Bruce Springsteen: Sell Out or Still The Boss?

Bruce Springsteen has been in the news lately. You probably know he played a four song set at halftime of the Super Bowl. One of the songs he played -"Working on a Dream"- is the title of his latest album. He's about to start another US tour and there's already been a flap with Ticketmaster's handling of the shows. He stunned his long-time fans by releasing a greatest hits CD exclusively at Wal Mart and he later called the deal a "mistake." So there's lots to talk about.
Did he sell out by playing the Super Bowl? Did he spit on the independent record stores by making a deal with a retailing giant? Is the former working class hero now only in it for the money?

I have my own thoughts about The Boss since I've seen him live in concert more than ten times.
In 1975, I worked his show as student help at UCSB, the same week he was on Time and Newsweek (I have both covers framed), met him after the show and he gave me a busted harmonica which I still have. Still the only performer in all my 25 years of working shows that ever came out to thank the local crew after the gig.

I'm sure he does not do this anymore.
I bet he doesn't tour in a van and eat pizza at the Motel 6 after the gig.

Point is, people change, even our heroes. We expect their song writing to mature, so why not their lives?

For example, I'm happy that Paul McCartney is one of the wealthiest men in the world. He deserves to be considering how much joy he has brought this planet. I know he didn't write those songs for the money, but the fact he's made a ton of dough does not bother me at all. Sure, his last great album was 1997's Flaming Pie (and it is a great record) but I would rather have him continue to record than retire.

He won't be around forever.
Same with Bruce.

About twenty years after meeting The Boss in Santa Barbara, I toasted him with a Heineken at the Sony Grammy party after he won for Streets Of Philadelphia. Basically the same shy guy with a wife this time, Bruce seemed so happy to have been shown a little respect by his peers.

He grew up working class (and if you've been to Asbury, you know it's not a pretty place, despite being on the shore!) so he sang about the working class. Now he's paid his dues (could anyone else play 4 hour shows night after night, year after year?) and he sings about 9/11 and the country he was born in. He lives in a big house with his big family and probably wants to make sure they won't have to worry about their financial future. I don't remember him ever pretending to be the same exact guy he was when he sang "Born To Run." Thank goodness.

He didn't get paid for all those shows he did for John Kerry and later Obama. He did them because he thought it would be best for this country if those men were elected. And he took a big hit in popularity from long-time Republicans in his fan base. Neil Young wondered why he was one of the few artists who protested Bush and the war. Well Bruce did it his own way.

But the reason I STILL LOVE SPRINGSTEEN: he won't play the god-forsaken Staples Center in Los Angeles! I was there on opening night when he begged the people to come out of their luxury boxes. Since then he's played the run-down Sports Arena where despite its lack of modern plumbing, there's not a bad seat in the house. I don't care what he's charging this time around, as long as he doesn't play the soulless Staples, a barn if there ever was one. Now that's taking a stand!