PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
For all his accomplishments as an actor, a best-selling author and the subject of multiple documentaries, Rick Springfield’s first love has been music ever since the first time he picked up a guitar at the age of 12 in his native Australia. That passion for writing and performing songs, as well as playing guitar, comes through loud and clear on his new album, ‘Rocket Science’.
‘Rocket Science’ features classic Springfield compositions such as the crowd pumping ‘Light This Party Up’, the sensitive ballad ‘Let Me In’, the anthemic ‘All Hands On Deck’ and the blues infused rocker ‘Miss Mayhem’ (on which he collaborated with indie artist Tad Kubler of the band The Hold Steady). Rick also wrote ‘Down’ – in the middle of an ice storm on a stranded tour bus – with Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts.
Springfield says: “’Rocket Science’ is my 18th studio album. It swears a bit and doesn’t respect authority but it does look after its invalid mother. It has some of the country elements I love but as much as I understand we should all be sucking up to Nashville, it’s still a wide ranging pop/rock record. I hope you dig it!”
The new album, a pop/country blend fused with Springfield’s signature songwriting and performance style, features much of his touring band and some guest players, including iconic guitarist (and longtime Springfield collaborator) Tim Pierce and regular songwriting partner and bassist Matt Bissonette (who also plays with Eton John). The album was mixed by veteran knob twiddler Justin Niebank, providing the album its tight feel.
With 25 million albums sold, 17 US Top 40 hits, including ‘Don’t Talk To Strangers’, ‘An Affair Of The Heart’, ‘I’ve Done Everything For You’, ‘Love Somebody’ and ‘Human Touch’, as well as a 1981 Grammy® Best Male Rock Vocal win for his No. 1 single hit ‘Jessie’s Girl’ behind him, Springfield has more to say with his new album.
https://youtu.be/XlqzSagW85M
Still playing nearly 100 live shows a year, Springfield’s bond with his audience is the subject of the recent documentary ‘An Affair Of The Heart’, winning special jury awards at both the Nashville and Florida Film Festivals. He also recently wrote and recorded a new song with Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters/ Nirvana) as well as being a featured guest in Grohl’s documentary about ‘Sound City’, the fabled San Fernando Valley recording studio.
His 2010 autobiography, ‘Late, Late At Night…: A Memoir’, for Simon & Schuster’s Touchstone imprint, entered The New York Times best-seller list at No. 13, hitting the Los Angeles Times and Publishers Weekly lists as well, with Rolling Stone recently naming it one of the Top 25 rock autobiographies of all time.
Also, within the past year, Springfield played opposite Academy Award® winner Meryl Streep in Jonathan Demme’s ‘Ricki & The Flash’, plus a multi episode arc in the HBO series ‘True Detective’.
With ‘Rocket Science’, Rick Springfield continues to do what he does best – applying his sardonic view to life as we live it today, offering a ray of hope in the midst of all the turmoil.
After all, it’s life, not rocket science.
