Bruce Springsteen reveals morbid reason behind making new documentary
Bruce Springsteen has revealed the reason behind his new Disney+ documentary, Road Diary, and why it is the right time to create a film which arrives 60 years on from his first-ever gig and reflects upon his glittering career.
Road Diary is the latest look into the life of Springsteen and his band. It follows the behind-the-scenes preparation for their 2023 and 2024 tour, showing insights into their creative process as well as their personal relationships, including updates on the health of Springsteen’s wife and bandmate, Patti Scialfa.
Back in 2020, he released the documentary Letter To You. However, that was specifically about the creation of one album rather than a broader view into the life of the artist. This is the first time he’s ever allowed a film crew backstage at his shows or given his fans an insight into the work that goes into his tours. It’s also deeply revelatory about his personal life and relationships, offering up a far more personal view than he ever has before.
The reason for doing so is a slightly morbid one, as the artist joked to the BBC, “Well, because I could be dead by the next one.” It seems that now 60 years into his career and with his age only going up, Springsteen is done putting things off or saying no to opportunities.
He continued, “I’m 75 years old now. I’ve decided that the waiting-to-do-things part of my life is over.” His bandmate, Steven Van Zandt, chimed in to agree. “We’re closer to the end than we are to the beginning,” he added, “but the point of this tour was that we’re not going out quietly, man. We’re going to balance that mortality with vitality.”
Road Diary is a of testament to Springsteen’s endurance. Obviously, it’s a reminder that around the world, fans are still desperate to see the artist perform as he sells out the biggest venues on the planet. From the behind-the-scenes, it’s also a display of his personal endurance. His philosophy is simple, as he told the BBC, “Well, I’m there to have a good time”.
Springsteen added, “I’m going to insist on it, whether it’s raining or the sun is shining – because I’m there for the people that are there,” continuing, “I look out and I go, ‘These are my people. These are the people who’ve listened to my music for the past 30 or 40 years. I’m going to do the best show I possibly can’, you know?”
There is also an element of emotional endurance as the tour saw the band go without Scialfa as the documentary revealed her diagnosis of a rare form of cancer. “Touring has become a challenge for me,” she explains in Road Diary. However, Springsteen provided an update recently, stating, “She’s doing good.” He said, “We caught it early, which was important. It’s a tough disease. It’s very fatiguing.”
Is this Bruce Springsteen’s final tour?
Springsteen is adamant that this isn’t the end of the E Street Band or their touring career. During a show in Philadelphia in August, Springsteen 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!”
He added, “Farewell to what? A thousand people screaming your name? Get the hell out. I ain’t going anywhere!”
However, the artist has also spoken about the newer acts rising at the moment and lamented how the industry is compared to when he began. “I wouldn’t want to be a young band starting today,” he told the BBC, “The day of the quote ‘rock star’ is in twilight.” But he does have faith that there are new and younger acts to eventually take his place, adding, “But I’ve had some encouragement. My young friend, Zach Bryan, just sold out two stadium nights in Philadelphia, so there’s still some young people coming up.”
Springsteen is set to return to the United Kingdom in 2025 for another tour, which includes two shows at Anfield Stadium in Liverpool.
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