Biography
Born Sept. 23, 1949 in Freehold, N.J.
Springsteen
didn't set out to be the new Bob
Dylan or
the future of rock 'n' roll or any of the other hyperbole attached to
him
when he began recording during the early 70s. He was, in fact, a
prototypical
Jersey shore rocker--big guitars and bouncy tunes with at least a
little
bit o' soul--who also had an appreciation for poetry and the great,
sweeping
narratives of American literature; Springsteen understood the art in
"The
Grapes of Wrath," in "Like a Rolling Stone," and in "Louie, Louie," and
he funneled those sensibilities into his own body of work. Besides the
new Dylan tag, Springsteen also survived having his picture appear
simultaneously
on the cover of Time and Newsweek, being used as a crass campaign tool
by Ronald Reagan and a troubled (and short) first marriage that ended
amidst
papparazzi photos of his affair with current wife Patti Scialfa. That's
a testament to the credibility of his music--with and without the E
Street
Band--which has proven more durable than the transient aspects of
image-building and marketability. Springsteen's common man touch never
stood in the way of strong, vivid writing; "Baby this town rips the
bones
from your back" is a killer image, and Springsteen has dozens of `em.
Springsteen
made a name for himself during the 70s as the ultimate bar-rocker on a
big stage, but there's been considerable growth and stylistic
diversions
that have been fascinating to witness, from his full-on embrace of big,
stadium rock on Born in the U.S.A. to the stripped - down, folky
orientation
of Nebraska and The Ghost of Tom Joad to the more personal ruminations
of Lucky Town. Through it all, Springsteen has upheld the notion of
rock
'n' roll as spiritual salvation, something that can help you through
the
worst of times and celebrate the best. He's a True Believer who's been
able to convey that faith both on record and onstage.
|
