Last month, Forbes magazine reported that Bruce Springsteen was now a billionaire, with a net worth estimated at about $1.1 billion. When this information was mentioned to E Street Band guitarist Steven Van Zandt in a recent interview with U.K. newspaper The Independent, The Boss’ longtime friend and righthand man had a humorous response.
“It’s great for me because I’m gonna definitely borrow some money, I tell you that. I’m joking, of course,” the veteran musician sometimes known as “Little Steven” quipped. He then added, “My bookie’s gonna love him. I’m joking again!”
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Van Zandt went on to tell The Independent that he was sure “how accurate” Forbes is about Springsteen’s wealth. Regardless of how rich Bruce is, Little Steven noted that he doesn’t believe money has any bearing on the rock legend’s desire to create music and perform for his fans.
“I don’t think it matters, honestly,” Van Zandt maintained. “When you have enough money to live, that’s the point where it matters. Do you continue to work? Or do you retire on a yacht and drink mojitos off the coast of Portugal? The fact is: this is what we do. And so the money has absolutely no factor. It hasn’t affected [Springsteen] for many, many years. Ever since, really, [his 1984 album] Born in the U.S.A.”
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He concluded, “So no matter how many zeros is on the bank account, it doesn’t make any difference!”
About Van Zandt’s Longtime Bond with Springsteen
Van Zandt’s friendship with Springsteen dates back to their teenage years, when they played in rival bands on the New Jersey shore. Little Steven told The Independent that they were part of “a very small cult” who took playing rock ‘n’ roll seriously.
He added that there were other factors that help forge their close bond.
“[W]e both had a really strong work ethic, and a compassionate, independent, liberal philosophy in terms of feeling like we’re on the planet to help a little bit,” Van Zandt explained. “Make things a bit better for the next guy. As opposed to ‘every man for himself, let’s make as much money as we can, and don’t worry about the rest of the world.’ We shared a morality and compassion that I think helps keep the friendship more solid.”
About Springsteen’s Upcoming Tour Plans
Springsteen and the E Street Band wrapped a European summer leg of their current world tour with a show at Wembley Stadium in London this past Saturday, July 27.
The Boss and company now are preparing to mount a second 2024 U.S. leg. The trek kicks off August 15 in Pittsburgh and is mapped out through a September 15 performance at the Sea.Hear.Now Festival in Asbury Park, New Jersey. That will be followed by a Canadian outing that runs from late October to late November. Visit BruceSpringsteen.net to check out his full itinerary.
Tickets for Springsteen’s concerts are available via a variety of outlets, including StubHub.
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