No one notices Bruce Springsteen.
He doesn’t even try to blend in-black T-shirt, jeans, sunglasses, and cowboy boots-but for a few minutes, Bruce Springsteen manages to go unnoticed, even in the most likely place: the Asbury Park boardwalk. As they pass Madam Marie’s, the fortune teller featured in his song “4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy),” I point out that this is where people would probably look for him. Springsteen laughs, remembering a local T-shirt that read: “I HEARD BRUCE MIGHT SHOW UP.”
It doesn’t take long before people start recognizing him. What begins as a quick double-take quickly turns into requests for selfies. Soon, a restaurant owner is pleading with him to stay for a meal. Outside the Springsteen Archives store, a cashier is thrilled to see him, and remarkably, she’s wearing the exact shirt they had just been talking about. Springsteen jokes that his attempt to go unnoticed is failing. They find a quiet moment inside the Stone Pony, the legendary club where his career began, and spend the afternoon discussing his life and work. As he leaves the growing crowd behind, he simply says that dealing with attention is just part of being him.
For fifty years, Bruce Springsteen has had a truly remarkable career. He’s released 21 albums and won numerous awards, including 20 Grammys, an Oscar, and a Tony, as well as receiving honors like the Kennedy Center Honors and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Beyond music, he’s also a bestselling author and podcast host, even collaborating with Barack Obama. He’s sold over 150 million records globally and is renowned for his incredible live shows, where fans respond with almost religious enthusiasm. His latest tour earned over $700 million, making it his most successful yet – surpassing even the massive success of his 1980s ‘Born in the U.S.A.’ tour.
Bruce Springsteen’s story is about more than just his incredible success. He’s remarkably genuine for someone with such a large following, even though his life is full of contradictions. He champions the working class while also being very wealthy, he’s a free spirit who values family, and he’s a famous rock star who still struggles with inner demons. As his concerts grew from small clubs to massive stadiums, Springsteen didn’t try to hide the difference between his public persona and his true self-he embraced it and made it a core part of his art.
As a huge Springsteen fan, I’m really fascinated by his new film, *Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere*. It’s incredibly brave of him to let filmmakers explore such a difficult time in his life – the making of his amazing *Nebraska* album back in 1982. The film stars Jeremy Allen White as Bruce himself, and Jeremy Strong as his manager, Jon Landau. It shows what Bruce was going through in his early 30s – a real struggle with depression, constantly driving by his old house, and eventually getting the help he needed through therapy, which he says truly saved him. He’s said things could have gone very differently, and I think that honesty is powerful.
A pivotal experience dramatically changed the course of his career, solidifying the core ideas that continue to drive his music-a raw depiction of America, a demand for respect for those who are often overlooked, hope for those who are struggling, and the power of connection. Remarkably, this also allowed him to stay true to his artistic vision while still achieving commercial success. Equally important, it led him to prioritize his family, embracing the rewards and responsibilities that many musicians miss out on. As his close friend Landau puts it, “A career in entertainment is fulfilling when it’s balanced with a full life, but it can become destructive if it *becomes* your whole life.”
Following his shows on the boardwalk, Bruce Springsteen drives home to his studio in Colts Neck – just a short distance from where he grew up. Though he’s known for songs about escaping, his life has actually been about remaining rooted. He explains that he’s always focused on making deliberate choices and then committing to them. This idea has been a central theme in his work since his album *Born to Run*. While the characters in *Born to Run* sought freedom through leaving, Springsteen has presented a different kind of courage: the strength found in staying, confronting your challenges, and building a life where you are.
In October 2023, Bruce Springsteen invited three men to a small rental house at the Jersey Shore. There, he finally agreed to talk about making a movie about his life – something he’d been hesitant to do for a long time.
Bruce Springsteen hosted a gathering with director Scott Cooper, known for his serious films like *Crazy Heart* and *Out of the Furnace*, and Warren Zanes, who wrote the definitive book about the album *Nebraska*. He also had his friend, Landau, making what he called Philly cheesesteaks. But Zanes recalls they weren’t typical cheesesteaks. “It was actually high-quality steak served on excellent bread with really good cheese,” he remembers.
Springsteen was immediately interested in Cooper’s idea for a film – not a full life story, but a focused look at a specific period in his life. Cooper believes this shorter timeframe actually reveals more about Springsteen’s ongoing personal and artistic challenges. Surprisingly, Springsteen agreed to the project, something few anticipated. He explains that as he’s gotten older, he’s become more open to ideas he would have previously rejected. “I’m older now, and I’m not worried about what people think anymore!” he said jokingly. “You just feel much more free as you age.”
Bruce Springsteen remembers how it all came together at the Stone Pony, a club where he became a regular around 1975 with the release of his album *Born to Run*. He had a record deal with Columbia, but after his first two albums received good reviews but didn’t sell well, the label started focusing on Billy Joel instead. Facing potential dismissal, Springsteen changed his musical style, moving away from the poetic, ballad-focused songs of his early career. Though he barely knew how to drive, he understood what cars meant to a nation struggling with the oil crisis: gas prices had skyrocketed, and a symbol of American freedom suddenly felt fragile. He realized that if people couldn’t afford gas, they lost their independence. “I didn’t know much *about* cars,” he explains, “but I understood what they *represented*. They were my way of expressing those feelings.”
Bruce Springsteen’s *Born to Run* combined realistic storytelling, reminiscent of Bob Dylan, with the epic, layered sound of Phil Spector. The album begins with “Thunder Road,” an invitation for a woman named Mary to escape a dead-end town for a new life. The closing track, the nine-minute “Jungleland,” tells a tragic story of a couple whose dreams are shattered after venturing from New Jersey to Harlem. Critics celebrated *Born to Run* as a unique and groundbreaking success. Released during a time of social and economic uncertainty – after the Vietnam War and amidst economic stagnation – the album introduced a compelling artist from New Jersey who had a knack for turning everyday life into something legendary. According to Springsteen’s early manager, Mike Appel, a fortunate combination of factors helped launch both the artist and Columbia Records’ vision.
In October 1975, Bruce Springsteen simultaneously graced the covers of TIME and Newsweek magazines-something previously reserved for only the most prominent figures like presidents and astronauts. But for Springsteen, who was performing at the Roxy and staying at the Sunset Marquis, this sudden attention felt more like a burden than a triumph. He felt it was creating a distance between him and the people he’d known his whole life. While success was exciting, it was also frightening; his sister, Pam, remembers paparazzi even looking into their parents’ kitchen windows. Springsteen and his friends were concerned about the excessive “hype” and feared a backlash. Even more troubling to him was the possibility that fame would change who he was. He believed fame created a warped perspective on life and that it was crucial to protect his values and the things he held dear.
In 1978, with the album *Darkness on the Edge of Town*, Springsteen began to focus his songwriting on the stories of those struggling to get by – people he felt a connection with but couldn’t reach in any other way. He started writing about the working class, creating characters inspired by his own father – the quiet, strong men in songs like “Factory” and the hopeful dreamers in “Racing in the Street.”
My dad, Douglas Springsteen, was a quiet, restless man. He bounced between jobs – driving a cab, working as a guard – but nothing ever stuck. He struggled with his temper and often withdrew into long periods of silence, spending late nights with beer and cigarettes. He wasn’t emotionally available to us kids – me, my sister Virginia, and Pam – and he was especially tough on me, never letting me hear a single word of affection. My mom, Adele, was the glue holding everything together. She worked as a legal secretary and always managed to stay positive, providing for us all. I realize now that the darkness in my songs comes from my father, while the joyful ones, like “Rosalita” and “Out in the Street,” are gifts from my mother. Back then, seeking help for mental health wasn’t something a working-class man like my dad would do, defying what was considered normal. It wasn’t until much later that he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, finally getting the support he needed. But I’ve always lived with the fear that I might inherit that struggle, that the same illness could one day affect me too.
Bruce Springsteen’s album, *The River*, marked a shift towards more personal songwriting. He explains he hadn’t focused on love songs before, feeling others had that covered and he wasn’t sure how to approach the topic. The album included his first Top 10 hit, “Hungry Heart,” and Columbia Records believed Springsteen was about to become a huge star.
The film *Deliver Me From Nowhere* opens with a look at a difficult time for Bruce Springsteen. Following his successful River Tour, he felt creatively lost. Instead of immediately pursuing another hit record, he went into seclusion at his home in Colts Neck, working with a simple four-track recorder. This period resulted in the album *Nebraska*, a stark and haunting collection of songs about outlaws, criminals, and those struggling to find their way. After laying down initial tracks for his next album, *Born in the U.S.A.* – which was expected to be a major success – Springsteen recorded some demos on cassette, intending to refine them with the E Street Band. However, he grew dissatisfied with the re-recordings and ultimately decided to release the raw, original demos. *Nebraska* was released on September 30, 1982, and Springsteen chose to let the music stand on its own, declining to promote it with interviews or a concert tour.
After a cross-country trip where he struggled emotionally, Springsteen found healing through therapy, allowing him to come to terms with his past and his relationship with his father, who is portrayed by Stephen Graham in the film. Springsteen describes his father as a strong, but ultimately sensitive and kind man, qualities he believes are captured at the film’s conclusion. The movie received rave reviews at its premiere at the Telluride Film Festival and is already being discussed as a potential Oscar contender.
To prepare for the role, White immersed himself in Bruce Springsteen’s world, listening to his autobiography and watching past interviews. However, he focused on capturing Springsteen’s inner self rather than simply copying his mannerisms. White and Springsteen became friends after meeting at a soundcheck in London’s Wembley Stadium. Together with Springsteen’s longtime manager Jon Landau and collaborator Rob Cooper, White agreed on a goal: to create a film about a musician at that point in his life, a musician who happened to be Bruce Springsteen.
Jon Landau understood Bruce Springsteen deeply during this time, and Michael Shannon brilliantly captures that understanding in the film. In fact, when Shannon contacted Springsteen’s filmmaker, Thom Zimny, for old footage, he was still fully immersed in the role – a true method actor. Their connection is the heart of the film, turning it into a story about deep care and support. After releasing the album *Nebraska*, Springsteen contemplated suicide, but Landau directly told him he needed professional help. The very next day, Landau scheduled a therapy appointment for Springsteen, which Springsteen credits with changing his life.
When his longtime therapist passed away after 25 years, Bruce Springsteen continued with therapy. He explains that starting with a new therapist, he was able to clearly articulate what he needed, having learned over the years that he wanted a more fulfilling personal life beyond his career, something he’d first expressed to his previous therapist, Dr. Myers, when he felt lost and without direction.
The movie also shows a brief romance between Springsteen and a character named Faye, played by Odessa Young. Faye represents the many short-term relationships he had as he started to long for a more serious connection. He explains, “I think it was just getting older. I was in my early 30s and started wondering, ‘Where’s the rest of my life going to be?'”
During the hugely successful Born in the U.S.A. tour in 1984, Bruce Springsteen asked singer and guitarist Patti Scialfa to become a member of the E Street Band. At the time, his album was topping the charts, his songs were all over MTV, and he was about to marry Julianne Phillips. But Scialfa’s addition changed things in a significant way. They first met around ten years earlier at the Stone Pony, and Springsteen vividly remembers the exact spot where they connected – we were actually sitting there! He recalls being immediately captivated when Scialfa came off stage, her powerful voice still echoing. “I thought, ‘Who is that stunning redhead singing like Ronnie Spector or Dusty Springfield?’” Springsteen introduced himself, and as he says with a smile, “the rest is history.”
As the 1980s drew to a close, Bruce Springsteen’s marriage to Julianne Phillips ended, and his relationship with Patti Scialfa deepened. His music became more personal and reflective during this time. His 1987 album, *Tunnel of Love*, focused on the complexities of love and relationships. One standout track, “Walk Like a Man,” powerfully portrays a son grappling with his father’s legacy, from childhood memories to his own wedding day, and deciding what aspects of that legacy to embrace and what to leave behind. Springsteen married Scialfa in 1991, describing their connection as a relationship built on mutual understanding and acceptance. “She saw me for who I really was,” he explained, “a flawed and complicated person. I didn’t have to put on a facade, and we both helped each other heal.”
Just before his first child was born, Bruce Springsteen’s father made a long drive to visit him in Los Angeles. Over a morning of beers, his father confessed, “You’ve been good to us, but I wasn’t always good to you.” Bruce considers this honest admission the most meaningful gift he ever received. His father understood he was about to become a parent and wanted to help him avoid repeating past mistakes. Inspired by this conversation, Bruce soon wrote “Living Proof,” a song capturing the wonder of parenthood and the changes it brings. He and his wife went on to have three children, who are now around the same age Bruce was when he created his album *Nebraska*.
Becoming a father marked a turning point for Springsteen, bringing an end to his restless days. He once told *Rolling Stone* that two of the most important moments in his life were when he first picked up a guitar and when he learned to stop playing it. He still agrees with that sentiment. He explains the guitar initially served as a way to cope with difficult emotions. It was his first outlet for dealing with personal and psychological struggles.
He believes relying on music for everything is a misuse of both the art form and the instrument itself. While music can fuel incredible moments during a performance, he insists you need a life beyond that. He points out that playing music might fill three hours of your day, but there are still 21 hours left to live.
Before starting his concert in Manchester, England on May 14th, Bruce Springsteen spoke to the band. Instead of his typical encouraging speech, he simply cautioned them, saying, “It could be a tough show tonight.” He added, “Let’s just see how it goes.”
Shortly after, he gave a powerful speech that quickly spread around the globe. He stated, “The America I love, the America I’ve written about for 250 years – a symbol of hope and freedom – is now led by a corrupt, incompetent, and treasonous administration.” Only two people had seen the speech beforehand: Landau, who approved it exactly as it was written, and the person operating the teleprompter. Jake Clemons, a member of Springsteen’s band and nephew of the late Clarence Clemons, remembered Springsteen mentioning he planned to deliver a monologue, but they didn’t know what it would be about until they were already on stage.
During his European tour, Bruce Springsteen significantly changed his concert setlist. He replaced reflective songs about life and death from his 2020 album, *Letter to You*, with powerful songs of political protest. He opened with “Land of Hope and Dreams,” an uplifting song about unity and hope, and finished with Bob Dylan’s “Chimes of Freedom,” a song supporting those who are struggling. According to E Street guitarist Steven Van Zandt, Springsteen was simply fed up and wanted to shift the focus of his shows. This happened early in Donald Trump’s presidency, and Springsteen was one of the first major artists to publicly and strongly oppose the administration. He explained that to stay true to himself, he couldn’t ignore what was happening. Politics have always been a complicated subject for Springsteen, as his song “Born in the U.S.A.” – originally a protest about how Vietnam veterans were treated – was misinterpreted by Ronald Reagan and used as a patriotic anthem. Springsteen says the song is about holding conflicting feelings at once: loving your country even when it has let you down.
Throughout his career, Springsteen has consistently addressed important social and political issues, including the AIDS crisis, the struggles of farmworkers, job losses due to factory closures, and the devastation of war. Some have criticized him for seeming out of touch – a wealthy performer singing about the hardships of working-class people. He acknowledges this contradiction, even calling himself “a rich man in a poor man’s shirt” in one of his songs. While that criticism has become commonplace, he’s now more troubled by something else: the fact that many of the people he sings about now support Donald Trump. He believes Trump exploited them with lies and only cares about himself and the wealthy elite who backed him. Springsteen is also grappling with the uncomfortable reality that a significant portion of the American population actually supports Trump’s aggressive and dominating political style.
Following Springsteen’s public statement, Trump dismissed him as “highly overrated” and shared a meme online showing him hitting Springsteen with a golf ball. Springsteen says he doesn’t give Trump’s opinion any thought. However, he’s deeply concerned about the country’s current situation. He believes Trump is exactly the kind of leader the 25th Amendment and impeachment process were designed to address, and feels Congress should have removed him from power. He also criticizes the Democratic Party, arguing that the country needs a strong new political option or for Democrats to find a leader who can connect with a wider range of voters, as their current messaging isn’t effective.
For decades, Bruce Springsteen has examined the gap between the promise of the American Dream and the often harsh realities of American life, including the growing economic inequalities that later fueled Donald Trump’s popularity. He’s touched on this in songs like “My Hometown” (1984), which depicts the decline of industrial cities, and his 2012 album, *Wrecking Ball*, which captures the anger felt during the Great Recession. Springsteen believes these conditions create an opportunity for divisive leaders, and he insists these issues must be resolved if America is to live up to its ideals. While he remains optimistic about the country’s potential, he acknowledges it’s currently facing a difficult struggle.
During a quiet moment on the boardwalk, Springsteen led me to the beach where he and the E Street Band played a particularly memorable show at the Sea.Hear.Now festival a year before. He calls it one of their best ever. He remembers the waves crashing behind the stage while fans, including himself, enjoyed the concert barefoot in the sand. Springsteen had put together a special setlist, including some of his older, lesser-known songs like “Blinded by the Light” and “Thunder Crack.” The highlight was when he played the last two songs from *Born to Run*- “Meeting Across the River” leading into “Jungleland.” Looking back, Springsteen says that performance felt especially meaningful. He realized it symbolized the town’s comeback. After years of decline, the town had been revitalized, and a strong community of fans had grown over decades, creating a sense of connection that was the opposite of the loneliness that inspired his album *Nebraska*.
He immediately confirmed he’ll tour with the E Street Band again. While a solo tour is possible in the future, he doesn’t have any firm plans right now. He simply wants to continue making music and exploring new themes in his songwriting.
He’s also sharing some previously unheard music with fans. For years, Springsteen insisted that *Electric Nebraska* – full band recordings of songs originally made on cassette in 1982 – didn’t exist. However, he eventually rediscovered the tapes in his personal archive. These recordings will be released this fall, coinciding with a new film. Another collection of unreleased songs, called *Tracks 3*, is planned for release in two or three years. Springsteen is keeping most of the details secret, but has revealed it will include his well-known, slow and mesmerizing version of Bob Dylan’s “I Want You.”
These days, Bruce has a peaceful routine: he wakes up, exercises, goes to his studio, and then spends quiet evenings at home with his wife, Patti Scialfa, who has been fighting blood cancer since 2018. They enjoy reading, watching TV, and listening to music together. He recently finished reading *Moby-Dick*, and he’s been enjoying the music of rising artists like Zach Bryan and boygenius.
He’s working on new music and believes each album should explore fresh territory to keep things interesting for his fans. He explains that people often connect most strongly with an artist’s initial sound and expect them to stay true to it. But a good artist, he says, deliberately challenges themselves. They start by establishing a recognizable style, then push beyond it, constantly reinventing themselves and breaking free from expectations to explore new creative boundaries.
Springsteen recalls playing small, gritty clubs in New York City in the mid-1970s, after the success of *Born to Run*. A friend once questioned why he was playing such venues. Springsteen explains he was steadily building his career, “brick by brick.” He wasn’t yet fully established, but he envisioned a career that would evolve alongside his fans. For Springsteen, the Asbury Park concert represented the completion of this long process. He believes the band always remained true to its audience, consistently giving their best performance, as if every show were their last.
Those three hours of performing are just a small part of Springsteen’s larger body of work. He considers the remaining 21 hours a true reflection of his life’s dedication. During a 1990s concert, he played “My Father’s House” from his album Nebraska, a deeply emotional song about a man who dreams of reconnecting with his distant father. He wakes up and goes to his childhood home, only to find someone else living there-his father is gone, and any chance of making amends is lost. Springsteen shared that the song was inspired by his own experience of repeatedly driving past his childhood home, something he discussed in therapy.
“There’s been a problem,” Dr. Myers said. “You’re being sent back to try and fix it.”
“That is what I’m doing,” Springsteen replied.
“Well,” Dr. Myers said, “you can’t.”
When asked how he learned and applied this new understanding, Springsteen hesitated. “I’m not sure,” he admitted. “I still drive past that house sometimes.”
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2025-09-25 16:09