Sunday, November 22, 2009

2009 Rick Springfield & Friends Cruise Day two-Part 1

The Second Annual Rick Springfield & Friends Cruise
Carnival Ship Destiny
Day Two
Friday Nov 13th 2009-Part 1
Review & Pictures by Rosie Malthaner

We had a little leisure time Friday morning before our events for the day would start. First up.....

Rick Springfield & Richard Marx Unplugged
Palladium Lounge

Hosted by Mark Goodman Rick & Richard each performed a few songs and answered questions submitted before the cruise.

Mark once again welcomed us and asked how we liked Movie Night, a round of applause for that. He promised a great day of music ahead. Then he introduced Rick & Richard but before we would get started there would be some give aways. The prizes included a SDAA nit cap, one of a kind. A Japanese school jacked that Rick bought in Japan, Mark insisted it hadn't been dry cleaned but Rick assured us it was. A neckless from the VIO days. And last but not least the GH tag that Rick wore on The Ellen show for Halloween where he dressed as Dr Drake. He admitted he stole the tag! He joked you could get into hospitals wearing it and even perform brain surgery. And he even commented he better not see it on Ebay.

Rick introduced his good friend, Richard. Rick told us how they had just rehearsed some of Richard's set and hoped everyone would stick around for it. It would be amazing he promised. Mark had walked off stage for a minute and Rick was momentary confused as to what they were going to do but Richard set him straight! Since Rick was the host he should go first Richard assured him. Rick launched into Speak to the Sky. Rick commented that would be the comedy song. Richard said playing with Rick Springfield and his band spells fun and Rick reminded him that we all had a "fun pass".

Richard was unsure what to do first since we would be hearing most of his major hits later in the day but he said he would do something a little different with them. Endless Summer acoustically was great! Richard was very happy that the audience sang the chorus back to him. Rockin isn't it? Rick reminded.

Mark had to remind them it was a Q&A not T&A! Richard remarked he doesn't do comedy. But today would prove otherwise. Richard commented that it was the "Dick squared cruise". "Hey what did you do last week? Go on a cruise with a couple of Dicks" They would play off of this for the rest of the cruise. Mark asked if Richard was "Dick 1 or Dick 2?" Richard chose 2 as he is younger. He decided that made him "Little Dick" and Rick realized it make him "Big..... I don't think so he said, you saw me in red underwear, you make the decision"

Mark moved on to business after that and reminded us that it would be questions already submitted that would be asked and when they called your name to stand up. The first question was for Richard-Which comes first the music or the lyrics and explain why. Richard joked that he doesn't write any of his songs. All of his songs and may of Ricks are written by Regis Philbin and Rick added Diane Warren. Seriously Richard said its the music 99% of the time and proceeded to play Endless Summer Nights and mumbled the lyrics as an example.

Next questions for Rick-Do all songs have a real life basis? "No I just make it up" Seriously yes and he told the Jessie's Girl story about how and why he misspelled Jessie's Girl. His wife was wearing the original jersey with the name on it that day. He joked a bit more but then answered the question that yes they are all real life based. All songs are really written from a dark perspective. SDAA was probably the darkest record he had ever written. Ordinary Girl was about his wife, you remember the ordinary stuff. Rick and Richard commented on how Gary's Girl didn't sing so well. Mark tried to go onto another question but Richard reminded them that Rick was going to play Ordinary Girl. Its the simple and silly things that make up the song. Richard commented that many of the stupid things he has done are things his wife would like to forget.

Question to Richard aka Little Dick-How did working with Jason from Lifehouse and Chris Daughtry go? Richard talked about working with Chad from Nickleback in Canada and Rick and Richard went off making a bit of fun of Canada, in a good natured way. Richard talked about how he went to Canada to work with Lifehouse to work on songs. And there is a new album coming out soon. He then sang a bit of the new song, Everytime may be the title but I am not sure. He had a great time and hoped to do it again. A Rick commented there would be a song in Richards set later that he had written with another Aussie. Mark followed up with a question for both of them asking how its to work with someone else, its kinda like dropping your draws, is it an uncomfortable thing? Rick-Its a little embarrassing, he doesn't work much with others, insecurities. VIO with Matt was amazing and it clicked. Richard works mostly alone-co writes with other artists for their albums. You need to turn the ego off. Rick says its the most terrible and most wonderful. Richard is just afraid of sucking.

Question to Rick-Who is Allyson? Richard commented this is one of his favorite RS songs. Rick went on to explain she was a famous Aussie singer and her husband was the producer of Zoot and he met her when he was 21. A guilty pleasure. And he is really sorry he didn't change her name. He usually changes the names and it was very public in Australia. Living in Oz is all about dealing with fame. Richard & Rick went on to play the chorus of Allyson.

Question to Richard-What is behind the name of Angelea? It was written as a piece of music on his first big tour in the late 80's (show off RS said to RM) all I had was the music and I knew it was a sad song about a girl that left me. I wanted a girls name, he hadn't written a song with a name. Everyone had done it! He was in a plane flying to TX somewhere and the flight attendant came up to him and her name tag said Angelia. He thought it was a great name. She doesn't know its about her. Richard joked she tried to sue him and Rick commented that Victoria Secret tried to sue him. Richard wanted to know what happened. Someone from the record company took it to them and they said no, we are not using it for a commercial and we may sue him! Nothing came of it. And that lead to the Kristina story. The song that Jim Vallence started writing. He wrote it as Jamaica first. Rick took it and made it into Kristina. And then he played part of it. When Jim Vallence heard it he said it was a life changing thing for him to see what Rick did with it. That led to a discussion of Areosmith as Jim has written for them and they talked about the impending break up.

Have they every written together? Yes! Wildlife-reggae vibe. When they first met. Just because they are decent songwriters doesn't mean they will write good together they joked. Richard went to Rick's house and Richard thought his park sucked. They joked how bad it sucks. They really need to write again they agreed. That led to a chorus of "two dicks at sea...." started by Rick, RM had a hard time coming up with a second verse so off to the next question.

What was the most difficult song to write? (To both of them) Rick-Simple, My Fathers Chair. It took him 3 years to write it and when he sat down he wrote it in like 2 hours. For Richard it was also about his dad. He wrote some music and new it needed to be about his dad. It was written about a year ago. He talked about losing someone and finding a place for loss. He also talked about writing with Luther Vandross and how incredible it was. The last song he wrote before his stroke was Dance with My Father.

Rick talked about Mancow, a DJ in Chicago. Richard really doesn't like him! Rick said he was a friend of his and Richard commented he was sad for him. Richard told him he would be his friend, he can replace Mancow with him. Richard joked that their passes that said RS and Friend were misprinted and he was really the "friend" not Doug Davidson! Doug is telling everyone its him. Richard is his friend and Doug is out after 30, he is so done with him. How cute is Doug really he asked us? Rick then played My Fathers Chair.

Question for Richard-For Better or Worse was a favorite, what do the lyrics really mean?
Richard commented he doesn't like to say what songs are really about. He really likes it when people interpret his songs differently. He loves when they miss interpret his songs. Rick commented they sometimes come up with better lyrics. He has written songs about his beautiful wife of 20 yrs, after 20 yrs he has learned a lot.

Question for Rick-What is Victoria's Secret? If you listen I'm still asking the question. Its about the mystery of women, the "ugh" in women. He then sings a chorus of a song about his wife.

Richard hadn't thought of it until now but he starts to play and sing Love Somebody, second verse sung by Rick, then together. Rick talks about how he wrote LS about Patti Hansen. Keith Richards was worried about Rick during the filming of Hard To Hold. He came to check out the set and all Rick wanted to do was hang with him.

Richard asks who was here last year and plays "I ain't Missing You"Richard commented on how Tina Turner recorded the song too. That launched them into a bunch of famous impressions singing the song. RM-Tina Turner, RS-Willie Nelson, RM-Julio Englasis-RS- his Mom, RM-Paula Abdul. Richard asks Mark for another question at this point. And Mark asks if there are anymore impressions. Richard feels the need to do If you Turn Back Time by Cher. Mark tires to get control back at this point but Richard has one more in him.....

Question for Richard-Have you ever written with or for someone else and wished you had kept it for yourself? Not really, it's for them, kinda like being a surrogate mother Rick adds. Is there one that you gave away that you thought you could have done it better Mark asks? No not really Richard said. They also talked about the upcoming set with Richard and that Rick would be playing keyboards. The talked about how amazing Rick's band is. Rick joked that he wanted his keyboards set up right next to Richards mic which prompted Richard to launch into -"should have known better than to let Rick play for you. Rick-He only knows 2 cords."

Question to Rick-What is the story and will you play Written in Rock. Barbara and he were still dating and not married yet and coming back from Doug's wedding. They had a fight and broke up one the way home for the 15th time. Rick thought it was for good. He has never played it live before, Richard joined in. Richard wants to know if he gets props for knowing the harmony! Loud cheers.

Question for both Richards (both Dicks): Are your children following in your footsteps? Richard has 3 boys, the Marx brothers. Brandon 19, Lucus 17 and Jesse 16. Brandon and Lucus are both into music and love it. Jesse (spelled correctly by the way) has perfect pitch and plays drums, he wants nothing to do with the music business. Rick's boys-Liam is 23 is a comic and actor and amazing musician, has written a one person play. Josh 20 is in college and is into video games, a drummer but not really into the whole music thing.

Rick comments that the only thing he has ever truly been good at is being a dad! Toughest job you will ever love Mark adds. Richard remarks how he was at a benefit performance that his kids were at and afterward he got a text from one of his boys"Your a total bad ass". Rick reminds us that Richard show is coming up next. Mark tells us to stick around! Richard thanks us and on to the next show!

Set list:
RS-Speak To the Sky
RM-Endless Summer
RS-Ordinary Girl
RM-Everytime (Not sure of the correct title on this one) Lifehouse
Both-Chorus of Allyson
RM-Angelea
RS-Kristina
RM-Through My Veins - Song about his dad
RS-My Fathers Chair
RM-Better or Worse - Song about his Wife
Both-Love Somebody
RS-Written In Rock

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