Rick Astley - that was a surprise!

[Ozone]

OH got us tickets to see him at the O2 in Birmingham last night and it was surprisingly good. He was very relaxed and sang very well, did the hits, apologised for doing new stuff and not being 'rock n roll' and had alot of banter with the audience.

The surprise of the night was that he sang the AC/DC anthem Highway to Hell while playing the drums! (It doesn't suit his voice but it was a competent version) He played guitar too on his new stuff. He did a couple of Motown standards and did them justice.

I was expecting a stilting, shy Stock Aitken and Waterman puppet and got a relaxed, confident performer. A new respect from me.

[satan 59]

That's what he used to do way back.
Newton-le-Willows, Legh Arms before he got spotted.

[Ozone]

I thought in his youth he may have played pubs/clubs like Gary Barlow but i wasn't sure. Nice to know he paid his dues

[satan 59]

His band used to do mostly rock stuff back then.

[Fishtigua]

His new song 'Superman' is record of the week on R2. The first time I heard it I really didn't have a clue who was singing. A nice suprise.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMlxrZFB1X8

[DrTre]

Isn't he the classic case of one song making/ruining his career.

Think Pete Waterman said he'd got one of the best soul voices he'd ever heard, and all joking aside, Waterman does know his stuff when it comes to music.

Kind of a shame really.

[Ozone]

DrTre said:

Isn't he the classic case of one song making/ruining his career.

Good point and probably right, i think he realises that but he seems to have matured in to an entertainer. There were hard core fans there who knew all the words to his songs and brought old albums and tour programmes for him to sign. He did say he was there to just have a good time and sod everything else which made it quite refreshing. I guess he is trying to get away from the SAW millstone and he probably won't but he certainly still can sing.

[marcosgt]

DrTre said:

Isn't he the classic case of one song making/ruining his career.

Think Pete Waterman said he'd got one of the best soul voices he'd ever heard, and all joking aside, Waterman does know his stuff when it comes to music.

Kind of a shame really.

Flicking channels on a recent Saturday, I caught Rick from his era and it really was remarkable to reconcile the voice with the spindly white guy in the video... I always suspected a milli vanilli black box scenario, but maybe he was just remarkably good..

M

[Terminator X]

[Shows age] Kylie minogue slowed down / rick astley sped up = same thing. [/shows age]

TX.