Foreword: Murphy on Springsteen | Elliott Murphy

Preface | Jeff Burger

____________________

PART I · “FROM SMALL THINGS (BIG THINGS ONE DAY COME)”

Springsteen struggles for success—and rent money.

Bruce Springsteen—Live! | BRUCE POLLOCK

March 1973 | Rock (US)

Was Bob Dylan the Previous Bruce Springsteen? | STEVE TURNER

October 6, 1973 | New Musical Express (UK)

Bruce Springsteen: Say Hello to Last Year’s Genius | JEFF BURGER

March 14, 1974 | Zoo World (US)

Bruce Springsteen: It’s Hard to Be a Saint in the City | JERRY GILBERT

August 1974 | Zigzag (UK)

Lost in the Flood | PAUL WILLIAMS

October 13, 1974 | Long Branch, New Jersey

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PART II · “LIGHT OF DAY”


Born to Run, Darkness, and The River turn Springsteen into a household name.

Bruce Springsteen and the Wall of Faith | ANDREW TYLER

November 15, 1975 | New Musical Express (UK)

Radio Interview | DAVE HERMAN

July 9, 1978 | King Biscuit Flower Hour, D.I.R. Radio Network (US)

Radio Interview | ED SCIAKY

August 19, 1978 | WIOQ-FM (Philadelphia)

Lawdamercy, Springsteen Saves! | ROBERT DUNCAN

October 1978 | Creem (US)

Bruce Springsteen: The Return of the Native | MIKE GREENBLATT

October 11, 1978 | The Aquarian (New Jersey)

Bruce Springsteen Takes It to the River | DAVE DIMARTINO

January 1981 | Creem (US)

Bruce Springsteen: A Responsible Rocker | RICHARD WILLIAMS

May 31, 1981 | Sunday Times (London)

____________________

PART III · “GLORY DAYS”


Born in the U.S.A. produces megafame as Springsteen undergoes changes on the home front and splits with the E Street Band.

The Bruce Springsteen Interview | DON MCLEESE

October 1984 | International Musician and Recording World (UK)

American Heartbeat | ROGER SCOTT AND PATRICK HUMPHRIES

November 2, 1984 | Hot Press (Dublin, Ireland)

The “Boss” Has Spoken

January 5, 1986 | Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney, Australia)

Bob Dylan Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Speech | BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN

January 20, 1988 | New York

The Q Interview: Bruce Springsteen | DAVID HEPWORTH

August 1992 | Q Magazine (UK)

Live Again, Springsteen Still Has Mettle | GARY GRAFF

August 9, 1992 | Detroit Free Press (Detroit, Michigan)

Radio Interview | IAN DEMPSEY

May 14, 1993 | RTE 2FM (Ireland)

____________________

PART IV · “ROCKAWAY THE DAYS”


Springsteen issues The Ghost of Tom Joad and looks back with Greatest Hits and Tracks.

Human Touch | NEIL STRAUSS

September 1995 | Guitar World (US)

Don’t Yell Broooce | GARY GRAFF

January 12, 1996 | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)

Bruce Springsteen Tells the Story of the Secret America | DAVID CORN

March/April 1996 | Mother Jones (US)

Hey Joad, Don’t Make It Sad . . . (Oh, Go On Then) | GAVIN MARTIN

March 9, 1996 | New Musical Express (UK)

Bruce Springsteen: The Advocate Interview | JUDY WIEDER

April 2, 1996 | The Advocate (US)

Rock and Read | WILL PERCY

Spring 1998 | DoubleTake (US)

TV Interview | CHARLIE ROSE

November 20, 1998 | The Charlie Rose Show, PBS Network (US)

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PART V · “BETTER DAYS”


Springsteen enters the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and reunites the E Street Band as politics moves to the fore.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Acceptance Speech | BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN

March 15, 1999 | New York

New Glory Days | GARY GRAFF

April 1, 2001 | Oakland Press (Pontiac, Michigan)

Springsteen . . . The Boss Is Back | VERNELL HACKETT

March/April 2003 | American Songwriter (US)

TV Interview | TED KOPPEL

August 4, 2004 | Nightline, ABC Network (US)

John Kerry Campaign Rally Speech | BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN

October 28, 2004 | Madison, Wisconsin

U2 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Speech | BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN

March 17, 2005 | New York

A Fan’s Eye View | NICK HORNBY

July 16, 2005 | Observer Music Monthly (UK)

The Feeling’s Mutual | STEVE KANDELL

December 2007 | Spin (US)

New Jersey Hall of Fame Induction Acceptance Speech | BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN

May 4, 2008 | Newark, New Jersey

Barack Obama Campaign Rally Speech | BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN

November 2, 2008 | Cleveland, Ohio

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PART VI · “KINGDOM OF DAYS”


Springsteen and the E Street Band remain a powerful force, but they lose their star sax player.

Brucie Bonus | STEVE TURNER

June 27, 2009 | RadioTimes (London)

Interview | ED NORTON

September 14, 2010 | Toronto International Film Festival
 (Toronto)

TV Interview | BRIAN WILLIAMS

October 7, 2010 | NBC Network (US)

TV Interview | IAN “MOLLY” MELDRUM

November 20, 2010 | Sunday Night, Seven Network
(Australia)

Eulogy for Clarence Clemons | BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN

June 21, 2011 | Palm Beach, Florida

Keynote Speech | BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN

March 15, 2012 | South by Southwest Music Festival (Austin, Texas)

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About the Contributors

About the Editor

Credits

Index