Customer Reviews
Disarmingly honest and with perceptive insights into human nature - By: Rennie Petersen, 24 May 2006 
Any inclination to put Bruce Springsteen into the mold of being a shalllow pop performer is wiped away after watching "Bruce Springsteen - VH1 Storytellers".
"VH1 Storytellers" is an American television program where singer-songwriters perform some of their songs & tell about the how & why of each song's creation. One can argue that the program is more for the education & inspiration of budding songwriters than for fans of the artists invited to participate. Still, I'm reviewing this DVD version of "Bruce Springsteen - VH1 Storytellers" as a fan, not as an aspiring songwriter.
In this program Bruce sings eight songs, accompanying himself on guitar or piano. No band. On "Brilliant Disguise" he invites his wife Patti Scialfa to sing backup, but otherwise he is alone on the stage.
Between the songs Bruce tells the story behind each song. This results in about 40 minutes of music & 56 minutes of talk, at least for the PAL version of the DVD.
Bruce's discussion of his songwriting is very enjoyable, even confidence-inspiring. He comes across as a disarmingly honest person with perceptive insights into human nature. I found myself liking him a lot, much more than I had expected, having my prejudices regarding what show business & success does to people.
For example, Bruce mentions that he wrote up a lot of notes in preparation for this program. He then quips that on reviewing the notes he thought they made him sound very self-centered, & figured that for that purpose he didn't need notes!
And when discussing "Thunder Road", he dissects the line, "I got this guitar & I've learned how to make it talk." His verdict: "Probably the hokiest line I ever wrote - & I've written a few of them, let me tell you!"
Bruce presents both serious songs & fun songs. The serious songs are followed up by serious discussions of personal ideals vs. politics & reality, the influence of religion (his Catholic background) on his songwriting, & the multiple personalities that we each present depending on the situation. All of which I found fascinating - I was impressed by his understanding & his modesty.
Following the main program there is a 16-minute question & answer session. This too was very interesting, with Bruce talking about his feelings & motives as a songwriter. For example, when asked about "Devils & Dust", he mentions that he has a couple of boys who are 14 years old, so a parent's concern about his child going off to war has become relevant for him.
A few final notes about the DVD itself. As mentioned above, for the PAL version the program is 96 minutes & the Q&A session is 16 minutes, for a total of 112 minutes. Subtitles are available in Dutch, French, German, Italian & Spanish, but not, unfortunately, in English.
Highly recommended, even if you're not a Bruce Springsteen fan.
Rennie Petersen
Bruce up close - By: , 21 Jan 2006 Not a substitute for a full concert with the E Street band but a chance for Bruce to run through some songs & talk openly & with humour about his work in front of a smalll TV studio audience. Essential for Bruce fans. For those intrigued by Bruce, get the Born to Run anniversary DVD.
The Real Bruce is at home - doing good deeds! - By: , 14 Sep 2005 
The storytellers series has for a while now offered fans an inside look into their favourite artists music, so it is with some anticipation that we get to watch an artist as legendary & as legendarily tight-lipped about his work as Springsteen step into the VH1 studio. Perhaps only Dylan & McCartney rival Springsteen in terms of artists we'd most like to see, but for my money Springsteen is the most intriguing. McCartney has always been very forthcoming about his own work, & as for Dylan, well, even when he is espousing in interview, we still come away none the wiser. Springsteen on the other hand has strived to protect the mystery of his work, cautious that to reveal too many specific details will strip the songs of their universal appeal. That caution is at work here too, especiallly when discussing 'The Rising,' wherein he doesn't even mention 9/11 & talks only in the broad biblical metaphors that litter the song. Things do get more interesting when he does get specific, the hometown imagery of 'Blinded by The Light' & 'Thunder Road,' the cinematic & literary influences on 'Nebraska' & most amusingly an anecdote about Bruce frequenting strip joints & getting caught by a fan & how it relates to the relationship drama of 'Brilliant Disguise.' But even when Bruce is not revealing too much, he is still a thoughtful, engaging & witty talker, & one of the most eloquent speakers when it comes to Rock & Roll, what it means & what it is capable of. And what of the music, which ultimately will give this release lasting appeal. The selections are broad in terms of style & tone as well as taking in the whole scope of his career. Bruce performs mostly on guitar & his vocal delivery sometimes veers away from the original performances (though not as drasticallly as Dylan often does) & we get the impression that Springsteen is not so much revisiting his past as reinterpreting it as an older, wiser, more experienced artist. The highlights are when Springsteen sits at the piano for 'Jesus was an only son' & 'Thunder Road.' Eight songs may feel a bit stingy but the program itself does last for two hours, & is wholly satisfying. The filming is unobtrusive, & the sound recording crisp & professional. Hopefully a full concert from Bruce's current solo run will find its way to the DVD racks, but even then, this will still be an essential purchase for Bruce fans, & for those who are merely casual listeners, this is still well worth picking up.
