For a time in the early ’80s, Rick Springfield was inescapable.
He had multiple Top 10 singles, including the No. 1 hit “Jessie’s Girl,” starred on the soap opera “General Hospital” and the 1984 film “Hard to Hold.”
Springfield took much of the late ’80 and early ’90s off to raise a family and battle depression. While he has been touring again for more than a decade, his profile has risen dramatically in the last few years thanks to a best-selling memoir, guest appearances on the TV shows “Californication” and “Hot in Cleveland,” new albums and performances as part of Dave Grohl’s Sound City Players.
amNewYork spoke with Springfield via email as he prepared to kick off his “Stripped Down” tour.
What can fans expect from this tour?It’s very different from the electric band tour: more laid back, a different song list and hopefully interesting or funny moments.
Do you think things like Sound City are causing people to see you in a different way?I think doing different and unexpected things is important for longevity, and it shows I’m not the one-dimensional little pop weasel everyone thought I was. (I actually am just the little one-dimensional pop weasel, but I’m hoping this solo tour … will fool people into thinking I may have some substance.)
You’re working on a novel. What’s it like?Awesome. Brilliant. Mind-numbingly cool. Actually, it’s quite good. The few who have read it can’t quite believe it came out of me.
Do you still enjoy playing
“Jessie’s Girl”? I’m glad to have written it and watch the place it seems to have taken in the pop world. It does overshadow other stuff to a degree, but it’s still cool. I do like playing it. It’s like trotting out your cutest child and watching your uncles and aunts ohhhh and awww over him/her.
