Journal Entry 1 by indygo88 from Lafayette, Indiana USA on Friday, January 21, 2011

"In a searingly candid memoir which he authored himself, Grammy Award-winning pop icon Rick Springfield pulls back the curtain on his image as a bright, shiny, happy performer to share the startling story of his rise and fall and rise in music, film, and television and his lifelong battle with depression.

In the 1980s, singer-songwriter and actor Rick Springfield seemed to have it all: a megahit single in “Jessie’s Girl,” sold-out concert tours, follow-up hits that sold more than 17 million albums and became the pop soundtrack for an entire generation, and 12 million daily viewers who avidly tuned in to General Hospital to swoon over his portrayal of the handsome Dr. Noah Drake. Yet lurking behind his success as a pop star and soap opera heartthrob and his unstoppable drive was a moody, somber, and dark soul, one filled with depression and insecurity.

In Late, Late at Night, the memoir his millions of fans have been waiting for, Rick takes readers inside the highs and lows of his extraordinary life. By turns winningly funny and heartbreakingly sad, every page resonates with Rick’s witty, wry, self-deprecating, brutally honest voice. On one level, he reveals the inside story of his ride to the top of the entertainment world. On a second, deeper level, he recounts with unsparing candor the forces that have driven his life, including his longtime battle with depression and thoughts of suicide, the shattering death of his father, and his decision to drop out at the absolute peak of fame. Having finally found a more stable equilibrium, Rick’s story is ultimately a positive one, deeply informed by his passion for creative expression through his music, a deep love of his wife of twenty-six years and their two sons, and his life-long quest for spiritual peace."

Woo-hoo! Finally got a copy in my hands, and the audio nonetheless. Acquired through PaperBackSwap.com (Unabridged on 11 CD's; read by the author)
 

Journal Entry 2 by indygo88 at Lafayette, Indiana USA on Sunday, January 30, 2011

Anyone who knows me well knows that I love Rick Springfield. My first real music idol, I've seen him in concert numerous times. I was excited when I heard he was publishing a memoir, but then I wasn't so sure, thinking it would fall into the just-another-musician's-memoir-trying-to-make-a-little-extra-money genre, figuring that people like me would gobble it up, but that it wouldn't really make much of an impact on the reading world. But then it got good reviews. So then I was once again excited & anxious to get my hands on a copy.

I listened to the audio version, which is read by Rick himself. It's brutally honest -- or at least appears to be so. I was a little hesitant to start reading...I was worried that all my starstruck respect for this guy would be shattered if I read about some of the not-so-respectful stuff. But I dove in anyway. And in that respect, Rick does not disappoint. He airs all his dirty laundry -- focusing primarily on his two big demons: his battle with depression & his obsession with sex & inability to be faithful to his wife. He personifies his depression, giving it an Australian accent & calling it "Mr. D." At times you feel sorry for the guy, but at other times you think he's just brought it all on himself. But it's candid.

If the F-bomb is not your cup of tea, this wouldn't be a good read for you. He drops it very frequently. Unnecessarily so, in my opinion, but I can deal with it. I wouldn't classify this as the best memoir I've read, but it's good. Rick has a lot of talents, ranging from song-writing, singing, guitar-playing, acting, and now writing. This was an enjoyable book because the reader can follow along with his lifelong journey toward fame, through fame, and the after-effects of fame. I learned a lot about my idol that, as a fan, I always wanted to know, but never did: what it was like growing up as a boy in Australia, the frequent moving his family did when he was young, why he idolized his dad & wrote tributes to him in several songs, where his love of guitar-playing & music originated, how he began to emerge in the music scene, how he made the move to America, & how he began to hit it big in acting & music. And then there were the more personal landmarks: the death of his dad, how he met his wife, the birth of his two sons, the infidelity, the recurring depression, his quest for spiritual belonging, & his love of dogs.

I was sad to see this book come to an end, primarily because while reading, it felt like I was sitting down & talking with Rick throughout the whole thing. My vision of "Rick Springfield sainthood" may have dropped down a few notches, but I feel like I really do know the guy now. If only I could meet him in person. :')