Rick Astley: Cool at Last

Rick Astley: Cool at Last

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Rick AstleyOK, maybe that’s stretching it, but this interview with Rick Astley and the LA Times on the topic of “Rickrolling” may surprise you. If you’ve ever been reading a blog or message board conversation and been led to a link claiming to be something relevant that turned out to be a YouTube video of Rick Astley singing “Never Gonna Give You Up”, you’ve been Rickrolled. Cute, but even funnier when the pranks are taken offline and the song has been played live at Scientology protests then captured on video.

The interview reveals that Rick Astley is not living in the past, has a sense of humor, thinks Rickrolling is hilarious, and strongly believes that him taking part or trying to capitalize on it falls somewhere between killing the internet magic and being quite sad:

“If some DJ wants to remix Never Gonna Give You Up and put it out as a record, if he did a good job, I’d be flattered…I think the artist themselves trying to remix it is almost a bit sad, really…Either that or I’ll get myself a pseudonym and remix it.”

5 Replies to “Rick Astley: Cool at Last”

  1. I always had a feeling Rick Astley was a *real* person, somehow, during his brief late 80s buzz. His voice was bigger than his one hit and yes, I thought he was slightly crush-worthy. Glad to know he has a sense of humor about it all…and hopefully he isn’t shopping a reality show.

  2. Loved the song then, love it now! Just got sucked into watching the entire music video on YouTube. Thanks for the ’80s moment flashback, VeeDub!

  3. Do you remember Rick Astley?
    He had a big fat hit that was ghastly.
    He said I’m never gonna give you up or let you down.
    Well I’m here to tell ya that Dick’s a clown
    Though he was just a boy when he made that vow.
    I’d bet it all that he knows by now.

  4. Virginia – I was perusing your site after you spoke at the New Orleans AMA meeting (great presentation btw) and had to laugh when I found this post. We have a resident “Rick Roller” in our office and he has definitely spawned an all-out battle in our office.

    He’s also the head Interactive director at Zehnder Communications and took the competition as far as creating his own Rick Roll.

    Prior to the local ADDY (advertising) awards show, he claimed that he was a given a sneak peek at the winners and we could see how many awards we won here: http://www.z-comm.com/addy/

    I didn’t fall for it of course 😉

  5. Rick Astley forever!! Never gonna give…up his dance skillz!! He and the word “groovy” are gonna be said Together Forever!! Love ya, dahling!

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