Danny Goldberg on Woodstock, Led Zeppelin, No Nukes, and Bumping Into Geniuses

Host Jesse Jackson welcomes music journalist, publicist, label executive, and manager Danny Goldberg for a B-side conversation about music memories and Bruce Springsteen connections. Goldberg recounts growing up in Hastings-on-Hudson with classical, folk, and cast albums, then shifting to rock after discovering Dylan, the Beatles, and the Stones, and later covering Woodstock for Billboard in 1969. He explains moving from criticism to publicity, becoming Led Zeppelin’s publicist, and shaping press narratives around their massive ticket sales amid skeptical critics. Goldberg discusses co-directing and co-producing the 1979 No Nukes film, meeting Springsteen during editing, and securing approval to use key performances after adding political context. He also talks about his books, including the reissued memoir Bumping Into Geniuses, reacts emotionally to Springsteen’s “Streets of Philadelphia,” praises the Nebraska film Deliver Me From Nowhere, shares work with Bonnie Raitt and Steve Earle, and answers the “Mary” question about Thunder Road.

https://www.dannygoldberg.com

00:37 Meet Danny Goldberg

01:38 No Nukes and Bruce

03:21 Growing Up Musical

05:00 Rock Awakening

08:22 First Bruce Encounter

08:46 Books and Writing

10:28 Billboard and Woodstock

13:43 From Critic to Publicist

17:21 What Publicists Do

21:15 Led Zeppelin PR Win

26:17 Aiming for Management

27:44 First Book Teaser

28:03 Left Lost Teen Spirit

28:52 Bumping Into Geniuses

29:34 Why Write Memoirs

30:25 Streets of Minneapolis

33:20 No Nukes Editing

35:39 Politics In The Cut

36:49 Deliver Me From Nowhere

40:11 Bonnie Raitt And Hyatt

41:55 Whats Next Ahead

43:41 Mary Question

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