1 00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:03,760 Speaker 1: Taking a Walk Road Diary was one of those great 2 00:00:03,760 --> 00:00:08,440 Speaker 1: things in reflection where I suddenly had the amazing task 3 00:00:08,840 --> 00:00:10,320 Speaker 1: of how. 4 00:00:09,880 --> 00:00:13,240 Speaker 2: Do you convey something that you can't. 5 00:00:13,039 --> 00:00:15,960 Speaker 1: Even put into words, which is the experience of Ea 6 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:20,400 Speaker 1: Street in the pit, looking at this band. 7 00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:22,759 Speaker 2: Seeing people. How do you film that? 8 00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:26,200 Speaker 1: How do you get across sonically the power of the 9 00:00:26,239 --> 00:00:26,880 Speaker 1: live band. 10 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:30,280 Speaker 3: Welcome to the Taken a Walk Podcast, where Buzz Night 11 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:33,600 Speaker 3: talks with artists of all kinds about their passion for 12 00:00:33,760 --> 00:00:37,680 Speaker 3: music and their art. Today is no exception. Buzz is 13 00:00:37,760 --> 00:00:41,400 Speaker 3: joined by film director and editor Tom Zimony. Tom won 14 00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:43,879 Speaker 3: an Emmy Award in two thousand and one from his 15 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:47,320 Speaker 3: work on the Bruce Springsteen Concert Special Live from New 16 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:50,680 Speaker 3: York City. Tom has worked on a variety of television 17 00:00:50,680 --> 00:00:53,960 Speaker 3: and movie projects, but today he joins Buzz to discuss 18 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:57,880 Speaker 3: his latest project, Road Diary, Bruce Springsteen and the East 19 00:00:57,880 --> 00:01:01,560 Speaker 3: Street Band. It's coming later this month to Hulu. Tom 20 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:04,319 Speaker 3: takes a deep dive into the process of putting this 21 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:10,040 Speaker 3: tour together, including rehearsal footage, backstage moments, and reflections from Bruce. 22 00:01:10,680 --> 00:01:13,360 Speaker 3: Viewers will be treated to a never before seen experience 23 00:01:13,440 --> 00:01:16,880 Speaker 3: with Bruce and the East Street Band Tom discusses how 24 00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:19,200 Speaker 3: it all came together and what we can expect to 25 00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:23,000 Speaker 3: see on Taking a Walk right now with buzz Night. 26 00:01:24,319 --> 00:01:26,759 Speaker 4: Hi Tom, it's an honor to have you on the 27 00:01:26,920 --> 00:01:29,280 Speaker 4: Taking a Walk podcast and I have to tell you 28 00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:35,600 Speaker 4: Road Diaries is an absolute triumph. It is amazing. Congratulations 29 00:01:35,640 --> 00:01:38,120 Speaker 4: on it. I want to ask you who are some 30 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:41,760 Speaker 4: of the filmmakers and their work that shaped you. 31 00:01:42,600 --> 00:01:43,440 Speaker 2: It's a great question. 32 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:50,840 Speaker 1: My history in filmmaking, there's a strong influence with Martin Scercenzi. 33 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:54,639 Speaker 2: It's always been a go to for me over the years, 34 00:01:54,680 --> 00:01:56,360 Speaker 2: and with Road Diary. 35 00:01:56,560 --> 00:02:01,559 Speaker 1: I actually when I was editing this documentary, I kept 36 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:05,160 Speaker 1: some of Scorsese's films in my computer to easy access, 37 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:09,720 Speaker 1: just to bring up those images, the power of Scorsese's 38 00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:14,920 Speaker 1: cutting light. For years, I've I've gone to it, studied it. 39 00:02:15,160 --> 00:02:22,359 Speaker 1: Also filmmakers also like John Ford, Frank Borzhy, classic Hollywood filmmakers, 40 00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:27,600 Speaker 1: Billy Wilder. I spent a lot of time, just like 41 00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:29,520 Speaker 1: people will listen to music, I spent a lot of 42 00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:31,680 Speaker 1: time watching films over and. 43 00:02:31,639 --> 00:02:34,480 Speaker 2: Over again, studying them. So it's a big part of 44 00:02:34,520 --> 00:02:36,080 Speaker 2: my journey. 45 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:41,280 Speaker 4: So the film started as an invite from John and 46 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:46,160 Speaker 4: Bruce to come film rehearsal. At what point did the 47 00:02:46,160 --> 00:02:48,959 Speaker 4: project start taking shape and how did that occur? 48 00:02:49,880 --> 00:02:53,040 Speaker 1: You know, the point that the project started taking shape 49 00:02:53,040 --> 00:02:56,440 Speaker 1: where you could declare it a film was after the 50 00:02:56,480 --> 00:02:59,840 Speaker 1: group of rehearsals I filmed in New Jersey, the very 51 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:05,440 Speaker 1: initial rehearsals. So it was at that point I sat 52 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:07,639 Speaker 1: in the edit room with John and sat in the 53 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:12,080 Speaker 1: edit room with Bruce and started to see a story unfolding. 54 00:03:12,080 --> 00:03:14,200 Speaker 1: And that story, for me ended up being a big 55 00:03:14,240 --> 00:03:18,240 Speaker 1: part of Road Diary was the story of Bruce building 56 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:21,080 Speaker 1: this new show, the set list, the details of what 57 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:23,720 Speaker 1: would go in, how he would interact with the band. 58 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:27,160 Speaker 1: As a filmmaker and as a fan, I knew I 59 00:03:27,320 --> 00:03:33,480 Speaker 1: was capturing things that were not shared before in Bruce's 60 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:36,480 Speaker 1: library and catalog of the films, but. 61 00:03:36,520 --> 00:03:39,040 Speaker 2: Also even the casual fan. 62 00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:41,240 Speaker 1: It was something great to be that fly on the 63 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:45,320 Speaker 1: wall unpacking the process of Bruce and e Street getting. 64 00:03:45,040 --> 00:03:45,920 Speaker 2: Ready for a new tour. 65 00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:49,760 Speaker 4: So it's anything but a straight concert video. I mean, 66 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:53,360 Speaker 4: it deals with the various themes, some of them very 67 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:59,040 Speaker 4: heavy themes. Did you talk to Bruce and John during 68 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:02,040 Speaker 4: the process or were you just sort of allowed to 69 00:04:02,120 --> 00:04:02,920 Speaker 4: do your own thing. 70 00:04:03,760 --> 00:04:06,240 Speaker 1: You know, I always talk to them, and I always 71 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:07,760 Speaker 1: when I say them it's. 72 00:04:07,680 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 2: John and Bruce. 73 00:04:09,720 --> 00:04:15,760 Speaker 1: I always get influences from the conversations, and that's it's 74 00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:20,159 Speaker 1: not something that I'm bringing to Bruce's attention that I'm 75 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:21,400 Speaker 1: seeing certain themes. 76 00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:23,600 Speaker 2: At times, I feel. 77 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:23,880 Speaker 3: Like the. 78 00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:29,320 Speaker 1: Dialogue is a dialogue of trust, which gives me a 79 00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:31,960 Speaker 1: lot of space to create. But at the same time 80 00:04:32,240 --> 00:04:36,960 Speaker 1: I'm in sync with them and constantly being given this 81 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:39,080 Speaker 1: great thing which is trust. Trust to be in the 82 00:04:39,160 --> 00:04:42,440 Speaker 1: space to film things, trust to be around, trust to 83 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:45,520 Speaker 1: have time with this footage and figure it out. So 84 00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:49,479 Speaker 1: it's not something like they just let me go off 85 00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:53,560 Speaker 1: and run to do the film. We start a conversation 86 00:04:54,680 --> 00:04:57,840 Speaker 1: and we continue it till the very end, whether that's 87 00:04:57,920 --> 00:05:02,479 Speaker 1: the details of mixing or or and sometimes there's things 88 00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:06,240 Speaker 1: that just work out naturally and those other times items 89 00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:08,400 Speaker 1: that you just end up discussing a lot more and 90 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:10,480 Speaker 1: trying different things. 91 00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:17,120 Speaker 4: The fan aspect being included is really amazing and really 92 00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:19,760 Speaker 4: touching for me. It was one of as a fan, 93 00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:23,240 Speaker 4: one of the most emotional parts. Just seeing the pure 94 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:26,320 Speaker 4: joy and you know, just brings tears to your eyes. 95 00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:30,560 Speaker 4: You know, going back in time from my own experiences, 96 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:36,320 Speaker 4: have you ever seen anything like his connection to his 97 00:05:36,400 --> 00:05:39,599 Speaker 4: fans and any other artists. 98 00:05:39,520 --> 00:05:42,360 Speaker 1: You know, in my my experience in listening to live 99 00:05:42,480 --> 00:05:51,440 Speaker 1: music and also just filming the concert footage itself. To me, 100 00:05:51,520 --> 00:05:53,960 Speaker 1: there's no I have no reference, there's nothing, there's nothing 101 00:05:54,040 --> 00:05:57,120 Speaker 1: like this. When I was filming Roe Diary, especially in Europe, 102 00:05:57,480 --> 00:06:00,800 Speaker 1: there's this magical thing that was happening with with the 103 00:06:00,839 --> 00:06:05,080 Speaker 1: stage lighting and outdoor settings where you would capture these 104 00:06:05,120 --> 00:06:09,919 Speaker 1: fans and their eyes in a way that could demonstrate 105 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:13,560 Speaker 1: many ideas. And for me as a filmmaker, what I 106 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:17,360 Speaker 1: was seeing was this moment of reflection, and that. 107 00:06:17,279 --> 00:06:20,839 Speaker 2: Reflection is all part of the show. 108 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:24,480 Speaker 1: So as a fan, I've witnessed this transformation, this musical 109 00:06:24,520 --> 00:06:28,080 Speaker 1: transformation that happens in the middle of a Bruce concert. 110 00:06:28,400 --> 00:06:31,599 Speaker 1: For me and I wanted this film Rode Diary to 111 00:06:31,680 --> 00:06:35,120 Speaker 1: have that element, which is you're having a great time, 112 00:06:35,520 --> 00:06:38,279 Speaker 1: You're feeling the spirit of rock and roll, You're deep 113 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:41,440 Speaker 1: in the pit in the community of other fans, You're 114 00:06:41,480 --> 00:06:45,000 Speaker 1: recognizing maybe some people you saw before, You're having the 115 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:48,520 Speaker 1: experience of bringing somebody for the first time. All these 116 00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:53,040 Speaker 1: different feelings happening. I wanted my film to reflect those eyes, 117 00:06:53,160 --> 00:06:58,760 Speaker 1: those faces that are going through that experience, and there 118 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:03,560 Speaker 1: is no way that I would have been just able 119 00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:06,120 Speaker 1: to make this film five years into my journey. I've 120 00:07:06,120 --> 00:07:08,920 Speaker 1: been working with Bruce and John for twenty four years, 121 00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:12,080 Speaker 1: so I've been educated in the world of E Street 122 00:07:12,240 --> 00:07:16,520 Speaker 1: and I've experienced a tremendous amount of the music and 123 00:07:17,200 --> 00:07:19,760 Speaker 1: the power of Bruce the artist, the writer, and the performer, 124 00:07:20,120 --> 00:07:23,720 Speaker 1: but also John the producer, being a strong influence in 125 00:07:23,720 --> 00:07:25,120 Speaker 1: my life as a filmmaker. 126 00:07:25,400 --> 00:07:27,760 Speaker 2: So I took all these elements and this was the 127 00:07:27,760 --> 00:07:28,720 Speaker 2: perfect storm. 128 00:07:28,760 --> 00:07:32,440 Speaker 1: Because this film and the album Letter to You are 129 00:07:32,480 --> 00:07:35,640 Speaker 1: dealing with many themes, and these themes are reflected in 130 00:07:35,680 --> 00:07:40,360 Speaker 1: Bruce's live show, which is reflection joy, power of rock 131 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:43,280 Speaker 1: and roll, the power of the moment, the power of 132 00:07:43,320 --> 00:07:46,520 Speaker 1: reflecting on the past, who we've lost. It's a lot 133 00:07:46,560 --> 00:07:49,680 Speaker 1: of different feelings. I don't think I came up with 134 00:07:49,720 --> 00:07:53,200 Speaker 1: those themes. If anything, I was looking at Bruce's live 135 00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:56,320 Speaker 1: show and trying to stand in the shadow of that 136 00:07:56,440 --> 00:07:58,680 Speaker 1: and pick up that energy with this film. 137 00:07:59,400 --> 00:08:02,240 Speaker 4: Can you talk about your first connection with Bruce and 138 00:08:02,280 --> 00:08:03,960 Speaker 4: how that occurred way way back. 139 00:08:04,640 --> 00:08:04,920 Speaker 2: Sure. 140 00:08:05,120 --> 00:08:10,080 Speaker 1: The very first connection with Bruce was in a summer 141 00:08:10,160 --> 00:08:13,840 Speaker 1: resort town in Point Pleasant growing up, where I sat 142 00:08:13,880 --> 00:08:18,160 Speaker 1: before a slam and shut record player and put down 143 00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:21,360 Speaker 1: Darkness on the edge of town and looked at the 144 00:08:21,480 --> 00:08:25,120 Speaker 1: typewriter font and then all of a sudden realized he 145 00:08:25,160 --> 00:08:28,160 Speaker 1: was singing about a world around me. He was singing 146 00:08:28,200 --> 00:08:31,080 Speaker 1: about my father, he was singing about my neighbor, he 147 00:08:31,120 --> 00:08:34,560 Speaker 1: was singing about that guy in high school. This was 148 00:08:34,720 --> 00:08:40,000 Speaker 1: a narrative and a style and a force of writing 149 00:08:40,160 --> 00:08:44,560 Speaker 1: for me that opened up a door that was a 150 00:08:45,200 --> 00:08:49,120 Speaker 1: sonic and cinematic dreamscape. As a teenager, I could think 151 00:08:49,120 --> 00:08:52,679 Speaker 1: about these songs and really go to that place of 152 00:08:52,720 --> 00:08:55,320 Speaker 1: sort of brain spotting where you imagine a world and 153 00:08:55,400 --> 00:08:58,880 Speaker 1: you see it and you believe it. This music was 154 00:08:59,040 --> 00:09:06,040 Speaker 1: a deep, deep, deep force of positivity and a messenger 155 00:09:06,040 --> 00:09:08,520 Speaker 1: for me as a teenager. I grew up in the 156 00:09:08,640 --> 00:09:11,679 Speaker 1: environment too that the music was taking place, So some 157 00:09:11,720 --> 00:09:14,760 Speaker 1: of the earlier music that I went to with Greetings 158 00:09:14,800 --> 00:09:20,560 Speaker 1: and the other albums were reflecting the beauty of the 159 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:23,920 Speaker 1: summers that I had and in the melancholy of winter 160 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:28,440 Speaker 1: on the boardwalk. There was an early connection to this 161 00:09:29,160 --> 00:09:32,000 Speaker 1: that just put me in the world in a certain 162 00:09:32,040 --> 00:09:37,360 Speaker 1: place that it gave me a chance to dream, dream sonically. 163 00:09:37,840 --> 00:09:41,080 Speaker 5: What was your first Bruce concert experience? Do you vividly? 164 00:09:41,120 --> 00:09:42,640 Speaker 5: I'm sure you remember it. 165 00:09:43,080 --> 00:09:43,640 Speaker 2: Yes, I do. 166 00:09:43,720 --> 00:09:48,480 Speaker 1: I you know, my first Bruce concert experience came from 167 00:09:48,640 --> 00:09:54,080 Speaker 1: my best friend's mom secretly trying to get tickets in 168 00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:59,280 Speaker 1: the mail for us and letting us go to the 169 00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:00,880 Speaker 1: place of we. 170 00:10:00,880 --> 00:10:02,080 Speaker 2: Ordered our own tickets. 171 00:10:02,120 --> 00:10:05,040 Speaker 1: Back in the day you would have to send a 172 00:10:05,160 --> 00:10:08,240 Speaker 1: letter and hope to receive tickets in the mail. 173 00:10:08,840 --> 00:10:12,400 Speaker 2: We got nothing. It was for the River Tour, and 174 00:10:12,440 --> 00:10:13,439 Speaker 2: she appeared. 175 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:16,760 Speaker 1: To us with tickets and it was in a magical 176 00:10:16,760 --> 00:10:19,560 Speaker 1: moment because she was a huge influence for me in 177 00:10:19,600 --> 00:10:22,360 Speaker 1: my life. And she took us to the River Tour 178 00:10:22,400 --> 00:10:26,000 Speaker 1: and that was the start of me understanding the whole 179 00:10:26,040 --> 00:10:28,480 Speaker 1: other side of Bruce and the band, which is the 180 00:10:28,559 --> 00:10:30,079 Speaker 1: live performances. 181 00:10:30,120 --> 00:10:33,120 Speaker 2: And it was at the new brendan Burn Arena. 182 00:10:33,240 --> 00:10:37,800 Speaker 1: So I remember all these details vividly, But I carry 183 00:10:37,840 --> 00:10:39,480 Speaker 1: all these things in the edit room. When I was 184 00:10:39,480 --> 00:10:43,720 Speaker 1: making Road Diary, I would have conversations with that sixteen 185 00:10:43,800 --> 00:10:48,920 Speaker 1: year old and pull out those memories or I never 186 00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:50,760 Speaker 1: let myself forget. 187 00:10:50,720 --> 00:10:53,640 Speaker 2: Even though I've been around a lot of. 188 00:10:53,040 --> 00:10:57,000 Speaker 1: The things for years now, I never take it for granted. 189 00:10:57,040 --> 00:10:59,680 Speaker 1: So that space of gratitude is not only a place 190 00:10:59,720 --> 00:11:03,439 Speaker 1: that mind you, but it fuels your creativity. You have 191 00:11:03,520 --> 00:11:06,400 Speaker 1: to remember how important it is to see the band 192 00:11:06,600 --> 00:11:09,160 Speaker 1: walk into a room and the beginning of Road Diary, 193 00:11:09,200 --> 00:11:11,600 Speaker 1: there's guys, the guys are hugging and you see this 194 00:11:11,679 --> 00:11:15,719 Speaker 1: brotherhood of EA Street. I'm witnessing that and I'm filming it, 195 00:11:15,920 --> 00:11:19,280 Speaker 1: and as a storyteller, I carried my past a little 196 00:11:19,280 --> 00:11:23,240 Speaker 1: bit and bring it forward in the edit room. I 197 00:11:23,320 --> 00:11:26,120 Speaker 1: know that a lot of times that sixteen year old 198 00:11:26,160 --> 00:11:29,800 Speaker 1: will arrive and just be excited to see the EA 199 00:11:29,800 --> 00:11:30,840 Speaker 1: Street band and Bruce. 200 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:35,559 Speaker 4: So your first project with Bruce was the Wings for Wheels, 201 00:11:36,360 --> 00:11:39,240 Speaker 4: that making a Born to Run. What was it like 202 00:11:39,320 --> 00:11:43,720 Speaker 4: for you to gain the insights from obviously an album 203 00:11:43,840 --> 00:11:45,200 Speaker 4: that you adored. 204 00:11:46,040 --> 00:11:48,600 Speaker 1: You know, the very first project was live in New 205 00:11:48,679 --> 00:11:51,240 Speaker 1: York actually, and that was a live concert. But to 206 00:11:51,280 --> 00:11:56,439 Speaker 1: answer your question, the first doc I made was Wings 207 00:11:56,480 --> 00:11:59,839 Speaker 1: for Wheels and Born to Run and that was a 208 00:12:00,080 --> 00:12:03,880 Speaker 1: start of something really important that I actually ended up 209 00:12:03,880 --> 00:12:07,520 Speaker 1: exploring again in Road Diary, which is how do you 210 00:12:07,600 --> 00:12:11,720 Speaker 1: tell this story that goes beyond the uber fan connecting. 211 00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:14,880 Speaker 1: How do you make an emotional story? Roe Diary ended 212 00:12:14,960 --> 00:12:17,920 Speaker 1: up being that way too, where those questions would come 213 00:12:17,960 --> 00:12:22,600 Speaker 1: to mind, because it's not a simple concert film, and 214 00:12:22,840 --> 00:12:26,920 Speaker 1: it's not a simple telling of the guys coming back 215 00:12:26,920 --> 00:12:29,319 Speaker 1: and going on the road. It's going in and out 216 00:12:29,400 --> 00:12:33,960 Speaker 1: of themes and that's first film. Wings for Wheels was 217 00:12:34,040 --> 00:12:39,439 Speaker 1: that in many ways, where I'm unfolding a story in 218 00:12:39,480 --> 00:12:42,559 Speaker 1: the moment, but I'm also looking back and then I'm 219 00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:43,680 Speaker 1: reminding you of. 220 00:12:43,600 --> 00:12:45,240 Speaker 2: This artist in the moment. 221 00:12:45,720 --> 00:12:48,480 Speaker 1: There's a great thing about Bruce's presence and this band 222 00:12:48,920 --> 00:12:51,079 Speaker 1: is that they are never in the space of living 223 00:12:51,120 --> 00:12:55,520 Speaker 1: on greatest hits. Bruce and Road Diary is introducing all 224 00:12:55,640 --> 00:12:59,360 Speaker 1: kinds of new music to a new audience, new songs, 225 00:12:59,760 --> 00:13:04,000 Speaker 1: and he's putting them together with songs of the past, 226 00:13:04,240 --> 00:13:07,080 Speaker 1: creating a new feeling that the docs that I work 227 00:13:07,120 --> 00:13:13,440 Speaker 1: on really try to stay close to that structure, because 228 00:13:14,880 --> 00:13:17,800 Speaker 1: I just don't want to do a simple unpacking of 229 00:13:17,920 --> 00:13:21,160 Speaker 1: Born to Run or Darkness on the Edge of Town. 230 00:13:21,559 --> 00:13:24,240 Speaker 1: Bruce is such an artist in the moment, I want 231 00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:28,240 Speaker 1: a sense of how he has that urgency to create 232 00:13:28,360 --> 00:13:32,800 Speaker 1: and the importance of him looking back but also looking forward. 233 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:36,920 Speaker 4: Is it fair to say that some aspect of the 234 00:13:37,040 --> 00:13:40,600 Speaker 4: creation of this took you in a good way out 235 00:13:40,640 --> 00:13:45,040 Speaker 4: of your comfort zone, you know, as a creator on. 236 00:13:45,720 --> 00:13:49,160 Speaker 1: Bro Diary was one of those great things in reflection 237 00:13:49,360 --> 00:13:56,080 Speaker 1: where I suddenly had the amazing task of how do 238 00:13:56,160 --> 00:13:59,959 Speaker 1: you convey something that you can't even put into words, 239 00:14:00,040 --> 00:14:03,800 Speaker 1: which is the experience of EA Street in the pit 240 00:14:04,760 --> 00:14:07,160 Speaker 1: looking at this band, seeing people. 241 00:14:07,880 --> 00:14:08,840 Speaker 2: How do you film that? 242 00:14:09,400 --> 00:14:12,240 Speaker 1: How do you get across sonically the power of the 243 00:14:12,320 --> 00:14:15,840 Speaker 1: live band. How can we tell a story where we 244 00:14:16,000 --> 00:14:20,480 Speaker 1: honor lost band members and bring them back in some ways? 245 00:14:20,600 --> 00:14:24,800 Speaker 1: How can we describe Clarence Clemens and Danny Federici and 246 00:14:24,840 --> 00:14:28,760 Speaker 1: bring them into the storytelling Roe Diary was one of 247 00:14:28,760 --> 00:14:32,360 Speaker 1: my you know, it was an amazing experience for being 248 00:14:32,360 --> 00:14:35,720 Speaker 1: with John and Bruce on this because I also went 249 00:14:35,760 --> 00:14:38,800 Speaker 1: deep into the vault and found things. 250 00:14:38,520 --> 00:14:41,400 Speaker 2: That just work perfectly with this story. 251 00:14:41,600 --> 00:14:45,800 Speaker 1: A young Bruce Springsteen playing Spirit in the Night and 252 00:14:45,840 --> 00:14:48,600 Speaker 1: then realizing, well, wait a minute, that song is a staple, 253 00:14:48,600 --> 00:14:51,280 Speaker 1: that song is part of the DNA of EA Street. 254 00:14:51,720 --> 00:14:56,000 Speaker 1: Let's put together five versions and show the band growing 255 00:14:56,040 --> 00:14:59,920 Speaker 1: and show him evolving as an artist, Let's do that 256 00:15:00,480 --> 00:15:03,320 Speaker 1: in a montage, but then also have the band talk 257 00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:08,160 Speaker 1: about their different contributions that they bring to Bruce the 258 00:15:08,200 --> 00:15:09,920 Speaker 1: band leader, Bruce the performer. 259 00:15:10,320 --> 00:15:10,880 Speaker 2: So a lot of. 260 00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:16,400 Speaker 1: These ideas are things that are are challenging in the moment, 261 00:15:16,720 --> 00:15:20,040 Speaker 1: and Rode Diary definitely was one of those films that 262 00:15:20,200 --> 00:15:23,080 Speaker 1: took me to a new place with the filmmaking and choices. 263 00:15:23,680 --> 00:15:28,520 Speaker 1: And I had an amazing support on this because I 264 00:15:28,560 --> 00:15:31,800 Speaker 1: had John and Bruce giving me full access to the tour, 265 00:15:32,840 --> 00:15:35,720 Speaker 1: all the shows that were filmed, letting me film and 266 00:15:35,840 --> 00:15:38,760 Speaker 1: run up and down, you know, the seats all over 267 00:15:38,920 --> 00:15:43,160 Speaker 1: Europe and America, going to fans homes. Those are the 268 00:15:43,200 --> 00:15:47,160 Speaker 1: tools I got to play with. And my biggest inspiration 269 00:15:47,360 --> 00:15:50,800 Speaker 1: is Bruce. Because every album is different. There's no born 270 00:15:51,040 --> 00:15:55,120 Speaker 1: run too, so we never lean filmically on a story 271 00:15:55,480 --> 00:15:59,520 Speaker 1: device that's been done before. The film before this was 272 00:15:59,560 --> 00:16:04,160 Speaker 1: in black and white, Letter to You and in a studio, 273 00:16:04,280 --> 00:16:09,400 Speaker 1: very contained shot, cinematically, very different feeling. Before that it 274 00:16:09,480 --> 00:16:13,600 Speaker 1: was Western Stars, which was saturated color and now Barn 275 00:16:14,480 --> 00:16:16,760 Speaker 1: and then before that it was Broadway. In some ways, 276 00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:19,720 Speaker 1: these films are all linking and bring you to Roe diary. 277 00:16:19,800 --> 00:16:20,880 Speaker 2: If you watch them all. 278 00:16:20,760 --> 00:16:25,440 Speaker 1: That it's a continuation of Bruce having a conversation with fans. 279 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:28,200 Speaker 3: We'll be right back with more of the Taking a 280 00:16:28,240 --> 00:16:36,440 Speaker 3: Walk podcast. Welcome back to the Taking a Walk podcast. 281 00:16:37,320 --> 00:16:40,520 Speaker 4: So there was this point where Bruce began to you know, 282 00:16:40,680 --> 00:16:45,120 Speaker 4: clearly want to document more about the band and you know, 283 00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:50,400 Speaker 4: certainly the behind the scenes. And he picked you, as 284 00:16:51,160 --> 00:16:55,520 Speaker 4: you know, someone that he trusted to curate this. How 285 00:16:55,560 --> 00:16:57,280 Speaker 4: does that make you feel? 286 00:16:58,120 --> 00:17:01,000 Speaker 1: You know, when I think of it, in that space 287 00:17:01,080 --> 00:17:04,440 Speaker 1: of being picked, I am, you know, both. 288 00:17:04,240 --> 00:17:05,159 Speaker 2: With John and Bruce. 289 00:17:05,240 --> 00:17:08,560 Speaker 1: This is a huge, huge honor to be able to 290 00:17:09,240 --> 00:17:12,600 Speaker 1: work with this history but also work with the new. 291 00:17:12,520 --> 00:17:18,960 Speaker 2: Music and go to that space of collaborating with them. 292 00:17:19,600 --> 00:17:23,320 Speaker 1: I mean we have had twenty four it's almost twenty 293 00:17:23,359 --> 00:17:28,679 Speaker 1: five years, and that amount of trust in shorthand to 294 00:17:28,760 --> 00:17:32,919 Speaker 1: have is is something that I wouldn't dream when I 295 00:17:32,960 --> 00:17:37,000 Speaker 1: was sixteen. I couldn't dream this up. So I'm enormously grateful. 296 00:17:37,119 --> 00:17:41,960 Speaker 1: I take it very serious. For me, I enjoy it and. 297 00:17:41,920 --> 00:17:42,880 Speaker 2: I take it serious. 298 00:17:42,960 --> 00:17:47,400 Speaker 1: But I also have a great grounding space of every 299 00:17:47,440 --> 00:17:51,200 Speaker 1: time I get a call, I really do start from 300 00:17:51,200 --> 00:17:51,800 Speaker 1: ground zero. 301 00:17:52,119 --> 00:17:52,679 Speaker 2: I start. 302 00:17:53,680 --> 00:17:57,560 Speaker 1: I don't rely on my history in any way to 303 00:17:57,600 --> 00:18:00,960 Speaker 1: make it comfortable. If anything, I look back at the 304 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:02,280 Speaker 1: things and say, well, we're. 305 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:03,600 Speaker 2: Not going to do this, but we could try to 306 00:18:03,640 --> 00:18:03,919 Speaker 2: do this. 307 00:18:04,080 --> 00:18:07,480 Speaker 1: And I put myself through a lot of challenges, and 308 00:18:07,520 --> 00:18:11,760 Speaker 1: that's because I've watched Bruce do this for decades now, 309 00:18:12,040 --> 00:18:16,280 Speaker 1: where he has taken his storytelling to all different places, 310 00:18:16,320 --> 00:18:19,200 Speaker 1: whether it's Broadway or whether it's with a Cedar band, 311 00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:20,840 Speaker 1: or whether it's with East Street or. 312 00:18:20,800 --> 00:18:23,639 Speaker 2: A solo artist. That's a huge influence for me. So 313 00:18:25,200 --> 00:18:26,960 Speaker 2: at the end of the day, I'm. 314 00:18:26,920 --> 00:18:32,159 Speaker 1: Enormously grateful to have this in my life because it 315 00:18:32,240 --> 00:18:36,639 Speaker 1: brings such joy. Bruce's writing and making the films together 316 00:18:37,400 --> 00:18:40,159 Speaker 1: force you to a place of examination and where you 317 00:18:40,200 --> 00:18:44,480 Speaker 1: are as a person, an artist, as a father. It's 318 00:18:44,560 --> 00:18:47,320 Speaker 1: part of the fan experience where you listen to this 319 00:18:47,440 --> 00:18:49,800 Speaker 1: music and you think about your life where you are. 320 00:18:50,240 --> 00:18:52,680 Speaker 1: The films are no different in the creating that process, 321 00:18:52,760 --> 00:18:56,840 Speaker 1: and the big thing is that they both have enriched 322 00:18:56,840 --> 00:18:59,600 Speaker 1: my life in many ways. I make other films and 323 00:19:00,320 --> 00:19:04,239 Speaker 1: I have a sense of John and Bruce and in 324 00:19:04,280 --> 00:19:05,040 Speaker 1: all my art. 325 00:19:05,800 --> 00:19:07,560 Speaker 2: So so for that I'm grateful. 326 00:19:08,840 --> 00:19:13,679 Speaker 4: So the rehearsals were were less than a week and 327 00:19:13,720 --> 00:19:16,800 Speaker 4: Bruce gathered the band I guess like six times or so, 328 00:19:18,119 --> 00:19:23,520 Speaker 4: and Steve and John Lando both discussed, you know how 329 00:19:23,560 --> 00:19:25,479 Speaker 4: out of the norm that was. 330 00:19:26,760 --> 00:19:28,920 Speaker 5: What's your takeaway about that? 331 00:19:29,440 --> 00:19:29,800 Speaker 2: I think. 332 00:19:29,920 --> 00:19:32,800 Speaker 1: I think Rod Diary explore is you know Steve as 333 00:19:32,840 --> 00:19:36,520 Speaker 1: a musical director in a way that shows the complexities 334 00:19:36,560 --> 00:19:39,199 Speaker 1: of Bruce the band leader. And in the doc I 335 00:19:39,240 --> 00:19:43,800 Speaker 1: got a chance to look at like Bruce didn't rehearse 336 00:19:43,840 --> 00:19:44,520 Speaker 1: the band a lot. 337 00:19:44,880 --> 00:19:45,960 Speaker 2: It was six days, so. 338 00:19:47,400 --> 00:19:52,280 Speaker 1: I felt like Bruce watching Bruce in these rehearsals and 339 00:19:52,320 --> 00:19:55,480 Speaker 1: hearing him talk, he was dying to get back on 340 00:19:55,680 --> 00:20:00,760 Speaker 1: the stage. He was ready. And Steve, on the other hand, 341 00:20:00,800 --> 00:20:04,440 Speaker 1: was looking at certain details with new players, and John 342 00:20:04,560 --> 00:20:08,960 Speaker 1: is observing everything. To me, that was the perfect metaphor 343 00:20:09,080 --> 00:20:14,360 Speaker 1: of the beauty of both Bruce the solo artist, the. 344 00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:16,160 Speaker 2: Band leader, the collaborator. 345 00:20:17,080 --> 00:20:21,000 Speaker 1: So having all those forces and all that energy was 346 00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:26,080 Speaker 1: a way of demonstrating to you the complexities of their creativity. 347 00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:30,160 Speaker 1: John lets things happen, and it's observing and not missing 348 00:20:30,240 --> 00:20:33,639 Speaker 1: a beat. Is there supportive in every form of whether 349 00:20:34,119 --> 00:20:36,359 Speaker 1: Steve wants to take the van and rehearse on things. 350 00:20:36,600 --> 00:20:41,200 Speaker 1: Steve is wrapped up into certain details, and Max understands 351 00:20:41,640 --> 00:20:43,680 Speaker 1: that Bruce wants to keep it a little bit raw, 352 00:20:44,240 --> 00:20:48,800 Speaker 1: keep the excitement of mistakes, the beauty of accidents, not 353 00:20:49,119 --> 00:20:54,160 Speaker 1: over rehearsing. So there's this magical thing that's happening that's 354 00:20:54,200 --> 00:20:57,639 Speaker 1: not really being discussed until I got to the place 355 00:20:57,680 --> 00:21:01,720 Speaker 1: of asking questions about it and could unpack it in 356 00:21:01,760 --> 00:21:04,919 Speaker 1: the documentary. So Roe Diary gave me a great chance 357 00:21:05,040 --> 00:21:08,760 Speaker 1: to try to show a little bit of these mysteries, 358 00:21:08,880 --> 00:21:12,520 Speaker 1: mysteries of Bruce the bandleader, mysteries of what happens behind 359 00:21:12,520 --> 00:21:16,640 Speaker 1: the scenes, some of the different personalities on how they 360 00:21:16,680 --> 00:21:20,760 Speaker 1: contribute and collaborate in the scope of Bruce, and overall 361 00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:26,119 Speaker 1: it was just one of those moments that you witnessed 362 00:21:26,920 --> 00:21:28,960 Speaker 1: and you knew there was more to it. 363 00:21:29,560 --> 00:21:30,560 Speaker 2: And what I mean by that. 364 00:21:30,720 --> 00:21:33,720 Speaker 1: Steve being a musical director and then Bruce stepping back 365 00:21:33,760 --> 00:21:36,679 Speaker 1: for a second to let him work out those details 366 00:21:37,480 --> 00:21:41,480 Speaker 1: gave the show a certain polished layer, but also not 367 00:21:41,600 --> 00:21:43,520 Speaker 1: to a point that things felt rehearsed. 368 00:21:44,440 --> 00:21:48,040 Speaker 4: Yeah, I'm so glad you delved into that because I feel, 369 00:21:48,359 --> 00:21:51,280 Speaker 4: and I think you probably do, there's too much perfection 370 00:21:52,280 --> 00:21:56,480 Speaker 4: that is sought after and the beauty and the rawness 371 00:21:56,680 --> 00:22:00,359 Speaker 4: of sometimes imperfection in a process I think is so 372 00:22:00,720 --> 00:22:02,080 Speaker 4: beautiful and fascinating. 373 00:22:02,920 --> 00:22:06,760 Speaker 1: It's been demonstrated with me many times. Think John Landau 374 00:22:07,160 --> 00:22:09,800 Speaker 1: has been a huge influence to me for me to 375 00:22:10,760 --> 00:22:16,480 Speaker 1: approach something highly prepared but ready, much like he would 376 00:22:16,520 --> 00:22:19,800 Speaker 1: say to me for Bruce's audible, which means throwing a 377 00:22:19,840 --> 00:22:22,120 Speaker 1: song that's not on the set list. There's a set list. 378 00:22:22,560 --> 00:22:25,360 Speaker 1: You have some ideas, you have some things you might 379 00:22:25,400 --> 00:22:27,000 Speaker 1: want to chase, You want to film the band a 380 00:22:27,040 --> 00:22:29,679 Speaker 1: certain way, but all of a sudden you realize in 381 00:22:29,760 --> 00:22:34,520 Speaker 1: Europe that you can get a certain look in slow motion, 382 00:22:35,359 --> 00:22:36,199 Speaker 1: and you chase that. 383 00:22:36,520 --> 00:22:37,879 Speaker 2: What's that slow motion giving you? 384 00:22:37,920 --> 00:22:41,800 Speaker 1: It's a storytelling advice and with Road Diary, at times 385 00:22:42,920 --> 00:22:47,800 Speaker 1: I slow things down to let you see details. And 386 00:22:48,280 --> 00:22:53,639 Speaker 1: that came from just the pure accident of getting something 387 00:22:53,680 --> 00:22:55,760 Speaker 1: great and slow mow and looking at it differently and 388 00:22:55,800 --> 00:23:00,359 Speaker 1: saying okay, besides us being present for these lives shows, 389 00:23:00,840 --> 00:23:03,639 Speaker 1: we've got to break it down, to slow down the 390 00:23:03,680 --> 00:23:06,919 Speaker 1: details so things can be examined. And in that you 391 00:23:06,960 --> 00:23:11,280 Speaker 1: see Bruce's body and physicality, Bruce the band leader, conducting 392 00:23:11,359 --> 00:23:15,840 Speaker 1: the man your eye would not see that if it 393 00:23:15,880 --> 00:23:20,000 Speaker 1: wasn't explored in the slow motion shot, it's exaggerating it 394 00:23:20,040 --> 00:23:22,840 Speaker 1: too for drama, and this film ended up. 395 00:23:23,200 --> 00:23:25,000 Speaker 2: We screened this film in Toronto. 396 00:23:24,600 --> 00:23:27,840 Speaker 1: And for me it was a completely different experience as 397 00:23:27,840 --> 00:23:31,080 Speaker 1: a filmmaker. It was the most emotional connection I saw 398 00:23:31,119 --> 00:23:35,159 Speaker 1: an audience have, and Bruce and John have said to 399 00:23:35,240 --> 00:23:39,600 Speaker 1: me that they're most happy with the story because it 400 00:23:39,760 --> 00:23:42,840 Speaker 1: is bringing people to an emotional space, much the way 401 00:23:43,800 --> 00:23:48,520 Speaker 1: the live shows have been, where there is that cathartic 402 00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:49,360 Speaker 1: feeling at the end. 403 00:23:50,200 --> 00:23:55,520 Speaker 4: Well, speaking of emotional the Barcelona aspect of things, my goodness, 404 00:23:55,600 --> 00:23:59,879 Speaker 4: I mean, I love how you tackled that. But tell me, 405 00:24:00,119 --> 00:24:04,560 Speaker 4: though from an even deeper perspective, your perspective, what it's 406 00:24:04,680 --> 00:24:06,720 Speaker 4: like being at a show in Barcelona. 407 00:24:07,680 --> 00:24:09,560 Speaker 2: You know, it's a great, great, great, great question. 408 00:24:10,320 --> 00:24:14,120 Speaker 1: My favorite moment in Roe diary, in filming comes from 409 00:24:14,119 --> 00:24:18,600 Speaker 1: the space of watching the audience in Barcelona sing back 410 00:24:19,359 --> 00:24:24,600 Speaker 1: to Bruce and the band, every sonic beat, every detail, 411 00:24:24,760 --> 00:24:30,440 Speaker 1: every nuance, every earworm, every phrase, every drum beat of 412 00:24:30,480 --> 00:24:34,520 Speaker 1: Born in the USA at a volume that I never 413 00:24:34,640 --> 00:24:35,720 Speaker 1: experienced before. 414 00:24:36,240 --> 00:24:39,320 Speaker 2: There was a force of energy that I could just 415 00:24:39,480 --> 00:24:42,480 Speaker 2: feel throughout my whole body. 416 00:24:42,640 --> 00:24:48,239 Speaker 1: Just It was the most intense thing to film, and 417 00:24:48,280 --> 00:24:50,119 Speaker 1: by the end of the song I had tears in 418 00:24:50,119 --> 00:24:53,520 Speaker 1: my eyes and I still don't know why, but I 419 00:24:53,520 --> 00:24:54,600 Speaker 1: couldn't put into words. 420 00:24:54,600 --> 00:24:56,440 Speaker 2: I know why. It was the power of that night, 421 00:24:57,760 --> 00:24:59,440 Speaker 2: but it was the whole arc of the show. 422 00:24:59,480 --> 00:25:03,040 Speaker 1: It was bill up to that moment, and we filmed that, 423 00:25:03,119 --> 00:25:06,199 Speaker 1: and the section of that is in the movie. It's 424 00:25:06,240 --> 00:25:08,560 Speaker 1: a small section, but it's one of my most pleasant 425 00:25:08,600 --> 00:25:09,280 Speaker 1: memories of. 426 00:25:09,240 --> 00:25:11,240 Speaker 2: Being in a European audience. 427 00:25:11,520 --> 00:25:13,919 Speaker 1: And I remember coming back and thinking to my crew 428 00:25:14,600 --> 00:25:17,760 Speaker 1: that this is a moment that I need to clear 429 00:25:17,840 --> 00:25:19,880 Speaker 1: up my eyes because they're going to ask me why 430 00:25:19,920 --> 00:25:23,760 Speaker 1: I was so emotional. And I gathered with a crew 431 00:25:23,800 --> 00:25:27,480 Speaker 1: of six people, very small documentary crew, and everyone in 432 00:25:27,520 --> 00:25:31,280 Speaker 1: the circle had tears in her eyes. Everyone went through 433 00:25:31,320 --> 00:25:36,200 Speaker 1: that same emotional experience. I ended up realizing much later 434 00:25:36,280 --> 00:25:38,440 Speaker 1: that this was a common force. 435 00:25:38,160 --> 00:25:39,879 Speaker 2: Of emotions and. 436 00:25:42,000 --> 00:25:46,320 Speaker 1: Barcelona being the first time I really felt it while filming, 437 00:25:47,760 --> 00:25:51,680 Speaker 1: and it stays with you. We've really held onto these 438 00:25:52,240 --> 00:25:55,720 Speaker 1: conversations and thoughts when mixing the movie. This movie I 439 00:25:55,800 --> 00:25:58,680 Speaker 1: mixed at Skywalker, so I was really trying to put 440 00:25:58,720 --> 00:26:01,840 Speaker 1: you in the pit and feel the bass and the 441 00:26:01,920 --> 00:26:05,440 Speaker 1: drums in a certain way. It's not a passive movie 442 00:26:05,920 --> 00:26:09,080 Speaker 1: where it's concert song to song in a certain way. 443 00:26:09,160 --> 00:26:11,919 Speaker 1: I really played with the atmosphere so you feel like 444 00:26:11,960 --> 00:26:15,520 Speaker 1: you're an empty stadium when Bruce's rehearsing. You feel that 445 00:26:15,560 --> 00:26:19,119 Speaker 1: the tininess of other rehearsals. Like Rode Diary was one 446 00:26:19,160 --> 00:26:20,720 Speaker 1: of those films I've been wanting to make for a 447 00:26:20,800 --> 00:26:25,560 Speaker 1: long time because experiencing Bruce live in so many different venues, 448 00:26:25,600 --> 00:26:28,520 Speaker 1: in so many different ways, there's a texture to it, 449 00:26:28,600 --> 00:26:29,720 Speaker 1: and I want to try. 450 00:26:29,560 --> 00:26:32,040 Speaker 2: To have this film get across those spaces. 451 00:26:33,119 --> 00:26:36,760 Speaker 4: I believe music has a sort of therapeutic, you know, 452 00:26:36,840 --> 00:26:38,440 Speaker 4: healing powers. 453 00:26:39,160 --> 00:26:39,840 Speaker 2: I believe you. 454 00:26:39,840 --> 00:26:41,480 Speaker 5: Probably feel the same way. 455 00:26:42,720 --> 00:26:46,960 Speaker 4: Are there any examples of that that you witnessed personally 456 00:26:47,119 --> 00:26:51,280 Speaker 4: that kind of further convinced you of music's healing powers 457 00:26:51,320 --> 00:26:53,320 Speaker 4: and Bruce's healing powers. 458 00:26:54,320 --> 00:26:54,520 Speaker 2: Well. 459 00:26:55,840 --> 00:27:01,400 Speaker 1: I spent hundreds upon hundreds of hours looking at footage 460 00:27:01,960 --> 00:27:05,600 Speaker 1: that was shot of people taking in this music. And 461 00:27:06,400 --> 00:27:09,480 Speaker 1: there's moments in the film with Rode Diary that I 462 00:27:10,320 --> 00:27:15,040 Speaker 1: I have montages of what I consider that that transition, 463 00:27:16,200 --> 00:27:19,560 Speaker 1: and I, for me, as a fan and as a filmmaker, 464 00:27:19,760 --> 00:27:23,440 Speaker 1: I have always felt that that music has this healing force, 465 00:27:23,760 --> 00:27:26,800 Speaker 1: that that it brings you to this place that for me, 466 00:27:26,800 --> 00:27:29,480 Speaker 1: it's very hard to articulate, but I hope the movie 467 00:27:29,480 --> 00:27:32,760 Speaker 1: gets it across, which is, you know, there there, there 468 00:27:32,880 --> 00:27:33,879 Speaker 1: is this moment. 469 00:27:33,640 --> 00:27:34,560 Speaker 2: Of self reflection. 470 00:27:34,640 --> 00:27:38,080 Speaker 1: I remember in I Believe it was Dublin and seeing 471 00:27:38,119 --> 00:27:42,320 Speaker 1: the crowd listen to the river and and Bruce sing 472 00:27:42,359 --> 00:27:46,520 Speaker 1: along to that, and I remember the moment of people 473 00:27:46,560 --> 00:27:49,600 Speaker 1: singing back the chorus, and and and the expressions in 474 00:27:49,680 --> 00:27:50,960 Speaker 1: their and their faces. 475 00:27:52,000 --> 00:27:53,000 Speaker 2: All this they. 476 00:27:52,840 --> 00:27:55,520 Speaker 1: Carry a personal history that I don't want to project 477 00:27:55,840 --> 00:27:58,600 Speaker 1: too much onto. But the eyes are what I read 478 00:27:58,680 --> 00:28:01,960 Speaker 1: as a filmmaker and in wrote diary I've been you know, 479 00:28:02,040 --> 00:28:04,840 Speaker 1: and other Bruce films. It's one of the bit of 480 00:28:05,400 --> 00:28:08,400 Speaker 1: information that John gave me, which is, if you're searching 481 00:28:08,440 --> 00:28:12,000 Speaker 1: for drama within the scene, check out what Bruce is doing. 482 00:28:12,160 --> 00:28:13,400 Speaker 2: His eyes will tell you. 483 00:28:14,080 --> 00:28:20,000 Speaker 1: And and and Bruce's connection to the audience and his expression. 484 00:28:19,520 --> 00:28:23,000 Speaker 2: The connection with the band he has and the communication. 485 00:28:22,480 --> 00:28:26,200 Speaker 1: They have in gesture all are elements of this thing 486 00:28:26,280 --> 00:28:29,159 Speaker 1: that I call like the healing power of music and 487 00:28:29,440 --> 00:28:33,359 Speaker 1: and and it's very hard to put into words, but 488 00:28:33,800 --> 00:28:37,240 Speaker 1: I feel like seeing wit and witnessing E Street Live 489 00:28:37,280 --> 00:28:41,280 Speaker 1: has been very emotional and and and and great. 490 00:28:41,720 --> 00:28:43,280 Speaker 5: I think A. 491 00:28:43,400 --> 00:28:46,960 Speaker 1: Curtis explains that in some sense, the experiences in the 492 00:28:47,080 --> 00:28:51,760 Speaker 1: USA and in Europe, it's like the church and people 493 00:28:51,840 --> 00:28:54,120 Speaker 1: come back, and I try to show this in the 494 00:28:54,160 --> 00:28:57,280 Speaker 1: film in America, and it's really there. It was an 495 00:28:57,320 --> 00:29:01,240 Speaker 1: amazing reception in America but also in Europe where you 496 00:29:01,320 --> 00:29:03,080 Speaker 1: see people engage in such. 497 00:29:02,880 --> 00:29:03,880 Speaker 2: A deep, deep way. 498 00:29:04,400 --> 00:29:08,320 Speaker 1: I think the eyes of the fans in the place 499 00:29:08,960 --> 00:29:13,600 Speaker 1: of listening to music go beyond that space of celebrity attraction. 500 00:29:14,080 --> 00:29:19,200 Speaker 1: You see people deep in thought, taking in the moment, 501 00:29:19,640 --> 00:29:23,720 Speaker 1: but also an awareness of truth, whether it's that they 502 00:29:23,800 --> 00:29:26,520 Speaker 1: love their partner, that they're happy to be there, they're 503 00:29:26,560 --> 00:29:28,600 Speaker 1: so happy not to have a mask on, they're happy 504 00:29:28,600 --> 00:29:32,520 Speaker 1: to be outside whatever, or they're just happy to be alive. 505 00:29:33,080 --> 00:29:37,080 Speaker 1: Bruce's show in this film Rode Diary has those moments 506 00:29:37,080 --> 00:29:41,840 Speaker 1: of celebration, and sometimes it'll just be shown in the 507 00:29:41,880 --> 00:29:43,360 Speaker 1: glance and the smile of a fan. 508 00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:46,760 Speaker 4: And then the converse aspect, which I don't want to 509 00:29:46,800 --> 00:29:52,800 Speaker 4: give too much away, but the darker, sadder themes as well. 510 00:29:53,000 --> 00:29:57,280 Speaker 4: I mean, really take you on this incredible ride and 511 00:29:57,320 --> 00:29:59,960 Speaker 4: you capture that so beautifully. 512 00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:00,920 Speaker 2: Thank you, Thank you. 513 00:30:01,160 --> 00:30:03,320 Speaker 1: I think I think, you know, playing around with different 514 00:30:03,360 --> 00:30:09,120 Speaker 1: themes that explore all the avenues that we go through 515 00:30:09,560 --> 00:30:13,320 Speaker 1: as a community, you know, the acceptance of time, mortality, 516 00:30:14,040 --> 00:30:17,200 Speaker 1: losing people in our lives, you know, all those things 517 00:30:18,520 --> 00:30:22,040 Speaker 1: that I played with as themes in the documentary, they 518 00:30:22,120 --> 00:30:26,440 Speaker 1: really came from from Bruce's writing with the album Letter 519 00:30:26,520 --> 00:30:30,160 Speaker 1: to You, and also the structuring of the show, how 520 00:30:30,200 --> 00:30:35,000 Speaker 1: he plays together songs that had these themes, but also 521 00:30:36,520 --> 00:30:40,040 Speaker 1: play together songs that reminded you to carry on, to 522 00:30:40,480 --> 00:30:45,280 Speaker 1: laugh at yourself. It's totally the Bruce and the Band 523 00:30:45,360 --> 00:30:50,520 Speaker 1: Live are not one emotional ride. You go through the 524 00:30:50,880 --> 00:30:55,080 Speaker 1: craziness of glory days to the space of backstreets and 525 00:30:55,280 --> 00:30:58,640 Speaker 1: see you in my dreams, where you're feeling the emotions 526 00:30:58,640 --> 00:31:04,400 Speaker 1: of longing, loss and reflection. The film really tried to 527 00:31:04,440 --> 00:31:07,040 Speaker 1: hold on to those tones. And again, like I've said 528 00:31:07,080 --> 00:31:12,520 Speaker 1: many times, I'm standing in the shadow of Bruce's show 529 00:31:12,600 --> 00:31:16,080 Speaker 1: and listening and learning and picking up the energy, and 530 00:31:16,120 --> 00:31:18,479 Speaker 1: I wanted the film Roe Diary to reflect this. 531 00:31:19,360 --> 00:31:21,840 Speaker 4: I want to give an alert to our audience that 532 00:31:22,280 --> 00:31:26,120 Speaker 4: you know, sometimes people film ends and they don't stick 533 00:31:26,160 --> 00:31:30,200 Speaker 4: around really through the true end of it when it stops. 534 00:31:31,080 --> 00:31:34,160 Speaker 4: What you did there with that montage at the end 535 00:31:34,320 --> 00:31:39,360 Speaker 4: with the band introductions is incredible. And then of course 536 00:31:39,960 --> 00:31:44,120 Speaker 4: the sweet moment you know with Bruce dancing with his 537 00:31:44,240 --> 00:31:48,880 Speaker 4: mother to the Glenn Miller song is just amazing. So 538 00:31:49,360 --> 00:31:52,360 Speaker 4: you know, people have to see this when it really ends, 539 00:31:52,440 --> 00:31:54,240 Speaker 4: you know, this. 540 00:31:54,160 --> 00:31:57,960 Speaker 1: Film with Roe Diary at the end, I really wanted 541 00:31:58,000 --> 00:32:01,440 Speaker 1: to honor a lot of the people who for the 542 00:32:01,480 --> 00:32:04,520 Speaker 1: past twenty four years have been really supportive and and 543 00:32:04,520 --> 00:32:08,600 Speaker 1: it's images of crew and fans and and in a 544 00:32:08,680 --> 00:32:12,000 Speaker 1: way that I just wanted to break away from the 545 00:32:12,040 --> 00:32:15,360 Speaker 1: cliches of people looking directly at camera and being fans 546 00:32:15,400 --> 00:32:19,880 Speaker 1: and and and and sort of show them engaged, you know. 547 00:32:21,040 --> 00:32:24,640 Speaker 1: And you know the power of working with Bruce is 548 00:32:25,400 --> 00:32:29,720 Speaker 1: and and John is to be open to ideas and 549 00:32:29,720 --> 00:32:32,400 Speaker 1: and and try things that you would never dream of. 550 00:32:32,520 --> 00:32:36,360 Speaker 1: And this end credit sequence, we we found something really 551 00:32:36,400 --> 00:32:40,040 Speaker 1: magical and really special that every time I see it, 552 00:32:40,080 --> 00:32:44,320 Speaker 1: I get emotional. But it's it's something that I couldn't 553 00:32:44,360 --> 00:32:48,760 Speaker 1: take credit for. It was a conversation with Bruce and 554 00:32:48,760 --> 00:32:51,120 Speaker 1: and it was something that he brought forward to me 555 00:32:51,160 --> 00:32:55,280 Speaker 1: as an idea and I'm just so grateful to have 556 00:32:55,360 --> 00:32:59,239 Speaker 1: it in the film, and it's so special. So I 557 00:32:59,240 --> 00:33:02,640 Speaker 1: hope everyone watched it and has that same experience of 558 00:33:03,360 --> 00:33:06,080 Speaker 1: seeing themselves in the credit and a little bit more 559 00:33:06,240 --> 00:33:10,600 Speaker 1: of another sign of Bruce and a moment that we 560 00:33:10,640 --> 00:33:14,120 Speaker 1: all can relate to, which is a reflection on the 561 00:33:14,120 --> 00:33:15,480 Speaker 1: ones we've lost or loved. 562 00:33:16,560 --> 00:33:21,440 Speaker 5: Thunder Road took a bit of a backseat. Is there 563 00:33:21,480 --> 00:33:22,000 Speaker 5: a reason? 564 00:33:22,880 --> 00:33:24,440 Speaker 2: Nothing conscious of it. 565 00:33:25,840 --> 00:33:29,920 Speaker 1: The placement of it in the narrative just didn't seem 566 00:33:30,560 --> 00:33:34,680 Speaker 1: in the storytelling as a story point that wanted to 567 00:33:34,680 --> 00:33:37,360 Speaker 1: be explored. You know, thunder Roade on this tour has 568 00:33:37,400 --> 00:33:42,120 Speaker 1: additional horns and their accenting moments, but the song itself 569 00:33:42,920 --> 00:33:46,000 Speaker 1: and lyrically, though it supports a lot of the themes 570 00:33:46,040 --> 00:33:48,880 Speaker 1: that the film was talking about. I tried to lean 571 00:33:48,960 --> 00:33:54,640 Speaker 1: into things that would surprise you by talking about night 572 00:33:54,720 --> 00:33:58,440 Speaker 1: Shift in a way that reminds you why Bruce might 573 00:33:58,480 --> 00:34:02,720 Speaker 1: have picked this song. The film teaches you about Eat 574 00:34:02,680 --> 00:34:06,080 Speaker 1: Street history, and it tells you two players are no 575 00:34:06,160 --> 00:34:09,920 Speaker 1: longer with us, Danny and Clarence. And then I go 576 00:34:09,960 --> 00:34:14,040 Speaker 1: to Nightshift and say, this is a homage to their 577 00:34:15,000 --> 00:34:17,640 Speaker 1: type of creative spirit in Bruce's world. 578 00:34:17,680 --> 00:34:18,800 Speaker 2: That's what John sees. 579 00:34:19,320 --> 00:34:23,040 Speaker 1: But then I also unpack how that song is performed live, 580 00:34:23,920 --> 00:34:29,759 Speaker 1: and I feel like Nightshift just was another way of showing. 581 00:34:29,400 --> 00:34:32,000 Speaker 2: Bruce the artist in a contemporary way. 582 00:34:31,920 --> 00:34:36,520 Speaker 1: Still exploring storytelling, still bringing things of his past into 583 00:34:37,760 --> 00:34:42,400 Speaker 1: the show, but also keeping it fresh and new. Thunder 584 00:34:42,480 --> 00:34:45,200 Speaker 1: Road though I completely obsessed with that song and I 585 00:34:45,320 --> 00:34:48,040 Speaker 1: love it dearly. That's the power of being an editor 586 00:34:48,280 --> 00:34:51,040 Speaker 1: and being influenced by these two guys, which is it 587 00:34:51,080 --> 00:34:54,279 Speaker 1: didn't move the story forward, and it's not to say 588 00:34:54,280 --> 00:34:56,120 Speaker 1: that it's not an amazing song, and it's great to 589 00:34:56,160 --> 00:34:56,680 Speaker 1: see live. 590 00:34:57,880 --> 00:34:58,160 Speaker 2: Tom. 591 00:34:58,200 --> 00:35:01,600 Speaker 4: In closing, is there anything that I surprised you or 592 00:35:01,680 --> 00:35:04,759 Speaker 4: you learned that you didn't expect to learn from this 593 00:35:05,000 --> 00:35:08,240 Speaker 4: process and this amazing work. 594 00:35:08,040 --> 00:35:11,040 Speaker 2: Thank you first for this. It has been great to 595 00:35:11,120 --> 00:35:11,640 Speaker 2: talk with you. 596 00:35:12,360 --> 00:35:17,680 Speaker 1: I had a lot of surprises with my interview with John. 597 00:35:17,800 --> 00:35:21,080 Speaker 1: I just you know, I've known him for the twenty 598 00:35:21,120 --> 00:35:23,640 Speaker 1: four years and I spent a lot of time talking 599 00:35:23,640 --> 00:35:27,160 Speaker 1: to him. But he also just went to this place 600 00:35:27,719 --> 00:35:30,560 Speaker 1: that as a filmmaker you stop and you go, oh 601 00:35:30,600 --> 00:35:33,000 Speaker 1: my god, that's got to be in the movie. And 602 00:35:33,160 --> 00:35:39,080 Speaker 1: he gave me so much time and detail and also 603 00:35:39,120 --> 00:35:42,239 Speaker 1: helped unpack what he was seeing that was different than 604 00:35:42,239 --> 00:35:44,240 Speaker 1: what the band was seeing at times, that was different 605 00:35:44,280 --> 00:35:45,360 Speaker 1: than I was witnessing. 606 00:35:46,560 --> 00:35:48,960 Speaker 2: This was one of the most extensive interviews I did 607 00:35:48,960 --> 00:35:50,520 Speaker 2: with John Landau. 608 00:35:49,840 --> 00:35:54,160 Speaker 1: And there's a moment in the film where he describes 609 00:35:54,200 --> 00:35:58,680 Speaker 1: Bruce as the Maestro and he just just describes Bruce 610 00:35:58,680 --> 00:36:01,040 Speaker 1: in this way of like knowing what he wants, knowing 611 00:36:01,040 --> 00:36:04,080 Speaker 1: what he's going to get, and a man grounded in 612 00:36:04,200 --> 00:36:08,759 Speaker 1: these ideals, and he is the maestro. John's saying that 613 00:36:09,040 --> 00:36:12,000 Speaker 1: was like one of those moments that I knew right 614 00:36:12,040 --> 00:36:13,600 Speaker 1: away that was going to be in the film. 615 00:36:13,840 --> 00:36:16,720 Speaker 2: You stop and you just go, Okay, that's that's happening. 616 00:36:16,760 --> 00:36:18,720 Speaker 2: That's I could see that in the movie right now. 617 00:36:19,320 --> 00:36:21,000 Speaker 2: So the big surprise was. 618 00:36:21,000 --> 00:36:22,520 Speaker 1: I just didn't know what I was going to get 619 00:36:22,520 --> 00:36:26,000 Speaker 1: from the band and John that was This was the 620 00:36:26,040 --> 00:36:29,040 Speaker 1: first time I dip back into a little bit more 621 00:36:29,239 --> 00:36:32,560 Speaker 1: history of the band as opposed to a particular album, 622 00:36:32,719 --> 00:36:35,520 Speaker 1: whether it's Darkness or The River or Born to Run. 623 00:36:36,480 --> 00:36:40,799 Speaker 1: This was taking the band as an overview. So I'm 624 00:36:40,800 --> 00:36:43,799 Speaker 1: grateful for the time and the trust that they gave me, 625 00:36:43,880 --> 00:36:49,120 Speaker 1: and but John in particular, he really ended up giving 626 00:36:49,160 --> 00:36:51,200 Speaker 1: a lot of emotional soul to the film. 627 00:36:52,080 --> 00:36:55,600 Speaker 4: Well, I'm grateful for your time and for your soul 628 00:36:55,880 --> 00:36:59,160 Speaker 4: and your spirit and you're just amazing where this is 629 00:36:59,520 --> 00:37:04,840 Speaker 4: a true triumph. It's premiering on Hulu on October the 630 00:37:04,920 --> 00:37:09,640 Speaker 4: twenty fifth, and it's just wonderful road diary Tom Zimney, 631 00:37:09,760 --> 00:37:11,520 Speaker 4: thank you for being on Taking a Walk. 632 00:37:12,800 --> 00:37:15,279 Speaker 3: Thanks for listening to this episode of the Taking a 633 00:37:15,320 --> 00:37:19,200 Speaker 3: Walk podcast. Share this and other episodes with your friends 634 00:37:19,280 --> 00:37:22,759 Speaker 3: and follow us so you never miss an episode. Taking 635 00:37:22,800 --> 00:37:26,719 Speaker 3: a Walk is available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 636 00:37:26,920 --> 00:37:29,200 Speaker 3: and wherever you get your podcasts.