Rick of all trades
Actor-musician talks about his movie with Meryl Streep and tour he’s bringing to Hard Rock
Rocker, novelist and actor Rick Springfield talks about his latest tour, upcoming book and current movie with Meryl
Streep.
Rick Springfield was already onto his second phase of American stardom when his 1981 single “Jessie’s Girl” went into heavy radio rotation and a craze emerged for “General Hospital,” featuring Springfield as the dreamy Dr. Noah Drake.
The dude abides, continuing a show-biz life full of highs and lows that he thoroughly chronicled in his 2010 memoir, “Late, Late at Night,” detailing his relationship with a 15-year-old Linda Blair, his lifelong love of dogs and a weird day after school when his fourth-grade teacher asked him to spank her.
Springfield is in cineplexes as Meryl Streep’s love interest and bandmate in the movie “Ricki and the Flash,” on cable as an unsettlinglooking therapist in the second season of “True Detective” and working on a follow-up to his 2014 novel, “Magnificent Vibration.” Still making jeans and black T-shirts look good as he turns 66 (and married now for three decades), Springfield continues to tour. His live recording “Stripped Down” was released earlier this year, and his new album, “Rocket Science,” is due in January.
Springfield, born and raised in Australia as Richard Springthorpe, spoke by phone recently from his home in Malibu, Calif.
You’re about to start an ’80s tour with Loverboy and the Romantics. Have you made peace with the late 1970s and 1980s?
I do embrace that period, because it was the start of a career that I’d wanted since I was a little kid. But my focus has always been new things, what’s ahead. I was never the guy who hung platinum records on his walls or put awards around. I’ve always stayed focused on what new things I could do. I’ve never wanted to just tour as a nostalgia act. I’ve wanted to feel current in my soul.
But you are touring with Loverboy and the Romantics.
It’s what they call a package tour. You play much bigger places, and people get more bang for their buck, I guess. And honestly, it wouldn’t make sense to go out with anyone who’s current now, because it’s two different audiences. But for myself, I look forward to creating new stuff. That’s really what keeps me going.
You wrote a novel, “Magnificent Vibration.” You’re working on another book?
I’m working on a sequel. I’d better get it out fast, because the world is in pretty sore shape.
Is that what your book’s about?
Yeah, to a degree. It’s dark humor. “Magnificent Vibration” talks about it, too, but it’s with humor. Preaching sucks. (Laughs.)
Greg in “Ricki and the Flash” is grounded by basic life lessons. Do you see yourself that way?
No, not really. I have to deal with depression, so I’m kind of up and down all the time. I don’t think you could talk to anyone who really knows me who’d say, “Yeah, he’s a really grounded guy.” I’m pretty different from Greg. I didn’t realize it when we were working on it that Greg was the rock of the film.
Rick Springfield will perform Wednesday at Hard Rock Live, 1 Seminole Way, Hollywood. Loverboy and the Romantics will open the show. Tickets cost $54.10-$75.10. Call 866-502-7529 or go to MyHrl.com.