Glastonbury 2023: Rick Astley reveals his favourite Morrissey lyric
In a lineup that included Arctic Monkeys and the Foo Fighters, nobody expected Rick Astley to be the undisputed star of this year’s Glastonbury Festival, but the singer has done just that with an unforgettable set of performances.
Teaming up with Blossoms, Astley delivered a fun 16-song set featuring covers of some of the most recognisable songs by The Smiths. Ranging from ‘This Charming Man’ to ‘Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now’, Astley’s set has gained some serious traction on social media platforms.
“I can’t tell you how much I love doing this,” Astley said while talking about the covers band in a new interview. “I know it’s sacrilege, and they should hang the lot of us on the line for doing it, but I also just don’t care. I’m 57.”
He added: “I’ve talked it over with the guys from Blossoms many times and said, ‘If at any moment any of you decide that you don’t want to do this, just holler.’ They’re in the middle of their career, four albums in. I’ve got nothing to lose. You can hang me, you can do whatever you want. It doesn’t matter.”
The musician, who has now become a global icon due to his prominence in modern meme culture, also revealed his favourite Morrissey lyric during the performance.
He singled out the line “Some dizzy whore, 1804” from the song ‘Cemetry Gates’, citing the brilliance of the lyric, which, according to many fans, talks about plagiarising poetry from a headstone.
While talking about his career, Astley said: “I’ve had an unbelievable time in music, and I’m ever so grateful for it. I’m aware of how fickle it is, how you can be totally out in the desert, and no one will pick up the phone or let you in the building.”
He continued: “It’s a delicate thing playing those songs because they mean so much to people. They mean so much to me and the guys too. We bonded over that fact.”
Watch a clip from his performance below.
Never Miss A Beat
The Far Out Music Newsletter
All the latest music news from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.