Unlike many of his contemporaries, Bruce Springsteen is a musician who isn’t afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve when acknowledging those who inspire him. Often, when asked about pivotal moments in his life and career, he will happily reference artists who came before and after him, talking about how they inspired him, fanned the flames of his love for music, and helped him move in different directions.
For instance, he has always spoken about how much of an avid fan of Bob Dylan he is because of Dylan’s ability to reflect the world around him in his music. “I was very influenced by Dylan,” he revealed. “I always say he’s the father of my country. He initially provided me with a picture of a country that I recognised. One that feels real, feels like the truth.”
If there’s one thing that we know about Springsteen, it’s that he believes performing live is the best thing an artist can do. It’s for this reason that he continues to travel around the world performing in sold-out arenas, attempting to give people one of the best gigs that they’ll ever attend.
“My business is show business, and that is the business of showing,” Springsteen said while talking about why it is so important an artist goes onto the stage and gives it his all. “You don’t tell people anything. You show them and let them decide.”
If there was ever a performer who captured Springsteen’s attitude towards live music, it was Prince. Prince had a versatile sound, a glamour that surrounded him, and an attitude towards playing live, which mirrored that of The Boss. This is evident in the fact that some of his shows have gone down in history as the best ever, and also, a 30-second guitar solo can become the most talked about thing from an entire evening of performances. When Prince was on stage, it was hard to look at anything else.
Springsteen agreed, as when asked about Prince’s passing, he made reference to how much of an excellent showman he was. “It was a terrible shame. It was a great loss and a tragedy. I felt a great kinship with Prince. And he was a guy, when I’d go see him, I’d say, ‘Oh, man, okay, back to the drawing board’.”
He continued, “There was a film of him on the Arsenio Hall show, where he plays a series of songs in a row. It’s just some of the greatest showmanship I’ve ever seen. And he knew everything. He knew all about it and then could put it to work.”
After decades of gigging and constantly trying to improve, very few artists could hold a candle to Bruce Springsteen; however, Prince certainly could. His effortless playing meant his live performance was just as enticing as his songs, and we won’t see someone like him for a long time.