I was pretty shocked at hearing this. I think most people tend to think of Bruce as a clean-living wholesome guy - which he is - and therefore without any inner torment. Now he reveals he's been in therapy for 30 years.

[www.guardian.co.uk]

Here's the story in the LA Times.

Bruce Springsteen doesn't mince words when discussing his artistic drive. In a lengthy, tantalizing profile in the New Yorker, Springsteen says his ambitions have been driven by three separate but connected emotions: "pure fear and self-loathing and self-hatred."

It's a rare look at vulnerability from a rock star, especially one at the arena and stadium level. Though issues of self-doubt appear to have plagued Springsteen for much of his career, the artist speaks of conquering his demons in nearly romanticized terms. Rather than having a polarizing effect on his creativity, Springsteen's emotional headaches forced him to the stage, he tells the New Yorker.

Says Springsteen, "With all artists, because of the undertow of history and self-loathing, there is a tremendous push toward self-obliteration that occurs onstage. It’s both things: There’s a tremendous finding of the self while also an abandonment of the self at the same time. You are free of yourself for those hours; all the voices in your head are gone. Just gone.”

Things got so bad, says Springsteen's biographer and friend Dave Marsh, that the artist in 1982 even contemplated suicide. "The depression wasn’t shocking, per se. He was on a rocket ride, from nothing to something," Marsh said, of the period surrounding Springsteen's career-defining stark, acoustic effort "Nebraska."

The Boss's emotional turmoil wasn't a complete surprise, the New Yorker writes. After all, Springsteen openly discussed the inspiration behind the song "My Father's House" (from "Nebraska" onstage, revealing to his fans that the song developed through conversations with his psychotherapist.

In the New Yorker's approximately 15,000-word piece on Springsteen, the emotional drama isn't the centerpiece, but it is an undercurrent throughout. Springsteen cops to being a work in progress, and he speaks freely of his good fortune, especially the stress that success can play on one's belief in the ability to be important.

Said Springsteen, "If you are extremely pleased with yourself, nobody would be ... doing it! Brando would not have acted. Dylan wouldn’t have written ‘Like a Rolling Stone.’ James Brown wouldn’t have gone ‘Unh!’ He wouldn’t have searched that one-beat down that was so hard. That’s a motivation, that element of ‘I need to remake myself, my town, my audience’ -- the desire for renewal."

The tormented artist is a poweful myth that continues to endure, and one that can sometimes be self-fulfilling. Wilco leader Jeff Tweedy spoke to The Times in 2011 about how he put off seeking help due to his own distaste for the "concept of the tortured artist."

It's a piece of rock 'n' roll lore, said Tweedy, that can be as damaging to the stable and the unstable.

"The artists that have created without having any physical flaws and psychological damage don’t get any ink," Tweedy said. "And if it doesn’t exist, people find it. 'Well, he writes like that because his mother died when he was 42.' I’m endlessly fascinated by the durability of that myth, and the length that people go who don’t write, or don’t create, to defend it. It’s a built-in kind of excuse, like, ‘I could write like that, but I have a life.' "

Tweedy's comments illustrate that self-doubt and self-criticism are pervasive among artists, and that each finds his or her own rationale and comfort level in discussing them with the public. The fact that Springsteen has hardly touched on these feelings in public all these years also shows that it's a sensitive subject, and no one wants their work misinterpreted.

Or maybe the Boss is just beyond that now. The New Yorker piece touches on numerous facets of his work, not just depression, but his candor demonstrates that the process of making that work keeps unfolding.

[www.latimes.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012-07-26 14:55 by Silver Dagger.

Cue lots of 'no wonder - he depresses me' jokes....

Think the headline is a bit misleading, though. He's been seeing therapists for 30 years - the 'depression' issues were in the early 80s. I doubt thats THAT unusual for a public figure in the US.

The original article is from the New Yorker. One of the best pieces I've ever read on him...real eye-opening stuff (17,000 words!)


[www.newyorker.com]

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Gazza
Cue lots of 'no wonder - he depresses me' jokes....

I hope not, even though I am not a fan of Bruce, mental health issues such as long term depression are no laughing matter.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012-07-26 15:37 by vudicus.

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Gazza
Cue lots of 'no wonder - he depresses me' jokes....

Think the headline is a bit misleading, though. He's been seeing therapists for 30 years - the 'depression' issues were in the early 80s. I doubt thats THAT unusual for a public figure in the US.

The original article is from the New Yorker. One of the best pieces I've ever read on him...real eye-opening stuff (17,000 words!)


[www.newyorker.com]

I doubt if anyone would be seeing a therapist if they weren't depressed about some aspect of their life. Most of us would probably be depressed once we got the bill afterwards.

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vudicus

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Gazza
Cue lots of 'no wonder - he depresses me' jokes....

I hope not, even though I am not a fan of Bruce, mental health issues such as long term depression are no laughing matter.

what's depressing is knowing that gazza likes bruce. maybe it's gazza that needs the therapy? just a thot....

It explains his overt liberal guilt complex.

Depression is debilitating, it is an illness like cancer. ( actually depression can cause cancer and other serious ailments). I think it took a great deal of courage for Bruce to reveal this about himself. It has probably been very cathartic for him to talk about his struggles. Like I love to tell friends, it's easier to die than to live.

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R
overt liberal guilt complex.

Is that near City Hall?

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mickschix
Like I love to tell friends, it's easier to die than to live.

and you know this from personal experience?

The New Yorker piece is a must-read, whether you like Bruce or not...

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StonesTod

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mickschix
Like I love to tell friends, it's easier to die than to live.

and you know this from personal experience?

I think she means it's easier to choose to die than to live, I try not to go into that room but I've stared at the doorhandle before.

Of course Bruce is depressed! He's from New Jersey. Have you ever been to New Jersey? peace

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StonesTod

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mickschix
Like I love to tell friends, it's easier to die than to live.

and you know this from personal experience?

Ok, I wanted to keep away from all this, but what the hell.

I am a long term sufferer too.
To be specific, I have Bi-polar disorder Type II (Manic Depression for the older folks here) and borderline personality disorder.

Believe me, when you are at your lowest and you are finding it so hard to cope there is no pain like it in the world. Knowing that in a matter of moments you can be from all this pain and suffering, it is a very difficult thing to fight, so yes, it can be easier to die than to live.

Sometimes, there are people around to save you, some people are less fortunate.
Sometimes, it's only other people you are staying alive for.

Before anyone freaks, this is merely a comment on past experience, this is not a statement on how I am feeling right now. (Right now, I'm grooving to Miles Davis)

The problem with this illness is that unless you have or do suffer it, you can never truly understand it.

We all get down, but most people are able to deal with it.
Manic Depression is like having no immune system for your mental state. Not only can you not deal with the issue but it leaves you wide open for a build up of problems, which is a struggle to counter-act.

Of course there is therapy and medicines etc. but it is a lifelong battle.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012-07-26 18:33 by vudicus.

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Naturalust

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StonesTod

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mickschix
Like I love to tell friends, it's easier to die than to live.

and you know this from personal experience?

I think she means it's easier to choose to die than to live, I try not to go into that room but I've stared at the doorhandle before.

Of course Bruce is depressed! He's from New Jersey. Have you ever been to New Jersey? peace

But what does it tell you when he chooses to move out to California, with homes in such places as Palos Verdes Estates,and then chooses to move back to New Jersey?

I'm not surprised. Counting all those millions can be so tedious.

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Naturalust

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StonesTod

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mickschix
Like I love to tell friends, it's easier to die than to live.

and you know this from personal experience?

I think she means it's easier to choose to die than to live, I try not to go into that room but I've stared at the doorhandle before.

hmmm...seems it was easier to choose life, then.

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Naturalust
Of course Bruce is depressed! He's from New Jersey. Have you ever been to New Jersey? peace

From someone in NJ: f uck off. peace.

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MILKYWAY

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Naturalust
Of course Bruce is depressed! He's from New Jersey. Have you ever been to New Jersey? peace

From someone in NJ: f uck off. peace.

yep, you're from jersey

Can be heard on his last CD - quite depressive to listen to ;o)) had to see a terapist myself

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BluzDude

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Naturalust

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StonesTod

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mickschix
Like I love to tell friends, it's easier to die than to live.

and you know this from personal experience?

I think she means it's easier to choose to die than to live, I try not to go into that room but I've stared at the doorhandle before.

Of course Bruce is depressed! He's from New Jersey. Have you ever been to New Jersey? peace

But what does it tell you when he chooses to move out to California, with homes in such places as Palos Verdes Estates,and then chooses to move back to New Jersey?

Palos Verde estates might be posh but it's LA man and that place depressed me for the 6 years it had be in it's grip. Still and as far as moving back, that's probably where his best therapist was; it was probably Patti's decision anyway, no?

I guess this video is apprapo. peace







Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012-07-26 19:05 by Naturalust.

Not surprised to see inane comments -- this is the internet.

I like Springsteen and I appreciate him. I don't put him on a pedestal and I've never chanted "Bruuuuuuuuce" (well maybe that one time when I was drunk and researching an article). Love his 2nd through 6th albums. Anyway, I appreciate his reasoned candor and humor, "James Brown wouldn’t have gone ‘Unh!" He knows who he is as well as anyone, yet isn't overblown with self importance. That he has dragged bottom doesn't surprise me. I guess his relationship with his father may be a big factor -- I don't know all the details but its clear he suffered from it. I've needed a lot of help as a result of growing up under punches -- physical and emotional. Don't feel sorry for myself but I needed to be aware of what it did to my psyche and take appropriate actions.

And if you're going to make jokes about cancer, or mass shootings, or depression -- at least make them funny please!

I like where you're going with that, but this is technically better and delivered with more depression....or is that compression.






Come What May

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Naturalust
Palos Verde estates might be posh but it's LA man at that place depressed me for the 6 years is had be in it's grip. Still and as far as moving back, that's probably where his best therapist was, it was probably Patti's decision anyway, no?

....yes, I'm sure it was (he said it was where he wanted to raise his children).
I was born in Santa Monica and lived in the Los Angeles area most of my life.....and I love......or I should say......would love to find a way to get out of here! I guess I could dream about retiring to the Central Coast.

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Wry Cooter
And if you're going to make jokes about cancer, or mass shootings, or depression -- at least make them funny please!

you first

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BluzDude

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Naturalust
Palos Verde estates might be posh but it's LA man at that place depressed me for the 6 years is had be in it's grip. Still and as far as moving back, that's probably where his best therapist was, it was probably Patti's decision anyway, no?

....yes, I'm sure it was (he said it was where he wanted to raise his children).
I was born in Santa Monica and lived in the Los Angeles area most of my life.....and I love......or I should say......would love to find a way to get out of here! I guess I could dream about retiring to the Central Coast.

Dreams come true , I think that's the beginning of it. I'm sure we'd welcome your escape to the almost separate state that is Northern Cailfornia. Bring your guitars....peace

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StonesTod

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Wry Cooter
And if you're going to make jokes about cancer, or mass shootings, or depression -- at least make them funny please!

you first

Damn thats a tall order.

Ok here goes....


Wait.

Ok here's one.....


Wait.


Come What May

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Munichhilton
I like where you're going with that, but this is technically better and delivered with more depression....or is that compression.

Hell yeah! That's working for me. Smiles on my wayward homey today. peace

I would never want to see someone suffer from depression or feel the need to see a therapist. But, after years of putting it off, I started seeing a psychotherapist a few months ago. And reading that made me feel a little better, in a way. I mean, it's The Freaking Boss - he always seemed like he was on top of everything, so it's interesting to see him reveal these weaknesses/demons as well.

Of course as a human being, alive for over 50 years, I have had reasons to be very depressed....part of the human condition, and fortunately I had folks around me at the RIGHT times to pull me through. There are resources out there, great therapists, friends, church, whatever you choose, to help you through...but as I said, it takes courage to opt to live.

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R
It explains his overt liberal guilt complex.

Maybe actually caring about the people who have been beaten down by the excesses of the greed in the economic system of the last 30 years explains it better.

In SLEEPER Woody Allen is thawed from a cryogenically frozen state after 200 years. He says, "If I'd been awake and in therapy those 200 years, I'd finally be cured of my neuroses."