Rick Springfield (born Richard Lewis Springthorpe; 23 August 1949) was 13 when he first played guitar, and he joined various bands in England where his father was stationed 1958–1963, and several more after returning to Australia. In 1968, Springfield was approached by bass guitarist Pete Watson to join his group Rockhouse. Later in the year, Watson changed the band's name to MPD Ltd, and in October – when Springfield was 19 years old – they toured South Vietnam to entertain Australian troops. Another member of MPD Ltd was Danny Finley (drummer).
Upon returning to Australia, Finlay and Springfield formed Wickedy Wak with Paul Shannon (ex Fabulous Blue Jays) and Ray Wright. The band was extremely popular in Brisbane and drew great crowds. Moving to Melbourne the group performed at the famed venue Berties. The band quickly gained great acclaim and soon after Johnny Young gave them one of his songs to record. ''Billie's Bikie Boys'' was produced by Go-Set journalist, Ian "Molly" Meldrum with Beeb Birtles of pop rock group Zoot on backing vocals. The band returned to Brisbane to await the release of the single, but conflict developed within the band. Finlay and Shannon disagreed on the direction the group was taking and when these problems couldn't be resolved the group decided to disband.
In September 1969, Springfield replaced Roger Hicks as lead guitarist and vocalist in Zoot, with Birtles on bass guitar and vocals, Darryl Cotton on lead vocals and guitar, and Rick Brewer on drums. Upon joining Zoot, Springfield adopted the Think Pink – Think Zoot theme that had the band members dressed head to toe in pink satin.
The publicity gimmick brought attention to the group and attracted significant numbers of teenage girl fans; however it caused problems in establishing their credibility as serious rock musicians. Zoot's fifth single, "Hey Pinky", was written by Springfield. The group attempted to shake off their teeny-bopper image. They followed with a hard rock cover version of The Beatles' hit "Eleanor Rigby", which peaked at #4 on Go-Set's Top 40 in March 1971. Despite another hit single with "Freak" in April, which was written by Springfield, the band broke-up in May.
The publicity gimmick brought attention to the group and attracted significant numbers of teenage girl fans; however it caused problems in establishing their credibility as serious rock musicians. Zoot's fifth single, "Hey Pinky", was written by Springfield. The group attempted to shake off their teeny-bopper image. They followed with a hard rock cover version of The Beatles' hit "Eleanor Rigby", which peaked at #4 on Go-Set's Top 40 in March 1971. Despite another hit single with "Freak" in April, which was written by Springfield, the band broke-up in May.
Springfield signed with Sparmac Records and issued his début solo single, "Speak to the Sky" in October, which peaked at #5 on the Go-Set singles chart. Sparmac label owner, Robie Porter, was also producer and manager for Springfield. After recording his début album, 'Beginnings' in London, Springfield moved to the United States in mid-1972. For the album, Springfield provided all the songwriting, lead vocals, guitar, keyboard and banjo. "Speak to the Sky" was issued in the US by Capitol Records and peaked at #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 in September. His début album 'Beginnings' was the first of seven top 40 albums on the related Billboard 200. However, follow-up success was hampered by rumours that Capitol Records paid people to purchase Springfield's albums, which led to some radio stations boycotting his music.
In 1973, Springfield signed to Columbia Records and recorded his second album, 'Comic Book Heroes', which was also produced by Porter. In Australia, it was released on Porter's new label, Wizard Records, the album and its two singles failed to chart. Springfield was promoted as a teeny pop idol similar to David Cassidy and Donny Osmond. He spoke of the teenybopper image in Circus Magazine in 1973. He said he wasn't sure how it happened. "Someone saw my photo and that was it." He went on to say someone asked to take a photo of him in a white suit. He thought that was "a bit dull" so he took some crayons and "scrawled an R with a lightning bolt going through it... which became my emblem."
From September 1972 to September of 1973, he starred as himself in the ABC-TV Saturday morning cartoon series Mission: Magic!, for which he usually wrote and performed an original song in each episode. In 1974, Springfield issued an Australia-only album, 'Mission: Magic!' which was "full of infectious bubblegum pop songs". His single, "Take a Hand", reached the US top 50 in 1976 and was from the album 'Wait for Night', which was issued by his new label Chelsea Records. During the late 1970s Springfield concentrated more on his acting career, guest starring in a number of prime time television dramas. Springfield continued to write and record, and in 1981 released his next album, 'Working Class Dog'; it spawned the single, "Jessie's Girl", which peaked at #1 for two weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 and the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart.
It became a worldwide hit. Springfield won the 1981 Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance. 'Working Class Dog' reached #7 on the Billboard 200. Another top 10 single from the album was the Sammy Hagar-penned "I've Done Everything for You". Springfield went on to have success with follow-up albums 'Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet' (1982) and 'Living in Oz' (1983). Springfield was frustrated with people in interviews mistaking him for Bruce Springsteen, expressed in the track "Bruce" on the album 'Beautiful Feelings' (1984).
In 1984, Springfield starred in his own movie Hard to Hold and recorded the majority of the material on the accompanying soundtrack. This soundtrack included his top-ten hit, "Love Somebody" as well as several moderately successful follow-up singles. However, the movie itself was not successful, and the soundtrack's success (though higher than that of the movie) paled in comparison to previous Springfield albums. Nonetheless, Springfield released his next album 'Tao' in 1985, scoring several modest hits from this release, including "State of the Heart" and "Celebrate Youth". Springfield's autobiography, Late, Late at Night: a Memoir (ISBN 978-1-4391-9115-6), was released in 2010. In October, it peaked at #13 on The New York Times Best Seller list. In August 2012, Late, Late at Night was named #23 of "The 25 Great Rock Memoirs of All Time" by Rolling Stone. Around this time, he took a brief hiatus from recording. Springfield returned in 2020 via a one-off featured performance in the Coheed and Cambria single "Jessie's Girl 2," a sequel to the 1981 Springfield single "Jessie's Girl."
SINGLES
''Speak To The Sky (#6) / I Didn't Mean To Love You'' 1971 Sparmac
''Hooky Jo (#16) / Why?'' 1972 Sparmac
''What Would The Children Think (#38) / Walking The Floor On My Hands Over You'' 1972 Sparmac
''Believe In Me (#62) / The Liar'' 1973 Wizard
''I'm Your Superman / Mother Can You Carry Me'' 1973 Wizard
''Streaking The Australian Way / You'd Better Think Twice'' 1974 Wizard
''Mission Magic / Music To Streak By'' 1974 Wizard
''Take A Hand / Jessica'' 1976 Wizard
''Million Dollar Face / Treat Me Gently In The Morning'' 1977 Wizard
''Archangel / Gold Fever'' 1979 Wizard
''Bruce / Celebration'' 1981 Wizard
''Jessie's Girl (#1) / Celebration'' 1981 Wizard
In 1973, Springfield signed to Columbia Records and recorded his second album, 'Comic Book Heroes', which was also produced by Porter. In Australia, it was released on Porter's new label, Wizard Records, the album and its two singles failed to chart. Springfield was promoted as a teeny pop idol similar to David Cassidy and Donny Osmond. He spoke of the teenybopper image in Circus Magazine in 1973. He said he wasn't sure how it happened. "Someone saw my photo and that was it." He went on to say someone asked to take a photo of him in a white suit. He thought that was "a bit dull" so he took some crayons and "scrawled an R with a lightning bolt going through it... which became my emblem."
From September 1972 to September of 1973, he starred as himself in the ABC-TV Saturday morning cartoon series Mission: Magic!, for which he usually wrote and performed an original song in each episode. In 1974, Springfield issued an Australia-only album, 'Mission: Magic!' which was "full of infectious bubblegum pop songs". His single, "Take a Hand", reached the US top 50 in 1976 and was from the album 'Wait for Night', which was issued by his new label Chelsea Records. During the late 1970s Springfield concentrated more on his acting career, guest starring in a number of prime time television dramas. Springfield continued to write and record, and in 1981 released his next album, 'Working Class Dog'; it spawned the single, "Jessie's Girl", which peaked at #1 for two weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 and the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart.
It became a worldwide hit. Springfield won the 1981 Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance. 'Working Class Dog' reached #7 on the Billboard 200. Another top 10 single from the album was the Sammy Hagar-penned "I've Done Everything for You". Springfield went on to have success with follow-up albums 'Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet' (1982) and 'Living in Oz' (1983). Springfield was frustrated with people in interviews mistaking him for Bruce Springsteen, expressed in the track "Bruce" on the album 'Beautiful Feelings' (1984).
In 1984, Springfield starred in his own movie Hard to Hold and recorded the majority of the material on the accompanying soundtrack. This soundtrack included his top-ten hit, "Love Somebody" as well as several moderately successful follow-up singles. However, the movie itself was not successful, and the soundtrack's success (though higher than that of the movie) paled in comparison to previous Springfield albums. Nonetheless, Springfield released his next album 'Tao' in 1985, scoring several modest hits from this release, including "State of the Heart" and "Celebrate Youth". Springfield's autobiography, Late, Late at Night: a Memoir (ISBN 978-1-4391-9115-6), was released in 2010. In October, it peaked at #13 on The New York Times Best Seller list. In August 2012, Late, Late at Night was named #23 of "The 25 Great Rock Memoirs of All Time" by Rolling Stone. Around this time, he took a brief hiatus from recording. Springfield returned in 2020 via a one-off featured performance in the Coheed and Cambria single "Jessie's Girl 2," a sequel to the 1981 Springfield single "Jessie's Girl."
''Speak To The Sky (#6) / I Didn't Mean To Love You'' 1971 Sparmac
''Hooky Jo (#16) / Why?'' 1972 Sparmac
''What Would The Children Think (#38) / Walking The Floor On My Hands Over You'' 1972 Sparmac
''Believe In Me (#62) / The Liar'' 1973 Wizard
''I'm Your Superman / Mother Can You Carry Me'' 1973 Wizard
''Streaking The Australian Way / You'd Better Think Twice'' 1974 Wizard
''Mission Magic / Music To Streak By'' 1974 Wizard
''Take A Hand / Jessica'' 1976 Wizard
''Million Dollar Face / Treat Me Gently In The Morning'' 1977 Wizard
''Archangel / Gold Fever'' 1979 Wizard
''Bruce / Celebration'' 1981 Wizard
''Jessie's Girl (#1) / Celebration'' 1981 Wizard
''I've Done Everything For You (#31) / Believe In Me'' 1981 Wizard
''Love Is Alright Tonite / Comic Book Heroes/ I'm Your Superman'' 1982 Wizard
''Don't Talk To Strangers (#10) / Comic Book Heroes/I'm Your Superman'' 1982 Wizard
''I Get Excited / Why Are You Waiting'' 1982 Wizard
''Affair Of The Heart (#26) / The Photograph'' 1983 Wizard
''Me And Johnny / Bad Boy'' 1983 Wizard
''Love Is Alright Tonite / Comic Book Heroes/ I'm Your Superman'' 1982 Wizard
''Don't Talk To Strangers (#10) / Comic Book Heroes/I'm Your Superman'' 1982 Wizard
''I Get Excited / Why Are You Waiting'' 1982 Wizard
''Affair Of The Heart (#26) / The Photograph'' 1983 Wizard
''Me And Johnny / Bad Boy'' 1983 Wizard
''Human Touch (#92) / Born Out Of Time'' 1983 Wizard
''Love Somebody (#83) / Do You Love Your Children'' 1984 RCA
''Don't Walk Away / S.F.O. (Instrumental)'' 1984 RCA
''Bop Til You Drop [with Randy Crawford] / Taxi Dancing'' 1984 RCA
''Celebrate Youth / Stranger In The House'' 1985 RCA
''State Of The Heart / The Power Of Love (The Tao Of Love)'' 1985 RCA
''Rock Of Life (Edited) (#92) / The Language Of Love'' 1988 RCA
''Honeymoon In Beirut / Tear It All Down'' 1988 RCA
''Love Somebody (#83) / Do You Love Your Children'' 1984 RCA
''Don't Walk Away / S.F.O. (Instrumental)'' 1984 RCA
''Bop Til You Drop [with Randy Crawford] / Taxi Dancing'' 1984 RCA
''Celebrate Youth / Stranger In The House'' 1985 RCA
''State Of The Heart / The Power Of Love (The Tao Of Love)'' 1985 RCA
''Rock Of Life (Edited) (#92) / The Language Of Love'' 1988 RCA
''Honeymoon In Beirut / Tear It All Down'' 1988 RCA
'Beginnings' (#15) 1972 Sparmac
'Comic Book Heroes' (#54) 1973 Wizard
'Mission Magic!' (#97) 1974 Wizard
'Working Class Dog' (#33) 1981 RCA
'Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet' (#28) 1982 RCA
'Living in Oz' (#45) 1983 RCA
'Hard to Hold' (#87) 1984 RCA
'Tao' (#85) 1985 RCA
'Rock of Life' 1988 RCA
References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Springfield
http://top100singles.blogspot.com.au/
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