Bruce Springsteen rejects recent “farewell tour bullshit”
Bruce Springsteen recently addressed recent rumours that he would be retiring from the music world, explaining that he has no plans to step out of the spotlight any time soon.
In recent months, fans have been speculating whether Springsteen’s current tour will be his last. Suspicions ranging from his age to his unconfirmed desire to move on from the E Street Band connect to the broader suspicion of his forthcoming retirement.
However, during a recent show in Philadelphia on August 23rd, Springsteen addressed the misinformation, emphasising that he is not “goin’ anywhere” and certainly isn’t planning for “no farewell tour bullshit”.
He said: “We’ve been around for 50 fuckin’ years, and we ain’t quitting! We ain’t doing no farewell tour bullshit! Jesus Christ! No farewell tour for the E Street Band!” Adding: “Farewell to what? A thousand people screaming your name? Get the hell out. I ain’t going anywhere!”
Prior to Springsteen’s outburst, his guitarist Steven Van Zandt dismissed the retirement rumours, explaining, “I don’t see the end anywhere in sight, to be honest, especially in Europe, where we’re bigger than we’ve ever been. I think we can play every summer for evermore.”
He also compared their drive to that of The Rolling Stones, adding: “I love that the Stones are still out there. Because as long as they’re out there, man, we’re still the new kids on the block, right? So I’m good with that.”
Last year, Springsteen was forced to cancel a series of dates following a battle with ill health, spurring speculations that a forthcoming retirement was imminent. After revealing his battle with peptic ulcer disease, he committed himself to rest and recuperation in an effort to return to the stage in full health the following year.
Despite the difficulties Springsteen encountered in the build-up to the current tour, its ongoing success and monumental impact on ticket holders have far outshone the minor slip-ups along the way. For instance, he wrapped up the European leg of the tour last month with two huge shows in Wembley, which were hailed as some of the most memorable of his career.
The shows, with their impressive 31-track sets, demonstrated that any such health scares were decisively behind him as he covered many era-defining classics like ‘Dancing in the Dark’, ‘Because the Night’, ‘Born in the USA’, ‘Born to Run’, all topped off with a cover of ‘Twist and Shout’.
If that wasn’t enough to prove his ability to match the Springsteen of his prime, the musician’s tour resumes with a special show in Washington, DC, on September 7th, followed by concerts across Canada before ending on the previously cancelled Marseille, Prague, and Milan.
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