The hardest working 58 year old in the business? IMO by far. Since returning to the business in 1996 hes toured every year (no one has done that), and averaged 100 shows a year, and in years with a record out done about 150+. His records since 1998, "Karma" "alive" "ShockDenialAngerAcceptance" "the day after yesterday" and the digital only single "who killed rockn Roll" and also in there 2 live dvds, a xmas cd, a box set for fans only not stores, not many have had that output, and at his age most artists slow down with new releases, they dont speed up? And last but not least he looks light years better than people half his age, sorry Prince, but he doesnt look his age at all, more than you dont.

Venus in Overdrive hits 7/29, followed by a tour, Everything is on the DL with the record, except that it will be out, and it will be through his website, with distribution through amazon.com. Secret word has been its another "blazing" rock record like 2004's "ShockDenialAngerAcceptance" which was easily the decades BEST rock record, and maybe only rock record.



And just a little note about Rick, and how PROPS need to be given, especially in the book of "icons". Between 1981-1985 Rick had 16 Straight Top 40 singles and 4 straight Multi and platnum albums, this kind of "streak" puts him in the class of other 80's "streaks" from Madonna,MJ,Bruce,George Michael and Prince and Janet.
[Edited 5/29/08 15:40pm]

lastdecember said:

ok, do you work for him??

I'm a Springfield fan too but this ventures into Michael Jackson territory. Whoa. Can't wait to hear it.

jthad1129 said:

Ah, no, if this were MJ territory it would be a rumour and heresay for tracks never coming out, this is a working and touring artist that is releasing new music that he wants to do and not to fit in and not someone that goes to WFC shows in a wheelchair and an oxygen mask.

jthad1129 said:

I was thinking the same thing (not that he was actually working for Rick Springfield, though...). I get it. Not Rick in particular, but I'm into Donna Summer that way and I realize that most people just know the big seventies hits and maybe "She Works Hard...." while a few others might have heard some of her lesser eighties hits or own some albums, but I know lots about her and am happy to share. What I know about Rick, though, can fit in a thimble....and that thimble would be filled with "Jessie's Girl" and about 3 other songs from around the same time.

There are some artists that,even though I'm a fan of theirs,I can't really listen to their new stuff.Duran Duran and Rick Springfied are two examples.Loved the stuff they did in the 80s,but I wouldn't buy their new stuff

SoulAlive said:

I have to, with any artist that has longevity, with Rick his albums since 1998 have been LIGHT years better than any hits he had, Duran Duran has been a little hit and miss, but Duran were never strong album artists. I have almost no patience with anyones "hits"

lastdecember said:

Don't be hatin on DD they were not on General Hospital. They have at least had some chart success from there last three cds. Rick????

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[Edited 5/30/08 18:42pm]

SoulAlive said:

I love Duran Duran's last album Red Carpet Massacre. It's fantastic.
As far as Rick, I own some of his albums from the 80's and they aren't horrible, but his kind of rock music isn't what I like. It's too mainstream and corporate sounding for me. I like more alternative rock like Nirvana, Hole, Garbage and Smashing Pumpkins.
I think it's a ridiculous exaggeration to saw one of his albums is the best and and only rock record recently.
I also don't really feel it's necessary to put down other artists saying they slow down with releases and that Rick looks better than they do. I never feel it's a good strategy to put down other artists to promote your own favorite artist.

Glindathegood said:

Duran Duran lost me on that last record, and im a diehard fan of theirs, im at both their central park shows this weekend, my problem with the record is that its nothing more than Simon for the most part, the production really just didnt do anything for me, though it had a couple of good cuts.

As for ROCK its a wide spectrum, the forum that Rick is in, isnt Alternative by any means, the Rock he is doing is just straight ahead guitars and chords, that is where you have crap like Fall Out Boy and Daughtry and NickelBack who have dumbed-down rock and more importantly SLOWED The shit down, thats the biggest issue, why is rock today so freaking depressing and slow? Thats why im saying the only real ROCK record, for his genre and forum. As for his "look" it wasnt a PRINCE put down to say he looks better at 59 than Prince at 49 more than a compliment because lets face it when people look at Prince they always comment on how he looks and how he at 49 looks better than people half his age. And for artists "slowing" down, look they all do it, and its not a put down once again its a compliment, Rick at 59 could be on a beach with his wife and kids living off roaylities from "jessies girl" and "Love somebody" rather than doing 150 shows a year and new records every other, i mean look at Elton John, he used to put out 3 a year, and now he is at a point where he does a new one every 2+ years, thats not a knock, because Elton is my all-time favorite Male artist, thats just the nature of things and the Truth.

And also you are commenting on Rick's 80's albums, right there how is that a basis of anything? I always say to Prince fans on this board to STOP putting your new "album reviews" in the context of "well its not like Purple Rain or Sign O the times" this is why fans will never be satisfied. You have to look at each record as if they never had one before, if you dont approach artists that way then nothing will ever be "satisfying" and everything will be "Well its not as good as....."

And the term "corporate" sounding is one of the most annoying terms to me, its right up there with people saying something sounds "dated". Everything put out can be deemed corporate since everything is on a label which is a corporation of something. You commented on the DD album, how is that not a "corporate" attempt to be commercial, by using Timbaland and Justin Timberlake to re-gain airplay and mainstream success?
[Edited 5/31/08 8:28am]

jthad1129 said:

Rick had a career before GH, check back to 1972 he had a top 15 hit and a gold album, and a few other minor hits in the mid 70's. Plus he was only on the show a year and his airtime can be compared to Chris Rock's airtime on SNL. And im not hating on DD, and chart success is meaningless to me, im not sitting thinking oh shit this better chart or its not good. The only way i would be worried about chart success would be if i was at a label putting it out. Also Rick releases through his own label and those things are allowed on "charts", So im not hatin on DD since im going to there shows this weekend in NYC, im just not "feeling" the new record, case closed.

lastdecember said:

I am not a diehard fan of Duran Duran. I never bought their older records. But to me Red Carpet is not so different from their earlier hits. I admire them for trying something new. Red Carpet is more electronic, but I don't think it's fair to say it's only Simon. They remind me of my other favorite artist Madonna in that they are open to new things and aren't stuck in one sound.
I am just turned off by your need to call other people's music crap and make the issue how he looks. I think Madonna looks great for her age, but that to me has nothing to do with why I like her music.
Like it or not, people cannot forget what artists did in the past. I love Madonna's current music, but because she has made so many great records in the past makes me more likely to pick up her current records. If there's some artist whose music I have never liked, it just isn't as likely I will give their new record a chance. It sounds harsh, but that's how it is. It's not realistic to look at any artist in a vaccum as if it's their first record.
What I mean by corporate is it very traditional rock with guitars with no real innovation. Timbaland and Timberlake may be very successful, but they do make an effort to change and try new beats. Duran Duran chose them because they liked hip hop and their sound not merely to be sucessful.
And just because you release records constantly doesn't make them good. I honestly don't like a lot of Prince's recent work and he releases them quite frequently. So I don't see the point of saying someone is very prolific. What really is important to me is that's it's good.
I really don't have that strong an opinion about Rick Springfield. But you have given me no reason why I should check out his music. I see a lot of criticisms of other artists and irrelevant stuff about how he looks.

Glindathegood said:

Well search 90% of the posts on this forum and it always comes down to what an artist looks like, especially if its a female artist trying to do music. Rick is doing albums far superior to his 80's work, because like everyone else, you grow up, i know people dont like it when you talk like that because people feel HITS are sacred things that never can be improved upon, but just because you dont hear it on the radio has no meaning to how good it is, and baseing someone now on what they did in the 80's its being open to an artist or new sounds. DD has always tried to switch it up and i champion that, i just didnt dig this album overall, some did, some didnt.

Rick's music since 98 when he decided to record again is more "focused" because you live you learn and you grow, the guitars are more raw, the sound is more angry and tighter than the 80's production which was much more "overproduced" album wise, but that goes for ALOT of people. Lyrical content is where its at, to me at least, and the tightness of the sound, and the band you have with you or your own playing. The problem i had with the DD record at times, was the lack of the "tightness" and really not hearing the band at times, i was hearing beats and drum tracks that timbaland and danja had left over from Nelly Furtado's record. As far as "innovation" that comes with age and you cant get their without living and working at your craft. That goes for all artists/actors etc.. If i wanted to use the basis of an argument on say Tom Hankes, i would base his acting career on Bosom Buddies and Splash, but really, come on, artists grow up and move on, its a done deal, its cool to look back but base a career and what you do now on that is pointless.

To me longevity is what its about, and i mean longevity by still bringing something to the table. Bands that tour and still put out records 30 years later i have more respect for than any other, If i go to a Styx concert i want to hear the new songs from the new album not friggin "lady" for the 1000th time, thats just to me how you should be, sure you have to be all inclusive for all fans, but to say all your new stuff is in the shadow of your old stuff, because that sold and this doesnt, to me, is where everyone goes wrong with opinions on any artist who continues.