Rick Springfield on kissing Meryl Streep in the film Ricki and the Flash

FIRST, rocker Rick Springfield was intimidated by the Oscar queen. Now he wants to take her on tour: ‘She’s nicer than any bandmate I ever had!’

YOU play Meryl Streep’s lead guitarist in the film Ricki and the Flash. Can you think of a rock ’n’ roll movie you’ve seen that captured the reality of the life?

I haven’t seen any that I go, ‘Yeah, they really nailed that’. And this isn’t a story about a rock and roll star, it’s a story about a human being who happens to be a musician — and not a very successful one, which is part of the issue.

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SWAPPING JESSIE’S GIRL ... FOR MERYL’S GIRL

Is it true all the songs the Flash perform were filmed live?

Yeah, Jonathan Demme wanted us to play live, which is pretty unheard of. Most films, they record it in the studio or at do least overdubs then lip-synch. This was played live in the moment. When I heard they weren’t even going to do overdubs, I started to sweat (laughs).

Besides you, who are the other “real” musos in the movie band?

Rick Rosas was Neil Young’s bass player — unfortunately he died four days after the shoot ended, which freaked us all out. Joe Vitale, the drummer, played with Crosby Stills and Nash. Bernie Worrell was in Talking Heads. And Meryl — I’ve never seen anybody take two months to learn electric guitar, then sing and play and pull it off. It’s actually astounding. She brought it, for sure.

How did you old pros initiate Meryl into the band?

First of all I went, ‘Oh my God, it’s Meryl Streep!’ But the intimidation of ‘Oh my God, it’s Meryl Streep’ has gotta go out the window as soon as you can throw it because that interferes with everything. Especially when you’ve gotta kiss her! I’m going, ‘Oh. My. God. I’m kissing Meryl Streep!’ So she initiated herself by being very open and not wearing ‘Meryl Streep’ on her shoulder. She would ask questions about, ‘Am I holding this guitar right?’, so it took some of the fear away, like, ‘Meryl’s asking us something for a change!’.

Was auditioning for Jonathan ‘Silence of the Lambs’ Demme intimidating?

The first audition, this guy sat down next to me and said, ‘I’m a big fan’. I looked at him and said, ‘Oh OK, thanks’. Then something in my head said, ‘Idiot — that’s the director!’ So I went, ‘Oh, Jonathan ...’ He’s such a music fan. The first movie I ever did was a music movie called Hard To Hold, but it was directed by a guy who hated rock ’n’ roll, and it shows. With Jonathan, I knew the music was in good hands.

You’d had hit songs in Australia, solo and with Zoot, before you moved to America in the ’70s. What led you to try acting over there?

I thought I could make money as an actor while I was waiting for a record deal, honestly. Which was pretty stupid because most actors in class were waiting tables waiting for an acting gig! But innocence is a good thing and I actually did start to make some money as a contract player for Universal. I’d always thought about it — my brother is an actor in Australia and it always interested in me. And it’s been much more enjoyable than I thought it would be; I thought it would just be something to play the light bill.

How did it work in the 1980s when you were touring and acting at the same time?

I would fly out to play on the weekends, then fly back Monday morning to work on General Hospital. Stupid. I was out of my mind.

What is it about acting that gives you a rush?

Writing a song that you feel you’ve nailed, recording a performance you feel is particularly good and completing a scene that you feel you got pretty close to — it’s all the same rush to me.

At your concerts, you’re the frontman. How did you adapt to being Meryl’s sideman, Greg?

I had to focus on being a musician and not a rock star. I actually modelled it off some friends of mine — Pat Benatar, we toured with her, and her husband, Neil Giraldo, actually played the guitar on the original recording of Jessie’s Girl. So I modelled Greg on Neil, because when he plays he supports Pat by almost facing her the whole show rather than facing out to the audience.

Greg gives Ricki some offstage lessons as well ...

Yeah, she’s a wild spirit and full of self-recrimination for leaving her family. Greg has made similar mistakes. But he’s come to an awareness that maybe Ricki doesn’t quite have. My wife said, ‘I like your character Greg better than I like you’. So, he’s a good guy.

Did anything in the movie ring true with things you’ve lived in your own musical life?

Well certainly, the awareness of sacrifices ... I do remember playing in clubs and being excited if there were three people there and two of them clapped at the end of a song! But Greg has a different headspace; in Greg’s position, I would have been pretty jaded and pretty pissed off that nothing had really happened (laughs).

What can you tell us about your new album, Mayhem?

I’ve been listening to a lot of country because rock has gone to Nashville — it’s certainly not on the radio anymore! So I’ve written a couple of songs with Nashville guys. It’s coming out in October. And it’s basically the best record I’ve ever done.

What’s your reaction these days when Jessie’s Girl comes on the radio?

I like to hear it — it’s like seeing your son in the crowd. The funniest thing is hearing muzak versions of it in the grocery store.

We often hear about life on the road causing bands to break up ...

That’s why I’m a solo artist!

... Do you think you could tour with Meryl Streep?

Oh yeah, she’s nicer than any of the band mates I was ever with.

RICKI AND THE FLASH OPENS TODAY

Originally published as Rick Springfield on kissing Meryl Streep in the film Ricki and the Flash