David Brooks on Springsteen

I should add "Springsteen" fanboy to the tag line on the blog header.

Just read a good article from David Brooks from the NYT on his experiences seeing Springsteen in Spain.

Sidebar: in August I am going to see Springsteen play at Fenway Park. Up until a month or so ago, I didn't even KNOW that this could be an item on my bucket list. Seeing Bruce play in the home of my Red Sox! Now - I think I have to add seeing him in Europe too!

Brooks gets into the choices Bruce made to specialize. To not pander to the masses. To not go with what will sell after the success of "Born to Run". Instead, Bruce returned to his roots. And, really, he keeps going back there. And on "Wrecking Ball" he might be almost as far back as he can go. Everything is cyclical. The issues and problems stay the same. Bruce keeps trying to shine a light on them.

Brooks advises us (mostly politicians and business people) but I am going to go with - US.

Don’t try to be everyman. Don’t pretend you’re a member of every community you visit. Don’t try to be citizens of some artificial globalized community. Go deeper into your own tradition. Call more upon the geography of your own past. Be distinct and credible. 

Or, as Harry Joiner would say - BE A HAMMER.

Specialize.