The Boss: On The Road Alone

Bruce Springsteen Talks About Performing Solo Again

(CBS)  "Devils & Dust" debuted at No. 1 in 10 countries, including the U.S. On tour, audiences are hearing a stripped-down Springsteen; just Bruce and his guitar (or guitars).

"There's a lot of guitars," he says with a laugh. "And the reason there's a lot of guitars is because there's a lot of different tunings… To have the listener's ear constantly moving to different tones and different sounds and different harmonic combinations, I use a lot of different tunings. Almost every song is a different tuning."

The Boss even brings a banjo to play "I'm On Fire."

He says, "Most of the stuff that I'm choosing, I choose on the basis of: Does it feel new? Does it sound new? And does it feel fresh? I want people to come in and rehear all the music that they think they know and hear music that they don't know."

Does it excite him to hear it fresh again? Does he get a kick out of it?

"That's the fun, you know," says Springsteen. "That's the fun of a good song. Like a sturdy song, you know, gets played all different kind of ways. And I've written a few of them. So they, it's fun to come in and rediscover them myself."

Many of the songs on his new album are about faith and family. "Long Time Comin'" is a father's love song.

Is he a better writer as a father? A different writer as a father?"

"It's hard to say," he replies, "because I'll go back to some of my early songs, and I can't say I've written better ones. You know, I've written different ones. And I write differently now.

"Your writing does change," he continues. "I can go back and play 'Thunder Road' on the piano. Well, that was a good song. You know, I hope I've written songs as good. I don't know if I've written songs better, you know."

"Thunder Road" was released 30 years ago this July on "Born to Run," the breakthrough album for the young Bruce Springsteen.

Can he believe it's been that long?

"I suppose I could, man. If I see video clips of that young man, I'm not quite sure who he is, you know."

When Mason points out he doesn't look that different, Springsteen quips, "Oh, give that man a raise, please, whoever's paying his salary."

The Boss is 55. Will he be doing this when he's 75?

"Oh yeah. Of course. Of course."

As long as he can?

"Yeah. 'Til it's over, man."

Few rock acts have endured across four decades. Fewer still keep challenging themselves and their audiences. And then there's Springsteen who, miles past "Thunder Road," is still singing hauntingly of the search for dignity in desperate lives.