10 June

Springsteen reportedly makes about $3 million every time he steps on stage. He makes more in a week of touring than giants of music like Louis Armstrong or Nat King Cole made in a lifetime. Most of the greatest artists in history died penniless. This is gig culture, a culture where popular music is a path to wealth and status and power. There’s nothing wrong with any of those things, the point is that this is a culture where being a rock star gives you them. It’s an adolescent culture. Adults are supposed to grow out of rock stars.