Web posted on:
Thursday, April 29, 1999 9:55:52 AM EST
By Jamie Allen
CNN Interactive Senior Writer
(CNN) -- You can almost hear the hearts of former 1980s teen queens
skipping a collective beat at the news.
Rick Springfield -- that '80s rocker/actor who brought us hit songs like"Jessie's Girl," "Don't Talk To Strangers" and "I've Done Everything
for You," the good-looking guy who made a lot of young girls squeal
with a passion they'd later know better -- is back. He's got a new album in stores titled "Karma," his first studio release in
more than 10 years. And he's pushing off into months of touring.
He's got something else to look forward to this summer: In August, he
turns 50."It's a big number, but I'm OK with it," Springfield says. "I went
through my midlife crisis at about 38 and 39, so I'm over that."
Instant 'Karma' success?
True fans of Springfield could never get over him. There's relatively
high interest in Springfield's return. Platinum Entertainment says
advance orders for "Karma" have reached 100,000 copies.
This is partly because it's been so long since his GQ looks and guitardriven
catchy tunes dominated MTV with the albums "Working Class
Dog" (1981), "Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet" (1982), and "Living In
Oz" (1983). And of course, who can forget him as Dr. Noah Drake on
the soap, "General Hospital" (1981)?
Springfield also is benefiting from the
resurgent 1980s sound. It's riding the Gen-X wave to re-popularity as
Springfield's aging audience looks back
to its collective pop-candy youth.
"I think it's pretty bizarre," Springfield
says of 1980s nostalgia. "I think you
look to music to help you through
(growing old), and the music that's
strongest in your soul is the stuff you
heard as a kid. I do that all the time. I listen to old albums and there's
almost a spiritual support there."
'I lost my direction'
But "Karma" is new Springfield, and it has yet to be determined
whether fans will take to it once the good memories wear thin. Coproduced
by Springfield and Bill Drescher, the CD features 12 new
cuts for fans, a vanilla mix of '80s-redolent pop tunes.
The first release is "Itsalwayssomething." The song, title spelling and
all, is a tribute to Springfield's father, who died just before Springfield
hit it big with "Working Class Dog.""My dad is a very strong figure in my life and certainly in death he's
become even more meaningful. So there's still a lot of things going on
in me that pertain to him and my relationship with him," Springfield
says.
In other words, the singer's been doing some soul-searching since his
last record -- he's a different guy now."I think I lost my direction at the end of the '80s; I didn't know what I
was writing anymore," says Springfield. He released "Rock of Life" in
1988, then disappeared from the musical map to hang out with his wife
and two boys, appearing here and there on television. Most recently, he
had a recurring role on "Suddenly Susan," an NBC sitcom.
"I went through some therapy, working on what was going on inside
me, and I got back on track. I certainly have different priorities now.
The great thing about having kids -- you can finally get your attention
off yourself. There's something more to live for."
Springfield has also developed an interest in Buddhism; he's striving
for spiritual peace."I've always been a spiritual searcher," he says. "When I was a younger
guy I was more hedonistic and less concerned with the repercussions.
That's why the album is called 'Karma' -- the effects of what I do will
be felt after I'm gone, through someone else."'I can wade into an audience'
Something else has changed for Springfield -- his audience. He says
he's tested his market over the past year, performing several concerts.
The fans who come to see him are, generally speaking, in their late 20s
and early 30s, both men and women, and some are bringing their kids
along. It's a far cry from the days of Springfield fever, when teen girls
screeched through shows, and could even threaten him with their
affection.
"I can wade into an audience now and not lose a limb, so that's great,"
Springfield says.
But Springfield admits the fans who come to see him want to hear the
old stuff. Where does that leave "Karma"?
The Rolling Stones seem to defy the aging process, but can an almost-
50 former pop star return to the charts just because his old music brings
back youthful musings?
It doesn't seem to matter to Rick Springfield. As he's proved with this
latest album, he's in the music business for the long haul.
"I don't ever plan to retire from anything."
