Rick Astley says pop music is 'ridiculous' ahead of Glasgow Green gig

Jun 27 2012 EXCLUSIVE by Joe McGuire

Rick Astley Image 1

EIGHTIES megastar Rick Astley will hit the stage at Glasgow Green next month – even though he reckons it seems ludicrous.

The Never Gonna Give You Up singer comes to the city as part of the Here and Now nostalgia tour on Saturday, July 21.

But despite his continuing popularity Rick still has qualms about carrying on singing his repertoire of hits.

He said: “There are moments when I’ve thought, ‘Grow up, what are you doing, you’re in your 40s, for God’s sake, stop pretending you’re 21.’

“Part of pop music is that it’s  ridiculous anyway. Then to add to that a guy who used to do it 20 years ago still doing it, it’s a bit, ‘Oh, come on.’”

But Astley, who from his debut to his fifth single outsold every other artist in the world, said he can also see the enjoyment people get out of revisiting the decade.

He said: “When I myself go see people I want to see stuff from their first album, I just really want to hear those songs again-I don’t care if they’ve put a bit of weight on.

“I want to go home and think that was a really great time in my life and that’s just reminded me of it.”

Astley, who still holds the record for being the only male solo artist to have his first eight singles reach the UK top 10, retired at just 27 due to his disgust with the music industry and wanting to spend more time with his family.

He said: “”I just didn’t want to do it anymore, I’d had enough of it.

“I’m glad I quit, I don’t regret it ever.”

Retiring allowed Rick to spend more time with wife Lene to raise their daughter Emilie, who keeps him straight on the value of his work.

He said: “When I take the mickey out of myself because I’m away to sing these old hits she’ll stop me and say, ‘no I’m really proud of you. You sang songs that really meant something to people’”

When quizzed on the worldwide meme RickRolling that has made him a internet sensation Rick says: “It has nothing to do with me-It could’ve been any song the guy who started it picked.

“I don’t really see myself as that guy in that video anymore-I didn’t really see myself as that guy at 21 but now it’s so distant to who I am on a day to day basis.

“I’m not knocking it however; it’s exposed a whole new generation of kids to it who wouldn’t have heard it unless mum had their cds too loud.

“That’s the great thing about the internet, you can hear music by anyone anytime.”