"THANKS BRUCE!": Neil Young Issues Statement of Support for Bruce Springsteen
(Click photo to enlarge)
Neil Young has issued a statement of support for Bruce Springsteen, after a Springsteen concert on May 14 in Manchester, UK in which he spoke negatively about the current Trump Administration. (Thanks Road Dawg!)
Bruce Springsteen
Manchester, UK - May 14, 2025
Bruce Springsteen said to 20,000 fans that a corrupt and treacherous government was in power in the US. He called Trump an "incompetent president" of a "rogue government."
Afterwards, President Trump then called Springsteen a "totally overrated" musician. "[Springsteen should] keep his mouth shut until he's back in the country. Then we'll all see how he fares," Trump posted.
In response, Neil Young writes in a post on Neil Young Archives| Times-Contrarian:
"Thank you, Bruce.As a dual Canadian-American citizen, I join the vast majority in thanking you for speaking so eloquently and truthfully on behalf of the American people,We are with you, my old friend."
Neil Young has actively been protesting the Trump Administratio and "Fighting Oligarchy" in advance of his tour of Europe and North America this summer.
Neil Young and Daryl Hannah
Labels: bruce springsteen, concert, donald trump, neil young
by thrasher@PermaLink: 5/17/2025 10:24:00 AM
27 comments
>> Pre-Order on Amazon.com << 
Human Highway
Concert Review of the Moment
This Land is My Land
FREEDOM In A New Year
*Thanks Neil!*
![[EFC Blue Ribbon - Free Speech Online]](http://www.thrasherswheat.org/gifs/free-speech.gif)
The Unbearable Lightness of Being Neil Young
Pardon My Heart
"We're The Ones 
Thanks for Supporting Thrasher's Wheat!
This blog 
(... he didn't kill himself either...)
#AaronDidntKillHimself
Neil Young's Moon Songs
Civic Duty Is Not Terrorism
Orwell (and Grandpa) Was Right
What's So Funny About 
27 Comments:
No one likes a bully. Kudos to both for using their freedom of speech to speak their opinions!
Trump has brought corruption to a whole new level in the US. Oligarchy, slashing everyone else to give billionaires a huge tax cut?! The “gift” of the jumbo flying ego palace is not free at all. It would cost a fortune to debug / inspect it.
Emoluments make this a big problem for Trump. He could be impeached just for this, if politicians get tired of playing his game. But the court of public opinion & people in the streets, people out in peaceful, legal protest, as guaranteed is our right in the constitution.
Trump has done massive damage to world finances, US retirement funds, education & social services. These social services are what make “America Great” -not chain sawing thru crucial programs for real people! Trump will have people out on the street by the 10s of thousands more pretty soon. He has crashed the world economy to some extent. The US debt rating is no long AAA, as of 2 days ago. We are now suffering for “bad credit” as a nation, that is, not as great as before!
And so the people in the streets is how we will turn the tide. People are going to protest more each week. This parade is not going to go well. Trump is a madman, a wannabe dictator. We just hope that when he tells the troops to fire on peaceful protesters, that they follow their oaths to uphold the constitution above all else, not to follow bad orders from “Evil” politicians.
If you thought Kent State was bad, you are right! Somehow I sense we are about to see something possibly worse. Trump loves the power of brutal dictators and he will tell them to fire on peaceful citizens doing their civic duty.
He has waged war against diversity and global warming science like he is hell bent on destruction. But not just his, unfortunately. He will take us all with him into a time of superstorms & heat. Children of the fires & floods. Trump is bringing coal back with reckless abandon.
Obviously he is a dangerous prick. Mother Nature has been pushed too far by burning fossil fuels. There is a monster coming in the weather. 1000 year storms rolling around all over. This is all predicted by the very science our bone headed king is erasing. That & “DEI” (code for racism encouraged & legal) . The humorless king who can’t get his way. Always the victim.
The weather report ain’t what it used to be. Massive cuts do that. Air traffic safety has gotten worse. The fallout has only begun. Massive numbers of condo owners in Florida now see they got sold a bag of s*%t & can’t afford to stay. As dues raise, because insurance companies know what we all know: Global Warming is already here & it is burning up places in ways history has never seen.
In review, warm air holds more moisture. So, when a storm happens, there are enormous amounts of water released compared to history.
I say, Duh! Go Green! We need it. It shall be done! We should get those good green jobs coming. Instead China is beating US in the green tech & green revolution business opportunities. The world is going green. It must be done to save Earth for future generations! There will be much difficulty ahead. Water levels are rising fast. If karma exists, this could be a tough hurricane season. Trump and his idiot klan need to see more. Here it comes.
Of course, the sane thing to to is to bring back all of the green energy possibilities, green construction. The US is missing out on the investment in Green business. We must invest in Education, because it pays! We must invest in feeding the people, housing the people. Act like a Christian nation for a moment, can we? We should feed the hungry & help people who need shelter & help. Let’s have some decency. Most of us are a lot closer to being homeless than we may foresee. One large medical bill is what puts most people in bankruptcy. We must provide health care for all. It is the only civilized thing to do. The US is the only western country that does not provide health care for its citizens.
We must invest in resources such as weather, fisheries management, NOAA and numerous other crucial areas DT has attacked.
The peeps are bloody tired of his disastrous reign of error. The tariffs have been quite bad for our world standing. US Treasury bonds will begin to get dumped more so. From a trickle to a torrent. Good luck! The government doesn’t give a crap about US. Democracy will prevail. We shall overcome fascism together. Best stand up & join the struggle. I promise it will make you happy to participate!
Your brother Alan in Seattle
I am encouraged by Bruce’s eloquent summary on an international stage. I’m pretty sure Neil will follow suit when he hits the road.
However, a fellow protester asked me “Where’s Bob Dylan when we need him”?
The point is, I guess, NOT to single out Dylan. But ALL the voices of reason WITH A PLATFORM? AN AUDIENCE?
Not just musicians either. Former Presidents. Movie stars. Athletes. Authors. Former U.S. Generals. Playwrights. Etc. Etc. Etc…
“Blind faith in your leaders, or in anything, will get you killed”.
That quote is attributed to Bruce. It was his introduction to the song “War”. It was a staple on his E Street set lists, early-mid eighties. Regan error.
(Not a typo)
@herbsworld : I agree. Where are all these people with who have a voice that carries weight? The sociopath in The White House has now threatened Bruce when he returns home. I’m convinced that Bruce isn’t afraid, and will continue to represent the majority of Americans who agree with him. This regime becomes more dangerous each and every day, and the s*#t is about to hit the fan. The inhumanity being perpetrated by these evil people must be stopped immediately. If they continue with this authoritarian regime, our democracy will crumble under our feet. As Bruce said; “the only thing between authoritarianism and democracy now, is the people”.
Peace to all 🙏
Looking in from the outside: "the only thing between authoritarianism and democracy now, is the unsolved mystery who 'the people' are. "Those people in Rochester, NY" who donated more than 700.000 $ to a socially incompetent and racist mother to pay for her relocation to another town, where she will not be known for her racism towards a five year old autistic black child? The people who showered that stupid woman with a shitstorm? The dummy who took his video documentation of the deplorable incident to the internet, supposedly knowing very well what the outcome would be? We, the recipients of this news about an ugly neighborhood incident, that clearly got out of hand?
"We the people" is a fiction, admittedly a powerful one. Increasingly one is getting the impression - when looking in from the outside - that in the US there are different versions of "we, the people", just as there are different versions of free speech, different versions or liberty and freedom, different ideas of "greatness"...
Underlying all of this is one common denominator, true for both sides: the idea of American exceptionalism (thanks Sarah Kendzior) However, one side always is accusing the other that they are not living up to that claim. It's about time that this self-illusion about "the people" ends.
In 1989 the socialist state of Germany (known as East Germany) was brought down by courageous protesters and their opposition slogan "We are the people!". It took the spin doctors a couple of weeks to turn this into "We are one people!", preparing for the re-unification of Germany. With the rise of extremist right wing parties and organisations in the east since the beginning of this millenium, that for some years now also spread in the west of Germany, we see a comeback of "the people", this time claimed by the ultra right extremists.
Briggs had it right once, when he said "Neil doesn't know anything about ordinary people", and so doesn't Bruce Springsteen, "the people" have been atomized by the internet, I am afraid, my people became your mob.
Oh, I had too much Kodak in mind. The incident took place in Rochester, MN, my apologies to upstate New York.
Rochester NY has similar issues. We are an imperfect nation. We the people s/b all the people.
In a perfect world.
Go Bruce!
@Dan: have you looked at a map of where all of the “No Kings” rallies are taking place? In England? No Kings. That is a statement of international
solidarity. The world is watching AND paying attention. :)
The protest numbers are huge. We the people are here in large numbers. In every state, on June 14th it will be enormous but not at Trump ‘s parade, which could get out hand.
There are organized boycotts in place, protest days planned and attended. Lots of regular folks showing up and the community is heartwarming.
Can you see this on TV? No, I am sure you cannot. The 6 corporations that own all the news do not wish to change the status quo. It is all over social media. The people are gonna sweep out the trash.
Violence is not necessary, I say.
Your brother Alan in Seattle
It may be that the US corporate media is not reporting about protest and resistance to the extent they should, caving in to the protection racket. European media is not and neither are the European consumers and voters, and that is the reason for my scepticism. Infact very many Europeans are anxious not to miss out on any political developments in the US, be they positive or negative. So there are quite a few European reports on protests, but so far they all carry that "too little, too late" message.
Is it that the protest movement has not found the right angle or the right tools to really come across? Or is the American population, especially what is considered to be the middle class, just too saturated, lethargic, stunned, apathic? What else will have to happen until those 60% who do not approve of the current protection racket figuring as government start moving? Maybe I am too impatient and my scepticism sounds too discouraging while my best intentions are aiming at the opposite. Be sure that Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen touring here in Europe are "preaching to the the converted", the vast majority that is.
I am going to see a show by Sophie Auster on Friday here in Munich, also playing on Paul's blue team.
I hope the tentative optimism in some of these comments is warranted. I think many of us have been tired, demoralized, fearful, frustrated. I sense a little spring awakening underway. With the US’s first-past-the-post, winner-take-all system, dramatic shifts can occur from very close elections.
I think we’ll come through this, but it’s going to take a longer time and more energy than we might have expected. Stamina is key. I fervently hope the present will become a learning experience for the future.
I hope the tentative optimism in some of these comments is warranted. I think many of us have been tired, demoralized, fearful, frustrated. I sense a little spring awakening underway. With the US’s first-past-the-post, winner-take-all system, dramatic shifts can occur from very close elections.
I think we’ll come through this, but it’s going to take a longer time and more energy than we might have expected. Stamina is key. I fervently hope the present will become a learning experience for the future.
The media in the U.S. is running scared. I have been to many protests. Numbers of protesters (And the wide variety of actions being protested are indeed growing). Trump is threatening every news outlet. Even the ones he “Likes”.
I’m finding a good antidote for nervous distraction (anxiety) is to listen the dirtiest, loudest of NY & The Horse. I stumbled across a track list I completely forgot about making, mostly SWA and Toast tracks with a couple of the heavier MGs songs (AYP?, Two Old Friends). Driveby juxtaposed with Gateway of Love is intense.
Your listening experience may vary. I find much of Toast to be heavier than F%%^€££¥!N& Up, in a particular way. There are moments you can hear NY&CH pouring out the existential frustration into the music.
I live in the ruby red state of Idaho, and our protest numbers continue to grow every week. I have attended several protests so far, and each time the numbers grow. The world is watching, and it’s on the masses to show up and let our voices be heard.
Will it help????
Well it won’t if we give up, and as sick and tired of this mess as I am, I refuse to comply. We are approaching a turning point, and our lives literally depend on us not giving up the fight.
The rule of law is only hanging on by a thread right now, but it’s (barely) holding.The wheels of justice turn slowly in a democracy, and it can be incredibly frustrating, but until it fails we need to keep the pressure on.
Call your house representatives, Senators, and congressional representatives. Tell them what you demand from them. Remember they work for you, not the other way around. Be honest, and don’t let them off the hook. Keep calling as often as you can. Bombard them.
Peace 🙏
P. S. @Meta: Even Neil & Crazy Horse doesn’t create the appropriate catharsis for me….. I’ve resorted to Rage Against The Machine 🤬
Fine words from Mr Springsteen. I know he is not alone but still wish more people were speaking up in the same way. Also agree with Alan's comments.
I am not giving up hope, but find it difficult to see how all of this ends peacefully.
There's way more that enough evidence already to Impeach Trump but Congress and Senate don't look like doing anything.
The courts are doing a reasonable job of stopping or at least slowing some of the madness but I'm not sure if they are going to hold to that when the big crunch comes.
Maybe the Mid Terms might change the balance enough for Congress/Senate to do their job, but the way things are going it's hard to be confident that there will be fair elections or elections at all.
Trump is of an age that he could at any point pass away due to illness but that would only lead to Vance taking over and in some ways I think he could be worse.
So as Bruce said the normal checks and balances have failed and it looks ever more likely to me that it will fall to the people to act. But even if a significant majority of the people take to the streets I don't see Trump backing down. He will likely declare a State of Emergency and or Martial Law and it seems inevitable that at some point troops will be asked to fire on demonstrators so what will they do? I'd like to think they wouldn't fire but I would have said the same about the Kent State protests. Maybe the troops don't fire but would about trump's militia, the pardoned Jan. 6th protestors, etc? 'The Followers' that Neil mentioned in his post yesterday.
Sorry if I am being overly negative, I would love it if someone could paint me a picture of how this gets resolved positively.
Like Meta and Dan I am taking some relief from the anxiety by listening to music, but unlike them I have turned to softer more mellow material, rather than loud and noisy. A lot of Neil's acoustic stuff, a proper listening of Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings catalogue (most of which was new to me) and some John Martyn and Nick Drake albums too. I have though also being enjoying repeated plays of Ordinary People, inspired by the video of Neil's recent performance with the Chrome Hearts. I wonder if when Neil first wrote it the harmonica parts were included?
"Fighting for the people...Hey, Hey..."
Once again, thanks to all for being here and contributing.
Really appreciate folks maintaining respect and restraint in these challenging times.
btw, it appears our X/Tweet on this ( @ https://x.com/ThrashersWheat/status/1923746914752720980 )
had some of the highest engagements we've seen in awhile.
Suspect most traffic mainly driven by posting being picked up by Bruce community.
This comment has been removed by the author.
This comment has been removed by the author.
Historically the regime of the former German Democratic Republic (GDR) defined itself as a socialist state following in the footsteps of the USSR. The society of the GDR is a completely different and more complex thing. The lesson learned in Germany is that a socialist state against the will of the people (society) turns into an authoritarian regime. To shortcircuit what I have written above and falsely deducting that calling a state socialist also means that the society is labelled as such and then also implying that following from this would be that I support "authoritarian murder" is an expression of historical and political illiteracy. And that is put nicely and friendly. So please explain, maybe I have not understood correctly?
Dionys, thanks for this cultural context you consistently provide. It’s hard to deduce anyone’s intentions or meanings from a single-sentence comment. It’s worth noting, incidentally, that the automatic association of socialism with authoritarianism or extremism is a commonplace in America, but not so much in other parts of the world.
“Socialist” is basically a snarl word in US politics. If my understanding is accurate, in a European context it’s just another part of the spectrum.
It’s the Drive by Truckers fer me. I wear my “Hell No, I Ain’t Happy” concert tee proudly @ protests and get asked about it often. (Honestly, when I bought it years ago @ a DBT concert I did think I’m never gonna wear this shirt. Peeps will think me mental…
Infact I felt compelled to do some more lecturing, since I am very much aware of the American connotations to the term socialism. I even somehow figured that rider intended to defend a political concept or an ideology that he or she considers to be "socialism" in his "little box at the top of the stairs"-version. Then I decided against lenghty explanations as an answer to just one questionable sentence. Rider can count himself lucky to not be one of my grade 13 students, his fellow students would have sunk him immediately (grade 13: that would be the age level equivalent to American first college years).
Most parties or organizations or even states which are denounced as being "socialist" by conservative Americans infact are social democrat entities. Across the political spectrum (with the exception of the extremist right) social democrat concepts are an accepted reality. The historical merit of the social democrats in Western Europe being more or less succcessful attempts at taming raw predator capitalism which leaves the most vulnerable members of a society at the mercy of generous donators (think: the American charity industry), hence social democrat systems provide for affordable health insurance, unemployment insurance, protection in case of invalidity or permanent handicap, old age pensions and geriatric care. So, if that's socialist in the eyes of Americans because it requires the re-distribution of wealth, that's alright with me. Holding a tenure for life my income is well above the average and I gladly pay my exorbitant taxes to make sure that my neighbours have a chance to live their lives in dignity. That the German social security system is not perfect is readily admitted. At least it's not based on Social Darwinism and that's some progress.
This comment has been removed by the author.
This comment has been removed by the author.
I deal with the bogeyman of "socialism" on a regular basis. This is quite frustrating. Within our small town, socialism means (use determines meaning) "the government runs your life by violating all of your property rights" (property rights will include the right to life). Within the undergraduate student population it has multiple meanings. In an effort to straighten things out, I initially say, following Andrew Feenberg (political philosopher) that socialism is the "attempt to democratize the work place." If we take this endeavor seriously, it will mean the redistribution of wealth on a major scale. If we start with Feenberg, we can continue to deduce from the principles of justice. What we need is a constant emphasis on the moral power of socialism as the democratization of labor. Of course, nihilists don't care about morality. But we do.
Post a Comment
<< Home