Ozzy Osbourne offered to recruit a backing band for Rick Astley

nme.com:

Rick Astley has claimed that Ozzy Osbourne once attempted to recruit a backing band for him.The ‘80s star told Classic Rock magazine that the former Black Sabbath singer was chatting to him during the height of his success, and made the impromptu offer.“He said, ‘Are you over here playing?’, and I said, ‘No, we’re just doing promo,’” Astley recalled. “And then went, ‘If you want to put a band together, let me know.

I’ve worked with all the greats.’ And I knew he had – he’d worked with some of the best guitar players on that planet.”Osbourne’s wife Sharon was sitting nearby at the time, and according to Astley, she quickly intervened. “Sharon just leaned over and said, ‘Will you shut up, he doesn’t want to play with your long-haired, tattooed fucking monsters’,” Astley said.“I was gobsmacked.

The fact that he recognised me for one thing, but also because he thought he could put together the appropriate band for me to go out and play ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ with.

But what a lovely man for doing it.”In recent years, Astley has developed a habit of immersing himself into rock and indie culture.