Return to Transcripts main page

Live From...

New Springsteen Album Delights Fans

Aired July 30, 2002 - 14:38   ET

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

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: The Boss is back. Bruce Springsteen is out today with "The Rising." It's the Jersey rocker's first album of original songs in seven years, and it's his first full studio record with the E Street Band since 1984's "Born in the USA"

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: New Jersey's favorite son launched the new recording from that place that gave him his start: Asbury Park.

CNN's Jason Carroll is live on the beach with thousands of those Springsteen fans. He's also been hanging out there at the Stone Pony.

Hi -- Jason.

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hanging out all day long here at the Stone Pony. This is significant spot here in Asbury Park. This is the spot where the boss has been known to hold impromptu jam sessions. But earlier today, this morning, he was out jamming on stage in front of thousands of people who came out here to Asbury Park, some of them spending night overnight just wanting make sure that they hear the boss do what he does best, and that is reach out and connect with the people.

Early this morning, he was saying a cut off of his new CD, but he also sang a few of his classics, including "Glory Days."

Again, we heard thousands of people came out here to hear the Boss do his stuff.

We are joined by just a few now, a few dedicated fans who are still out here. I got Grace (UNINTELLIGIBLE) with me as well as Mike "the Rocket" (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

Grace, I'm going to start with you, here with your son.

You're a big fan. Tell us why you think Bruce has managed to last so long.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it's about the lyrics and his heart. He's really -- he's always stuck to what means a lot to him, and I think in "The Rising," you know, he is going back there. I was here in the Pony seeing those concerts you were talking about in '70s. Just went there trying find my old T-shirt that they didn't have anymore, I went back so far. But that's what, that's what we come here for.

I am out here on vacation from Colorado, actually. I don't even live here anymore, but had to...

CARROLL: Wanted to come in.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: ... had to come up.

CARROLL: Take part of the culture.

Also talk a little bit about "The Rising." He actually used 9/11 as a way of inspiring him to write for this particular CD. We are looking at the video that's just been released from this now. As we are looking at that, tell me a little bit more about what you think about the inspiration for September 11 for this particular material for this CD.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, you know, it was so close to home for him. I think they said Monmouth County had more deaths than anyone in the Towers. And that hit home to him. And he wanted to -- it just struck him, and I think it got him back on track. I wasn't big fan of his top ten songs. I went back to the roots. I think he's trying to do that now with "The Rising" again.

CARROLL: The old school stuff.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The old school. I'm old school.

CARROLL: I'm old school. I like the old school.

Mike the Rocket, let me move over to you very quickly as well.

Springsteen decided to come to Asbury Park because, as you know, this is a community that's been economically deprived for quite some time, Springsteen wanting to give back, in terms of coming out and giving a concert today.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean, it is awesome. I think more artists should do this for more towns throughout -- all over the country. And I think what Bruce is doing is so great. And especially "The Rising" album, and doing that for September 11, is something that we really have to remember, because it has affected everyone of us -- coming up to the one year anniversary, and we have all lost friends, loved ones, we know of someone.

And it is a good thing for an artist to do. You want to write, be creative, but you also want to depict what's happening, (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

CARROLL: Also want to get in here, Mike the Rocket, if you take a look at this (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- look at this man's face: Does he not look just a little bit like the Boss.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, you know, it's funny, I met Bruce here, and I decide to become a musician. The Stone Pony, I wrote a song about it, and I just -- Bruce is fantastic. CARROLL: You've got the look.

Both of you have the look.

I want to thank both of you very much again.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you so much.

CARROLL: Thanks again, Grace.

Thank you very much.

Kyra, once again, also want to get out a little quick plug here for Bruce, as if he didn't have enough already. But for those people who want to hear more from Bruce, he is about to embark on a nationwide tour. It starts August 7. He will be hitting 46 cities across the country. So plenty of opportunities to hear the Boss do what he does best -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Wait a minute, Jason, I want to know how Mike the Rocket got his name.

CARROLL: All right, let's turn it back over to Mike.

Very quickly, how did you get that name Mike the Rocket?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I have a sax player in my band who kind of looks a little like Clarence -- well, some people anyway. My last name, (UNINTELLIGIBLE), is not the best, so Mike Rocket, it's easy, like mikerocket.com, my Web site. And you know, just simple and easy to remember.

CARROLL: All right. I know.

PHILLIPS: OK, free commercial now.

CARROLL: We're a 24-hour network, but we do not have all day for you to make your point. Thank you, thank you very much. All right, thank you very much. So once again, you heard Mike the Rocket out here in front of the Stone Pony.

A few people still out here, still hangers-on, still trying to capture just a little bit of the Boss -- Kyra

PHILLIPS: All right, Jason Carroll, thank you so much.

Well, since his new release was inspired by the events of September 11, you might think it's kind of a downer, but not so, according to CNNEspanol reporter Anna Maria Montero. She joins us from Los Angeles to talk more about the album and all things Bruce.

Great to see you again, Anna Maria.

ANNA MARIA MONTERO, CNNESPANOL CORRESPONDENT: Likewise, Kyra, thank you.

I'm thinking about adding some sort of name to my name.

PHILLIPS: Yes, I know. Like Mike Rocket. We'll think of something, and then we'll just kind of tag it on to our byline, right?

MONTERO: Definitely. That will definitely be for next time.

But what you were saying is completely true. I mean, yes, it is about -- this album, "The Rising, is about loss, it's about grief, it's about stoicism, everyday heroism. But it's an upbeat, midtempo album. You turn it on, and the first track reminds you of "Glory Days." You know what I mean? It is that same sort of feeling. It is definitely the last bit from a downer.

I mean there is a slow song at the end, "Paradise" -- it's a bit of a slow acoustic sort of track -- but the rest of it is the Boss and the E Street Band. You know, it's that sound.

PHILLIPS: You mentioned "The Rising," that song. There is a graph in there, some of the lyrics: "There are spirits above and behind me/ faces gone black, eyes burning bright./ May their precious blood bind me, Lord,/ as I stand before your fiery light."

He gets really spiritual in these songs, doesn't he?

MONTERO: He does. And the truth is he is always has. He has a strong religious backgrounds that he shied away from as an adult. But he was a Catholic as a child and grew up very close to his religious roots so that all of these sorts of spiritual themes have always been in his music along with the gospel -- he's always (UNINTELLIGIBLE) gospel.

PHILLIPS: He's big in Europe too, isn't he?

MONTERO: He's huge. I mean he said of himself in an interview that his biggest fan base in the last ten years, Kyra, is continental Europe. They have been his biggest supporters. So definitely after this crazy tour of 46 cities -- because he is going to do one night per city -- he wants to do one-night stands -- that's his deal -- he says he doesn't want to stay more time in a city because it takes away from being in other cities.

PHILLIPS: I was reading that he wrote "The Rising" in just few weeks. Is that right?

MONTERO: He did. It was actually the last track that he wrote for the album.

PHILLIPS: Wow! That's incredible.

So what's next? Where is he heading? Where can we catch him?

MONTERO: Well, you can catch him within the continental United States just as our colleague has been saying, beginning the seventh of August in New Jersey. He's going to be in Miami the 23 of November. And he will be hitting Atlanta the second of December. And he'll be finishing up, actually, in New York at the -- well, mid-December, December 13. And then after that, he wants to head to Europe, but he's not quite sure about the dates at this point.

PHILLIPS: All right, now that you said Atlanta, you know we'll all be working that angle.

Anna Maria Montero, thank you so much.

MONTERO: Thanks, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: We will be thinking of those names, OK?

MONTERO: Yes, next time.

PHILLIPS: All right, we'll see you soon.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com