Never - by Rick Astley (Paperback)

About the Book

The official autobiography from singer, songwriter and musician Rick Astley.

Book Synopsis

The instant Sunday Times bestseller

'A straight-talking yet frequently astonishing memoir' - The Times

'A book as idiosyncratic as it is nostalgic' - The Observer

When 'Never Gonna Give You Up' propelled Rick Astley into the pop stratosphere, it irrevocably changed his life. Nothing could have prepared the boy from Lancashire for what was in store for him.

At just nineteen years old, Rick agreed to sign with legendary production team Stock Aitken Waterman, giving him a peek into the mechanics of the music industry and eventually leading him to platinum-selling albums and global tours. To outsiders, it would appear that the world was at Rick's feet. Then, suddenly, at the height of his fame, it wasn't.

Behind the hits and the glitz and glamour was a young man coming to terms with his new-found fame, the realities of a career in the pop-music machine and the pressures of life on the road, not to mention the fallout from a childhood spent torn between divorced parents in a volatile family dynamic. Time away from the industry offered Rick room for much-needed reflection - and, unknowingly, helped set the stage for his triumphant return to music.

Never balances nostalgia, fresh perspectives and introspection, with a good dose of northern humour. An intimate look at the man behind the hits, this is Rick's story, in his own words.

Review Quotes

"You wouldn't get this from any other guy. This nuanced memoir is not your standard pop star autobiography" --i

"Straight-talking yet frequently astonishing memoir" --The Times

"A book as idiosyncratic as it is nostalgic" --The Observer

"A lovely portrait of a man who became one of Britain's most beloved pop stars, despite a brutally difficult upbringing" --Hadley Freeman, The Sunday Times

About the Author

Born in Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire in 1966, musician Rick Astley started his career at the music production company Stock Aitken Waterman. His 1987 debut album, Whenever You Need Somebody, sold 15.2m copies worldwide and made him a household name. Since then he has gone on to release eight studio albums, selling over forty million records worldwide, and played and toured around the world multiple times, including, in 2024, a sell-out UK arena tour. Never is his first and only official autobiography.