Bruce on the artist
Bruce on James Brown in 2012 SXSW Keynote Address (at 33:10)
…..
"Young musicians, learn how to bring it live, and then bring it night, after night, after night, after night. Your audience will remember you.Your ticket is your handshake. These skills gave me a huge ace up my sleeve. And when we finally went on the road, and we played that ace, we scorched the Earth, because that's what I was taught to do by Sam Moore, and by
James Brown. There's no greater performance than
James Brown burning ass on the Rolling Stones at The T.A.M.I. show. Sorry, sorry, my friends. I fucking loved the Stones. But
James Brown – boys and men, you were screwed. Yeah, I think I'll go on after
James Brown. Oh, yeah, can you put me in the schedule somewhere after
James Brown? Fuck, no. Get out. Go home. Save it. Don't waste it, man. I had a great thing with
James Brown. I went to see
James Brown one night, and he kind of knew me. I was sitting in the audience, and, suddenly I heard: Ladies and gentlemen, Magic Johnson, and Magic Johnson was onstage. And: Ladies and gentlemen, Woody Harrelson, and he was on stage. And then I'm sitting in my seat, watching, I hear: Ladies and gentleman, Mr. Mr., Mr. "Born in the USA." And I realized he didn't know my name, so I ran my ass up there as fast as I could. I can't tell you, man, standing on stage alongside of
James Brown…it was like, "Fuck, what am I doing here? He's such a, his influence.
James Brown, underrated, still, today, underrated. He's, He's Elvis. He's Dylan. Dylan from whom I first heard a version of the place that I lived that felt unvarnished and real to me……"