This astounding interview was conducted in Los Angeles by renowned Australian rock journalist Ian "Molly" Meldrum as part of the promotional push for the "Greatest Hits" album in 1995.It is extraordinary on a number of levels, making it undoubtedly one of the most fascinating interviews of Bruce's career ever committed to film. Bruce and his management keep tight control of his contact with the media. Questions must be submitted beforehand and follow-ups are generally not allowed. However, Molly Meldrum had other ideas. He was granted just 15 minutes, but was determined to get a much longer interview that he could use for a worldwide syndicated TV special. He was impeccably polite, but refused to relent on his persistent line of questioning. The interview starts in conventional fashion, but Meldrum quickly throws in a question that isn't on the approved list. Bruce seems intrigue, but his minders (who are just off-camera) are less amused. The tension grows and Bruce starts to cast glances to someone else in the room. The questions are unique and insightful, drawing on the in-depth knowledge of someone who is obviously a dedicated fan. Examples include questions on an unreleased album recorded in 1986 and the verse about Bruce's father that was deleted from "Glory Days". Bruce seems to be caught off-guard at times, but he remains in good spirits throughout. It was admirable that Bruce let the interview continue, despite the fact that he was clearly being signalled to end it. This is probably because Meldrum was smart enough to avoid questions of a personal nature and the issue of concerts is cleverly circumvented when it comes up. After a gruelling 90 minutes, the interview is finally called to a halt. Springsteen's management (who are never seen on camera) were apparently furious at what unfolded and they refused to allow Meldrum to use more than the originally allocated 15 minutes, so the TV Special never came to fruition. However, we can now finally get to see the marathon session in its unedited entirety. The audio is perfectly adequate, but there is minor hiss and distortion throughout. If any interview could be described as essential, then "1995 Molly Meldrum Interview" is it.

• published: 09 Feb 2015
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