In 1999, recognised for his unique talent as a dynamic performer and an ingenious wordsmith, Bruce Springsteen was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The ceremony placed The Boss among the rock and roll royalty of the 20th century after three marvellous decades of near-interminable touring with the E Street Band.
In 2019, Springsteen recorded his 20th studio album, Letter To You, and set a release date for October 2020. Sadly, the supporting tour would be postponed for two and a half years amid the global Covid-19 pandemic, leaving Springsteen plenty of time to embark on a round of press interviews.
Speaking to Apple’s Zane Lowe in October 2020, Springsteen lamented the lockdown situation. “The real pain is that we can’t go and play now because that is the normal course of events,” he said during Apple Music TV’s all-day Bruce takeover. “It’s the sweetest part of the whole thing, and we are screwed at the moment.”
As part of Springsteen’s residency, he also took part in a ‘New Music Daily’ album listening party, which involved a fan Q&A session hosted by Lowe. Among the intriguing questions was one from a group of fans “near Maxwell’s,” the famous Hoboken venue where Springsteen filmed the 1985 ‘Glory Days’ video. They asked the singer to name the song “most meaningful” to him.
“‘House of 1,000 Guitars’ strikes to the heart pretty well,” Springsteen replied, picking out a track from the new album.
Discussing the track, Springsteen explained that his new album was recorded in a studio designed by his wife, Patti Scialfa. Situated next to his garage, the studio offered a dream haven of sorts as the Covid-19 restrictions set in.
“It’s lovely to be around instruments, even if they’re silent, with stories waiting to be told,” Springsteen said, describing his many guitars as “magical totems.”
“It still holds magic for me,” he added. “It makes me love being a musician.”
Back to the subject of his new album, Springsteen pointed out the irony that it had been an appreciation message of sorts for his live audiences. “I knew I was trying to communicate, and I wanted to speak to people,” he said. “Letter to You is interesting because it is a direct reference to that conversation itself — writing a letter to all of those faces out in the crowd.”
Thankfully, Springsteen was able to return to the road in February 2023. Watch the Boss perform ‘Letter To You’ with his E Street Band below.
