October 16, 2024
[UPDATE - Full video of Springsteen's and Bryan's conversation has been shared by Rolling Stone via its YouTube channel. Scroll below to view the embedded video.]
The 2024 edition of Rolling Stone's "Musicians on Musicians" series launches with Bruce Springsteen and Zach Bryan engaged in a lengthy conversation recorded last April at Springsteen's home-studio (in the midst of the recording session for their "Sandpaper" duet,) and moderated by Rolling Stone writer Brian Hiatt. A transcript of the conversation, accompanied by Danny Clinch's photography, is available wherever you can find a copy of Rolling Stone's latest issue, which features a Clinch portrait of Bryan and Springsteen on its cover.
Subscribers also can read the transcript - or watch video of the conversation - and view Clinch's photos online by clicking here. Springsteen and Bryan chat extensively about songwriting, stardom, genre-pigeonholing, and... yes, even some politics. Though their comments date from last April, they haven't lost a bit of relevance.
"There is so much pessimism and division in the U.S. right now," says moderator Hiatt. "I’m wondering, as two great American songwriters, if there is any degree of optimism from the two of you about the chances of us overcoming all of that."
"Big question," replies Springsteen. "I don’t know. My take on it is it’s bad, but it’s going to get better. I will sit here and I will predict again, Donald Trump will not be the next president of the United States. Of course, I went all across Europe saying that the last time, and I was wrong. It’s hard to read because sometimes I think, 'Gee, I led my life a certain way. It rolled out a certain way, and maybe that has something to do with why I remain hopeful.' And I just think that generationally, I still feel hopeful. I think we’re going to get past the degree of division that’s in the country right now, and move on to something else—"
"Gratitude, maybe?," asks Bryant.
"I have absolutely nothing brilliant to say about this, so I’m bailing," responds Springsteen.
"So, I’m 28," says Bryant, a veteran of the U.S. Navy. "I don’t have that much experience. I’m neither one way or the other. I served my country for eight, nine years. I think America ebbs and flows, and it always has. Always will. I’m tired of everyone arguing. It’s about time people were just thankful to be American. ’Cause personally, I’m so grateful I get to wake up in a country that’s free. It’s really special to be in a country where there’s so many different people and so many different parties and so many people that have an opportunity to come together and be kind to each other and respect each other’s backgrounds. There’s people that have died defending our rights. Men and women have died for these things, and we just are, like, pissed about what?...Being free enough to say everything we feel? It’s weird. It’s strange. It blows my mind all the time. And I’m just thankful."
Springsteen expresses his agreement and adds, "That’s as political as we’re gonna get!"
Click here for complete Rolling-Stone-subscribers-only online access to Zach Bryan Meets Bruce Springsteen: ‘I Never Thought I’d Be Sitting Here With You’ - Two great American songwriters get together in New Jersey and go deep on the perils of stardom, classic country, the importance of moms, and the troubled state of the union by Brian Hiatt, with photographs by Danny Clinch.
UPDATE - Rolling Stone's YouTube channel has posted the complete video of Springsteen's and Bryan's April 2024 conversation. Here it is:
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