Since I'm going to his concert tomorrow night...I thought I would chronicle my many times I've seen Rick Springfield. Here goes...
1. November 1, 1981 - Rainbow Music Hall, Denver, Colorado. I was 19 years old. I had fallen in love with him after seeing him on 'Solid Gold' on October 24th of that year. I bought his album and Rocky Mountain Records (the classic 'Working Class Dog') and after playing it over and over and over...I told my best friend and roommate, Jill Kindsfater that we had to go to this. It was a Sunday night. I remember we ate somewhere in Denver...(we didn't drink because we were too young...19!!)then, got to the venue and stood outside. While standing in line...his van drove right by us...and I saw him inside! I was thrilled!! It was a small venue. Our seats were not very close. But, I thought it was the greatest!
2. August 15, 1982 - Red Rocks, Morrison, Colorado. Well, this was a VERY eventful day (and the night before! See my blog 'Rick Rocks Red Rocks!'). Jill and I went again...and it was quite an ordeal...but, the bottom line is we made it and sat front and center! The Greg Kihn Band opened for him. Awesome concert!!! Jill said we snuck in little liquor bottles. But, I don't remember drinking too much.
*November 16, 1982, General Hospital Set, Hollywood. Have to include this...one week...ONE WEEK after I moved to LA...I met a star of General Hospital. She invited me to the set. I got to see the rehearsal of GH...got autographs of all the stars...and did eventually meet my idol...RICK! And I got his autograph! I was so thrilled. Just amazed!!!! I'll write a blog about this soon...it's quite an amazing story!!! I got his autograph but not a picture...I didn't bring a camera because I was trying to not look like a 'fan'...so no pic...:(
*May 16, 1983, Los Angeles Sports Arena, filming of 'Hard to Hold'. Another great experience with him. A great story that I will blog about soon as well. Just unbelievable that I was able to be an extra in his movie. Also unbelievable that I was placed in the front row right by the stage!!!! 12 hours with Rick singing 'Stand Up' and 'Love Somebody'...about 100 takes. Exhausting...but an absolute dream come true. I got his autograph here too.
* 1983...my friend Jayne tells me her handyman is also Rick's! So,
she knows his address. I find his house in Toluca Lake, California! I
see his Ford Fiesta out front. I drive by all the time...
3. Numerous nights in September, 1983 at Universal Amphitheater, Los Angeles. I had moved to LA in October of 82. Rick's album, 'Living in Oz' was released in the spring of 83 and was great! He played several nights at the Universal Amphitheater. I know I went to at least 3 nights. One night...a friend of mine was able to get front row seats! (The friend was Lynn 'Tequila' Johnson...a gal I met as an extra on the set of 'Hard to Hold').; I was in HEAVEN!!!! I was completely sober! That might have been the best. The seats were closer to the stage than Red Rocks. When he jumped down into the audience for 'Human Touch'...he was right next to me. I helped get the girls off of him when it was time for him to get back on stage! I had been there the night before so I knew he would jump down. Also, one night I went with my friend Jayne and we got VERY drunk. We tried to sneak up front as we didn't have good seats...and we got moved back. So, I got mad...went to my car...and passed out with the windows rolled down! Woke up and the parking lot was empty. God knows what time it was...but, there I was with the windows down asleep in my car! And my friend had hitch-hiked home! We were both VERY lucky to be alive. A crazy night and my first time drinking inhibited me enjoying the concert. I had just turned 21.
* 1983...my friend Jayne tells me her handyman is also Rick's! So, she knows his address. I find his house in Toluca Lake, California! I see his Ford Fiesta out front! I drive by all the time.
* April ?, 1984. 'Hard to Hold' is released to very poor reviews. I took the day off to see the first showing at a theater in Hollywood. I didn't like it very much. You could not see me in the audience.
* July 7, 1984, Valley Spring Lane, Toluca Lake, California. I moved closer to him in Toluca Lake. I always jogged past his house. This morning...he jogged right past me a block from his house! I'll blog about this too. I moved after a month because I found something even closer to his house!!!
4. October ?, 1984, LA Forum. This was after the release of his movie 'Hard to Hold'. He was able to play the Forum and fill it! Corey Hart (Sunglasses at Night) opened. I went with my friend that I met on 'Hard to Hold'...Eric Johnson (Lynn's brother). I remember I flew back from Denver that day after a visit to get to this concert. I prayed the plane would not be late (or crash!). I don't remember this concert very much...but, not because I was drinking. This friend and I did not drink. We were on the floor in the middle...quite a ways back...probably 20 rows back.
Feb 14th, 1985, Toluca Lake...jogged by his house that morning...there was a for sale sign on the house! NOOOOO..... it was a horrible day. He was moving. My friend and I went to the open house...acted like we were big wigs! I got to see where he lived and ate and rehearsed! His rehearsal room was above the garage. There was an old drum box in there...I took it! I still have it somewhere. There were murals on the walls of him and his dog...Ron...the working class dog. I didn't take pics because in those days our cameras were big and I was afraid the realtor would notice! Toluca Lake is beautiful!!!
* April ? , 1985. He released the album 'Tao'. I loved it. I was joining the group 'Continental Singers' that May. I drove from LA to Denver with my dad and had a tape recorder playing this over and over (poor Dad!). It was and is one of my favorite albums. I went on the tour with Continentals from May to August. Rick toured for this album that summer. Because I was on this singing tour...I didn't get to go. I was so upset that I couldn't go. I almost wanted to leave the group to go!! I regret missing that concert to this day!
*He disappeared from the scene for awhile. I since learned he married his longtime girlfriend Barbara Jean Porter (he met her when she was a receptionist at his record company in 1980. I was just a little late...I was a receptionist at a law firm out there...could've been me!?!!!) :). They had two sons, Liam and Joshua.
*1987 he resurfaced and released his album 'Rock of Life' but didn't tour.
* February ?, 1987, Hollywood. My friend found out they were filming the show 'Top of the Pops' ...and Rick would be on! She knew someone who could get us in. We got there. Rick was there...so was Ricks Astley and some metal group that sang 'Wait'...each would be on a different small stage on the sound set. All the girls (me too) were camped around Rick Springfield's stage! They kept trying to get us to move...to see Rick Astley (who was pretty big then!) and the other group...but, no one would move. I certainly wouldn't as we were in the very front. So, finally my Rick came on...he was performing the song, 'Rock of Life'....right in front of me...but, he kept forgetting the words. I said, "I know the words!". Anyway...he left the state...and his drummer, Jack White, started talking to me! My goodness...if I had flirted and played my cards right...I could've maybe gotten him?? He ended up marrying Katey Sagal of 'Married with Children'. Shoot. Well, I am friends with him on Facebook now!! Rick came back out and performed...another great time with Rick!
Well...that album didn't do much. He didn't tour again that I know of in the 80s. I ended up in a bad relationship...and eventually moved back to Colorado in the 90s. So, that's my stories of Rick in the 80s. But, wait there's more...
To be continued on next blog...
Saturday, September 22, 2018
Thursday, September 20, 2018
Rick now...and then
I am going to see Rick Springfield for the ____th time on Saturday night here in Denver. I leave that blank because I have no idea how many times I've seen him. I could try to count. And maybe soon I'll blog about each one. At least the ones I can remember! You see...little Hooky Jo was quite a drinker...and some of his concerts I don't even remember due to being inebriated. I even got a DUI after one of them...driving home from Denver to Greeley (caught one block from my house in Greeley). Doesn't matter. Rick and drinking somehow combined. Didn't matter that I was too young...or that I missed my idol...I always had to drink! Why??
So, this will be the first concert...aside from the very first on November 1st, 1981...where I'll be stone sober...as I have quit drinking...COLD TURKEY! I do not drink now AT ALL. Shocking maybe...but, it started to affect my health, my finances, my life. Besides...I missed seeing...really seeing Rick Springfield!
But, this blog is not about that per se. I wanted to write about how we change. How he's changed. How everything changes.
I look in the mirror and often don't like what I see. I see my mother sometimes. I see my dad sometimes. I even see my Grandma! But, I do see the aging process. Now, when I look at old Rick and current Rick...I almost can't believe it's the same person! Seriously. Just looking at his pictures from the 80s...brings back a flood of memories, admiration and love for this man! I don't know why...but, he just absolutely took me over! Not just me of course, thousands of women adored and adore this man...I thought it was only me...but, NOOOOOOOOOO....he has quite a fan-base.
But, the now Rick...looks so different. And I'm not sure he holds the same allure for me. There's many reasons why. Not only have his looks changed tremendously. I always greatly suspected he's had work done. I've never been able to tell exactly what. I remember a friend and I looked at his old and new pics in 2009...and he decided he'd had a chin implant. I think that could be. I am now positive that he had his teeth capped...a la Hillary Duff...which totally changed her looks too! That sweet mouth of his from the 80s...might have been what drew me to him? Might have been the thing that really had me going!
Oh...don't get me wrong. The sound of his voice still hasn't changed and it still sends me! When I hear the beginning notes of Jessie's Girl...I still scream. Literally. Probably will til the day I die. You know that I will always have these phenomenal memories of that song...Summer of 81...when it was the best song I'd heard (and brought me back to pop music from country!). Anyway...his looks have indeed changed greatly. Yes, yes, yes...age will do that. But, I'm certain there's been work done. And I am not one to judge. I have had my eyes done. It was due to my sight...but, it was definitely an eye job! And it ruined me. Not ruined maybe...well, I hate it. My perfect eyes...the thing that made me so pretty...are now asymmetrical. Different. People say they don't see it...but, I do. And now I can't afford...nor do I really want to keep messing with them to try to fix them back...because I fear turning into a Michael or Joan...trying for constant perfection!
Do I wish I'd never done it? Yes. Do I wish Rick had never done it? YES! How would we look now with our 'natural' aging process? We'll now never know! Isn't that kind of sad? I appreciate technology and the ability to correct things that are wrong. But, now...I will always miss my eyes. And I will always miss Rick...then. The true love of my life.
So, I'm excited for the concert. But, there are some 'buts'. Aside from his looks...I also no longer clamor for his new music. The last album I really listened to and liked a lot was 'Shock Anger Denial Acceptance' ...2004. I also liked his cover album...'The Day After Yesterday' (which I always just called, 'Today' ha!). Since then, he has released 3 or 4 albums? See...I don't even know, as I didn't listen. I did try to listen to 'Venus in Overdrive'...2008...which coincided with his first fan cruise...that I had to go on! I grew so tired of the incessant playing of ' What's Victoria's Secret' on the cruise which I guess was the go-to song on that album. Well, it wasn't my favorite song...sorry to say. VERY pop. And the hook lyric..."Can we ever really know her name"...made no sense to me and I'd still love to ask him what the heck it's supposed to mean. If it's about Victoria...and her secret...then, why don't we know her name? I don't get it. But, I digress.
I don't feel his music touches me like it used to. There are a few good ones. But, don't get me started on his latest album...with songs like...'Little Demon' and 'Santa is an Anagram' (get it...Satan!). Well...I'm kind of old school...a little prudish. I am open minded...but, I don't care for all the demon, dark, dank songs...which his new album seems to have! I saw the video for the song, 'The Voodoo House'. Again, no thanks. Songs about Voodoo? Doodoo!!!! What happened to old Rick? His albums contained songs about religion...specifically 'Beginnings' ('Speak to the Sky'), 'Comic Book Heroes' ('Father Do You Love your Children', 'Mother Can You Carry Me'),'Wait for Night' ('Celebrate Life'), 'Tao' ('The Power of Love', 'Surrender'), 'Karma' ('Send a Prayer to Heaven', 'An Act of Faith'). Well...those are just some of his past albums with songs that were truly spiritual. What happened? Why did he change to darker music and themes??
Well, another reason my feelings have changed a bit is because he wrote his tell-all bio in 2010...'Late, Late at Night'. I thought I knew the man. I always admired the fact that he married in 1984 and stayed with the wife! They're still together...a rarity in entertainment. BUT, this book really burst my bubble in that he was...probably still is...a serial philanderer!!! Wow. Why did he write this? Some cathartic reason to be able to share all his personal foibles? A cleansing of sorts? He blames Mr. D...his depression. Hmmmm...well, we all got problems. But, to air it like this? I was disappointed. I always wondered how his wife would allow this to be written about...as although he goes out of his way in the book to say what a wonderful person she is...a saint. Ya think? Is it about the money? OK...I hate to disparage women...because God knows I've had THE worst luck with men...talk about DUMB when it comes to men? My picture is in the dictionary under the words DUMB WITH MEN! But....why oh why let him write about it? I like to think the scenario of him explaining writing this book to his wife like this..."Honey, they want me to write a bio. I think I will write about all my affairs and sexual encounters. Is that ok?". Wife: "Absolutely not! I don't want people to know how you've cheated on me all these years!". Rick: "But, I'll get $3 million dollars for it". Wife: "OK...fine with me!". Ha! I'm not saying she stays with him only for the money. Who wouldn't want to be Rick Springfield's wife. Well, maybe I wouldn't if he was this philandering jerk!!
Lastly, another book came out that he wrote...a fictional novel called "Magnificent Vibration". OMG...sorry...I didn't get that either! It was a tad weird. Ok...I know it's a subjective art...but, it just wasn't my cup of tea! He got accolades for it from fans and even some critics. But, not this fan and critic.
So, my love has waned a little. Because he's changed...and I've changed too. My feelings have changed. Oh...not to mention that particularly in my drunken states at his concerts...that I've not been impressed with him. One...he sometimes takes off his shirt. OK...I don't like young men without shirts. Old men without them...oy vey! Keep your shirt on! Second...his act is getting old. Having kids sing 'Don't Talk to Strangers' gets very very old very very fast. And coming into the audience for 'Human Touch'...ha! He started that on his tour in 1983. I even 'caught' him as I was in the front row and also helped get women off of him. Yes, I was often his 'protector'...but, that's another story! MY Rick. Well, it's cute...and the audience loves it of course...but it's gotten old...when you've seen it dozens of times (see my blog about all the concerts I've been to). And third....he does covers of other peoples' music! Taylor Swift...'Shake It Off'? Really? I do not come to see him do other people's pop! Also, 'Roar'...that Katy Perry song. He has so many songs...hundreds...sing those!
Well, I'll look forward to a sober concert tomorrow and am hoping he changes it from the last time I 'saw' him in 2014. (I tried to see him in 2016 but was too drunk...got cut off...so, I left!...Oy vey!).
These are my feelings. Just my opinions. I love him still...and always will. Such a great, crazy influence in my life. I don't understand the adoration myself. Why? Well, the music. The music and the way he looked when he performed. I just melted. October 24, 1981 was the day I fell in love when I saw him on 'Solid Gold'. It will always be special. But, like all of us...he's changed. I've changed too. Maybe I'm not the 19 year old that fell in love. Maybe I'm jaded. Or maybe my tastes have changed? Or maybe it just is. He is a deep thinker and terrific lyricist. I know he has a lyric that addresses this feeling...just doesn't come to me right now. Maybe it will.*
PS. My favorite album of his is 'Karma'...1998...which was the year I left my husband and moved home. It was also his 'comeback' album and he toured that summer. I saw him then and he saw me with my shirt on from his 1981 concert...he motioned at me...20 years ago now. Maybe it is 'Karma' that it comes to this. My last concert of his...stone sober. Maybe.
*Yes...the lyric came to me...from the 'Karma' album...the song 'Act of Faith'. Great song. And the lyrics: "There is no purpose served in holding on. Love is a healer. There is no understanding why. Love is a healer. There is no sin in you that brought this to your door my love - it just is". Man. Could be my favorite lyric of all. It just is...
So, this will be the first concert...aside from the very first on November 1st, 1981...where I'll be stone sober...as I have quit drinking...COLD TURKEY! I do not drink now AT ALL. Shocking maybe...but, it started to affect my health, my finances, my life. Besides...I missed seeing...really seeing Rick Springfield!
But, this blog is not about that per se. I wanted to write about how we change. How he's changed. How everything changes.
I look in the mirror and often don't like what I see. I see my mother sometimes. I see my dad sometimes. I even see my Grandma! But, I do see the aging process. Now, when I look at old Rick and current Rick...I almost can't believe it's the same person! Seriously. Just looking at his pictures from the 80s...brings back a flood of memories, admiration and love for this man! I don't know why...but, he just absolutely took me over! Not just me of course, thousands of women adored and adore this man...I thought it was only me...but, NOOOOOOOOOO....he has quite a fan-base.
But, the now Rick...looks so different. And I'm not sure he holds the same allure for me. There's many reasons why. Not only have his looks changed tremendously. I always greatly suspected he's had work done. I've never been able to tell exactly what. I remember a friend and I looked at his old and new pics in 2009...and he decided he'd had a chin implant. I think that could be. I am now positive that he had his teeth capped...a la Hillary Duff...which totally changed her looks too! That sweet mouth of his from the 80s...might have been what drew me to him? Might have been the thing that really had me going!
Oh...don't get me wrong. The sound of his voice still hasn't changed and it still sends me! When I hear the beginning notes of Jessie's Girl...I still scream. Literally. Probably will til the day I die. You know that I will always have these phenomenal memories of that song...Summer of 81...when it was the best song I'd heard (and brought me back to pop music from country!). Anyway...his looks have indeed changed greatly. Yes, yes, yes...age will do that. But, I'm certain there's been work done. And I am not one to judge. I have had my eyes done. It was due to my sight...but, it was definitely an eye job! And it ruined me. Not ruined maybe...well, I hate it. My perfect eyes...the thing that made me so pretty...are now asymmetrical. Different. People say they don't see it...but, I do. And now I can't afford...nor do I really want to keep messing with them to try to fix them back...because I fear turning into a Michael or Joan...trying for constant perfection!
Do I wish I'd never done it? Yes. Do I wish Rick had never done it? YES! How would we look now with our 'natural' aging process? We'll now never know! Isn't that kind of sad? I appreciate technology and the ability to correct things that are wrong. But, now...I will always miss my eyes. And I will always miss Rick...then. The true love of my life.
So, I'm excited for the concert. But, there are some 'buts'. Aside from his looks...I also no longer clamor for his new music. The last album I really listened to and liked a lot was 'Shock Anger Denial Acceptance' ...2004. I also liked his cover album...'The Day After Yesterday' (which I always just called, 'Today' ha!). Since then, he has released 3 or 4 albums? See...I don't even know, as I didn't listen. I did try to listen to 'Venus in Overdrive'...2008...which coincided with his first fan cruise...that I had to go on! I grew so tired of the incessant playing of ' What's Victoria's Secret' on the cruise which I guess was the go-to song on that album. Well, it wasn't my favorite song...sorry to say. VERY pop. And the hook lyric..."Can we ever really know her name"...made no sense to me and I'd still love to ask him what the heck it's supposed to mean. If it's about Victoria...and her secret...then, why don't we know her name? I don't get it. But, I digress.
I don't feel his music touches me like it used to. There are a few good ones. But, don't get me started on his latest album...with songs like...'Little Demon' and 'Santa is an Anagram' (get it...Satan!). Well...I'm kind of old school...a little prudish. I am open minded...but, I don't care for all the demon, dark, dank songs...which his new album seems to have! I saw the video for the song, 'The Voodoo House'. Again, no thanks. Songs about Voodoo? Doodoo!!!! What happened to old Rick? His albums contained songs about religion...specifically 'Beginnings' ('Speak to the Sky'), 'Comic Book Heroes' ('Father Do You Love your Children', 'Mother Can You Carry Me'),'Wait for Night' ('Celebrate Life'), 'Tao' ('The Power of Love', 'Surrender'), 'Karma' ('Send a Prayer to Heaven', 'An Act of Faith'). Well...those are just some of his past albums with songs that were truly spiritual. What happened? Why did he change to darker music and themes??
Well, another reason my feelings have changed a bit is because he wrote his tell-all bio in 2010...'Late, Late at Night'. I thought I knew the man. I always admired the fact that he married in 1984 and stayed with the wife! They're still together...a rarity in entertainment. BUT, this book really burst my bubble in that he was...probably still is...a serial philanderer!!! Wow. Why did he write this? Some cathartic reason to be able to share all his personal foibles? A cleansing of sorts? He blames Mr. D...his depression. Hmmmm...well, we all got problems. But, to air it like this? I was disappointed. I always wondered how his wife would allow this to be written about...as although he goes out of his way in the book to say what a wonderful person she is...a saint. Ya think? Is it about the money? OK...I hate to disparage women...because God knows I've had THE worst luck with men...talk about DUMB when it comes to men? My picture is in the dictionary under the words DUMB WITH MEN! But....why oh why let him write about it? I like to think the scenario of him explaining writing this book to his wife like this..."Honey, they want me to write a bio. I think I will write about all my affairs and sexual encounters. Is that ok?". Wife: "Absolutely not! I don't want people to know how you've cheated on me all these years!". Rick: "But, I'll get $3 million dollars for it". Wife: "OK...fine with me!". Ha! I'm not saying she stays with him only for the money. Who wouldn't want to be Rick Springfield's wife. Well, maybe I wouldn't if he was this philandering jerk!!
Lastly, another book came out that he wrote...a fictional novel called "Magnificent Vibration". OMG...sorry...I didn't get that either! It was a tad weird. Ok...I know it's a subjective art...but, it just wasn't my cup of tea! He got accolades for it from fans and even some critics. But, not this fan and critic.
So, my love has waned a little. Because he's changed...and I've changed too. My feelings have changed. Oh...not to mention that particularly in my drunken states at his concerts...that I've not been impressed with him. One...he sometimes takes off his shirt. OK...I don't like young men without shirts. Old men without them...oy vey! Keep your shirt on! Second...his act is getting old. Having kids sing 'Don't Talk to Strangers' gets very very old very very fast. And coming into the audience for 'Human Touch'...ha! He started that on his tour in 1983. I even 'caught' him as I was in the front row and also helped get women off of him. Yes, I was often his 'protector'...but, that's another story! MY Rick. Well, it's cute...and the audience loves it of course...but it's gotten old...when you've seen it dozens of times (see my blog about all the concerts I've been to). And third....he does covers of other peoples' music! Taylor Swift...'Shake It Off'? Really? I do not come to see him do other people's pop! Also, 'Roar'...that Katy Perry song. He has so many songs...hundreds...sing those!
Well, I'll look forward to a sober concert tomorrow and am hoping he changes it from the last time I 'saw' him in 2014. (I tried to see him in 2016 but was too drunk...got cut off...so, I left!...Oy vey!).
These are my feelings. Just my opinions. I love him still...and always will. Such a great, crazy influence in my life. I don't understand the adoration myself. Why? Well, the music. The music and the way he looked when he performed. I just melted. October 24, 1981 was the day I fell in love when I saw him on 'Solid Gold'. It will always be special. But, like all of us...he's changed. I've changed too. Maybe I'm not the 19 year old that fell in love. Maybe I'm jaded. Or maybe my tastes have changed? Or maybe it just is. He is a deep thinker and terrific lyricist. I know he has a lyric that addresses this feeling...just doesn't come to me right now. Maybe it will.*
PS. My favorite album of his is 'Karma'...1998...which was the year I left my husband and moved home. It was also his 'comeback' album and he toured that summer. I saw him then and he saw me with my shirt on from his 1981 concert...he motioned at me...20 years ago now. Maybe it is 'Karma' that it comes to this. My last concert of his...stone sober. Maybe.
*Yes...the lyric came to me...from the 'Karma' album...the song 'Act of Faith'. Great song. And the lyrics: "There is no purpose served in holding on. Love is a healer. There is no understanding why. Love is a healer. There is no sin in you that brought this to your door my love - it just is". Man. Could be my favorite lyric of all. It just is...
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