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Late, Late at Night Audiobook
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(3.03) - 804 listener ratings
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Plot Summary
We're all familiar with Rick Springfield's hit, "Jessie's Girl," but many of us may not remember any of his other songs. This is why Oprah invited Springfield to her show to be interviewed as a one-hit wonder. However, as Springfield points out in Late, Late at Night, he actually had 17 Top 40 hits and two surges in his career before the furor died down.
Springfield gives a few amusing details about his early life and how it was spent in the backwoods of Australia. Milk was delivered in a horse cart and stored in an ice box. When his family bought a television, all the neighbors came over to watch it. Early on, Springfield joined a band called MPD Ltd. and was shipped off to Vietnam to perform for soldiers there, amidst enemy fire. Then he came to the U.S. where he was first promoted as a teen pop idol and comparisons were made to David Cassidy.
When his popularity started to fade, he went to Australia and had plastic surgery, at the age of 23. He returned to more hits and a longstanding role in General Hospital. The second time that his career started to fade, he thought that maybe more plastic surgery was the answer and the surgeon told him he would look ten years younger, failing to mention "that I could also end up looking like a stretched-lizard-faced freak." In any case, it turned out that this time around, plastic surgery was not the answer. At present, Springfield has been doing a lot of charity work for kids with cancer, because of his moving experiences with a young girl named Sahara who died of the disease. He also gives a few details about his 26-year marriage, his sex addiction and his depression, about which he's very forthcoming.
Overall, this is an admirable book, written by the man himself without the aid of any ghostwriter. It's open and honest about the problems that Springfield has had in dealing with stardom, including his depression and the excessive plastic surgery. Springfield comes across as human and vulnerable; you end up rooting for him in hopes that he might make yet another comeback.
Rick Springfield was born Rick Springthorpe, the son of Norman and Eileen Springthorpe. He had an older brother named Mike and his family moved to London and back to Australia while he was still young. While in Australia, he was a member of the band "Zoot" for a couple of years and then started going solo. His first single, "Speak to the Sky" reached the top 10 in Australia and Springfield then decided to move to the US. He won the Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance for "Jessie's Girl" and had many more hits in addition to his acting stint on the soap opera General Hospital. Late, Late at Night was ranked among the Top 25 Great Rock Memoirs of All Time by Rolling Stone Magazine.
"Much better than I expected, especially once I heard that he wrote it himself. After this brutally candid look at the life of one of my childhood crushes, I have a lot more respect for him as a musician now (even more than from seeing him perform several years ago). And it's a wake-up call about how crippling depression can be, even for someone you might think has it all."
— Peebee (5 out of 5 stars)
Publisher Summary
New York Times bestseller! Grammy Award-winning icon Rick Springfield shares the startling story of his rise and fall and rise again in music, film, and television and his lifelong battle with depression.
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 seventeen million albums and became the pop soundtrack for an entire generation, and twelve 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.
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Quotes
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“Exposing one’s soft underbelly to the world isn’t always flattering, but Springfield’s personality jumps off the pages in this entertaining romp through a rock star’s scattered life. You’ll respect the guy for his honesty, even if you’re unsure whether you embrace him or not…Fortunately for the reader, he’s also funny. One-liners, odd colloquialisms, and self-deprecating humor ease the tension during the book’s morose passages.”
— Fort Worth Weekly -
“Ultimately uplifting, this disarmingly candid memoir strikes deeper than any mere celebrity autobiography.”
— Barnes & Noble, editorial review -
“Springfield himself reads, infusing his performance with humor, life, and wry self-deprecation. What separates this work from other celebrity tell-alls is Springfield’s willingness to delve into his past with the kind of genuineness that can only come from maturity. Springfield’s fans and anyone enjoying celebrity memoirs will want to hear his story, in his own words.”
— Library Journal
Awards
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A New York Times bestseller
Late, Late at Night Listener Reviews
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" Well-written autobiography about fame, depression, personal demons, and a love of dogs. "
— Michelle, 2/19/2014 -
" I don't think anyone on the planet was a bigger Rick Springfield fan, than I have been. I wish I never would have read this book to completely destroy my view of this incredibly talented man. I am not naive to think that rock stars are "good boys". The constant bed partners over decades was gross but the fact that he has absolutely no remorse for any of it, or acknowledgment that he obviously has a sex addiction was the deal breaker for me. I think there is a giant "God shaped hole" that he has been trying to fill all his life with sex and alcohol. I pray that someday he will stop denying that he has a serious problem and cherish his wife since she is absolutely a saint for not walking out the door long, long ago. "
— Kiki, 2/18/2014 -
" SOOOO FABULOUS!!! i just love love love him!! amazing life,and i have followed him all my life!! "
— Omgmusic, 2/16/2014 -
" I heart Rick Springfield! I always have loved his music and thoroughly enjoyed reading his autobiography. It's not the best written work of art but it provides insight into what makes the man tick. I loved the backstories to what his songs are about. "
— Deborah, 2/8/2014 -
" Wow..definitely not the Rick Springfield story I would have imagined. His life is very different than I pictured it! I have seen him in interviews about the book recently and he looks so sad all the time. Just goes to show that success does not necessarily bring happiness. If you are a RS fan or ever have been, I would highly recommend reading this. "
— Michelle, 2/5/2014 -
" This was one of the best bios I have ever read. Brutally honest! Loved it all. "
— Kelly, 1/26/2014 -
" I really enjoyed this book. I liked its easy, conversational tone and I liked Springfield's honesty. Warning -- this is not for anyone squeamish about sex and naughty language! "
— Marsha, 1/20/2014 -
" I thought it was interesting. "
— Tisha, 1/18/2014 -
" So much for my image of the pop star I loved when I was growing up. "
— Krista, 12/23/2013 -
" Read it in 2 days, very well written. Sad, funny, and in the end inspiring. He has a very easy writing style that I enjoy. "
— Kristi, 12/19/2013 -
" Sometimes a gloat writer can be a guy's friend. Really a messed up guy. To think that I thought he was so amazing. I'm glad he righted himself but kind of a sad life. "
— Shari, 12/4/2013 -
" I really, really enjoyed this book. I've been a huge fan since WORKING CLASS DOG, and this book shocked and inspired me. Never expected this... and I'm touched by his honesty in the book. Great! "
— Brian, 11/28/2013 -
" Fifty shades of RS!! Entertaining!! "
— Kerry, 10/1/2013 -
" Disappointed. Very much so. This man's music made an impact on my life, but the things in the book were absolutely disgusting. "
— Dianne, 8/5/2013 -
" The thing about this book that stands out the most to me is the fact that Rick Springfield and my dad were born the same year. That's CRAZY! "
— Jennifer, 5/15/2013 -
" Wow! Rick Springfield isn't perfect! Good book, and his daily struggle with depression was very honest. Plus, he was honest about how he used to bang anything that moved. Good stuff. "
— Stacey, 10/30/2012 -
" EXCELLENT read! Very candid and "un-put-downable" once I got into it. Never considered myself a Springfield fan, but guess this book made me one! Extremely readable, more like a good one-sided conversation than a book. Highly recommend to any pop culture buff! "
— Melodie, 4/14/2012 -
" Conversational, honest and very interesting. "
— Shannon, 4/13/2012 -
" When my daughter hit those bumpy adolescent years I told her I would always love her but I wouldn't always like her. I have always loved Rick Springfield and now I also really like him. "
— Caitlyn, 2/13/2012 -
" I may not like Rick Springfield more after reading this, but I appreciate his warts and all storytelling. And he LOVES dogs. A good read about a troubled, talented, and very honest man. "
— Caroline, 1/29/2012 -
" I listened to the book on CD after going to one of his concerts. It was very eye opening and intruiging. "
— Teresa, 1/4/2012 -
" self-indulgent. only read it because he was the object of my affection 30 years ago. "
— Paula, 10/8/2011 -
" Rick Springfield definitely loves his dogs. Otherwise, the most interesting parts of this book is his time on General Hospital/when his music career was taking off. The parts about his relationship with his dad was also good. Other things, I might prefer not to know. "
— Melyssa, 5/24/2011 -
" Very good read. A very honest portrayal of a man battling his inner demons. I've always been a fan but I have a new appreciation for his music now that I know some of the background to his songs. "
— Swalsh1227, 5/22/2011 -
" Interesting look at the Aussie rocker/tv star's life. I did not remember how many hit songs he really had. Not a one-hit wonder at all. The book was perhaps just a bit too long but the audio performance by the author was very good. "
— Sandi, 4/26/2011 -
" I read about 50 pages of this book and I was bored. I love R.S. music just not his book. "
— Susanne, 3/27/2011 -
" I thought the book was great. Well written, in a conversational tone and gave me some insight into Mr. Springfield's "Darkness." "
— Brenda, 3/15/2011 -
" This was brutally honest, soulful, and depicted the crushing despair of depression that Rick Springfield has battled all his life. I'm an audiobook lover, so it was great to hear him narrate his own book. You could just hear the sadness and pain throughout the book. I really enjoyed it "
— MzDivaDawn, 3/12/2011 -
" This man deserves a reality show. with his thoughts spoken with heavy echo over his actions. "
— Tom, 3/8/2011 -
" Wouldn't want to be married to this man, nuff said. "
— Beth, 3/7/2011 -
" Great read. It explains alot of the sadness in his eyes and shows that his life has not been all wine and roses. "
— Donna, 2/10/2011 -
" I've always had a crush on Rick Springfield, and even got to see him in person a few years ago. His book was an interesting read, but I found it amazing that his wife stayed with him, with all the sexual escapades he had. "
— Barbara, 2/6/2011 -
" I loved Rick Springfield when I was a teenager. Knowing a bit about what he went thru with depression, I thought this book would be more interesting, but alas, it was not. I didn't finish it. "
— MajorBedhead, 2/5/2011
About Rick Springfield
Rick Springfield has been writing and performing music for more than four decades. An accomplished actor, he has performed on Broadway, headlined in Las Vegas, and starred in numerous movies and television series. Most recently, he played a twisted version of himself in Showtime’s hit Californication. He maintains an active touring schedule, playing more than one hundred times per year around the world. When not touring, he lives in Malibu, California, with his wife.