Rick (Richard), Christopher Wakeman attended the Royal College of Music in 1968, where he studied piano, modern music, clarinet and orchestration; but after quitting and continuing piano through private lessons and a few small-time bands, he joined the Strawbs in 1970. After a memorable Strawbs concert in July, live at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, British music tabloid- Melody Maker seemed to sum it up with their headline "Tomorrow's Superstar". The Strawbs grew in popularity and Wakeman was in demand as a maestro of the keyboards and asked to due heavy session work for other artists, up to eighteen a week at his most busy.
In 1971, Rick and the Strawbs made their second and last album together: `From The Witchwood,' and though well-received left the Strawbs in August and joined Yes, making the classic album `FRAGILE,' which is one of the most important progressive albums ever. At the end of the year, he signed a solo contract with A&M Records and recorded `Catherine of Aragon' (which would be part of his first solo album- the Six Wives of Henry VIII), at Trident Studios, London.
While Rich and Yes released `Close to the Edge,' in 1972, he continued to work on his solo album, releasing it in 1973 to indifferent reviews but commercial success. His son Oliver was born. After the live `Yessongs' (including a concert movie), `Tales of Topographic Oceans,' Rick moved again and set up writing his next epic album- recorded live- `Journey to the Centre of the Earth,' with the London Symphony Orchestra. Released in 1974 (the same year as the birth of his son Adam), this monster concept album sprang to the top 10 of almost every country in the world. Leaving Yes in May, he toured the world with the his band performing the entire album, bringing to the stage- huge orchestras and choirs, and spending huge amounts of funds on the tour and elaborate stage show. Stress and strain caused Rick to collapse (a minor heart attack), performing at the Crystal Palace Bowl in 1975. His legendary drinking and alcohol abuse didn't help his cause.
While in the hospital, Rick wrote `The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table,' another huge production with orchestra, choir and epic music. And though his concerts for the show were sell-outs, he lost another small fortune due to extravagant production of the show. Wakeman also worked on Ken Russell's movie- `Lisztomania,' at Shepperton Studios (and appeared in it as well).
In 1976, Rick decided to cut the size of his productions and stage shows to manageable proportions and `No Earthly Connection,' was recorded in France with his new band- the English Rock Ensemble and he Europe, America and Brazil to standing-only attendance. In the same year, he worked on the movie soundtrack to `White Rock,' rejoined YES in November and moved to Switzerland.
`Going for the One,' was released and YES, with Rick on keyboards, toured the world and had a top 10 single with `Wondrous Stories.' The same year, Wakeman, never idle, recorded `Criminal Record.'
In 1978 Rick released `Rhapsodies,' a lower budget double solo album, produced by Toni Visconti. Benjamin, Rick's third son was born before he and Yes recorded and tour off the album- `Tormato.'
With the musical changes that arrived in 1979 (i.e.- Punk), Wakeman recorded `Maybe `80,' which sounded `out-of-date' compared to the Sex Pistols and Ramones. His father died suddenly the next year. Reforms the English Rock Ensemble and tours for a change. He and Jon Anderson quit Yes.
Returning to movie scores, Rick peened the soundtrack to the horror film- `The Burning.' in New York. And with the help of fellow Yes member0 Jon Anderson and artists: Tim Rice, Chaka Khan and Steve Harley he toured with the album `1984.'
After more solo albums and recording the TV series- `Gastank,' with Tony Ashton for Channel 4, his daughter Jemma is born in 1983. After Rick lost his driving license after failing the breathalyzer, he marries Nina at Camberley United Reformed Church and with the help of his wife, begins to get his life together after getting sick and in 1985; gives up drinking for good. His acoustic album `Country Airs,' remains at number one in the new age chart for over twenty weeks. His music and persona included the increasing presence of religious themes.
Upon the releases of: `A Suite of Gods,' ` Live at Hammersmith,' The Gospels, `Time Machine,' the Wakeman's with new baby Oscar, move to the Isle of Man and he reforms and tours with The English Rock
Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman and Howe reform Yes (without the rights to the name), and sold over a million CDs, touring worldwide and putting out a pay-per-view concert (later to be a video concert)
In 1991, Yes and Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman and Howe converge to includean eight member band. The album `Union, sells close on two million copies worldwide. Rick continued to produce solo projects for his own company- Ambient, which included: 2000AD, Black Knights at the Court of Ferdinand IV, The Private Collection, Classical Connection, Classical Connection II and Softsword. Plans are laid for a re-make of Journey to the Centre of the Earth.
Rick and his talented son Adam, toured to packed crowds while recording two albums- `Wakeman With Wakeman,' and `No Expense Spared.
In 1995, besides continuing with solo work (and Adam working on a Yes tribute song), Wakeman penned to movie soundtracks- `Bullet to Beijing,' and `Midnight in St Petersburg.'.
In 1998, Rick started recording `Return To The Centre Of The Earth,' with EMI music. Recording was interrupted by Rick's failed health (chronic pneumonia and pleurisy, and in one month he lost 45 pounds), but in March, 1999- Return to the Centre Of The Earth was released. Touring to support the album, a concert release (on DVD/video (released in 2001)) and even a church tour showed that nothing could stop the workaholic Rick Wakeman.
Rick has resurrected and modified the `New English Rock Ensemble to include son- Adam on keyboards, longtime mate- Tony Fernandez on drums, Ant Glynne - on guitars Lee Pomeroy (bass), and ex-Lanqmarq frontman Damian Wilson on vocals. A DVD of this current tour is called `Out of the Blue,' and like the above DVD release, includes a bonus CD of the show. The tour will include more stops at Central America and Russia.
Rick will be acting as Abanazer in Aladdin in Truro in Cornwall for close to two months, five and a half weeks. He will begin finishing off a studio album in January.
After many gospel, piano and other releases, Rick returned to electronic Progressive music with a well-revieved- `Out there,' The album was dedicated to the Columbia disaster and seems to have energy and spark that has been rare in the RW prog titles in the past decade. Welcome back Rick!
In February 2000, Wakeman began his An Evening with Rick Wakeman tour of the UK, playing keyboards and piano on tracks spanning his entire career. In September that year, he accepted an invitation to perform a series of concerts in South America with the English Rock Ensemble following a renewed interest in progressive rock there. He recruited Fernandez, Damian Wilson on vocals, Adam Wakeman on keyboards, Ant Glynne on guitar, and Lee Pomeroy on bass. Wakeman was particularly pleased with his playing, calling it his "best in a long time." At its conclusion, Wakeman entered early discussions with Keith Emerson regarding a potential music project, but the idea was shelved in early 2002.
Following months of speculation, Yes management announced Wakeman's return to the band for a fifth time, on 16 April 2002. Wakeman remembered it took "eight months to get the paper work together" to make his return happen. He declined to play with the group as a guest musician the previous year during their Symphonic Tour in Amsterdam in support of their album Magnification, but his commitments to his solo tours prohibited him from doing so. Upon Wakeman's return, the group entered rehearsals for their Full Circle Tour that ran from July 2002 to October 2003. This was followed by their 35th Anniversary Tour, running from April to September 2004. Wakeman described the band's playing during his return: "It was far and away the best the band had ever been ... there was no staleness, there was a lot of freshness."[127] During the band's subsequent hiatus, Wakeman was advised by his doctors that touring with a busy schedule was affecting his health. In 2008, when Squire, Howe, and White decided to continue, Oliver Wakeman replaced his father on keyboards.
Wakeman performing in Brazil in 2014
In 2005, Fidel Castro invited Wakeman to perform in Cuba with his band. During Wakeman's visit, Castro gave Wakeman some earth by Che Guevara's grave.[91] In October 2006, Wakeman and Anderson began a UK tour.[128] In 2008, Wakeman toured with Rick Wakeman's Grumpy Old Picture Show, featuring an evening of music and stories from his career. In May 2009, Wakeman performed The Six Wives of Henry VIII in its entirety for the first time at Hampton Court Palace for two nights. In 2010, Wakeman was awarded the Spirit of Prog Award at the annual Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards. In 2013, Wakeman played on The Theory of Everything by Ayreon. The following year, he completed a 14-date UK tour to commemorate the fortieth anniversary of Journey to the Centre of the Earth.
In January 2016, Trevor Rabin announced he planned to perform with Wakeman and Jon Anderson as Anderson, Rabin and Wakeman (ARW), later in the year. Anderson revealed the three wrote "some unique songs together". That month, following requests from fans, Wakeman recorded piano versions of "Life on Mars?" and "Space Oddity", with an original track "Always Together", as a tribute to David Bowie following his death with proceeds from the songs donated to Macmillan Cancer Support. The reception from the single and a performance of "Life on Mars?" on BBC Radio 2 inspired Wakeman to release a solo piano album of tracks that he had played on in his career along with his own compositions and adaptations of classical music pieces. Upon release in January 2017, Piano Portraits entered the UK chart at No. 7 and became Wakeman's highest charting album there since 1975.
In June 2017, Wakeman was the castaway for the BBC Radio 4 programme Desert Island Discs. His favourite piece was Giuseppe Verdi's Anvil Chorus and his book choice was Principles of Orchestration by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. He also played live at the Keith Emerson tribute.
Wake Updates are courtesy of the RW Wiki Page
Adam Wakeman-
Rick Wakeman's second son, was born in 1974. He became interested in music at an early age. He recorded his first album with Rick Wakeman called 'Wakeman with Wakeman' and this was followed by two month long tour of the UK . By the end of 1992, Adam had recorded his first solo album entitled 'Soliloquy'
In 1993, a second 'Wakeman with Wakeman' album was released called 'No Expense Spared' There followed an extensive tour of the UK, Europe, South America and the United States of America.
Adam's second solo album '100 Years Overtime' was released in 1994. In the same year, he was voted the Best New Talent in the American Keyboard magazine.
In 1995, 'The Official Bootleg' album was released, recorded two years earlier during a tour of Brazil with his father.
Adam was musical director and keyboard player with the human extravaganza Cirque Surreal which toured the UK during the summer.
Recently, Adam has been working with the Artful Dodger, touring Kosova and the Falkland Islands with Tony Hadley to entertain the troops there. He also joined Rick Wakeman and the rest of the members of the New English Rock Ensemble for 2000 and 2001 tours of South America, including the premiere of 'Return to the Centre of the Earth' in Canada early in 2001.
Oliver Wakeman-
Oliver, Wakeman's other talented keyboardist son has recorded a couple of solo albums and just released- `The 3 Ages of Magick' (with Steve Howe (Yes)), and `Chakras.' (a commissioned new age album), He has collaborated on two epic concept albums (`Jabberwocky' - his second album collaboration with London based musician Clive Nolan) was released in 1999 and featured Peter Banks (Yes), Tony Fernandez (Rick Wakeman/Strawbs), Rick Wakeman, Tracey Hitchings (Landmarq) and Bob Catley (Magnum)). `Hound of the Baskervilles' the second huge concept album and follow-up to `Jabberwocky,' - released Feb. 4, 2002. Oliver has been nominated for the Classic Rock Society's best keyboard player award for the last four years.
Jemma Wakeman (Rick's daughter), also plays the piano and is an accomplished vocalist, she is now under contract. Ben, another talented Wakeman son (is there any other kind?), plays keyboards, sings and is a lyricist in Switzerland. Oscar, (the eldest of his siblings- age 15), plays drums.
DISCOGRAPHY
Piano Vibrations 1971
The Six Wives of Henry VIII 1973
Journey to the Centre of the Earth 1974
The Myths & Legends of King Arthur & The Knights of the Round Table - 1975
Lisztomania - 1975
No Earthly Connection - 1976
Rick Wakeman's Criminal Record - 1977
White Rock - 1977
Animal Showdown 1979
Rhapsodies - 1979
I'm So Straight I'm A Weirdo - 1980
1984 - 1981
The Burning (Film Soundtrack) - 1981
Rock n Roll Prophet - 1982
Cost of Living - 1983
G'ole! - 1983
Lytton's Diary - 1985
Live at Hammersmith - 1985
Silent Nights - 1985
Crimes of Passion - 1986
Country Airs -1986
The Gospels - 1987
The Family Album - 1987
Zodiaque - 1988
A Suite of Gods - 1988
20th Anniversary Limited Edition - 1988
Custer's Last Stand/Ocean City - 1988
Time Machine - 1988
The Word and The Gospels - 1988
Black Knights at the Court of Ferdinand IV - 1989
Sea Airs - 1989
In The Beginning - 1990
Night Airs - 1990
Phantom Power - 1990
Aspirant Sunset - 1991
Don't Fly Away/After Prayers - 1991
Softsword - 1991
African Bach - 1991
2000AD Into The Future - 1991
Rock n Roll Prophet Plus - 1991
The Classical Connection Video - 1991
Aspirant Sunshadows - 1991
Aspirant Sunrise - 1991
The Classical Connection - 1991
Country Airs II - 1992
Best Works Collection - 1992
The Classical Connection 2 - 1993
Wakeman with Wakeman - 1993
The Heritage Suite - 1993
No Expense Spared - 1993
Prayers - 1993
Classic Tracks - 1993
Unleashing The Tethered One - The 1974 North American Tour - 1993
The Stage Collection - 1994
Lure of the Wild - 1994
The Very Best of the Rick Wakeman Chronicles Video - 1994
Wakeman with Wakeman - The Official Bootleg - 1994
Rick Wakeman's Greatest Hits - 1994
Live On The Test - 1994
Light Up The Sky - 1994
Wakeman with Wakeman Live - 1994
The Piano Album - 1995
Rock & Pop Legends - 1995
Almost Live in Europe - 1995
Romance of the Victorian Age - 1995
Cirque Surreal - 1995
The Seven Wonders of the World - 1995
Rick Wakeman In Concert - 1995
The Private Collection - 1995
Visions - 1995
Simply Acoustic Video - 1996
Can You Hear Me? - 1996
Voyage - 1996
Tapestries - 1996
The Word and Music - 1996
The New Gospels Video - 1996
The New Gospels - 1996
Fields of Green - 1996
Vignettes - 1996
Orisons - 1996
Welcome a Star - 1996
Fields of Green '97 - 1997
Fields of Green Maxi-Single - 1997
The Piano Tour Live - 1997
Simply Acoustic - The Music - 1997
Tribute - 1997
Rick Wakeman Live Video - 1998
Themes - 1998
Master Series - 1998
Official Live Bootleg - 1999
Stella Bianca alla corte de Re Ferdinando - 1999
The Art in Music Trilogy - 1999
The Natural World Trilogy - 1999
White Rock II - 1999
The Masters - 1999
Return To The Centre Of The Earth - 1999
Chronicles of Man - 2000
Christmas Variations - 2000
Rick Wakeman Live in Concert 2000 DVD 2000
Rick Wakeman Live in Concert 2000 CD - 2000
An Evening with Rick Wakeman Video - 2000
Recollections - The Very Best of Rick Wakeman - 2000
The Caped Collection - 2000
Morning Has Broken - 2000
Preludes to a Century - 2000
Journey to the Centre of the Earth - Live in Concert DVD/CD 2001
Out ofthe Blue- Live in Concert DVD/CD 2001
Two Sides of Yes - released 2001
The Wizard And The Forest Of All Dreams - released 2002
The Yes Piano Variations - released 2002
Treasure Chest Volume 1 - The Real Lizstomania - released 2002
Treasure Chest Volume 2 - The Oscar Concert - released 2002
Treasure Chest Volume 3 - The Missing Half - released 2002
Treasure Chest Volume 4 - Almost Classical - released 2002
Treasure Chest Volume 5 - The Mixture - released 2002
Treasure Chest Volume 6 - Medium Rare - released 2002
Treasure Chest Volume 7 - Journey to the Centre of the Earth + - released 2002
Treasure Chest Volume 8 - Stories - released 2002
Two Sides of Yes - Volume 2 - released 2002
Out There - released 2003
Out There - The Movie - Originally released 2004
Rick Wakeman Guest Appearances:
Elton John: Madman Across the Water, 1971
Colin Scot: Colin Scot, 1971
Lou Reed: Lou Reed, 1972
David Bowie: Space Oddity, 1972
Al Stewart: Orange, 1972
Dave Cousins: Two Weeks Last Summer, 1972
Black Sabbath: Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, 1973
David Bowie: Hunky Dory
Wally: Wally, 1974
Alexander Mezek: To a Friend (single): 1991
Ozzy Osbourne: Ozzmosis, 1995
Wonderous-A Tribute to Yes, 2001
