What makes a rockstar?: The band Bruce Springsteen said “invented” his job
There is a lot that goes into someone like Bruce Springsteen. He is not just a rock star; there is more to him than that. He is a storyteller, a reflection of the world around him, and, most notably, one of the best live performers on the planet. Seeing Bruce Springsteen live, even now, is unlike any other gig, as the love for what he does is present throughout as he gives 100% every time he steps out onto the stage.
Let’s dissect these multiple aspects of Bruce Springsteen. Firstly, he is a storyteller and someone who can reflect the world around him. There are several artists Bruce Springsteen pays tribute to when he talks about weaving narrative into his music; however, one of his biggest influences was Bob Dylan. When Springsteen first heard Bob Dylan, he described it as a revolutionary feeling.
Springsteen inducted Dylan into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and when he did, he reflected on the moment he had his mind open to the power of music. “I was in the car with my mother, and we were listening to, I think, maybe WMCA,” he said, “And on came that snare shot that sounded like somebody kicked open the door to your mind, from ‘Like a Rolling Stone’.”
What was important for Springsteen listening to Dylan wasn’t just that the music was good, but the music could be reflective. He had a singer talking about the world he occupied in a beautifully honest way, highlighting the good and bad and sounding enticing every second. This is prevalent throughout Springsteen’s music as he laces narrative throughout tracks and albums.
He is also renowned for his live performance, though. Even now, seeing him perform however many decades after he first started playing guitar, he has a childlike glee that adds to how much the crowd enjoy themselves. Recent clips of Springsteen taking to the stage in Vegas show him wearing fake sideburns and making everyone from lifelong fans to Public Enemy rapper Flava Flav dance.
This part of Springsteen, the sucker for the live show and perfect performer, can be attributed to one band, the people who Springsteen claims “invented” his job: The Rolling Stones. In his book, Springsteen reflected on the time he performed live with The Rolling Stones and found himself more starstruck than ever as he played alongside Keith Richards, the man who guided The Boss through his first guitar solo.
“I am suddenly transported back to the little dining room I rehearsed in daily with the Castiles. Except… these are the guys who INVENTED my job!” He continued, “I take the right as [Jagger] counts off, and Keith, the man whose recorded playing taught me my first guitar solo, slithers off into the opening riff of ‘Tumbling Dice’.”
The musical icon Bruce Springsteen isn’t an accident. He is the accumulation of his influences and innovation, taking from those who inspired him and applying his twist to become something totally unique. He remains one of the best rock stars in the world, but he wouldn’t be where he is if it not for the likes of Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones.
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