never gonna give you up

Yeesh! Since when did Rick Astley become just another Internet fad? I almost feel bad now when watching Rick Astley on YouTube because it feels like I’m riding along with that puerile Internet craze known as “rickrolling”. Almost. But hey, whatever–I’m an ’80s guy, and I’ll watch my Wham and my Debbie Gibson whenever the heck I feel like it!

I mentioned in an earlier article how the Internet drastically hastens the life-and-death cycle of new ideas, which is especially true when it comes to Internet fads. Remember the Chuck Norris fad (where all you do is mention Chuck Norris in a sentence for instant comedy gold)? If not, don’t be surprised, because it went quicker than it came. The Internet has a way of wearing out any brand-new joke in the blink of an eye, and within just a few months you’d see different versions of the same joke as if in an attempt to keep it fresh. (Variations include replacing Chuck Norris with Jesus or Dick Cheney. Personally, I prefer Richard Simmons.) Ah, the wonders of the information superhighway…

On a different note, do any of you ever notice how people from any given point in history think that music from 10 years ago is generally considered tacky and lame, while music from 20 years ago is considered a classic? I remember how people during the ’90s dismissed ’80s pop music as cheesy, while at the same time, disco was experiencing a revival. It’s still the same nowadays, except this time it’s the ’90s music that’s 10.0 on the tackymeter, and ’80s music is now considered retro-classic.

Also, did you notice how something generally considered underground loses its elitist status and perceived coolness factor whenever it becomes mainstream? (Not that listening to Rick Astley was cool to begin with, but anyway.) I can think of many examples right off the bat: Evangelion, Ninja Turtles, Final Fantasy… but maybe I’ll save this for the next article. Meanwhile, let’s groove to the tubular sounds of the ’80s! It’s totally radical!

Never gonna give “yu” up, either, if you catch my drift. (I kid, I kid. o_o; )