🌟 Review Note:
This was a personal pick from my non-fiction TBR, one I chose to enjoy on audiobook. It isn’t part of any blog tour or promotional request – just a book I wanted to experience for myself, purchased with my monthly Audible credit.
As always, this review reflects my honest thoughts.
About The Book:
Read by the author, Rick Astley
‘I hadn’t been very comfortable with fame, but I didn’t know what to do with myself after I was famous. On the surface, I was just hugely relieved to be shot of the whole thing. I felt like I’d been let off the hook . . . But underneath that, I was pretty miserable.’
When ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ propelled Rick Astley into the pop stratosphere, it changed his life forever. Nothing could have prepared the young, unassuming lad from Lancashire for what was in store for him. This is Rick’s story – in his own words.
At just nineteen, Rick agreed to sign with legendary music producer Pete Waterman – under the wings of music powerhouse Stock Aitken Waterman. Unpredictable, outlandish adventures followed, giving him a peek into the mechanics of the music industry – all of which would eventually take Rick from the shadows of local bands to international stardom. From platinum-selling albums to worldwide tours, the world was at Rick’s feet. And then, suddenly, at what seemed like the height of fame, it wasn’t.
At twenty-seven, Rick retired himself from the industry that had brought him much success and financial stability. Behind the hits and the glitz and glamour was a young man coming to terms with his new-found fame, the realities of life in the pop-music machine and the pressures of life on the road, not to mention reconciling with his childhood spent between his divorced parents in a volatile family dynamic. Time out of the industry offered Rick room for much-needed reflection and therapy – and unknowingly helped to set the stage for his triumphant return to music.
Balancing nostalgia, fresh perspectives and introspection, with a good dose of northern humour, Never is an intimate look at the man behind the hits – and is a portrait of truth, artistic evolution and the astounding power of contentment.
My Review:
I’ve been a Rick Astley fan since I was a teenager—I had his posters on my bedroom wall, knew every word to Never Gonna Give You Up, and played that single over and over. Listening to Never as an audiobook, read by Rick himself, was such a treat.
There’s something special about an autobiography when the author narrates it—you really feel like they’re talking to you.
The book takes you from Rick’s quiet childhood in Lancashire to international superstardom at nineteen. Signing with Pete Waterman and Stock Aitken Waterman threw him into a whirlwind of fame – the platinum albums, the world tours, and fans everywhere – but it also came with a lot of pressure and loneliness. Behind the hits and glitz, Rick shares what it was really like growing up, dealing with fame, life on the road, and the highs and lows of being in the spotlight. And he does it all with honesty and that lovely northern humour of his.
I really felt for him stepping away from the music industry at twenty-seven. Taking time out to reflect, work through things, and just live away from the spotlight was clearly life-changing. And then seeing him come back years later, performing to old fans and a whole new generation, is just brilliant. It’s inspiring to hear how he navigated all that, stayed true to himself, and found joy again.
This isn’t just a celeb memoir—it’s a really human story about fame, growth, and finding contentment. Listening to Rick tell it in his own voice made it even more special. It brought back all the nostalgia of my teen years (I probably sang along to Never on my Walkman a hundred times!) and also gave me a lot of admiration for him as a person.
Honestly, I loved every minute of it. Funny, honest, and really moving—five stars all the way.
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