis, Waylon and Willie, Rod Stewart gifting him a signed soccer ball, meeting icons like Staubach, Nicklaus, and Mickey Mantle, and the enduring impact of his “Thank God for Kids” tradition, while also promoting his podcast, A Dallas Dialogue with Dale.

https://www.youtube.com/@DallasDialoguewithDale

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Host Jesse Jackson welcomes Dallas sportswriter Tim Cowlishaw to Set Lusting Bruce, beginning with a discussion about Dallas teams potentially leaving the American Airlines Center area and the impact on fans and downtown. Cowlishaw shares his upbringing in Tulsa, New Jersey, and Texas, early musical influences like Beatles and The Who, and how a King Biscuit Flower Hour Columbia Records ad led him to Bruce Springsteen’s The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle. He recounts a canceled 1974 Dallas show and finally seeing Springsteen up close at The Bottom Line in 1975, leading to roughly 30 concerts over the years, including 1984 Chicago shows. They discuss setlist predictability, Bruce’s political remarks on recent tours, favorite albums and books, and how Springsteen’s work ethic influenced Cowlishaw’s writing, along with talk of Taylor Swift, Radiohead, and the “Does Mary get in the car?” question.

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Host Jesse Jackson welcomes new guest Dr. Rob Yonover, a Hawaii-based scientist, inventor of military survival gear, and lifelong music fan. Rob recalls seeing Bruce Springsteen in Miami in 1975 and shares his connections to Perry Farrell, along with a deep love for Bob Dylan and a desert-island album pick list (Dylan’s "Highway 61 Revisited," Jane’s Addiction’s "Nothing’s Shocking," and Sublime’s "40 Ounces to Freedom"). Jesse shares his own three albums and how seeing Springsteen live in 2002 sparked an obsession that led to 20+ shows. They discuss album-focused listening, the downsides of phones and streaming culture, favorite concert stories, Rob’s Shark Tank experience with his StreamR invention, and the podcast’s “Mary question.,”

http://seerescuestreamer.com/

01:28 Meet Rob

02:13 First Springsteen Show

04:31 Desert Island Albums

07:24 Jesse Picks Three

09:50 Tracks 2 Overload

12:29 Growing Up in Miami

14:46 Album Listening Debate

17:44 Discovering Dylan

20:26 Jesse Springsteen Origin

23:57 Phones at Concerts

27:54 Wild Concert Stories

33:36 No Electricity Grandpa

34:14 Radio and Music Discovery

38:30 Becoming a Scientist

41:35 Volcanoes to Scholarships

43:20 StreamR Survival Invention

46:37 Shark Tank Showdown

52:08 Phones Apps and AI Rant

53:46 Thunder Road Mary Debate

57:28 Dylan Springsteen Legacy

01:01:09 Where to Find Rob

01:01:55 Final Bruce and Signoff

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Host Jesse Jackson welcomes Mireille Cameron, his Zendesk account manager, to Set Lusting Bruce to discuss her South Louisiana and North Carolina upbringing, early musical influences (Cajun, Zydeco, jazz, bluegrass, Prince), and how music shaped her life. Mireille shares why she finally saw Bruce Springsteen for the first time on the current tour in Cleveland over Memorial Day weekend, drawn by his longevity, message, and the communal, family-oriented concert culture. They talk about the show’s powerful opening, standout moments like “Long Walk Home,” the band’s energy and size, Bruce’s three-hour no-break performance, and audience reactions. Mireille and her husband compare the experience to other live-music bucket list shows, discuss artists they’ve seen and hope to see, and she answers the podcast’s “Mary” question.

00:39 Work Worlds Collide

01:57 Growing Up Musical

03:57 Louisiana Culture Vibes

06:28 No Music Rebellion

09:00 First Bruce Show Plans

10:45 Arena Family Energy

12:17 Opening Punch War

15:59 Surprises And Stamina

19:18 Band Highlights And Encore

22:58 Balancing Fans and Growth

24:21 Hopeful Songs and Unity

26:01 Bucket List Concerts

28:51 Local Shows and Folk Finds

30:00 New Orleans Music Trip

31:23 Festivals Food and Family

32:48 Clifton Chenier VIP Moment

34:48 Thunder Road Car Debate

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Host Jesse Jackson welcomes returning guest Scott Shea—author of All the Leaves Are Brown and a forthcoming Waylon Jennings book—to discuss the anniversary of Bruce Springsteen signing with Columbia Records in June 1972 and the recent death of Clive Davis. Shea highlights Springsteen’s rare 54-year label loyalty, early rocky years, and how Born to Run marked progress before larger commercial success arrived with The River and “Hungry Heart.” He recounts the origin story of Springsteen’s deal, focusing on manager Mike Appel’s cold calls, John Hammond’s pivotal audition, and Clive Davis approving the signing. They also discuss Columbia’s artist roster, Davis’s career arc from Columbia to founding Arista, Springsteen’s evolving vocals and live arrangements, reactions to the latest tour’s political tone, and Shea’s ongoing research for his Waylon Jennings biography.

00:00 Podcast Welcome

00:51 Meet Scott Shea

02:13 Columbia Anniversary

04:51 Why Bruce Stayed

06:49 Band Loyalty Talk

08:50 Clive Davis Passing

09:59 Hammond and Appel Story

20:02 Cold Call Breakthrough

21:25 The Audition Moment

23:12 What If He Was Missed

23:44 Cafferty Career What Ifs

24:59 Clive Davis Origins

26:16 Columbia Breakthrough Signings

27:28 Arista Records Reinvention

28:56 Springsteen Tour Politics

30:40 Cranky Bruce And Banter

33:12 Born In USA Outtakes

36:44 Waylon Book Progress

39:02 Wrap Up And Plugs

40:05 Podcast Housekeeping

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Host Jesse Jackson welcomes back musician and actor Levi Petree to catch up on Bruce Springsteen, starting with reactions to recent shows and the tour’s purposeful, righteous energy, including standout moments like “War” into “Born in the U.S.A.,” “Long Walk Home,” “House of a Thousand Guitars,” “American Skin (41 Shots),” and the Tom Morello “Tom Joad” performance, plus crowd differences and setlist changes between nights. They discuss Springsteen’s onstage comments condemning political violence, the challenge of balancing deep cuts with casual-fan expectations, and the craft of setlist construction. Levi shares mixed feelings about the film “Delivery From Nowhere,” then talks about Springsteen’s unreleased-albums tracks before spotlighting his new EP “Sunday Morning Donut Run,” including the nearly seven-minute closer “A Big Love,” and where to stream it.

https://www.levipetree.com/

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Host Jesse Jackson welcomes writer, podcaster, and comedian Courtney Kocak, who grew up in small-town Minnesota and now splits time between Austin and Los Angeles, to discuss her debut memoir, Girl Gone Wild. Courtney traces her musical influences from classic rock radio and movie soundtracks to college-era rap, indie, and classic rock, and shares how reading and acting shaped her love of storytelling. She recounts joining the Girls Gone Wild tour via a Craigslist ad, realizing the behind-the-scenes coercion and exploitation, and leaving after seven weeks amid depression and financial stress. The conversation follows her pivot from acting to writing, essaying, and podcasting, including her long-running show Private Parts Unknown, plus The Bleeders and Podcast Bestie, and touches on Stevie Nicks, Lilith Fair, stand-up goals, and the “Thunder Road” question of whether Mary gets in the car.

https://www.courtneykocak.com/

00:00 Patreon Thanks

01:28 Meet Courtney Kocak

03:38 Growing Up With Music

07:10 College Tastes And Mixes

09:36 Books And Acting Bug

12:17 Acting School And Regrets

16:00 Girls Gone Wild Origins

19:20 Behind The Scenes Reality

20:52 Leaving The Tour

23:41 Finding Meaning Afterward

25:49 Funny Book Chapters

27:01 Leaving Acting for Writing

31:02 Finding Her Voice

31:43 Stevie Nicks Obsession

33:47 Private Parts Unknown

39:39 Creative Bucket List

40:50 Stand-Up and Perspective

44:41 Thunder Road Mary Debate

47:31 Where to Find Courtney

49:05 Final Sign-Off and Blessing

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