Editing Max Weinberg (section)

==Reformation of the E Street Band==
[[File:MagicTourHartfordRN.jpg|thumb|right|257px|alt=A large arena stage is seen from above with about ten musicians, including a drummer on a stand, as video screens show the singer and green lighting shines on the stage and audience|Weinberg behind the drums as "[[Radio Nowhere]]" opens the [[Magic Tour (Bruce Springsteen)|Magic Tour]] at [[Hartford Civic Center]] in 2007.]]

Springsteen reunited the E Street Band in 1999 on a more lasting basis, for the [[Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Reunion Tour]]. This posed a dilemma for Weinberg, whose greater loyalty was to O'Brien and [[NBC]].<ref name="ld102300"/><ref name="ap020199">{{cite news | url=http://archive.southcoasttoday.com/daily/02-99/02-01-99/c02ae077.htm | title=Max Weinberg able to enjoy the best of both worlds | author=Bauder, David | agency=[[Associated Press]] | newspaper=[[South Coast Today]] | location=New Bedford, Massachusetts | date=February 1, 1999 | access-date=September 6, 2009 | archive-date=October 16, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016154048/http://www.southcoasttoday.com/section/archive | url-status=dead }}</ref> Indeed, up until then Weinberg had never missed a ''Late Night'' show, appearing in over 1,000 in a row.<ref name="ap020199"/> However, allowing Weinberg to tour for one of the highest-profile reunions in rock history was thought to be of long-term benefit to the television show's appeal, and an arrangement was worked out wherein Weinberg took a leave of absence from ''Late Night'' in order to go out on this and subsequent tours.<ref name="ld102300"/><ref name="ap020199"/> When he was tied up with Springsteen, drummer James Wormworth took his place, and the band was led by [[Jimmy Vivino]]<ref name="ap020199"/> ("Jimmy Vivino and the Max Weinberg 7"). When the Reunion Tour was extended in length, shows were generally restricted to weekends, so as to permit Weinberg to fulfill his ''Late Night'' responsibilities.<ref name="ld102300"/> At NBC, the coexistence between the drummer's two bosses was known as the Weinberg-Springsteen Rule, and was not typically extended to other talent at the network.<ref name="rs022309"/><ref name="rs-cover">{{cite news | title=Bringing It All Back Home | author=Fricke, David | magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] | date=February 5, 2009 | url=http://www.shorefire.com/media/R1071Bruce_20090123_113016.pdf | author-link=David Fricke | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090325122048/http://www.shorefire.com/media/R1071Bruce_20090123_113016.pdf | archive-date=March 25, 2009 | df=mdy-all }}</ref>

While Weinberg did not forget the breakup and long separation,<ref name="ld102300"/> he viewed it as "at the same time the most horrifying experience I've ever been through and the most liberating."<ref name="ap020199"/> In any case, he immediately felt comfortable playing with Springsteen once more: "Right from the first downbeat of the first rehearsal, it was there again."<ref name="cpd040101"/> His drumming for the E Street Band was more relaxed and mature than before, showing more confidence and finesse, and his hands and fingers were in better shape for having done the daily ''Late Night'' work.<ref name="mdm-int"/><ref>{{cite news | title=Ace drummer Max Weinberg is happy to serve two bosses | author=Huff, Richard | newspaper=[[Daily News (New York)|Daily News]] | date=January 10, 2000}}</ref> When the tour concluded with ten shows at New York's [[Madison Square Garden]], on several days Weinberg taped the Conan show at [[Rockefeller Center]] in the late afternoon, put his hands in ice and changed from his suit into jeans and a vest, and played with Springsteen at night.<ref name="nyt062900">{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/06/29/nyregion/public-lives-a-drummer-on-a-roll-revisits-his-past-life.html | title=A Drummer on a Roll Revisits His Past Life | author=Hoffman, Jan | newspaper=[[The New York Times]] | date=June 29, 2000}}</ref> The experience of doing both left him "professionally speaking, as alive as I've ever felt."<ref name="cpd040101">{{cite news | title=Springsteen, band to play your living room | author=Soeder, John | newspaper=[[The Plain Dealer]] | location=Cleveland | date=April 1, 2001}}</ref> Of his position on the drum platform behind Springsteen, he says, "I have the best seat in the house."<ref name="nyt062900"/> His energy level was no less, as he could be seen jumping a foot off his seat during some songs.<ref name="nyt012801">{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/01/28/nyregion/music-for-springsteen-bar-mitzvahs-and-conan-this-drummer-sets-the-beat.html | title=For Springsteen, Bar Mitzvahs and Conan, This Drummer Sets the Beat | author=DeMasters, Karen | newspaper=[[The New York Times]] | date=January 28, 2001}}</ref> His daughter Ali joined the band on keyboards several times during the tour.<ref name="nyt012801"/>

Weinberg's steady drumming helped power Springsteen's 2002 comeback album, and the first E Street Band studio recording in 18 years, ''[[The Rising (album)|The Rising]]''.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/14/arts/music-his-kind-of-heroes-his-kind-of-songs.html | title=His Kind of Heroes, His Kind of Songs | author=Pareles, Jon | newspaper=[[The New York Times]] | date=July 14, 2002 | author-link=Jon Pareles}}</ref> Weinberg took more time off from the Conan show to participate in the long and successful 2002–2003 [[The Rising Tour|Rising Tour]]. In the early 2000s, Weinberg was at the center of annual holiday benefit shows at [[Asbury Park Convention Hall]], billed as Bruce Springsteen, the Max Weinberg 7 and Friends.<ref name="nyt012801"/>

Weinberg was a member of the board of trustees of the [[Monmouth Conservation Foundation]]<ref name="hi051403">{{cite news | url=http://independent.gmnews.com/news/2003-05-14/Front_Page/Springsteen_drummer_gets_his_subdivision.html | title=Springsteen drummer gets his subdivision | author=Van Develde, Elaine | newspaper=[[Holmdel Independent]] | date=May 14, 2003 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130124071520/http://independent.gmnews.com/news/2003-05-14/Front_Page/Springsteen_drummer_gets_his_subdivision.html | archive-date=January 24, 2013 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> and won a conservation award in 2002.<ref name="nyt120703"/> Nevertheless, during 2002 and 2003, he got into a prolonged local controversy over his plans to subdivide a portion of his {{convert|65|acre|ha|adj=on}} [[Middletown Township, New Jersey]], property into lots for new homes.<ref name="wsj041108"/><ref name="hi051403"/><ref name="nyt120703">{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/07/nyregion/our-towns-neighbors-unhappy-with-a-drummer-s-day-job-jersey-shore-developer.html | title=Neighbors Unhappy With a Drummer's Day Job: Jersey Shore Developer | author=Jones, Richard Lezin | newspaper=[[The New York Times]] | date= December 7, 2003}}</ref> Some of his neighbors strongly protested the move, and they and some in the press accused him of hypocrisy; Weinberg defended himself by saying the conservation foundation was not against all development, just thoughtless development.<ref name="wsj041108"/><ref name="hi051403"/><ref name="nyt120703"/> A scaled-down version of the plan was approved by the town's zoning board,<ref name="hi051403"/><ref name="nyt120703"/> and in 2008 Weinberg went ahead with plans to sell the lots.<ref name="wsj041108"/> Weinberg generally avoids political comments,<ref name="nyt062900"/> but did campaign for [[John Kerry]] in the [[2004 United States presidential election]].<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/02/nyregion/rebuffing-bush-seems-to-be-primary-goal-of-new-york-voters.html | title=Rebuffing Bush Seems to Be Primary Goal of New York Voters | author=Slackman, Michael | newspaper=[[The New York Times]] | date=March 2, 2004}}</ref>

Springsteen himself also made appearances on ''Late Night'' in 1999, 2002, and 2006. Weinberg participated in the 2004 [[Vote for Change]] tour then drummed on Springsteen's 2007 album ''[[Magic (Bruce Springsteen album)|Magic]]''. There, he was part of a core rhythm section comprising himself, Springsteen, bassist [[Garry Tallent]], and pianist [[Roy Bittan]], who did the tracks first; other members' contributions were added later.<ref name="rs-esb">{{cite news | url=https://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/25556603/the_band_on_bruce_their_springsteen/print | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090125013657/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/25556603/the_band_on_bruce_their_springsteen/print | url-status=dead | archive-date=January 25, 2009 | title=The Band on Bruce: Their Springsteen | author=Fricke, David | magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] | date=January 21, 2009 | access-date=February 7, 2009 | author-link=David Fricke}}</ref> Weinberg then took more time off from the Conan show to do the 2007–2008 [[Magic Tour (Bruce Springsteen)|Magic Tour]].<ref name="rs-esb"/> Weinberg repeated his role in the core section in recording Springsteen's ''[[Working on a Dream]]'' album. Weinberg also fulfilled a long-time dream by going to [[Super Bowl XLIII]] in February 2009 with Springsteen and the E Street Band's half-time performance,<ref name="nola-prof"/> where he was joined by some of the other members of the Max Weinberg 7.