Bruce Fights The Blues: The Rockstar Reveals 30 Years of Depression

It may be difficult to imagine that a history of depression lies behind Bruce Springsteen's high-energy performances, but the singer confessed all to a New York magazine. The music legend revealed his 30 year battle with depression yesterday, but said his problems were a blessing in disguise.

The Boss, 62, said his depression struck as he found fame in the 1980s and he struggled with the condition for almost half of his life. He told The New Yorker he feared his life would turn out like his father's, who suffered from severe depression.

"My issues weren't as obvious as drugs," Springsteen said. "Mine were different, they were quieter."

In a lengthy interview, the energetic rockstar, who is guaranteed to put on three or four hour non-stop shows, said the condition had a positive effect on him. He said his ambition has been driven by three separate, but connected, emotions, “pure fear, self-loathing and self-hatred.”

Springsteen stressed the fact that, instead of forcing him from the stage, his depression only spurred on his creativity and his need to succeed.

Springsteen was so affected by the condition at one stage that his biographer and friend, Dave Marsh, said that the artist contemplated suicide in 1982. Troubled by memories of a difficult relationship with his father, it was then that Springsteen began to see a psychoterapist.

The world-famous rockstar said; "If you are extremely pleased with yourself, nobody would be ... doing it! Brando would not have acted, Dylan wouldn't have written 'Like A Rolling Stone', James Brown wouldn't have gone 'Unh!' He wouldn't have searched that one-beat down that was so hard. That's a motivation, that element of 'I need to remake myself, my town, my audience' - the desire for renewal".