Set Lusting Bruce: The Bruce Springsteen Fan Podcast

Across Timelines with Maddie Fry: Bruce, U2, and Music as a Spiritual & Political Awakening

·56 min·5 clips

Maddie recalls the exact words from Bruce's 'Jacob's Ladder' intro that felt like a spiritual awakening.

Host Jesse Jackson welcomes Maddie Fry, a journalist based in London who writes about religion, politics, and pop culture. Maddie describes growing up in Tame, Oxfordshire, with parents who listened to David Bowie and Pink Floyd, which set her preference for music with a message. She discovered Bruce Springsteen through a 2006 BBC radio broadcast of the Seeger Sessions, drawn to its folk-rock style and political commentary against the George W. Bush administration. A specific moment hearing Springsteen introduce 'Jacob's Ladder' with a spiritual analogy was a 'lightning bolt' that awakened her curiosity about faith. Maddie then worked backwards through Springsteen's catalog, attending concerts like the 2013 London show that deepened her fandom. She also discusses her love for U2, which began around age 12 with songs like 'Walk On' providing hope during difficult school years. Maddie traces her career in journalism directly to these musical influences, as they sparked her interest in religion and politics. She shares personal stories, such as bonding with an uncle over Springsteen concerts and the emotional impact of a 2023 Liverpool show where Paul McCartney joined Springsteen on stage. The conversation delves into Maddie's views on religion, noting she was not raised religious but explored faith through music, reading authors like Tolstoy and C.S. Lewis. She critiques the politicization of religion, arguing that Jesus's message is radical and about inclusion. Maddie also reflects on the inevitability of losing iconic artists like Springsteen and the grief that will accompany that. The episode concludes with the 'Mary question' about whether Mary gets in the car at the end of 'Thunder Road', to which Maddie responds affirmatively, seeing it as a metaphor for taking risks in life.

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