Currently locked away in his new custom-made recording studio, Rick Springfield [ tickets ] heads out next month for his first tour since his two-year engagement helming a Las Vegas variety show came to an end.

Springfield's itinerary stretches into November, though only a handful of shows have been nailed down for each of the coming months.

The outing follows the December 2002 closure of "EFX Alive," a special-effects laden music and theatre show that ran at Las Vegas' MGM Grand Hotel for about seven years. Springfield took over the show's central role in January of 2001 after former "Partridge Family" teen idol David Cassidy vacated the slot.

"Actually, I'm very happy now that the show is behind me," Springfield said in a statement. "I kind of thought I would be. It was quite a grind but there was lots of positive stuff too. It was a bittersweet thing leaving Vegas but more sweet than bitter. I'll certainly miss people but I look forward to the new stuff."

That new stuff is an in-the-works album that is the follow-up to his 1999 release, "Karma." The set is expected some time this year, though no date has been set.

In recent days, Springfield and his band have been spending 14 hours a day in Springfield's new studio, which he has dubbed the Dog House. The group has laid down 16 tracks, according to Springfield's website.