Rick Astley releases deluxe editions of his first two albums; prepares 2010 tour

Rick Astley is preparing for a 2010 80's music tour. Astley will be heading a revival concert at the opening of the Open Air Theatre of Scarborough on July 31 with artists such as Boy George, Paul Young and Kid Creole and the Coconut. Other acts are Nik Kershaw, Midge Ure, Heaven 17, T'Pau, Hazel O'Connor and Toyah. All of them have scored a combined total of 70 Top Ten Hits. There will be at least four more tour dates according to Rick Astley's website.

Additionally, Rick Astley's website announced last Sunday the re-release of his first two albums, Whenever You Need Somebody and Hold Me in Your Arms, in Deluxe Editions. The albums will retail for £7.99. The publishing company, Edsel Records, said that the album will feature a number of remixes of Astley, including a never-released before Hold Me in Your Arms remix called Hold Me in Your Prayers. The Deluxe albums will contain also the song When You Gonna, a song that was the first single by Astley, in collaboration with Lisa Carter. Astley's website is promoting the albums with a competition in which, competitors have to answer a question about the British singer.

Rick Astley became famous in the eighties when his first single, Never Gonna Give You Up, achieved number one on the United Kingdom and United States charts. Subsequently he released several other successful singles including Whenever You Need Somebody, Together Forever. He retired from music in 1993, after releasing his album, Body and Soul. Astley did a comeback in 2001, with the release of Keep It Turned On, and in 2005, Portrait. In 2007, Rick Astley unexpectedly became famous on the Internet, when the rickrolling internet meme was born. In 2008 and 2009, he took part in the nostalgia tour, Here & Now, visiting countries such as the Philipines, Chile and the Dominican Republic.