Rick Springfield Opens Up About His ‘Suicide Manifesto’ and Struggles with Depression
“Last year I was close to it,” Springfield said of his struggles following Chester Bennington and Chris Cornell’s deaths.
Rick Springfield understands what would drive someone like Chester Bennington or Chris Cornell to suicide, because he contemplated suicide himself as recently as last year.
The rocker opened up about his lifelong battle with depression during an interview on “Feedback,” VOLUME’s morning show, hosted by Lori Majewski.
“Last year I was close to it, really close to it,” Springfield said.
He addressed his suicidal thoughts in a song titled “Suicide Manifesto” from his upcoming new album, “The Snake King.”
“I know I’m kinda known as a happy, pop-y guy, but you know ‘Jessie’s Girl’ was sexual angst, torment, something I didn’t get. ‘Don’t Talk To Strangers’ was fear of my girlfriend screwing around on me. They all come from dark places,” he said. “But ‘Suicide Manifesto’ is stuff I think about. I’ve been close to it. Like when Robin Williams and Chester and those guys … I didn’t go, ‘Oh that’s terrible.’ I went, ‘I get it.’ I mean, I get being that lost and dark.”
Springfield explained that he has found new ways to cope with his mental health issues.
“I’ve taken Prozac and all that kind of stuff, and I meditate,” he said. “Mediation is the only thing that takes me out of it. If I truly meditate and focus and get to that place, I’m not depressed. No matter what’s going on. But yeah, it’s pretty hard.”
