Wise Owl Films is behind a new documentary to mark the 50th anniversary of Bruce Springsteen’s first UK concert.
The Leeds production company, which is part of All3Media, is making the show for BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.
When Bruce Springsteen Came To Britain will form the centrepiece of a night of programming dedicated to Springsteen.
The hour-long film will chronicle his unique relationship with the UK and starts with the, then, 26-year old and the E Street Band performing at a sold-out Hammersmith Odeon in 1975. That gave the album, Born To Run, its European premiere.
Heavily hyped by his record label, which was keen to sell him as the new Bob Dylan, he said in a new interview that he was so disappointed by his own performance that night that he couldn’t watch the footage back for over 30 years.
“(After the show)…I went to a party that was supposed to celebrate my triumph, but I felt I’d been terrible and so I was embarrassed to even go in… I went in for a few minutes, couldn’t stand myself being there, went out, ran back to the hotel, sat in my lonely room under a big black cloud, ate whatever I had and went to bed….I had PTSD from the first Hammersmith show!,” he said.
The second show, a week later, was a personal triumph, but he didn’t return to the UK until 1981 for The River Tour, which took him around the country to venues including Edinburgh, Birmingham, Stafford and six nights at London’s Wembley Arena.
Springsteen recalls his first visit to Newcastle on that tour:
“It was huge for us to go to Newcastle. All I knew was, Newcastle – The Animals! I was one of the biggest Animals fans and to this day still am” – and to Brighton – “I remember (it) very, very well because it was seaside – we said, ‘Oh man, this is a little bit like Asbury Park!’” he continued.
In the documentary he talks about his vivid memories of first hearing the Beatles and his love of all things British in the 1960s.
“This documentary chronicles a truly special relationship between an iconic American artist and the UK – and one who seems to inspire an unrivalled loyalty and passion from his fans,” explained Mark Robinson, Wise Owl Films.
“Not only has Bruce been influenced by British songwriters and musicians, in turn he has influenced new generations of them too”.
The film features new interviews with guitarist and E Street Band member Stevie Van Zandt, friends and fellow songwriters Sting and Peter Gabriel as well as Sir Michael Palin, who wrote about the first Hammersmith gig in his diary.
It also includes promoter Harvey Goldsmith (who booked him for the Hammersmith show), his manager and producer Jon Landau and Springsteen superfan, actor Rob Brydon, who talks about the connection he has had with Springsteen’s music.
The documentary includes archive from the 1970s to the 2020s and hears from ‘ordinary’ fans who recount how hearing – and meeting – Springsteen changed their lives, including Juliana Heron, the wife of a striking miner, who received a cheque from the rock star towards their struggling community’s funds.
Wise Owl is behind shows including the When “X” Came To Britain series (Bob Marley, Nirvana, Motown, Tina Turner, Blondie and ABBA).
“Bruce Springsteen is not only a global music icon, but he’s an honorary Brit here in the UK – he’s become one of our own! We know BBC viewers will love watching this film, which lifts the lid on his early visits to the UK with a world exclusive new interview, as well as some great insight from those that have been hugely impacted by him and his music,” said Rachel Davies, Commissioning Editor, BBC Music.
“We’re looking forward to celebrating Bruce all night on BBC Two with a new compilation of his most loved hits and one of his all-time classic live performances.”
It is produced and directed by Stuart Ramsay, edited by James Alcock and the Executive Producer for Wise Owl Films is Mark Robinson. Wise Owl Films is part of All3Media.
