The Gaslight Anthem’s Brian Fallon has friends in high places. Namely, he’s chums with Bruce Springsteen. But how did the two become friends? Well, it’s all due to an impromptu performance on Springsteen’s part.
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In an interview with Classic Rock (quote via Guitar.com), Fallon opened up about performing “The ’59 Sound” with Springsteen at Glastonbury in 2009. When Springsteen appeared, Fallon thought he was in trouble. He said, “We’re in our trailer at Glastonbury, like five minutes before we’re due to go on stage, and suddenly all these police cars pull up. I’m like: ‘Okay, I guess we’re going to jail.’”
Instead of jail time, Fallon came face to face with the icon. To Fallon’s surprise, Springsteen wanted to collaborate. “So I go outside and see Bruce Springsteen walking towards me in his sunglasses, and he goes: ‘Hey, can I play your song with you?’”
In a separate interview with NME, Fallon said he was a bit taken back that Springsteen even recognized his music, much less wanted to play alongside him. It wasn’t the first time that Springsteen and Fallon had met. The two previously played a benefit concert together, but the two had barely interacted outside of a short greeting.
Fallon said, “My musical professional brain took over because my regular brain freaked out, and I said to him: ‘Do you know the song? Then let’s go!’ It was a small tent and felt pretty epic afterward. I freaked out.”
Fallon ended up performing with Springsteen in front of 90,000 people. Afterward, Fallon and Springsteen struck up a friendship.
In fact, Springsteen helped The Gaslight Anthem reunite in 2021. Fallon texted Springsteen for advice about the band. At the time, Springsteen suggested Fallon put on his writing cap and come up with four new songs, according to Far Out Magazine.
For what it’s worth, Fallon’s still a bit shocked. “Bruce is a friend, and it’s not lost on me how crazy it is that I can say: ‘Oh, I can text my friend Bruce Springsteen and see if he wants to catch a little TV tonight!’” he told NME.
(Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
