On The Couch with Rick Astley during the 80's Rewind Music Festival

By Yashika Ramautar


Suave Rick Astley gets ready for the camera
YR: What  about this project made you get involved in it?
RA: I've done a few Rewind Festivals throughout Europe and different parts of the world, where its not just you, but a host of other artists, and this appealed to me most. In that way its quite nice as it takes the pressure off because its not just one artist, but a few artists. What happens then is that it creates a whole different mood for the concert. When there is a bunch of you, there is a whole different atmosphere, and is like a festival which is a much easier gig, to be honest.


YR: Do you still tour and what have you been doing in the recent years?
My childhood dream materialises
RA: I've been doing a few gigs here and there, like I opened the Singapore Grand Prix last year, but I'm a bit too old to be travelling around in the back of a tour bus now. Not that I won't ever do it again, because there is a certain element of fun in that. What I try and do is make it a bit of a holiday for my family as well. I have a 20-year old daughter, who use to tag along with me everywhere I went, but  not anymore as expected. So if there's a place that we really want to go to, like Japan, which she loves,  then I would consider it. A year or two ago I did a gig in New York and that was fun too. I love the music and really enjoy it, but I kind of use that as my excuse to go travelling, really. 


Sneaking a photo while Rick sips a sundowner
YR: Is your daughter going to follow in your footsteps and take up singing?



RA: She is studying art, and is an incredible artist. She does some amazing work, and that's what she really wants to do at the moment. She can sing though, and has a really good voice, so you just may never know as she grows.  


YR: You were famous for your snazzy dance moves back in the day, can you still groove like that?
RA: Well if I have a drink, I surely can! But to be quite honest, the only reason I could move in any way, shape or form, was because I had to do a lot  of  TV shows in the old days.  I would just be put in front of a camera and had no idea what to do, so I use to just shuffle along. There was no choreography or sorts back then.  


YR: Who is your favourite 80's artist of all time? 
RA: Gosh, that question is way too hard. Bollocks! Well, Human League and Al Green have always been my favourite artists.




Yashika Ramautar flanked by Rick Astley and Spandau
Ballet's Tony Hadley

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