Springsteen plans tour

Bruce Springsteen is planning a world tour in the new year, with European dates to be revealed in days, as well as an album of new material, his official website brucespringsteen.net announced.

“A lot of you have been hearing that Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will be on tour in 2012. That is absolutely correct,” it said, confirming speculation on fan sites.

“The European dates run from the middle of May until end of July and are being announced this week,” it added, saying that details for concerts in the United States and other parts of the world would be “coming up shortly”.

The music for the new album was almost done but still untitled and its release date was not yet finalised.

Talk of a tour emerged this past week when a Tel Aviv newspaper said negotiations were underway for Springsteen to perform in Israel.

This past year has seen the 62-year-old rock legend appear at a number of benefit concerts in the United States, including one for the E Street Band’s beloved saxophonist Clarence Clemons who died in June at the age of 69.