'80s heartthrob Rick Springfield hasn't stopped making musicBy Eric Clark
The Gazette
eric.clark@gazettecommunications.com
RIVERSIDE — Rick Springfield found major success in the early '80s with the albums "Working Class Dog," "Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet" and "Living in Oz."
Those albums spawned most of Springfield's biggest hits, like "Jessie's Girl," "I've Done Everything for You," "Don't Talk to Strangers" and "Affair of the Heart."
But ask the 56-year-old (58-year-old) singer to name his favorite release and you'll get a surprising response.
"'Shock/Denial/Anger/Acceptance,'" says Springfield, naming his 2004 record, which most of his '80s fans probably didn't even know existed. "I said exactly what I wanted to say on that album. It was a very dark time and I feel like I captured that feeling."
Springfield obviously is someone who doesn't want to get stuck in the past, which surely is where plenty of his hearthtrob-era fans place him. Springfield performs Feb. 22 at Riverside Casino.
Unbeknown to pretty much everyone except his most ardent fans, Springfield didn't stop making music in 1983. In fact, Springfield has released five albums since 1999, including two studio albums, a covers record, a Christmas CD and a greatest-hits collection.
"I love making new music," says Springfield, calling while driving in Los Angeles. "I consider myself a songwriter first and a guitarist and performer second. Writing songs always has been how I've connected with people."
Springfield isn't letting up, either. He just finished writing a new album, and he'll soon be in the studio recording it, with hopes of a 2008 release. Springfield says the new album will be more pop-oriented than "Shock/Denial/Anger/Acceptance," which has more of a rock 'n' roll feel.
"The songs are great," Springfield says. "That's what I always focus on."
Although Springfield isn't content to rest on his laurels, he says he isn't trying to erase the past. He still plays all of his old hit songs in concert, and he says he's still proud of the massive success those songs had.
Springfield's trademark song is "Jessie's Girl," which hit No. 1 on the pop chart in 1981. The song, about pining for a friend's significant other, has become nearly ubiquitous over the years, appearing in numerous movies, TV shows and commercials.
"I recently read somewhere that 'Jessie's Girl' has become the No. 1 karaoke song of all time," Springfield says. "I'm not sure if that's a compliment or not, but I'll take it."
Springfield says his hits are very special to him."They're beyond songs to me," Springfield says. "When I play them it's like I'm introducing a family member."Springfield can't say for sure why "Jessie's Girl" became such a big hit, but he has a few theories.
"It says something very succinctly that everybody can relate to," Springfield says. "Plus, both guys and girls seem to equally like the song."
If you watched "Oprah" yesterday you might have seen Springfield surprise a longtime fan. Oprah Winfrey invited him on the show to meet a woman who considered herself one of Springfield's biggest fans. (please note, this episode of Oprah has not yet aired, but should be broadcast soon)
"I surprised her and she got really freaked out," Springfield says. "It was a lot of fun."
When he's not surprising unsuspecting fans, Springfield continues to make music. Last year, after almost 40 years in the music business, he finally took the yuletide plunge and released his first Christmas album.
Springfield says he was inspired to make a Christmas album because he had written a song (co-written with Derek Hilland) called "Christmas With You" about troops spending the holidays overseas. With an original Christmas song in hand, he decided it was the perfect time to release a Christmas collection.
The album ended up also being called "Christmas With You," and Springfield rounded it out with traditional, not rockin', Christmas songs.
"I can't stand rock 'n' roll Christmas records," Springfield says. "Christmas is supposed to be a quiet and reflective time."
With another new album slated for this year, Springfield shows no sign of slowing down. Despite all of his past accomplishments, he says he's always trying to look toward the future.
"Goals are what keep you going, if you don't have goals your life just stops," Springfield says. "I want to keep creating new music and getting better at what I do."
Those albums spawned most of Springfield's biggest hits, like "Jessie's Girl," "I've Done Everything for You," "Don't Talk to Strangers" and "Affair of the Heart."
But ask the 56-year-old (58-year-old) singer to name his favorite release and you'll get a surprising response.
"'Shock/Denial/Anger/Acceptance,'" says Springfield, naming his 2004 record, which most of his '80s fans probably didn't even know existed. "I said exactly what I wanted to say on that album. It was a very dark time and I feel like I captured that feeling."
Springfield obviously is someone who doesn't want to get stuck in the past, which surely is where plenty of his hearthtrob-era fans place him. Springfield performs Feb. 22 at Riverside Casino.
Unbeknown to pretty much everyone except his most ardent fans, Springfield didn't stop making music in 1983. In fact, Springfield has released five albums since 1999, including two studio albums, a covers record, a Christmas CD and a greatest-hits collection.
"I love making new music," says Springfield, calling while driving in Los Angeles. "I consider myself a songwriter first and a guitarist and performer second. Writing songs always has been how I've connected with people."
Springfield isn't letting up, either. He just finished writing a new album, and he'll soon be in the studio recording it, with hopes of a 2008 release. Springfield says the new album will be more pop-oriented than "Shock/Denial/Anger/Acceptance," which has more of a rock 'n' roll feel.
"The songs are great," Springfield says. "That's what I always focus on."
Although Springfield isn't content to rest on his laurels, he says he isn't trying to erase the past. He still plays all of his old hit songs in concert, and he says he's still proud of the massive success those songs had.
Springfield's trademark song is "Jessie's Girl," which hit No. 1 on the pop chart in 1981. The song, about pining for a friend's significant other, has become nearly ubiquitous over the years, appearing in numerous movies, TV shows and commercials.
"I recently read somewhere that 'Jessie's Girl' has become the No. 1 karaoke song of all time," Springfield says. "I'm not sure if that's a compliment or not, but I'll take it."
Springfield says his hits are very special to him."They're beyond songs to me," Springfield says. "When I play them it's like I'm introducing a family member."Springfield can't say for sure why "Jessie's Girl" became such a big hit, but he has a few theories.
"It says something very succinctly that everybody can relate to," Springfield says. "Plus, both guys and girls seem to equally like the song."
If you watched "Oprah" yesterday you might have seen Springfield surprise a longtime fan. Oprah Winfrey invited him on the show to meet a woman who considered herself one of Springfield's biggest fans. (please note, this episode of Oprah has not yet aired, but should be broadcast soon)
"I surprised her and she got really freaked out," Springfield says. "It was a lot of fun."
When he's not surprising unsuspecting fans, Springfield continues to make music. Last year, after almost 40 years in the music business, he finally took the yuletide plunge and released his first Christmas album.
Springfield says he was inspired to make a Christmas album because he had written a song (co-written with Derek Hilland) called "Christmas With You" about troops spending the holidays overseas. With an original Christmas song in hand, he decided it was the perfect time to release a Christmas collection.
The album ended up also being called "Christmas With You," and Springfield rounded it out with traditional, not rockin', Christmas songs.
"I can't stand rock 'n' roll Christmas records," Springfield says. "Christmas is supposed to be a quiet and reflective time."
With another new album slated for this year, Springfield shows no sign of slowing down. Despite all of his past accomplishments, he says he's always trying to look toward the future.
"Goals are what keep you going, if you don't have goals your life just stops," Springfield says. "I want to keep creating new music and getting better at what I do."
Original article can be found here.
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