Rick Astley Comments On RickRolls
When I first started covering the Anonymous vs. Scientology movement I found myself a victim of the RickRoll. Not sure what this is? Yes, well neither was I. A Rickroll is a very insidery joke amongst internet savvy folks where they lure you with a link and instead of finding your intended pr0n or pictures of cute kittens, you get a YouTube video of 80’s pop phenom Rick Astley performing his huge hit “Never Gonna Give You Up.”
Neat huh? Well, to those in Anonymous this isn’t so much a prank as it is a shout out to a relatively well-crafted, jaunty little number which delights the senses and hearkens back to a time when life and music were much simpler. It really is a compliment to Rick Astley and not at all intended to negate his talent. It’s also quite hilarious, even when you’ve fallen for it a once or twice, a handful, SEVERAL times. What? I’m gullible like that.
So, in light of this new resurgence in Rick’s popularity, the LA Times, (writer David Sarno) did a feature on the man behind the lightweight, but likable pop ditty, and asked him what he thinks of the whole internet-driven appreciation.
“If this had happened around some kind of rock song, with a lyric that really meant something — a Bruce Springsteen, “God bless America” … or an anti-something kind of song, I could kind of understand that,†Astley said. “But for something as, and I don’t mean to belittle it, because I still think it’s a great pop song, but it’s a pop song; do you know what I mean? It doesn’t have any kind of weight behind it, as such. But maybe that’s the irony of it.â€
Astley would never put the song down, mind you. It’s just that, as he says, “If I was a young kid now looking at that song, I’d have to say I’d think it was pretty naff, really.â€
(Wikipedia on “naffâ€: British slang for “something which is seen to be particularly ‘cheesy’ or ‘tacky’ or in otherwise poor aesthetic taste.â€) “For me it’s a good example of what some of the ’80s were about in that pop sort of music way. A bit like you could say Debbie Gibson was absolutely massive, but if you look back at it now … do you know what I mean?â€
Yes, I think we do. But even still, with all the renewed attention to his work and his — albeit 20-year-old — image, does Astley have any plans to cash in on Rickrolling, maybe with his own YouTube remix?
“I don’t really know whether I want to be doing that,†he said. “ I’m not being an ageist, but it’s almost a young person’s thing, that.â€
“I think the artist themselves trying to remix it is almost a bit sad,†he said. “No, I’m too old for that.â€
Astley, who will be touring the U.K. in May with a group of other ’80’s acts, including Bananarama, and Nick Heyward, Heaven 17, Paul Young and ABC, sums up his thoughts on his unexpected virtual fame with characteristic good humor:
“Listen, I just think it’s bizarre and funny. My main consideration is that my daughter doesn’t get embarrassed about it.â€
Rick’s list of tour dates, for those so inclined.
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THIS IS WHY.
Comment by anonkneemess — March 26, 2008 @ 8:49 am
Only Anonymous could revive a good man’s singing career AND take down the evil cult of $cientology.
Amazing breadth of scope.
Thank you, Anonymous
Comment by Ben — March 26, 2008 @ 9:44 am
You gotta love how the guy has taken the whole Rickroll phenomenon the right way. What a mensch.
Comment by Narcissus — March 26, 2008 @ 10:24 am
lord, i got rickrolled in an article about a rickroll. you’d think after so long i’d see it comming
Comment by anonymous — March 26, 2008 @ 11:10 am
it’s so funny how I just couldn’t bring myself to try ANY link in an article about RickRoll. Guess I made the right choice? heh heh
Comment by nonnonn — March 26, 2008 @ 11:57 am
I’d hit it.
Comment by k — March 26, 2008 @ 3:13 pm
I bought “Never Gonna Give You Up” yesterday on iTunes as a direct result of RickRoll obsession. THIS IS WHY HE LIKES THEM.
Comment by Matt Sussman — March 26, 2008 @ 8:19 pm
[...] know Dawn did a great story on this a few days ago, but I have to add my two cents…it seems that Rick Astley has become [...]
Pingback by GlossLip » Rick Astley: Rickrolling Mad Skillz, He Has Dem — April 2, 2008 @ 12:30 pm