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The most surprising collaboration ever? Rick Astley rocks out with the Foo Fighters in Japan

Rick Astley and Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters in concert earlier this year, prior to their unexpected merging - Miranda Pitt/Andrew Benge/WireImage
Rick Astley and Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters in concert earlier this year, prior to their unexpected merging - Miranda Pitt/Andrew Benge/WireImage

Foo Fighters were joined by an unexpected musical guest during a gig in Japan over the weekend: none other than Eighties cringe icon and meme king Rick Astley.

Astley's appearance mimicked the internet phenomenon of Rickrolling, in which online pranksters deceptively link to the video for his famous hit Never Gonna Give You Up, with Astley singing his most notable record over the music to Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit. It's what Kurt would have wanted.

Introduced by Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl as "Our new best friend Rick Astley", Grohl confessed that the pair had only met minutes before they performed on stage together.

Astley proceeded to greet the crowd with an energetic "Come on you motherf------!" before launching into the unexpected mash-up. "I'm feeling f------ marvellous," Astley later screamed.

Rick Astley on stage with the Foo Fighters in Tokyo - Credit: Rex
Rick Astley on stage with the Foo Fighters in Tokyo Credit: Rex

The resulting track proved a major hit with the crowds, with Astley generally convincing as a rock frontman – potentially hinting at the sound of his next album. It wouldn't be the weirdest development in Astley's long career, who parlayed his Rickrolling infamy into a new Number One record last year.

Rick Astley with Dave Grohl
Rick Astley with Dave Grohl
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