Bruce’s secret is the extra-long concerts. Like a Deadhead Trip for people infatuated with New Jersey.
He “broke” in the 70s because of the King Biscuit Flower Hour concerts that ran for hours and hours. And then the bootleggers would offer LPs of those same long concerts. And through the repetition a star was born.
He was sold as “punk” once upon a time (and Tom Petty was sold as “new wave”). Then again, Tony Bennett was sold as “rock and roll” in the 1950s.
An now he thinks he is a political analyst. NOT.
The only “punk” connection I can see is to Patti Smith, who covered “Because The Night”. And she’s barely “punk” as it became known, anyhow.