Bruce Springsteen Said 1 of the ‘Most Amazing Records’ He Ever Heard Inspired ‘Nebraska’

Bruce Springsteen’s album Nebraska has been lauded as one of his greatest records. The album is bleak and masterfully written and took inspiration from a handful of other writers and artists. Springsteen said one band had a major influence on the album’s creation. He spoke about how much he admired one of their albums.

Bruce Springsteen said this album inspired ‘Nebraska’

Before Springsteen began working on Nebraska, he discovered the band Suicide. He said their work heavily influenced songs like “State Trooper” on the album.

“They had that two-piece synthesizer-voice thing,” he told Rolling Stone in 1984. “They had one of the most amazing songs I ever heard.”

The song was “Frankie Teardrop,” which tells the story of a man who kills his wife, child, and himself. The song’s themes are prevalent on Nebraska.

“Oh, my God! That’s one of the most amazing records I think I ever heard,” he said. “I really love that record.”

Springsteen’s love of the band has not dimmed.

“[Suicide] are underground masters,” he later said, per Rolling Stone, adding that “they should be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.”

Alan Vega shared how he reacted when he heard the album

In 1980, Springsteen had the opportunity to sit in on the playback meeting for Suicide’s album, Suicide: Alan Vega and Martin Rev.

“We first met Springsteen in 1980,” singer Alan Vega told Far Out Magazine. “He was recording The River and we were recording our second album in New York … we had a playback meeting for our album. There were three or four big shots from our label, and Bruce was there, too.”

Springsteen made it clear to the band that he loved the album.

“After we played the album, there was deathly silence … except for Bruce, who said, ‘that was f***ing great,’” he recalled. “He made a point of telling us how much he loved it.” 

In 1982, Springsteen released Nebraska. Vega recalled hearing it for the first time and thinking it was his own work.

“I remember walking into my label just after it came out,” Vega said. “I thought it was one of my albums that I had forgotten about. But it was Bruce!”

The making of Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Nebraska’ will be the subject of a film

Over four decades after the release of Nebraska, a major motion picture will tell the story of its creation. Springsteen has visited the set and spoken about Jeremy Allen White, who will portray him.

“It’s a lovely cast and I am involved a little,” Springsteen said on The Graham Norton Show, via People. “This is not easy to do because you can’t do an imitation, you have to do a personal interpretation.”

White has spoken highly of Springsteen, saying that he has enjoyed getting to know him as they work on the film. Springsteen feels similarly. He feels that White is the right person for the role and even praised his singing voice.

“It’s difficult but he is a great actor and sings pretty good.”