Gabriel

January 4th, 2013 amysp

As some of you know who visit this site, the author of the sporadic posts here is from CT.  Actually, I am from Detroit, but I have lived for the last eight years in Monroe, CT, and it feels more like home than anywhere else I have lived.

I have wanted often to write of what happened in Newtown, the town just to our north, here in this space.  Even though it doesn’t make sense on a Rick Springfield blog site.  Just because mostly I want people to understand better how this tragedy has affected the real people involved.  I have seen awful things on the outside looking in before:  9/11, Columbine, Gabby Giffords.  You feel the sadness, you feel the loss, but it is distant.  Tragic and terrible just the same, but distant to your life.  You can go out the door and if you put it out of your head, it’s almost like it didn’t happen.

It isn’t like that here.  It is everywhere we turn.  The survivors now attend school here, in my town.  In a school where my children have taken classes, walked the halls.  This is close and personal and raw.

And while I am not quite ready to say more than that on the topic, I did want to say that I am finding some comfort here:

“Gabriel”

At the edge of understanding is where it all begins
When I reach the end of reason is where it all sinks in

In the midst of all the raging storms the deluge covers me
I will find a place prepared for me so dry beneath a tree

Oh Gabriel I can hear you whispering
Oh Gabriel In my silent suffering
Oh Gabriel could you come to my defense?
Oh Gabriel how I wish that you would fly by my side

With no foregone conclusion I’m sane but paranoid
Is it all ordered confusion to find faith in the void

In the harshest winds you took me in and set me on my feet
Through the burning sand you held my hand and saved me from the heat

Oh Gabriel I can hear you whispering
Oh Gabriel in my silent suffering
Oh Gabriel could you come to my defense?
Oh Gabriel how I wish that you would fly by my side

Gabriel

Oh Gabriel I can hear you whispering
Oh Gabriel in my silent suffering
Oh Gabriel could you come to my defense?
Oh Gabriel I believe in providence

Oh Gabriel I can hear you whispering
Oh Gabriel how I wish that you would fly by my side

By my side..

 

Keep Calm

October 28th, 2012 amysp

We’re expecting ourselves a bit of a storm here in the Northeast over the next few days.  After storm preps are done, it’s pretty much time to wait it out and see how incredibly fucked seriously impacted we are.  For the next few days my solar charger and I will be making sure I can still do this:

(no room on this poster for the obviously left out "and drink wine" part of the equation, but you get the idea)

 

A shoutout to all of us on the East Coast who are getting ready for this storm.  Stay safe, listen to your local officials, and be prepared.  Sandy is not the type of girl you want to mess with.

“You meet a girl at a gig, and you do it.” Wha???

October 18th, 2012 amysp

I still get Google alerts for Rick. Most often I quickly scan the two or three sentences of each article, and hardly ever click on the link. If I am busy these emails get deleted without even reading them at all; I figure if anything huge is going on, someone in my Facebook feed will go crazy enough about it to alert me to its importance.

But the last week or so I’ve paid a little better attention what with the new CD coming out. There’s been a lot of interesting videos (confession: I still haven’t watched all the ones I put on this site, and there are more that I meant to put up but haven’t yet) and interviews and articles.

Still, when this particular Google alert popped up in my email two days ago, it caught my attention. The title? “Rick Springfield on Groupies, Depression, New Doc and Why He Turned Down…”

Since I hardly ever see anyone use the word “groupies” as it relates to a sixty three year old rock star, I thought it was worth checking out. The teaser had me even further intrigued: “Promoting a just-released album and fan-directed film “An Affair of the Heart,” the singer-actor looks back on a life of worry and women — many, many women — telling THR, “I was raised having sex; You meet a girl at a gig, and you do it.” ”

Oh my.

It’s not often I read an article and find out new things about this man who has been part of my world since I was 12 years old. But I learned some new things in this one. Notable:

  • Rick acknowledged that he was a “bit of a user” with the fans in the past.  It’s refreshing honesty.  Often we’ll read these glowing articles these days where the fans talk about how rosy everything is, and Rick will talk about how glad he was that the fans were still there when he “came back”.  But the reality is that he’s human, and not a saint, even when it comes to fans.  I was glad to see he admitted it.
  • Oprah wanted to interview Rick and Barbara together upon the release of his book, “Late Late At Night”.  I didn’t know this story.  I always knew Barbara was very private, but it’s kind of awesome to hear that they turned down such a lucrative opportunity to honor her wishes.
  • Rick talks of this one moment in therapy with his wife when he was ready to chuck the marriage, but then the therapist made him stop and just look at her, like you hear about all of the time.  It’s a very clear, beautiful image that he shares, and a private one.
  • Rick’s taking around a TV show with a Californication/Hot In Cleveland version of him.  Could be interesting, or could be disastrous.
  • “You meet a girl at a gig, and you do it.”  Wow.  I mean, I knew it went on, but to hear it in his own words….that’s something.

I guess you can see by what I’ve pulled out of here that what I like about this article is that it doesn’t show the idealized, fan version of this great sainted rockstar/great family man/wonderful father.  It shows the real Rick, warts and all.  And for all of those flaws, it’s the acknowledging of them that makes me respect him even more.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/earshot/rick-springfield-groupies-documentary-oprah-379210

And finally, for the love of all that’s holy….I keep reading all about how Rick had all of these many, many women he met all around the country while touring.  All of the times I spent with Rick working on his site, seeing him at shows, even sharing dinners with him…and he never once, not once, hit on me.  What’s wrong with me, I’d like to know.

Wait.  On second thought, I am not sure I do.

Review of “Songs for the End of the World” Part Two: Brutal Honesty

October 13th, 2012 amysp

My totally honest and real take on The Songs For the End of the World. Overall, I have to say, it wasn’t an instant moment of connection with these songs. I had to sit down with them and really listen carefully and invest some time with them. Once I did, I definitely came up with some affinity for most of the tunes (sorry, there are a few that I don’t think are ever going get inside me). Again, bad fan me just has the downloaded iTunes version, so I do have “The Bug” but none of the other bonus tunes that are available with the hard copy versions.

Wide Awake: Not my favorite, and I think it colored my first listen to the whole collection in a negative way. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate it. I actually like the sentiment of the lyrics, but the music isn’t for me. It’s very repetitive, a little too chaotic and hyper. There’s no break to the dissonant sounds. That being said, it probably will make my RunMix playlist because it has a steady, fast beat.

Our Ship’s Sinking: The opening lines: “If I’m the one who caused your shipwrecked life, then hold my hand right to the fire. And I’ll bear this cross of love, enough for you, enough for me, even though the water’s all around and climbing higher…” Damn. This imagery, this turn of phrase. This is why I love Rick’s music. The whole metaphor of a ship sinking for a love gone wrong is beautifully played out in every lyric this tune. Another upbeat song, but this one with major chords instead of minor ones, makes me want to tap my feet and sing along.

I Hate Myself: A theme we see repeated often in Rick’s music, and examined thoroughly in his book: his self loathing and self destructive habits. I love his honesty about the subject, truly, and have always found comfort in the fact that someone as famous and successful as him could have the same thought patterns as myself in terms of low self esteem. But I’m not going to lie: I think it is slightly disconcerting to sing “I Hate Myself” over and over. I found it slightly odd to see legions of fans this week singing this chorus loud and proud. Maybe it’s my own issues coloring my feelings on this, but it just feels like a weird song to have as an fan anthem, you know? The song is catchy but I am really not wild about the sentiment.

You and Me: Clearly another love song for Rick’s wife Barbara, You and Me gives us all another glimpse into their long term marriage and relationship. It’s a sweet song that is eminently full of hooks; you start singing along with the chorus immediately. Love the line: “Given this frantic pace, just having another friendly face to share my pain…” I think this one has good broad based appeal for radio, and am not the least bit surprised that this track was released early, ostensibly for that purpose. It would be a great fit on A/C Mix stations.

Gabriel: Definitely one of my favorites, if not my favorite so far on this CD. I love the music, I love the message, and I really love the lyrics on this song. I am not sure if he’s really asking the archangel Gabriel for help, or if Gabriel is a code for someone who has passed already that Rick is seeking help from. It could be twisted and turned into several different stories and/or messages, which is of course the hallmark of a truly great song: the ability to apply the message in a myriad of circumstances.

A Sign Of Life: This is a weird, sci fi trip to start with….quintessential, quirky Rick. But then it kind of moves towards more of an existential “where is our higher power” and “are we alone down here” on Earth. I like the music in here, it is an upbeat and peppy tune, but overall, it’s not one that hits me in the heart. You know what I am talking about.

My Last Heartbeat: Initially, I hated this song. The dissonant, hard rock entry to it did nothing to grab me on my first listen. The music just wasn’t my thing. But then I put the song on while I was walking on the treadmill, and I could really hear the lyrics. The opening parry: “There’s a hole in my heart where the love leaks out, a shadow in my heart that is filled with out, a devil on my back, I can hear him shout…’let me in, let me in’.” Wow. Powerful stuff. The whole song is filled with fantastic images and lyrics that do exactly what they did not do in “A Sign of Life”: they reach in and grab you, making you listen. Making you understand exactly where he was when he wrote this song. Love when that happens.

Joshua: My favorite from my first listen to this collection. I love the music, that’s what initially made me listen. But moreover, I love this love song to his son. It’s not about romantic love, it’s not about himself, it’s not filled with self loathing or self hatred or doubt. It’s filled with all we admire about Rick Springfield: a good man who cares about his children and would do anything to lead them through this life with fewer scars than he bears from his own childhood. I also completely feel these sentiments for my own child, who is just a few months younger than Rick’s Joshua.

Love Screws Me Up: A revisit from an old tune that those of us who have one of those Limited Editions (is this on the SDAA one? I can’t remember) remember well. I like the redo. It’s cleaner, more polished. A fun rock anthem that is easy to understand and eminently relatable. “I want to drink from the picture perfect loving cup, but I fuck it up…” Love that.

I Found You: Another dark sounding song that didn’t pull me in at first. But like many Rick songs, particularly in this collection, when I had the chance to really sit and listen, this one grew on me. Fantastic wordsmithing in this tune: “That’s when I found you…somewhere between pain and fear….” “I’m too blind to read the wall…” “And then you walked into my thunderstorm and stopped the rain from falling….” This won’t be an anthem fans sing in concert, but it may end up being one of those that true fans sit in lobbies talking about, wishing he would play live.

Depravity: This one actually induced a headache the first time I heard it, no lie. The screaming guitars sound like Rick and what he does when he really gets into playing, but it just made me shake. More of the same dark and twisty theme that is Rick these days….he is constantly fighting “Mr. D”, or depravity as he names it here. This song is dark and displays the struggle within Rick at all times. He needs to be saved from it. “Save me from the dark one who comes around, I don’t want to be in this crowd, so I won’t tear this to the ground….” I like the way he weaves the words to tell of the constant inner battle. It’s a dark song with a dark theme, but I can totally relate. That being said, I could do without the spelling of depravity throughout.

One Way Street: I really like the message in this song. It is classic Rick, if you know that he really is an introvert seeking to connect with people but being very uncomfortable in his own skin a lot of the time. This song is also (I sound like a broken record) filled with very concrete, well crafted images to tell the story he is trying to convey: “From a window, I’m looking down at a one way street…all the cars, they’re all pushing in one direction…and the faceless people moving ahead in that same direction…every one of those people searching your eyes for a real connection…yea, I’m just like you, looking for meaning to feel complete…hope and praying its true, that love is never a one way street.” In in my head, I can put this song as between Rick and his fans. He often talks about how he really connects with his fans, and how he has really figured out that he has been such a big part of people’s lives without ever really knowing it. “Love is never a one way street,” could be a recognition of this connection.

I have the iTunes version of the CD….so I also have….

The Bug: Honestly, probably my least favorite tune of the whole thing. For all of the beautifully written lyrics and well crafted imagery contained within this collection, this one falls short of the mark for me. I don’t like the little “Help Me” at the beginning, I am not a fan of minor key, and I really think he could do better than “You are the flame and I’m the bug.” Seriously. Maybe this one didn’t make it into the top 12. But whatever. It’s a catchy little tune that makes me run faster on the treadmill, so it’s good for something.

RS Is “Everywhere”

October 11th, 2012 amysp

I was chatting with a friend this morning, one who isn’t particularly interested in Rick Springfield and his doings, and even he commented that “Rick Springfield is everywhere this week.”

Indeed.

To make this easier for those of us who have a life missed some of Rick’s appearances this week, I’ve pulled them together in one happy little post right here. Enjoy!

Rick on Kelly and Michael:

Rick’s appearance on Fox and Friends:

Rick on the Nick and Artie Show:

Rick on the Today Show:

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Rick’s Livestream Performance/Chat Session:

Rick as Busker in Penn Station: “I Hate Myself”

Rick Plays “Roll Over Beethoven” ON The Actual Subway:

Rick Plays “Wasted” at the 42nd Street Station:

Rick Plays “Gloria” for the Commuters:

Rick Plays “Don’t Talk To Strangers”:

Rick Couldn’t Leave the Subway Without Performing “Jessie’s Girl”
(genius move, it got him tons of press today, and even TMZ said, “He Rocks!”)

And finally, Rick on Dr. Oz. I can’t get the embed feature working on this, but take a look anyway. There are four parts to this, and it is interesting how it is from a “health and wellness” perspective.

Rick on Dr. Oz:

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/rick-springfields-secret-struggle-depression-pt-1

(Four parts to the interview, all accessible from this link)

I’m sure there are more things I’ve missed. And I’m not gonna lie; I see people I know in that clip of Rick in the subway, that must have been fun. There’s certainly a twinge knowing all of this happened just sixty miles from my front door. Still, at least these days I can find all of these links and just throw them up on the page like this. Back in the day I used to have to tape the show, figure out how to pull that feed and get it onto a digital file and then upload it all to my own website. How amazing it is just to Google around for these links, throw them up online and have them all ready in like, ten minutes.

The internet has come a long way, baby. And so has Rick. A few years ago we were thrilled for him to have one or two big NYC appearances booked. Now he’s “everywhere”. Good for you, Rick.

Good for all of us, too.

Review of “Songs For The End of the World” Part 1: Bad Fan

October 10th, 2012 amysp

Well, Rick Springfield has a new record out. I said this to my daughter after watching The Voice the other night, which featured singers taking a stab at Rick’s classic, “Jessie’s Girl,” and she responded, “A what?”

Because twelve year olds don’t call new releases records. Or albums. “A CD, honey.”

“Oh,” she said, still a little puzzled. Because we hardly ever buy CDs any more. She has a few, but mostly, we download songs one by one digitally, after we hear them and like them. So much for all the thought musicians used to put into sequencing and b sides versus singles, etc…music is taken in and digested very, very differently these days.

There it is, for download or, for realz, on the side of the screen over to the right.    You know, in case you’re all old skool and want your plastic case with all the artwork, etc etc etc.

Actually RS and crew would really probably prefer you did that. See, they’ve put out four different versions of the thing, with four different covers, and each has bonus content that is supposed to make all of us super die hard fans drool.

RS and his 4 Different CD Covers. Does this mean the world ends four times? Or Rick survives it four times? Or does it mean Rick thinks we all should buy this four different times?

Honestly, I’m over that part of the whole thing. Truly, I love my boy, Rick. But I’m past needing to have every little piece of wonderment that he’s ever strummed or sung. I don’t need to buy all four to get four different versions of the same thing. Don’t get me wrong, if that’s you, more power to you. Rick would prefer all of us die hard fans were a lot more like you than me. That’s why he’s still out there making all of this happen and how can afford to keep doing it. It’s brilliant marketing.

But since I’m me and a crappy fan these days, I never even bothered pre ordering the CD to get even one of those cool, different covers and any of the bonus content. I meant to, I really, did. But time got away from me, and all of a sudden I’m watching the Voice with my kid and realizing there is a clear cut reason those contestants are singing Jessie’s Girl on October 8. Because that CD is about to drop the very next day.

So for me, and for my world, the fastest and easiest way for this fan to get her hands on the tunes at that point was to download the sucker. Which I did, at 6am. So take that Best Buy, Amazon and the US Postal Service, I like my RS stuff fast and easy. Downloads it is.

I am crazy busy with work so I wasn’t able to really sit down with the music yesterday and let it sink in. I had it playing in the background as I worked on this or that on my computer. And I’m not going to lie, it did not grab me instantly. One of the songs actually gave me a headache (Depravity….what is up with the screaming guitar, or maybe it is just screaming?).

It felt dark. It felt different. It felt like it wasn’t going to be my favorite of all of my RS collections, which is a shame. Because the fact that he’s even put this out and is still writing and creating and touring and all of that is amazing. I should love it. I should love every bit of it. Otherwise, I’m a bad fan.

I turned it off after a few spins. I slept on it, really bothered that I didn’t love love love it like I’d seen people posting online. “Best RS CD yet!” I read somewhere. Where was the love? Was this it for me? Have I really dropped off so far from the fan radar that I don’t even like what he’s doing these days?

The good news is no. That’s not the case.

I put the songs on my phone and started the playlist as I went to town on the treadmill this morning. No distractions, just me and the music. And finally, finally, there it was….I could feel it.

The connection. The awe at the turn of phrase. The need for the song to continue. On and on and on. So no, my first impressions were NOT correct. It’s going to be a good one. It may end up being one of my faves.

I’ll be going through the disc (the files? the digitals?) song by song, but for now, the ones that are really high on my list are Joshua (reminds me of my own son; they are the same age), Gabriel (need to really sit and let this one soak in….) and My Last Heartbeat (which I actually really hated when I first heard it). That line in there: “There’s a hole in my soul where the love leaks out, a shadow in my heart that’s filled with doubt, a devil on my back I can hear him shout….’let me in, let me in….’ “. LOVE. THAT.

So stay tuned. Next up, Review Part Two: Each And Every Song (That a Bad Fan Gets on the Download Only Version)

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