(ad)mission: magic
PART I
In 1981 singer/songwriter Rick Springfield hit music charts around the world in a big way. The ex-pat Aussie had already enjoyed solo success in 1972 with the song Speak to the Sky and was now on the crest of a comeback wave with his latest release, Jessie's Girl.
Now, Speak to the Sky had been a childhood favourite of mine plus I'd watched the Saturday morning cartoon show Mission: Magic, for which Rick wrote and sang a new song each episode (as well as appearing as an animated version of himself), but I wouldn't have called myself a fan. Fast forward to 1981 and when I saw Rick in the video clip for Jessie's Girl I was instantly smitten. There was something about him that had me intrigued, but when you're a 15 year old boy you don't go around telling people you've got a crush on a pop star named Rick Springfield.
What you do is you buy all of his records, but because your "interest" is secret you hide them. At the time of his chart success he's also appearing as Dr Noah Drake in the US daytime soap General Hospital (pity his episodes never screened in Australia) and as his popularity grows there are many pictures and articles to collect. So you start keeping a scrapbook, which is also very well-hidden. You scour the TV guide in the hope he'll be appearing on Solid Gold, the American Music Awards, the Grammy Awards or even the bloody Love Boat and you always have a spare videotape handy just in case. But it all remains a secret.
Thank God you have a younger sister because the moment she starts showing an interest in Rick Springfield you have an outlet. You feed her interest with zeal (though she's completely oblivious. Um... still is actually). You arrange dozens of posters of him on her bedroom walls - floor to ceiling - and you buy her a Rick Springfield pillowcase (which years later somehow ends up in your secret collection).
In a magazine article you learn Rick Springfield's family name is really Springthorpe. You also learn his mother's name, so you look her up in the phone book. And there she is - she's listed. You dial the number and she answers. But what do you say? You have no idea, so you pretend you have the wrong number and hang up. But at least you know the address is correct. Sometime later you set off on a (secret) mission...
In 1981 singer/songwriter Rick Springfield hit music charts around the world in a big way. The ex-pat Aussie had already enjoyed solo success in 1972 with the song Speak to the Sky and was now on the crest of a comeback wave with his latest release, Jessie's Girl.
Now, Speak to the Sky had been a childhood favourite of mine plus I'd watched the Saturday morning cartoon show Mission: Magic, for which Rick wrote and sang a new song each episode (as well as appearing as an animated version of himself), but I wouldn't have called myself a fan. Fast forward to 1981 and when I saw Rick in the video clip for Jessie's Girl I was instantly smitten. There was something about him that had me intrigued, but when you're a 15 year old boy you don't go around telling people you've got a crush on a pop star named Rick Springfield.
What you do is you buy all of his records, but because your "interest" is secret you hide them. At the time of his chart success he's also appearing as Dr Noah Drake in the US daytime soap General Hospital (pity his episodes never screened in Australia) and as his popularity grows there are many pictures and articles to collect. So you start keeping a scrapbook, which is also very well-hidden. You scour the TV guide in the hope he'll be appearing on Solid Gold, the American Music Awards, the Grammy Awards or even the bloody Love Boat and you always have a spare videotape handy just in case. But it all remains a secret.
Thank God you have a younger sister because the moment she starts showing an interest in Rick Springfield you have an outlet. You feed her interest with zeal (though she's completely oblivious. Um... still is actually). You arrange dozens of posters of him on her bedroom walls - floor to ceiling - and you buy her a Rick Springfield pillowcase (which years later somehow ends up in your secret collection).
In a magazine article you learn Rick Springfield's family name is really Springthorpe. You also learn his mother's name, so you look her up in the phone book. And there she is - she's listed. You dial the number and she answers. But what do you say? You have no idea, so you pretend you have the wrong number and hang up. But at least you know the address is correct. Sometime later you set off on a (secret) mission...
posted by nash at 5:27 PM
10 Comments:
Oh Lord, I've been watching him on General Hospital (he's baaack) and way too much plastic surgery, I'm afraid.
But I had a crush on him too. I can't believe you called his mum! Are you going to ask her to adopt you? Is that your secret mission?
And don't you think you could have told everyone you were blogging again? Thank heavens, bloggers have been unblogging like flies lately.
And I put you back on my blogroll...My plan worked!
Ring the mum again and ask her what she thinks of her son's plastic surgery. No, better still, just turn up at her door and say, "Hi, is Rick home."
Goodness me Nash, I'm left hanging on a wire, what happens next?
I had an infatuation with good ol' Rick but it was only a passing one. My memories of that fleeting feeling materialized when I saw "Boogie Nights" and "Jessie's Girl" was played throughout one of my favorite scenes. I ran out to buy the soundtrack only to be disappointed that his song was on the second soundtrack rather than the first one that came out. Being a tight wad, I felt cheated and didn't buy the second one.
Anyway, I think he's still a spunk (but I'm a bit worried about the reports of excessive plastic surgery).
kind regards, Sheila
Hi Nash,
Welcome back, mate! It’s wonderful to see you’ve resumed posting after a rather lengthy respite.
Rick Springfield brings to mind Anderson Cooper; they’re both “hot” and appealing to both men and women. I remember Rick Springfield when he portrayed Dr. Noah Drake on “General Hospital” in the early 1980’s; he was the handsomest physician in the cast. When he wasn’t “operating” he managed to find time to win a Grammy in 1982 for “Best Male Rock Vocal Performance” for “Jessie’s Girl”. I didn’t know he was originally from Sydney…crickey!
It’s poignant that you weren’t allowed to exhibit your own personal passion for Rick Springfield and felt obliged to hide your emotions behind your younger sister’s ardor. Funny how young girls can be zealous about a female film star, model, singer, etc. and no one passes judgment, but if a young man is impassioned about a male in a similar capacity, the tongues start “wagging”. This double standard in society is exceeding disheartening. Hopefully someday people will no longer judge others by their skin color, sexual orientation, religion or age and learn to accept one another solely on their individual merits.
You are planning on continuing this tale, aren’t you? It’s fascinating!!
G’day!!
Hi Nash,
Good to have you back. Hope things are going well for you. I'm glad this is only Part 1....cause it means you will be back with at least one other part. Hopefully it won't be so long between drinks.
Btw, if I could take this opportunity to use this as a community board......Hi Miss L., I've been dropping by the tea rooms, but the visitors' book appears to have gone missing. Hope things are going well for you too.
It's very nice to have you back in the blogosphere.
Hi Campbell,
Thanks for your concern; I'm around and about again. I'm having a Birthday Party for TotalChaos, and I'd like to invite you and Nash to attend...there's cake, balloons, singing and even a bit of nudity. Please try to drop by if you have a spare moment.
Party
Hi Nash,
If you can get in contact with Sheila, would you please let her know that there seems to be something amiss with her Blog Site? I’ve tried to make a comment on her new post several times but haven’t been able to. Sometimes it’s impossible to even scroll down through the entire post…the computer “locks up”. Perhaps aliens from cyberspace have taken control of Sheila’s Blog…
I moved to New York in 1983. If someone says Rick Springfield, I say Pirates of Penzance.
WS
Glad your back, BTW. There must be a Santa Claus after all.
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