I can't argue with the Springsteen assessments. I'll always love him, and in concert there really has never been anyone as inspiring, but his recent studio output, apart from The Rising, has been a steep and steady decline.

When I fell for Bruce in the mid to late 70s, I similarly became more than a bit obsessed with Robert DeNiro's work. While Bruce was putting out The Wild, The Innocent, Born To Run, and Darkness, DeNiro was doing Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Godfather Two, Raging Bull, King of Comedy. There were more than a few parallels: New York was often the setting for their best work, Jon Landau was to Bruce as Scorsese was to Bob, they both became more overtly political, and of course, they influenced many who would follow. And yet gradually, over the 80s, I'd say their artistic prowess followed similar trajectories. I guess the drive just dissipates. There isn't anything else in the tank, or to prove, and they live off of their past glories. Kind of funny how they were both honored earlier in the year at the Kennedy Center.

Peter T.