The English singer-songwriter, 60, on learning to appreciate good fortune, the benefits of stoicism, and being a trucker in another life
My morning ritual is …
I get up, go out, take a long walk and maybe get a coffee and some scrambled eggs somewhere.
I feel optimistic about …
My life. As I get older, I’ve learned to appreciate just how lucky I’ve been. When I see things that are on the horizon for us, like the gigs we’re doing this year, I think “Oh, you jammy bastard!” I don’t want to ever forget how lucky I am.
What makes me angry …
Unkind people. Social media’s brought that to the fore. People are downright awful about other people. They’ve got no idea what that person’s life’s like, but they’re willing to jump in and say a snide remark for anybody in the world to hear. The world is a bit unkind at the moment.
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If I wasn’t a singer-songwriter, I’d have liked to have become …
A drummer. But I also really like driving long distances, so maybe a trucker in America would be cool. I’ve done some long drives in America, and the radio goes from country to rootsy country to cowboy country – it changes as you go.
The habit that has served me best in life …
Being aware enough to be able to appreciate things. Don’t get me wrong – I can be an arsehole and I can moan about the size of sandwiches backstage at a gig. But generally the world I’ve been lucky to be in is full of people who moan about everything. It comes with insecurity.
The habit I’ve successfully kicked …
I don’t eat anywhere near as many sweet things as I used to. I’m one of those people who will get a chocolate bar, snap a bit off, have an espresso, then I’m done. I don’t need to eat the chocolate bar. In my 30s and 40s, I would’ve wolfed it down. I just don’t have a sweet tooth for it anymore.
There’s something in rock music that’s primeval and gut-wrenching, and lifts you out of something
My sources of joy are …
Being with family friends. When you have the end of your life not that far down the road, you think “These are the moments…” One of my favourite things is to be on a beach on a holiday with friends and family, a little gang of you, the sun beginning to go down, and someone says “Anyone ready for a rosé?” I’m, like, “This is the best moment in life.”
When things get tough I …
Go for a walk and listen to music. There’s a band called Biffy Clyro and some of their music completely changes my mood. Foo Fighters do that, too. There’s something in rock music that’s primeval and gut-wrenching, and lifts you out of something.
The book I wish everyone would read …
The Road Less Travelled by M Scott Peck. It was a game-changer for me when I read it 30 years or more ago. It’s a therapy self-help book. I did quite a bit of therapy in my late 20s and into my 30s, and, along with having an actual therapist, this book made me think differently about things.
‘I’m happy where I am. I wouldn’t want to change it,’ says Rick Astley
The big thing I’ve changed my mind about in life …
When I was young, I thought the rich and privileged lived a problem-free life. But no matter how you were brought up, everyone has problems.
What keeps me awake at night …
When I’ve had too much to eat and drink. There’s very little that’ll keep me awake, but I do wake up early in a morning if I’m working on a track I’m excited about and sneak off into the studio.
The thing that motivates me most of all …
The fear that it will all go away. It’s not a God-given thing to be where I am. 10 years ago, we weren’t playing arenas and we wouldn’t have three new albums to play from. It will go away, because that happens to everybody. But it’s about “When? How long can we hold on to it?”
I know when to talk to people and when to go ‘I’ll keep that one to myself’
My parents taught me …
My mum and dad worked hard and had a lot on their plates. They lost a son when they were very young, before I was born. They were very stoic. They taught me sometimes to keep hold of something yourself, maybe have a think about it, rather than telling everybody all the time, which is not always a good thing, but sometimes it is. I know when to talk to people and when to go “I’ll keep that one to myself. I’ll just let that one stew for a while before I want to talk to anybody about that.”
I have this theory that …
The world as we see it is only a sliver. I’m not a conspiracy nut but I do think that the world has been formatted in a way, like, we have a Prime Minister or President and they’re in charge. But I don’t think they’ve ever been in charge. Nowadays, they don’t run anything. We live in a world where you have to think about yourself and the way you live it because no one else is going to sort it out for you.
I’d like to tell my younger self …
To enjoy your 20s a bit more. I became a bit more introverted because of what happened to me – having that hit record and a few others. But I won’t wish it was different because I’m happy where I am. I wouldn’t want to change it.
Rick Astley is playing gigs across the UK for his Reflection tour from April 10-25. His autobiography, Never, is also out now in paperback (Pan, £10.99). See rickastley.co.uk.
Photography: Alex Lake
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