TORONTO — Bruce Springsteen spoke movingly about his wife, Patti Scialfa, and his famous band at the premiere of his new documentary “Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band” at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday night.
The film that goes behind the scenes of their latest tour revealed that Scialfa, 71, has been battling multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer, since 2018.
Onstage after the screening with Stevie Van Zandt, music producer Jon Landau and director Thom Zimny, Springsteen said that the unwavering support of Scialfa and the E Street Band are what make it possible for him to be a frontman.
“You’re not alone,” Springsteen, 74, said. “I can look to my left, Stevie’s there. To my right, Nils [Lofgren] is there. When Patti’s able to make it, I can see her there.”
The Boss added: “I can look around and see Jake [Clemons]. When I see Jake, I see Jake, but I also see Clarence [Clemons]. Roy [Bittan], Max [Weinberg]. So I’m not alone.”
Springsteen reflected touchingly to the sold-out crowd at the Roy Thompson Hall about his more than five decades of playing with his wife, friends and bandmates.
“You’ve gotta understand — we’ve got the only job where the people you went to high school with, at 75, you’re still with those people,” he said.
“You live your life with them. You see them grow up, you see them get married, you see them get divorced, you see them go to jail, you see them get out of jail, you see them renege on their child payments, you see them fail, you see them get old, you see their hair grow gray and you’re in the room when they die.”
The E Street Band was formed in 1972, and Springsteen said it’s shocking they’re still together so many years later.
“Bands break up. That’s the natural order of things. The Kinks, The Who. All bands break up,” he said.
“They can’t even get two guys to stay together. Simon hates Garfunkle. Sam hates Dave. The Everly Brothers hated each other. If you can’t get two people to stay together, what are your odds? They’re low!”
And, although he vows to continue touring, The Boss said he has no regrets if it ended tomorrow.
“If I went tomorrow, it’s OK,” Springsteen said. “What a f – – kin’ ride.”
