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CNN Live Today

The Boss Back in Action

Aired July 29, 2002 - 10:49   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: The Boss is back in action. Bruce Springsteen is releasing a new album tomorrow. "The Rising" is what it's called. It's the rock legend's first collection of new material in seven years, and it was inspired by the events of September 11th. Springsteen is the subject of "Time" magazine and its cover story this week. Back in 1975, he also had a place on the magazine, as its new rock sensation. A lot has changed since then.

Joining us now to talk about that it Ben Nugent, music reporter for "Time" magazine.

Ben, good morning.

BEN NUGENT, "TIME" MAGAZINE: Good morning to you.

KAGAN: So "The Rising," a lot of Bruce fans wondering is it up to the occasion of honoring what happened on 9/11 the people who survived and the people who survive today and their lost loved ones?

NUGENT: Well, I think Springsteen was very careful to make sure that he got the stories from those people directly. What he did was read some "New York Times" obituaries of 9/11 victims, and found a lot of them had a bunch of Boss tickets stored in a draw, had a bunch of bootlegs of him. One headline was "Big Fan of the Boss." And he called with their widows and talked with them, and one woman he had like a 40-minute conservation.

So I think he some did reporting for this album. He did some research to make sure the stories that wind up are the genuine article.

KAGAN: But, Ben, he has to be kind careful here, because there might be a little bit of backlash here, and people think, oh, The Boss is commercializing 9/11 and making a buck off of other people's pain.

NUGENT: Absolutely taking a big risk. The problem with this material, is you can either the hit the ball out of the park if you do it well and rise to the occasion, or you can seem like you're exploiting it. I think what he tried to do, and I think the reporting he did, so to speak, is important in this respect, too, is make sure what he was doing jibed with the experiences of the people who went through it. He didn't have any personal loss, but if he could get the perspective of people who were doing it, and get their approval so to speak, I think the felt the project was a lot of more valid, and what he was doing wasn't exploitative.

KAGAN: Of course the bottom line is going to be, if the music, and i guess the music and video was good. Let's go ahead and take a look from the title cut, "The Rising."

(MUSIC)

KAGAN: Ben, I've got to say personally, as a big Bruce Springsteen fan, that sounds like vintage Bruce, and of course it's not just him; it's the E Street Band that's been reunited with him after a number of years.

It sounds great to me. And have you heard the album, and is it any good?

NUGENT: I think the album is perhaps not quite on par with his most classic work. I think only time will tell. But I think it's extremely strong, and it is a lot to fun to hear him back with the E Street band. I think you can hear the pleasure these guys get from playing with each other again. You know, it has been 15 years. I think they are going to sound great on tour, too.

KAGAN: There is a huge tour that he's about to embark on. I have to ask you a generational question. We were reading in the intro about the first time he was on "Time" magazine. If I'm doing my math right here, Ben, you weren't even born.

NUGENT: That's right. I was not even a glimmer in my mother's eye.

KAGAN: I hate to out you here as a younger, but you're all but 24?

NUGENT: That's right.

KAGAN: So are people your age buy this album, or will it be like for old fogies and parents?

NUGENT: I think Bruce does have some 24-year-old fans. But I also don't think he needs them. I think he has such a loyal Boomer fan base that it's not necessary for him to grab the typical MTV audience, but I think he will grab some. Even if you are 24, you grew up people listening to The Boss. And you know, you're familiar with "Thunder Road" and the classics, and you probably own an album if you're any kind of rock fan. He produced classic material. When you have had a couple of classic albums, anyone who really buys a lot of rock albums will listen to your stuff.

KAGAN: So it's come to this. Oldie, but goody, Bruce Springsteen.

Ben Nugent of "Time" magazine, thanks for putting all this in perspective and making people like me and Leon feel plenty.

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