Bruce Springsteen has admitted to a “bit of fraud” in the foreword of his forthcoming autobiography Born To Run.
The New Jersey singer has been writing his memoir over the past seven years, which is due out on September 27. Named after his 1975 album, Born To Run sees the singer describe growing up in Freehold, New Jersey, and recounts his relentless drive to become a musician, his early days as a bar band king in Asbury Park, and the rise of the E Street Band.
His foreword reads: “I come from a boardwalk town where almost everything is tinged with a bit of fraud. So am I. By 20, no race-car-driving rebel, I was a guitar player on the streets of Asbury Park and already a member in good standing amongst those who ‘lie’ in service of the truth – artists, with a small ‘a.’
“But I held four clean aces. I had youth, almost a decade of hard-core bar band experience, a good group of homegrown musicians who were attuned to my performance style and a story to tell.”
Springsteen goes on to explain that Born To Run is a continuation of that story, one which explores the roots of his life and the events which have shaped his life.
He also outlines a “rock’n’roll survival kit” which includes: “DNA, natural ability, study of craft, development of and devotion to an aesthetic philosophy, naked desire for fame? Love? Admiration? Attention? Women? Sex? And oh, yeah, a buck. Then, if you want to take it all the way out to the end of the night, a furious fire in the hole that just don’t quit burning.”
Springsteen adds: “These are some of the elements that will come in handy should you come face-to-face with 80,000 screaming rock’n’roll fans who are waiting for you to do your magic trick. Waiting for you to pull something out of your hat, out of thin air, out of this world, something that before the faithful were gathered here today was just a song-fueled rumour.
“I am here to provide proof of life to that ever elusive, never completely believable ‘us.’ That is my magic trick. And like all good magic tricks, it begins with a setup.”
Springsteen will also launch his record Chapter And Verse on September 23 – featuring five previously unreleased tracks – which is designed as an audio companion to the memoir.
He resumes his The River tour at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on August 23.
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Bruce Springsteen Chapter And Verse tracklist
- Baby I – The Castiles (previously unreleased)
- You Can’t Judge A Book By The Cover – The Castiles (previously unreleased)
- He’s Guilty (The Judge Song) – Steel Mill (previously unreleased)
- Ballad Of Jesse James” – The Bruce Springsteen Band (previously unreleased)
- Henry Boy (previously unreleased)
- Growin’ Up
- 4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)
- Born To Run
- Badlands
- The River
- My Father’s House
- Born In The USA
- Brilliant Disguise
- Living Proof
- The Ghost Of Tom Joad
- The Rising
- Long Time Comin’
- Wrecking Ball
Bruce Springsteen remaining tour dates 2016
Aug 23: East Rutherford MetLife Stadium, NJ
Aug 25: East Rutherford MetLife Stadium, NJ
Aug 28: Chicago United Center, IL
Aug 30: East Rutherford MetLife Stadium, NJ
Sep 01: Washington Nationals Park, DC
Sep 03: Virginia Beach Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater, VA
Sep 07: Philadelphia Citizens Bank Park, PA
Sep 11: Pittsburgh Consol Energy Center, PA
Sep 14: Foxborough Gillette Stadium, MA
