May 22 2008
Rick Astley’s Fan Club Called; They Want Their Idol Back
I’ve stirred up a hornet’s nest with my Rick Astley comment yesterday. Again; no link, just scroll. Apparently there are quite a few Rick Astley fans left, and they both called me yesterday. My intent was not to rile up the “Astleynation”, I was just making a point. It seems that I am not alone in this regard. The New York Mets fell victim to being “Rickroll’d” in early April, and other victims include the Eastern Washington University Women’s Basketball Team and The Church Of Scientology. Mr. Astley is quite good natured about the whole thing, and actually embraces the idea. Well, sort of. He says he won’t try and capitalize on the phenomenon, but that’s probably because sales of his back catalog have increased to the point that he can cancel the second leg of his Dinner Theatre Tour this summer. Go Rick!
I don’t hate Rick Astley, it’s just hard to process the audio/visual contradiction that is the “Never Gonna Give You Up” video (sorry, can’t bring myself to embed it). He obviously deserves some credit for having such a soulful voice. His parents, however, should be chastised for teaching him to dress like a Ken doll and eat like a bird. That voice cannot be coming from that body. I see Rick in this video, and all I can think of is Anthony Michael Hall asking Molly Ringwald if he can “Borrow her underpants for 10 minutes” in Sixteen Candles. He looks like a 12 year old who stole his Mothers sunglasses. Seriously, think about it; if you saw a Barry White video, but the sound coming out of the TV was “Karma Chameleon” by Culture Club, wouldn’t you question your sanity? Don’t even get me started on the “Dance moves.” Until I saw this video, I always thought running into a chain link fence was an accident, not a dance move. Who choreographed this video, Elmer Fudd? Oh great, now I’ll get inundated with hate mail from the “Looneytunesnation.” Apologies in advance, Mr. Fudd. Please don’t send Marvin the Martian to melt my face off with his explosive space modulator. I think two things would have helped the credibility of the “Never Gonna Give You Up” video: longer hair and puberty.
Being an ’80’s girl and though not a huge fan of Rick Astley even though I really love “Never Gonna Give You Up”, I have to ask you, Nuke…
When are you going to post a photo of yourself from the ’80’s? (hee hee)
I have to admit though, by looking at that photo of Rick through squinty eyes, I do see a little of AMH in him. “Very hot, very hot!”
(NukeDad) HaHa, good quote, Melisa. I loved when he was in the broken car in auto shop with her playing the drums and singing The Beatles’ “Birthday” to her. As for a picture, here is a link to a post I wrote on the Anthill. http://www.cre8buzz.com/anthill/?p=375 No making fun of the prom tux, either! It’s all they had in stock!
Nuke - I remember seeing that video for the first time and thinking the same thing: where the heck is that deep, rich voice coming from? It ain’t from that scrawny kid, unless his entire thorasic cavity is hollow, or he’s been implanted with some kind of high-tech vocal enhancing device. And what was the point of the bartender? Then came the video to Wang Chung’s “Everybody have fun tonight” and my brain was wiped clean of all questions.
(NukeDad) You forgot “I Ran” by Flock of Seagulls. Wrap a camera in tin foil, place it in the middle of a room full of mirrors and then spin, spin, spin! Don’t forget your Dramamine.
I know that WATCHING the “never gonna give you up” video could be vastly improved through the consumption of Scotch.
I roll up my Girbaud jeans in honor of His Astelyness. may he continue to live off the fat of his royalties.
(NukeDad) Don’t forget to take off your Vaurnet’s!
I’ve never been a user.
(NukeDad) Of drugs, or Rick Astley music?
Oh yes, I vividly remember that post because I thought it was such a nice tribute to your friend. (I didn’t remember it when I taunted you this a.m., though).
But…
There’s gotta be another photo out there. Wearing a neon green sweatshirt perhaps?
(Or a Members Only jacket?)
And while we’re talking about videos that make no sense, your honor, if it pleases the court:
Men Without Hats: “The Safety Dance”
(NukeDad) Men Without Hats, good one! I’ll have to put on my thinking cap now and come up with some more. And, your looking for a picture of me in full 80’s regalia, huh? I’ll have to look around and see if I have any pictures of me in my Mumford shirt. (Remember that?) I do have some of me in my OP shorts (had the matching velcro wallet and everything). I’ll get back to you.
I am laughing so hard right now, my kids are worried. Can I steal that image?
(NukeDad) I’m sorry, the site that I stole it from said something about copyright infringement, or something like that; so, no. (J/K) You may pilfer at will.
PS: The first time I saw that video, I was at my best friend’s house. We sat on her bed, watching the video, laughing our asses off, waiting for the real singer to come out. Because there was NO WAY that voice was coming out of that little white boy. Sadly, the punch line never came.
(NukeDad) Do you think he’s actually the ORIGINAL Milli Vanilli? Hmmmm.
Rick probably just wants to be left alone. Who knew that rickrolling would catch on. Still I found this post hilarious.
(NukeDad) Thank You! I agree with you, Rick probably wishes it was all over with.
Rick Astley is a phenomenal singer - without doubt of the greatest male singers of all time. He’s ‘cursed’ (if you want to use that word) with not looking how he sounds but if you hear his voice alone he is gold. And he can sing any sort of song - rock, soul, big band, pop. People can mock his appearance as much as they like but vocally he’s as good as it gets.
(NukeDad) I never said once that he couldn’t sing. AOL is still around?
Rick’s hardly the only ’skinny white boy’ with a deep, rich voice - just look around the opera house occassionally, or the bass section of any large choir. The truly huge guys are usually tenors, not basses - it takes a lot of air to keep a tenor voice ‘up there’. What Rick has is the long neck and deep-set voicebox that go with being a great, soulful bass.
I have loved Rick Astley’s voice from the first time I heard it - could listen to him sing all day long.
(NukeDad) That’s true, Jim; I never said he didn’t have a good voice.