Rick Astley is celebrating 35 years since the release of his second album ‘Hold Me In Your Arms’ with an expanded deluxe reissue. 

The follow-up to the hitmaker’s debut ‘Whenever You Need Somebody’ – featuring the global No. 1s Never Gonna Give You Up and Together Forever – proved another hit for the eighties superstar, both in the UK and internationally. 

Written by the singer, lead track She Wants To Dance With Me was a UK and US Top 10 smash, with follow-ups, the Stock Aitken Waterman penned-and-produced Take Me To Your Heart and Rick’s own Hold Me In Your Arms, also domestic hits.

Marking its latest milestone, the album – which peaked at No. 8 in the UK and went Top 20 Stateside – has been remastered and expanded as a double-disc set, featuring B-sides, remixes, instrumentals and reimagined versions of the singles. 

Rick says: “[I have] so many good memories of making this album, [it was a] great way for me to finish the eighties!”

Coinciding with the announcement, a restored 4K visual for She Wants To Dance With Me has been released, showing Rick leading a band through an energised performance of the song, and was filmed at Rumours in Covent Garden, London. 

‘Hold Me In Your Arms’ is reissued on 2CD and Blue Vinyl formats on May 12 via BMG and available to pre-order now.

Last year, Rick celebrated 35 years since the launch of his career with the classic Never Gonna Give You Up, telling RETROPOP how working with Mike Stock, Matt Aitken and Pete Waterman helped him flourish into the artist he is today. 

Recalling signing on with Pete on a Youth Opportunities Programme, Rick smiled: “It worked out really well, because I got to do an apprenticeship. 

“I got to sit in, go and get the sandwiches, make the tea, reset the desk every morning, like all the other kids did,” he noted. “But I’m doing it for producers and engineers, and we’re making No. 1 records.

“I was dual. I was an artist one minute, and the next minute it was like, ‘Go and get the tea, Rick. Go and put the kettle on, will ya?’ 

“So, I sort of snuck into areas that gave me an apprenticeship you couldn’t possibly have had. All the other artists weren’t around to see that.”

Revealing how getting close to the hitmaking trio helped them craft him the perfect hit single, Rick added: “I stayed at Pete Waterman’s flat for months and went in with him every morning in the car, listening to him chatting on his massive ‘80s mobile phone. I went to the pub with the three guys every night. 

“When Pete finally got around to getting the guys to write Never Gonna Give You Up, he knew what sort of music I really loved.”

READ MORE: Rick Astley: ‘Pete Waterman gave me an education in pop music like no other!’