Sam Fender Hates Being Compared To A Rock Legend Who's Sold 140 Million Albums: "I Have Ripped Off Loads Of Other People"

Newcastle singer-songwriter Sam Fender has captured the English heart with his honest and unique take on rock and roll. The King of the North's specific brand of emotional songwriting is carefully curated by Fender himself, and while he consciously accepts the inherited legacy of those who came before him, one frequent parallel doesn't sit quite right with him.

It's somewhat inevitable that comparisons follow success: Ariana Grande inspired parallels to Mariah Carrey, Coheed & Cambria are some people's irrefutable Rush heirs, and Greta Van Fleet were almost immediately heiled the new Led Zeppelin. Sometimes, that's more concious of course, as with Airbourne lovingly paying homage to AC/DC in there distinctive riffs and chest-beating lyrics. But for Fender, the near constant allusion to him being the "Geordie Bruce Springsteen" is a step too far.

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Fender name-dropping Springsteen is commonplace. Fans have dubbed Fender with the affectionate nickname "Geordie Bruce Springsteen." However, after touring with The Boss in Italy, and gaining his own singular fame-- as evident from his headliner set at the northeast site of the Leeds Festival 2023, which featured a massive homecoming crowd that gave the main stage action in Reading a run for its money - the 30-year-old musician is finally his own in Britain and abroad.

Looking back on Sam Fender's love for Bruce Springsteen, and Fender's saxophone-laden, guitar-forward sound, being compared to The Boss seems like the best case scenario for Fender. According to the British Northern, he hates being compared to his hero.

From his love of denim down to his use of a Stratocaster, Sam Fender's vibe is nailed down tight. He plays rock and roll with attitude and just a little bit of flair. Paired with his admiration and public love for Bruce Springsteen, it was by no mistake that Fender earned the name "Geordie Bruce Springsteen."

Fender cried after meeting Bruce Springsteen for the first time, name-dropped the artist in countless interviews, and most recently toured Italy with The Boss in 2023. It is obvious Fender has no problem sidling up next to the New Jersey rock and roll genius. In a tweet from late 2022, Fender said, “I’m thinking about the moment [Springsteen’s] music first resonated with me when I was a teenager! Next year I’m opening up for him in Italy."

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And, while the northern songwriter has appeared in recordings with the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Sting, and others, he is not in the business for recognition from his heroes, as he points out in The Sun's column Bizzare, "I feel I would rather be me." Fender wants the world to know he is his own artist. Besides, as Sam pointed out in The Sun, "‘hang on, I don’t just rip him off, I have ripped off loads of other people.'"

“You take bits from everything as a musician. I have a saxophone and I am from a working-class town and I speak about working-class life, so it is easy to get stuck in.”

In Sam Fender's mind, being likened to Springsteen exclusively is over the top considering The Boss's extensive catalog and the nickname originating from his first album, asserting it is surface level at best.

"“The comparisons are just stupid, he is one of the greatest songwriters ever, he’s had 19 albums out and I’ve had one album out. I’m like a sh*t, north-eastern, Geordie version. I’m actually waiting for the court case for when he comes to get us for all of the songs I’ve ripped off,” Sam goes on in his interview.

Seemingly more obvious to Fender, the comparison is nerve-wracking. In another interview with The Sun, Fenders speaks on teaming up with Springsteen and Mark Knopfler for a massive compilation: "Springsteen’s on it as well. There’s a million people... All of the legends and then me, a stupid Geordie."

It isn't hard to read the self-deprecating gratitude in Fender's sentiments, who is truly an up-and-coming legend in his own right. Fender has recently been in the headlines after canceling his tour in December 2024 due to an injured vocal cord followingan electrifying performance while simultaneously being overcome with the flu, breaking the hearts of his massive UK fan base.

Add a few Ed Sheeran collaborations and Fender's insurmountable work ethic, and it is not hard to imagine Sam Fender's career lasting for decades. Soon the blue-collar crooner will be more peer than pupil to America's Jersey jewel - that is if he isn't already.

Source: Guitar.com, The Sun UK, Yahoo News