Billy Joel takes blame for Bruce Springsteen bike breakdown

Joel tells crowd at Madison Square Garden gig he built motorcycle that left the Boss stranded by side of the road in New Jersey

There could be no worse fate for a broken hero on a last-chance powerdrive than to break down at the side of the road. But that is exactly what happened to Bruce Springsteen recently. And now a fellow blue-collar rocker from the tri-state area has stepped forward to take the blame for Bruce Springsteen’s motorcycle mishap.

Earlier in November, Springsteen was stranded by the side of the road in New Jersey when he was rescued by a group of bikers from the Freehold American Legion who took him to a local bar until he could be picked up.

On Monday, Billy Joel told an audience in New York that he had built the bike Springsteen had been riding. Joel put the machine together at 20th Century Cycles, the “motorcycle gallery” he owns in Oyster Bay, Long Island. The gallery displays Joel’s collection of around 60 vintage bikes.

Joel played Born to Run during his show at Madison Square Garden in New York on Monday, then told the crowd he had called Springsteen to apologise for the motorcycle mishap. “No worries,” Springsteen replied.

Joel is currently in the midst of Madison Square Garden residency that has been running since January 2014 – he has sworn to play there every month until there is no longer demand. He recently announced his 38th show of the residency, taking place on 22 February 2017.

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Guardian music

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