USA TODAY 6D LIFE MONDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2016

MUSIC ASTLEY IS ‘RICKROLLING’ BACK TO THE BUSINESS He returns Patrick Ryan want you to make a new record.” USA TODAY What was the first song with ‘50,’ but Qyou wrote o
the album? Rick Astley’s 50, his the ’80s sensation NEW YORK Rick Astley promised The first one I actually said, first album of all-original he’d never say goodbye. A“All right, I’m happy with music in 20 years, doesn’t mind The British singer became an that,” was Keep Singing. It gave is out Friday. overnight sensation in 1987 with me a bit of a blueprint. I made the embracing past his indelible pop hit Never Gonna record by myself in my own stu- Give You Up, only dio. I said, “All right, the instru- SARA SNYDER ments in this room are what I’m FOR USA TODAY to retire six years later. But with fans’ going to make this with and I’m support, he’s back not going to get anyone else in to with new album 50, do it.” A lot of the songs are pretty out Friday, a soul- simple, but that’s what I wanted. ful, gospel-inspired All through my singing career, the departure from the one thing that people have men- song that made him tioned more than anything — an Internet meme. other than a few funny dance Astley stopped routines — is my voice. So I want- by USA TODAY for ed to give that some space. a Facebook Live How do you feel about chat last month, Qbeing the meme king of where he discussed his return to the Internet? music and how he feels about the “Rickrolling” phenomenon. If you’re the “Rick” in “Rick- Arolling,” that’s pretty weird. So it’s called 50. Is that a But I’ve also had a huge distance Qnod to Adele? from it; I’ve never really tried to A little bit, yeah. I’m a big use it. Sometimes, I get roped Afan of Adele. I like the fact into using it because I’m doing that her records, when she looks something in terms of promoting back later, she’s going to know ex- and someone wants to have a bit actly what she’s doing at certain of fun, and I’m totally fine with times in her life. I don’t know that. In fact, the last time I came why she chose numbers, but I to New York, I Rickrolled the thought that was a nice thing. Macy’s Day Parade. Also, 50 is a big birthday. A lot of How do you feel about guys have a midlife crisis where that song now? they buy a Harley-Davidson and Q want to do Route 66. Nothing I know some artists don’t wrong with that, fellas, but this is Awant to sing their biggest hit, how I’ve marked my birthday. but I retired for 15 years, so I don’t see it like that. I know that This is your first album if somebody is going to remem- Qof all-original music ber me, that’s why they’re going since Body and Soul two dec- to remember me. If you had ades ago. What inspired you asked me that question 15 years to start writing again? ago, it might’ve been a di
erent A lot of things. I’ve been do- answer. But right now, it’s great to Aing gigs again for about 10 have those (old) songs, because I years. Because we’ve got social probably wouldn’t be getting any media, people let you know exact- acknowledgement of this new ly how they feel, so if they come record without them. No one’s to a gig and want this or that going to let a 50-year-old guy in song, they let you know. And one the building with a new record — thing they let me know over the that ain’t gonna happen. past seven, eight years was, “We