Bruce Springsteen explores “the American Dream” throughout his new record.
The American music icon is currently promoting his upcoming album Wrecking Ball.
British newspaper the Telegraph reports that Bruce, who has always lauded his blue-collar upbringing, wanted to address his country’s current cultural and fiscal crises through his music.
“My work has always been about judging the distance between American reality and the American Dream,” Bruce explained at a press conference in Paris this week. “[The 2008 Wall Street crisis acted as] an enormous fault-line [that] cracked the American system wide open and its repercussions are just beginning to be felt.”
Bruce believes that this recent financial meltdown has left much social and pecuniary carnage in its wake.
“An outrageous theft occurred that struck to the heart of the American idea. And there has been no accountability,” Bruce explained. “[The title of my new album Wrecking Ball represents] the flat destruction of some American ideals and values over the last 30 years. It seemed like a good metaphor.”
Bruce remains optimistic about the US. He believes that Occupy Wall Street protestors are benefitting society through their dissent.
“The Occupy Wall Street movement has been powerful about changing the national conversation,” Bruce explained. “The Tea Party set the conversation for a while but now people are talking about economic equality. That’s a conversation America hasn’t had for 20 years.”
Although Bruce is happy to touch on political subjects in his music, the singer wouldn’t even consider taking on a role in government.
“As an artist, its better to maintain a certain distance from the seat of power,” he explained.
Bruce’s album Wrecking Ball will be released in the US in March.
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