As initial payments roll in ($500,000), the funds are completely in Appel’s control, per the initial contract, and Appel wants to renegotiate. Springsteen knows he has greater negotiating power now and wants to understand the details before signing anything new. Appel is suspiciously vague about their old agreement, but Springsteen’s willingness to sign as a young, undiscovered artist contributed to the relationship’s imbalance. An independent attorney reviews the old contracts and informs Springsteen that “the Lenape Indians […] got a better deal when they sold Manhattan for twenty-four dollars” (248). Armed with this information, he discusses contracts with Appel. Despite Appel’s shady tactics and dubious claims, Springsteen, drunk on Jack Daniels, is ready to sign just to get the business out of the way—but Appel stops him, not wanting inebriation to affect the paperwork.

The Last Meet

Subsequent efforts to finalize an agreement are unsuccessful—Appel wants five more years, but Springsteen wants to split the royalties fairly and move on; so attorneys handle the matter. In retrospect, Springsteen understands Appel’s perspective: Without any guarantee that Springsteen will have another hit record, Born to Run may be Appel’s only payoff. Springsteen, however, balks at the lack of control he’d have per Appel’s agreement and regrets that mere paperwork has disrupted their friendship.