Classic Rock Bottom

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RICK SPRINGFIELD

Teen idol or not, this guy is underrated and has some great music.

Members: 5
Latest Activity: Dec 28, 2014

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FEATURE ALBUM

Rick's 1983 release, Living In Oz...


Although Rick Springfield's music was frequently dismissed as vapid teen idol fare, his best moments have actually withstood the test of time far better than most critics would ever have imagined, emerging as some of the best-crafted mainstream power pop of the 1980s. A singer turned soap opera star turned singer, Springfield was born Richard Springthorpe on August 23, 1949, in Sydney, Australia, to a military man; the family moved around Australia and England a great deal during Rick's childhood, and he sought his escape from the difficulty of making friends in books and music. He formed a band in high school and eventually joined a '50s revival group called Rock House, moving on from there to join the teenybopper band Zoot in 1968. Zoot became one of the most popular groups in Australia until 1971, scoring several hits. Springfield went solo after the breakup and garnered his first U.S. success the following year with a re-recording of his Australian hit "Speak to the Sky"; the song reached number 14 in the U.S., but would prove to be his last major success for quite some time. Subsequent '70s albums stiffed, and record company difficulties prevented Springfield from recording after 1976.

In the meantime, Springfield had begun taking acting classes; he signed a contract with Universal Studios in 1980 and appeared on several television programs. Although Universal dropped him shortly thereafter, he was able to secure a recording contract with RCA on the strength of his demos; in the midst of recording his debut for the label, he was signed to play the young, eligible Dr. Noah Drake on General Hospital in 1981. Springfield's popularity skyrocketed, setting the stage for the release of Working Class Dog later that year. Powered by the classic single "Jessie's Girl," which eventually hit the top of the charts, and the Top Ten follow-up "I've Done Everything for You," Working Class Dog was a smash success, and Springfield eventually returned to his first love of music when concerts conflicted with his television career. The follow-up, Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet, was released in 1982, spawning the Top Ten smash "Don't Talk to Strangers"; 1983's Living in Oz offered more of the same, including the Top Ten "Affair of the Heart," although it betrayed signs that the gears were beginning to wear down on the Springfield machine. Springfield made the leap to the big screen in 1984 with Hard to Hold, which was much more successful at the box office than with critics; the soundtrack spawned his last Top Ten hit to date, "Love Somebody." His career seemed to bottom out afterward, although he recorded several more albums over the rest of the '80s, and continued to land television roles into the '90s. In 1999, Springfield returned with a new album, Karma. Shock/Denial/Anger/Acceptance and Day After Yesterday followed in 2004 and 2005, respectively. In 2007, Springfield released the holiday-themed Christmas with You, along with the Early Sound City Sessions collection. The following year, a live DVD documenting his ultra-popular '80s concerts (Beat of the Live Drum) was issued, as well as an album of all new material, Venus in Overdrive. biography by Steve Huey, All Music Guide Miscellaneous Videos:

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Comment by Jon on March 29, 2014 at 2:24pm

For those that read:

Can be purchased HERE

Comment by RJhog (Admin) on April 4, 2013 at 2:26pm

RICK SPRINGFIELD TALKS ‘SOUND CITY,’ CELEBRATES 30 YEARS OF ‘LIVING IN OZ’

Rick SpringfieldMike Lawrie, Getty Images

On the road promoting his new album ‘Songs for the End of the World,’ reaping praise for his appearance inDave Grohl‘s ‘Sound City,’ and preparing to star in a documentary that looks back on his long career, Rick Springfield is enjoying some of his most widespread acclaim in years.

Springfield reflected on his resurgence during a recent interview with Popdose, chuckling about how dubstep colored some of the sounds on the new record and adding, “I still listen to a lot of the new stuff and I’m still inspired by a lot of the new stuff. When I feel like I’ve written something good, it’s the most exciting thing for me. It’s like getting a new girlfriend — it’s like everything great about that. So I guess there’s still a real charge to me to write.”

He picked up some of that charge jamming with Grohl and the Foo Fighters during ‘Sound City,’ theacclaimed documentary about the studio where Springfield recorded some of his biggest hits. Acknowledging that “it’s always a little bit nerve-wracking” to step in and play with someone else’s band, he added that “In the end we were just a bunch of kids in a garage cranking up our amps and jamming. That’s basically what you do, and you go ‘oh, I like this’ and ‘I like it like that’ and then you pull pieces out that you like. 

Talk of ‘Studio City’ brought the conversation around to the albums Springfield recorded there — including ‘Living in Oz,’ which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. Sharing some stories from the sessions, he reflected, “It was a very tense time. It was the third album and the second one kind of rides on the strength of the first one, so the third one is the one that says ‘will I be here tomorrow or is this pretty much it?’ So there was a lot riding on that record for me…There are a lot of great memories and we recorded through the board that Dave Grohl bought, and it’s really part of the whole history of that board.”

Comment by Mike Mills on March 27, 2012 at 10:48am

Thanks, for outting my man crush on Rick Springfield. Yes, I loved a teen idol! There you go, it's out there. Are you happy now, RJ?

Now, I need some Viking Metal, to regain my masculinity!!!

Comment by Jon on March 26, 2012 at 5:24pm

Jon IS a fan, Jon is slow.

Shock/Anger/Denial/Acceptance...such a great album.

Comment by RJhog (Admin) on March 26, 2012 at 4:20pm

Mike, what's that got to do with coming out of the closet?

 

 

 

 

Comment by Mike Mills on March 26, 2012 at 4:18pm
Ok, I will come out of the closet. I owned ALL of Ricks Springfield's Music on casette, mind you & I even went to see him in concert, at least twice that I remember.
Comment by Scott on March 26, 2012 at 3:44pm

He's made a couple of SHT appearances...

Love Is Alright and Love Somebody have both been showcased...  I like a lot of his music..

Comment by RJhog (Admin) on March 26, 2012 at 3:28pm

Well, 2 things:

1. Rick is coming to my town in June (we have a small amphitheater) and I'm going!

 

2. I guess I'm the only fan of his on this site, I just noticed that I'm the only member.  You guys don't know what you are missing.  And I could have sworn Jon was a fan.

 

3. I know I said 2, but I need to update some music for this group.

 

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