Fans of Bruce Springsteen look set to gain a valuable insight into the American rock star’s psyche and imagination later this year. The 66-year-old has announced plans to release his much-anticipated autobiography entitled “Born to Run” in September and the Music maestro promises that the publication will explore the “poetry, danger and darkness” that energises his work.
Nicknamed ‘The Boss’
Known to many millions of devotees across the globe as simply ‘The Boss’, Springsteen divulged that his thoughts had turned to his latest project as far back as 2009.
That was the year that the veteran rocker performed with his E Street Band at the NFL Super Bowl and it seems that he began assembling material for the publication shortly afterwards.
Early reservations
He had expressed some reservations back in 2012 about joining the list of musical celebrities penning their memoirs, referring to similar projects undertaken by established stars such as Neil Young and The Who’s Pete Townshend. Yet it seems that with the assistance of New York publishers Simon & Schuster, the book is to finally become available for the general public to pore over.
Large advance fee
As you might expect from the noted New Jersey-born singer-songwriter - with record sales well in excess of 100 million units worldwide – he has negotiated a hefty sum for the new book.
His publishers are believed to have agreed to a figure of around £7 million ($10 million) in advance, clearly expecting that they will have a best-seller on their hands.
Dynamic stage shows
Mirroring the title of one of his most successful studio albums, Springsteen’s autobiography is expected to set out the events in his life that provided the impetus behind his dynamic stage shows.
His energy in front of an adoring audience has made him one of the world’s best live performers, with his extensive shows typically spanning three hours or more.
His website has divulged some of the topics to be covered in the book, including what drove him on as a musician despite personal struggles during his career. It will also look into the emergence and rise in popularity associated with his E Street Band.
Mixture of styles
Springsteen’s distinctive gravelly voice has earned him admirers ever since he first came to the public’s attention in the 1970s. With his recordings often providing a mixture of commercially viable rock tracks with more folk-oriented tunes, his longevity has been assured through a large fanbase. His influences and style often pander to their own senses, including Americana and working class themes, with an infusion of poetic lyrics.
As befits his home-grown talent, Americans have supported him to the tune of around 60 million album sales. Not that surprising when you consider classic releases such as “Born to Run” (1975) and “Born in the U.S.A.” (1984) have been included in his back catalogue.
Awards for the musician
Music critics have also acclaimed his abilities, rewarding the musician with an Academy Award in 1993 for “Streets of Philadelphia”, two Golden Globes and a staggering 20 Grammy Awards.
The book is expected to be available on 27th September.
