Bruce Springsteen settled a lawsuit with his first manager, Mike Appel, on May 28, 1977. Springsteen had parted ways with Appel in favor of his new manager, music critic Jon Landau. Appel responded with a lawsuit prohibiting the pair from entering the studio. The dispute had kept Bruce and his E Street Band out of the studio for nearly a year, during which time they toured the U.S. extensively. That period also saw Springsteen writing extensively, creating the tracks the would soon make up “Darkness on the Edge of Town.”According to Jeffrey B. Symynkywicz’s book “The Gospel According to Bruce Springsteen,” the Boss settled the lawsuit for an estimated $800,000. Appel also reportedly received a percentage of the royalties for songs he co-produced, including Springsteen’s signature hit “Born To Run.”