WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for Road Diary.
Hulu and Disney’s new documentaryRoad Diaryfeatures never-before-seen details and footage about Bruce Springsteen, otherwise known as “The Boss”.Road Diaryoffers viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the rehearsal process leading up to Bruce Springsteen’s current world tour with the E Street Band. The tourbegan on July 18, 2025, in Tampa, Florida, and is set to conclude on July 25, 2025.Road Diaryfeatures a great soundtrackfull of live performances.
Road Diaryinitially premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2024. The documentary is directed by Thom Zimny, who has shot many of Springsteen’s other documentaries such asBruce Spingsteen’s Letter to You(2020) andSpringsteen on Broadway(2018), music videos like “Radio Nowhere” and “Western Stars”, and several live concert specials.Despite Springsteen’s age, he announced thathe has no plans to stop touring with the E Street Band anytime soon.
Road Diaryis streaming now exclusively on Hulu and Disney+.
Bruce Springsteen’s “The Boss” Nickname Has A Few Origins
Stevie Van Zandt helped legitimize “The Boss” nickname
Bruce Springsteen has been known as “The Boss” by his fans for the better part of his decades-spanning music career. The origin of the nickname reportedly ties back to his bandmatescalling him “The Boss” as a joke because he would collect the band’s money and fees and distribute them. It also apparently ties into his habit of playing Monopoly back in Ashbury Park, New Jersey before the E Street Band took off. Stevie Van Zandt was said to have started calling him “The Boss” more often and the rest is history.
10 Biggest Reveals From Bruce Springsteen’s Road Diary Documentary
Bruce Springsteen’s latest documentary Road Diary features never-before-seen details and footage about the Boss’s current world tour.
According to the 2012 biographyBruceby Peter Ames Carlin, Van Zandt helped legitimize “The Boss” nickname for Bruce. “I remember people calling him that and not taking it seriously. Not ‘til I started calling him the Boss. Then they took it seriously because I was a boss, too. So when I started calling him the Boss, the vibe was, ‘If Stevie’s doing it, there’s something to this!'” Initially,only Springsteen’s close friends would call him the nickname before it gained tractionwith crew members, the press, and fans worldwide.
What Bruce Springsteen Has Said About Being Called “The Boss”
Springsteen “hates” being called the nickname
In the 2010 biographyIt Ain’t No Sin to Be Glad You’re Aliveby Eric Alterman, Springsteen revealed that he hated bosses, claiming, “I hate being called the boss.” Despite these sentiments,the nickname is quite fitting for Springsteen, who commands every stage during his live performances, conducting his E Street Band and lifting the spirits of his audience. Springsteen appears opposed to the traditional notion of a workplace boss who he might describe as soulless. Springsteen, who Van Zandt described as the “most introverted guy ever” inRoad Diary, doesn’t place himself on a pedestal but remains “The Boss” to his passionate fans.
Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band
Cast
Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band offers an insider’s glimpse into Springsteen’s creative process, featuring behind-the-scenes footage of band rehearsals and backstage moments. The documentary provides fans with direct insights from Springsteen, enhancing their understanding of his musical journey.
