The Standard: Rick Astley on Morrissey, getting Rick-Rolled, and his biggest hit (November 2, 2023)

Rick Astley on Morrissey, getting Rick-Rolled, and his biggest hit

Rick Astley on Morrissey, getting Rick-Rolled, and his biggest hit

The Eighties pop star talks his surprise renaissance as an internet meme, becoming a Smiths tribute singer and using the Mission Impossible team in his new music video

www.standard.co.uk

Excerpt:

Despite sounding like a fever dream, or the result of a random event generator, their Smiths homage has obvious appeal. Not only is Astley’s booming vocal and affinity for a campily rolled R tailor-made for the endeavour, there’s also the fact that certain The Smiths fans may now prefer to enjoy the music, minus the Morrissey (he’s become a fairly divisive and controversial figure in recent years due to his support of far-right activism). Astley initially tip-toes around the subject: “Love him or loathe the guy – as people seem to do these days – you can’t deny he’s one of the most amazing lyricists ever”. How does he really feel about him?

“I read somewhere, and it’s an old phrase... separate the art from the artist,” he says. “There’s a lot of painters that were complete arseholes, and horrifically horrible people, but they created beautiful works of art that are hanging in galleries all around the world, and people who are good, upstanding, forthright, decent people go and admire that art, and don't think about whether that guy was a misogynist f**king prat, you know what I mean?

"I don't see that there's any difference from a musical artist, to a painter, sculptor, or whatever it is. I just say to myself, what they created was absolutely incredible and beautiful. I've seen a couple of Smith's tribute bands, and I must say Johnny Marr’s pretty amazing when he does it. I’ve not seen Morrissey [live] to be fair.”

 

[MandaBee]

R Astley is awful, I've always said that. He "steals" doing .a.The.Smiths and says esto.de Morrissey, bites the hand of the one who feeds him... he's totally disrespectful to Morrissey, he talks horribly about Morrissey, he's unforgivable, it's pitiful, Moz should come out and answer him. How unpresentable... And she sings in such an ugly voice !!. Disrespecting Morrissey and singing his songs.!!! And there are people who are going to see it...... Yuck, disgusting, disgusting

It’s been reported that Morrissey quite liked his

Blossoms new single is very very good. I might even buy their new album

I quite like them. They have an 80s vibe despite their youth. At the risk of sounding like an old biddy, they seem like a nice bunch of lads!

 

[Moz Fan]

I doubt Morrissey has any interest in Astley's rethoric about separating artist from art when referring to him or anybody else.

Attempting to separate artist from art is just an intellectual exercise some people make to justify, to other people, their love and admiration for someone whose ideas or attitudes they don't agree with.

IMO, that kind of separation is actually impossible. Art is organic.

 

[Johnnie Ray]

Yes!! we must separate Morrissey's choice to have a different opinion on certain subjects otherwise we can't enjoy his music!! Why is everyone such a pussy?

Have all the ignorant opinions you like! Just don't be a pussy when everybody hates you, own it like a man.

 

[Johnnie Ray]

Because everyone is a total pussy.

Speak for yourself.

 

[Johnnie Ray]

Because Prick Astley is a no talent hack that saw a chance to dip his toe into the world of real music just for fun apparently

Prick Astley? How about we call you charred?

 

[Johnnie Ray]

Rick has never seen Morrissey in concert? Ever? Well then he's not a fan and I don't know why he sings Smiths songs. Amazes me that he's never seen Moz in concert. Especially considering how often Moz played the UK since going solo. Ffs I live in Ireland and have seen Moz in concert many many times. What a joke. I've just lost even the shred of respect I once might have had for Rick Ghastly. I'm sure he's a nice guy but his lack of interest in a man he's trying to copy/channel on stage is staggeringly lazy.

I haven't seen Morrissey ever since he started to look and act old.

 

[Johnnie Ray]

Embarrassing. And paints a very different landscape to his usual line until now of, “Oh, I’m just such a big fan! “ No filter on anything coming out of his mouth. What a dick.

Hey Astley, how about this? If you think someone’s “a misogynist f***ing prat”, or “an arsehole”, or “a horrifically, horrible person”, maybe just karaoke that person’s songs in your own shower, instead of trying to ride their coat tails for a second wind in your own career and instead of actively pursuing this particular tack for your own financial profit.

Gross behavior.

Boo hoo he thinks differently than me! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaah.

 

[Vesper Nocturne]

Good lord, your anger towards anyone who says anything negative about Morrissey is not normal. Rick Astley doesn’t need to sing Smiths songs to line his pockets, he regularly sells out arenas and has just announced another arena tour where he will be singing his own material. He has a record deal and his new album landed at number 2. As recent as 2016 he had a platinum selling album and a silver selling album in 2018.

Oh baby, BABY! This is what i was waiting for yesterday, and you kept me hanging!

 

[gonzax]

Rick Astley is a very cool guy and a genuine Smiths fan, people here saying he did those gigs for the money are just laughable.

Oh and he's got all the right in the world to cover whomever the **** he likes, just like any other band or artist on the planet.

 

[DreamingofStew]

“I read somewhere, and it’s an old phrase... separate the art from the artist. There’s a lot of painters that were complete arseholes, and horrifically horrible people, but they created beautiful works of art that are hanging in galleries all around the world, and people who are good, upstanding, forthright, decent people go and admire that art, and don't think about whether that guy was a misogynist f**king prat, you know what I mean?"

What this misses, somewhat naively, is that there are very few people going to admire the art who are really "good, upstanding, forthright, decent people", or it's at least a pretty bold assumption that they are. If everyone had the same level of scrutiny as the artists there'd be a lot fewer people who could clutch their pearls and swoon in offence at the lives of the artists without appearing ridiculous. But their lives are not scrutinised in the same way and so they stand in judgement of the lives of those who have created things as if their own lives are immaculate.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

Boo hoo he thinks differently than me! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaah.

good Rick Astley impersonation!

 

[Grilled Cheese]

Rick, you can disagree with things Morrissey says and still like his music. It doesn’t mean you have to “separate the art from the artist”. You can’t. The art is Morrissey. Morrissey is the art.

Then why isn’t he over at my house singing to me? His art is also a commodity I can purchase or stream. I can listen and enjoy without thinking about the man. If you can’t, that’s fine too.

 

[Lujan369]

It is impossible to separate the person who makes art from his work of art. If I found out Morrissey was doing something serious, I would never listen to him again, I wouldn't pay a penny to anyone I despise. My favorite singer is the one I admire for his talent and blah blah blah and whom I respect as a person, if he is not a good person for me he does not exist, I start by knowing what the person is like, if he is bad people even if he is a genius for me he is the worst. Very simple. On the other hand, let everyone do what they want. "Normal" people don't exist. We are all neurotic to a greater or lesser degree. And there could never be "normal" people in this place if "normality" were possible. So don't come and tell me: you're not normal, because I already know

 

[gashonthenail]

You can separate the art from the artist - but can you separate Rick Astley from cheese?
At least he can take the piss out of himself.

 

[Lujan369]

Simmer down sud*k*. Simmer down. Do you really think that M would care?

Of course he cares!! If a celebrity wears their shirt, we immediately see them in their Central. Imagine if the criticism he receives is absurd and if it is made by a colleague who took advantage of him to make money... Obviously it bothers him!! Who wouldn't care

 

[gashonthenail]

He's stealing the art from the artist.

Clearly innocent old butter wouldn't melt in his mouth Rick is part of the conspiracy to blacken Morrissey's good name and reputation.

 

[Lujan369]

Morrissey has a big name and his reputation is immaculate... R Astley doesn't exist, he doesn't even reach Moz's ankles

 

[Surface]

Morrissey has a big name and his reputation is immaculate... R Astley doesn't exist, he doesn't even reach Moz's ankles

As in there's 9 letters in Morrissey and only 4 in Rick.

 

[Lujan369]

As in there's 9 letters in Morrissey and only 4 in Rick.

Ha ha, even in that Moz is Bigger

 

[gordyboy9]

from the glastonbury set from the bits i watched i think the blossoms came out of it better,thought their sound was really good,rickshaw was a bit shouty in some parts,i posted on here years ago that he wanted to do a small gig where he sings every song off the queen is dead,that might have been a better way to go about it.