Fans of Bruce Springsteen will know that it’s been four years since the Boss released an album - 2020’s A Letter To You. That wait looks like it will be extended a bit further: Springsteen has now revealed that he hasn’t written any new songs for two years.
Speaking at the LA premiere of the new documentary, 'Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band', he is quoted by Entertainment Weekly as saying: "Songs don't come that often. I've gone two years without writing anything."
Fans shouldn’t panic though: this has happened to Springsteen before. Indeed prior to Letter To You he was going through a similar period of writers’ block. That was dispelled in unfortunate circumstances by the death of the singer’s ex-bandmate George Theiss, who died in 2018 after a long battle with cancer.
That unlocked a number of songs with lyrics that focused on mortality, aging and regret, and in less than two weeks Springsteen had a new album written.
One thing that isn’t changing is the man’s commitment to live performance. Springsteen turned 75 last month and shows no signs of slowing down. Nor does he seem to have any intention.
In a trailer for the film, he says: "Since I was 16, playing live has been a deep and lasting part of who I am and how I justify my existence here on Earth. I plan on continuing until the wheels fall off, and for as long as the audience will follow me. That's my job."
He reiterated this during a recent show in Philadelphia when he told fans: "We've been around 50 f****** years, and we ain't quitting! We ain't doing no farewell tour bull****! Jesus Christ! No farewell tour for the E Street Band!"
"Farewell to what? Thousands of people screaming your name. That's all it takes. I ain't going anywhere."
And that live schedule is as busy as ever. He and the E Street Band have Canadian dates in November and next year is already filling up – he returns to the UK in May with three nights at Manchester’s Co-op Arena and two at Liverpool’s Anfield Stadium.
