Rick Wakeman
Encyclopedia
Richard Christopher Wakeman (born 18 May 1949) is an English keyboard player, composer and songwriter best known for being the former keyboardist in the progressive rock
band Yes
. He is also known for his solo albums, contributing to the BBC
comedy series Grumpy Old Men
and for Rick's Place, his former radio show on Planet Rock that aired until December 2010.
Wakeman was born in West London. He purchased his first electronic keyboard at 12 years of age. In 1968, he studied the piano, clarinet, orchestration and modern music at the Royal College of Music
before leaving after a year in favour of session music work. He went on to feature on songs by artists including Ozzy Osbourne
, David Bowie
, T. Rex
, Elton John
and Cat Stevens
. Wakeman joined the folk group Strawbs in 1969 and played on three of their albums. He first joined Yes in 1971 to replace Tony Kaye
, and left the group in 1974 to work on his solo career. He returned in 1976 before leaving with lead vocalist Jon Anderson
in 1980. Wakeman was part of the side project Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe
, a group of ex-Yes members formed in 1989, and the eight-member Yes line-up that followed until his third departure in 1992. He returned for two years in 1995 and once more in 2002, where he was part of the band's 35th anniversary tour until its end in 2004.
Wakeman began his solo career during his first run with Yes. His perhaps most known records being his first three, The Six Wives of Henry VIII
(1973), Journey to the Centre of the Earth
(1974) and The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table
(1975). He has produced over 100 solo albums that have sold more than 50 million copies. In November 2010, Wakeman was awarded the Spirit of Prog award at the annual Marshall Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards
.
to Cyril Frank and Mildred Helen Wakeman. He attended Wood End Infants School in 1954, followed by Drayton Manor Grammar School
in 1959. He started playing the piano at the age of 5 and purchased his first electronic keyboard at the age of 12. In 1968, Wakeman secured a place at the Royal College of Music
, where he studied piano, clarinet
, orchestration
and modern music. He left a year later in favour of session music
work.
on David Bowie
's single "Space Oddity" for a session fee of £9. He went on to play piano for Bowie's "Life on Mars?
", "Changes
" and "Oh! You Pretty Things
" in April 1971 and "Absolute Beginners
" in 1985. He also played the piano on the Cat Stevens
' hit "Morning Has Broken
". In 1971 he acquired an early Minimoog
synthesiser, purchasing it at half price from actor Jack Wild
who believed that it was defective because it only played one note at a time
.
In 1970 and 1971, Wakeman was part of the folk rock
group Strawbs. His first appearance on an album sleeve was on Dragonfly
, the group's second studio album released in February 1970. The band held a concert at the Queen Elizabeth Hall
in London on 11 July 1970 where Wakeman performed a solo piano piece named "Temparament of Mind". He received a standing ovation for his performance, and the track appeared on the band's live record released that year, Just a Collection of Antiques and Curios
. Wakeman appeared on the front page of Melody Maker soon after, which called him "Tomorrow's Superstar", and composed the theme music to the television show Ask Aspel. He remained in the Strawbs for a third album, From the Witchwood
, but left the group in mid-1971.
band Yes
, replacing their organist Tony Kaye
. His first concert with the group took place in Leicester
on 30 September 1971. He worked on the group's fourth, fifth and sixth studio albums – Fragile
(1971), Close to the Edge (1972), and Tales from Topographic Oceans
(1973). Wakeman, however, felt Tales from Topographic Oceans was pretentious and – despite its ambition – insubstantial. He disliked performing the album on tour, feeling the length of the songs prevented the band from playing their more popular tracks. Following the tour, as the band began work on what would become Relayer
(1974), Wakeman felt further alienated from the group. Disenchanted with the direction in which Yes was going, and already into a successful solo career, he left.
Wakeman produced his first three solo albums during his first run with Yes. On 23 January 1973, he released The Six Wives of Henry VIII
, an instrumental concept album based on his interpretations of the musical characteristics of the wives
of Henry VIII
, using keyboard instruments. The album was overall well received by critics. TIME magazine named the record one of the best pop albums of 1973. In October 1975, the album was certified Gold
.
On 18 January 1974, Wakeman performed Journey to the Centre of the Earth
, a forty-minute piece based on the Jules Verne
novel of the same name, at the Royal Festival Hall
in London. Combining rock with an orchestra and choir, the concert was recorded and released on 18 May, where it topped the UK album charts on entry for one week. The record became a multi-million dollar seller in six weeks. The album was certified Gold in September 1974.
In May 1975, Wakeman released The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table
, with the album was performed live at the Empire Pool on ice. The show was well received but expensive to produce, consuming much of the income from sales of the album. The album was also a worldwide success, reaching No.21 in the United States while going Gold (the third time a Wakeman record had achieved this) in Brazil, Japan and Australia. The album has sold 12 million copies.
In 1975, Wakeman produced the first of two soundtracks for films by Ken Russell
, that being Lisztomania
; Wakeman would go on to create the soundtrack for Crimes of Passion
in 1984. In 1976, Wakeman produced and created the album No Earthly Connection
in France.
. He remained until their next album, Tormato
, a year later. He is reputed to have given the album its name by throwing a tomato at a showing of the art used for the album's cover.
("ABWH"). After ABWH's first album, some of the completed tracks for a planned second album were merged with tracks from an in-progress Yes album to create the album Union. Wakeman, along with the combined members of both bands then joined to form a Yes supergroup (made up of past and present members of Yes) for the subsequent tour in 1991. When the tour ended a year later, Wakeman left again.
.
In 2008, Wakeman toured with a solo show named Rick Wakeman's Grumpy Old Picture Show, featuring an evening of music and stories.
In May 2009, Wakeman performed The Six Wives of Henry VIII live at Hampton Court Palace
for the first time, for two nights. The performance was recorded and released as The Six Wives of Henry VIII Live at Hampton Court Palace
.
, Minimoog
and many later models of synthesiser, he is well known as an exponent (for a time) of the Mellotron
– an analogue electronic musical instrument
that uses a bank of pre-recorded magnetic tape strips, each of which is activated by a separate key on its keyboard and lasts approximately 8 seconds. Wakeman featured playing this instrument, to varying degrees, on the David Bowie track "Space Oddity", the Yes albums Fragile, Close to the Edge and Tales From Topographic Oceans, as well as the solo albums The Six Wives of Henry VIII and White Rock. It proved too unwieldy and unreliable for regular touring, and he eventually doused the last Mellotron that he owned in petrol and set fire to it in a field. Undeterred, he worked with David Biro to develop the Birotron
, which used the then popular 8-track cassette format rather than tape strips. Because of the advent of digital keyboards at that time, and also because the cassette tape format could not reproduce the attack and decay of musical notes (which the tape strips of the Mellotron could reproduce), the Birotron was never a commercial or technical success. Only 35 Birotrons were produced, and Wakeman eventually threw his across the stage after it broke down mid-concert, an action he now regrets as there are only six remaining examples.
. The music was revamped for the BBC's 2005 general election
night coverage.
His TV career was launched in 1982 when he hosted Gastank
on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom. The show featured a mix of interviews with 1970s musicians and impromptu performances where the guest artist would join Wakeman and his house band in playing re-arranged versions of their classic songs or entirely new pieces created for the show.
Wakeman is a contributor to the BBC Two show Grumpy Old Men
. He has also appeared in a number of episodes of Countdown
. He has also appeared on the satirical panel shows Never Mind the Buzzcocks
(4 appearances) and Have I Got News For You
. Between September 2005 and December 2010, Wakeman presented Rick's Place, a weekly radio show on Planet Rock with David 'Kid' Jensen
. Wakeman appeared as himself in "Journey to the Centre of Rick Wakeman", the season two finale of Mitch Benn's Crimes Against Music
, a BBC Radio 4
comedy programme. The episode detailed a fictional war between England and Wales in 2009 which only Wakeman could stop. Wakeman provided piano for Benn's 2008 single "Sing Like an Angel", which was released on iTunes
. In December 2006, Wakeman was the guest host for an episode of The Personality Test
on Radio 4. He also appeared on Top Gear and set a race track lap time of 1'55.26. Wakeman made his debut appearance on Just a Minute
on Radio 4 on 7 February 2011.
In October 2007, Wakeman commenced a new tour 'Rick Wakeman's Grumpy Old Picture Show', where he accompanies video performers such as Gordon Giltrap
and the English Rock Ensemble (Ashley Holt, Lee Pomeroy, Dave Colquhoun and Tony Fernandez). A Freemason
, he is a member of Chelsea Lodge No. 3098, the membership of which is made up of entertainers. In 2009, Wakeman became a Patron of Tech Music Schools
.
In 2011, Wakeman, alongside Fiaba's drummer Bruno Rubino, has been recording and arranging the debut full-length studio album of the Italian singer Valentina Blanca.
(b. 26 February 1972) and Adam
(b. 11 March 1974). The two divorced in 1977, and Wakeman married studio secretary Danielle Corminboeuf in January 1980 in the West Indies, with whom he had one son, Benjamin (b. 1978). He had a daughter, Jemma Kiera (b. 12 February 1983), with former Page 3 model Nina Carter
and the two married in 1984 followed by the birth of their son, Oscar (b. May 1986). He has had a renewal of his Christian faith, which began around the time of their marriage.
Nina and Rick divorced in December 2004.
In his twenties, Wakeman suffered three heart attacks. The first occurred after a performance of Journey to the Centre of the Earth at the Crystal Palace Bowl on 27 July 1974.
A passionate football fan, Wakeman has supported Brentford F.C.
since he was a child, and later on he also became a director of the West London club. After a disagreement with the board, he moved on to Manchester City F.C.
but maintained his allegiance to Brentford. He was involved in the ownership of the American soccer club Philadelphia Fury
in the late '70s, along with other rock celebrities such as Peter Frampton
and Paul Simon
.
He is a strong supporter of the UK's Conservative Party
, and performed a concert in September 2004 for the benefit of the party.
Wakeman has been president of the show business charity The Heritage Foundation. The charity erects blue plaques on the homes and/or work-places of late entertainers and sportspeople. He is also Honorary President of the Classic Rock Society
, a UK-based organisation helping to promote classic and progressive rock.
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
band Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
. He is also known for his solo albums, contributing to the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
comedy series Grumpy Old Men
Grumpy Old Men (TV series)
Grumpy Old Men is a conversational-style television programme on BBC2 which debuted in 2003, The first run of four programmes was repeated several times before a second series, also of four episodes, was shown in 2004. A third series aired in April 2006. There were also 2003 & 2004 Christmas...
and for Rick's Place, his former radio show on Planet Rock that aired until December 2010.
Wakeman was born in West London. He purchased his first electronic keyboard at 12 years of age. In 1968, he studied the piano, clarinet, orchestration and modern music at the Royal College of Music
Royal College of Music
The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire founded by Royal Charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, England.-Background:The first director was Sir George Grove and he was followed by Sir Hubert Parry...
before leaving after a year in favour of session music work. He went on to feature on songs by artists including Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
, David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
, T. Rex
T. Rex (band)
T. Rex were a British rock band, formed in 1967 by singer/songwriter and guitarist Marc Bolan. The band formed as Tyrannosaurus Rex, releasing four folk albums under the name...
, Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
and Cat Stevens
Cat Stevens
Yusuf Islam , commonly known by his former stage name Cat Stevens, is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, educator, philanthropist, and prominent convert to Islam....
. Wakeman joined the folk group Strawbs in 1969 and played on three of their albums. He first joined Yes in 1971 to replace Tony Kaye
Tony Kaye (musician)
Tony Kaye is a British musician.Kaye was the original keyboard player for the progressive rock group Yes from 1968 to 1971, and rejoined Yes from 1983 to 1995...
, and left the group in 1974 to work on his solo career. He returned in 1976 before leaving with lead vocalist Jon Anderson
Jon Anderson
Jon Anderson is an English singer-songwriter and musician best known as the former lead vocalist in the progressive rock band Yes...
in 1980. Wakeman was part of the side project Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe
Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe
Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe was a project of four progressive rock musicians, vocalist Jon Anderson, drummer Bill Bruford, keyboardist Rick Wakeman, and guitarist Steve Howe . They had played together in Yes in the early 1970s...
, a group of ex-Yes members formed in 1989, and the eight-member Yes line-up that followed until his third departure in 1992. He returned for two years in 1995 and once more in 2002, where he was part of the band's 35th anniversary tour until its end in 2004.
Wakeman began his solo career during his first run with Yes. His perhaps most known records being his first three, The Six Wives of Henry VIII
The Six Wives of Henry VIII (album)
The Six Wives of Henry VIII is the debut studio album from the English keyboardist and composer Rick Wakeman, released in January 1973 on A&M Records. It is an instrumental progressive rock album with its concept based on his interpretations of the musical characteristics of the six wives of Henry...
(1973), Journey to the Centre of the Earth
Journey to the Centre of the Earth (album)
Journey to the Centre of the Earth is the second album from the English keyboardist and composer Rick Wakeman, released through A&M Records in May 1974. The album is a live recording from his second of two sold-out concerts on 18 January 1974 at the Royal Festival Hall in London...
(1974) and The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table
The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table
The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table is the second studio album from the English keyboardist and composer Rick Wakeman...
(1975). He has produced over 100 solo albums that have sold more than 50 million copies. In November 2010, Wakeman was awarded the Spirit of Prog award at the annual Marshall Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards
Classic Rock (magazine)
Classic Rock is a British magazine dedicated to the radio format of classic rock, published by Future Publishing, who are also responsible for its "sister" publication Metal Hammer. Although firmly focusing on key bands from the 1960s through early 1990s, it also includes articles and reviews of...
.
Early life
Rick Wakeman was born on 18 May 1949 in the west London suburb of NortholtNortholt
Northolt is a town in the London Borough of Ealing, England. The town has London Underground and Network Rail stations and is on the A40 road...
to Cyril Frank and Mildred Helen Wakeman. He attended Wood End Infants School in 1954, followed by Drayton Manor Grammar School
Drayton Manor High School
Drayton Manor High School, formerly Drayton Manor Grammar School, is a comprehensive school located in Hanwell, Ealing, England. The current headteacher is Sir Pritpal Singh. The school is a specialist Humanities College. Its emblem is a phoenix rising from a crown with the legend 'Nec Aspera...
in 1959. He started playing the piano at the age of 5 and purchased his first electronic keyboard at the age of 12. In 1968, Wakeman secured a place at the Royal College of Music
Royal College of Music
The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire founded by Royal Charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, England.-Background:The first director was Sir George Grove and he was followed by Sir Hubert Parry...
, where he studied piano, clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
, orchestration
Orchestration
Orchestration is the study or practice of writing music for an orchestra or of adapting for orchestra music composed for another medium...
and modern music. He left a year later in favour of session music
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
work.
Session work and the Strawbs (1969–1971)
Wakeman became an active session musician. In June 1969, he played MellotronMellotron
The Mellotron is an electro-mechanical, polyphonic tape replay keyboard originally developed and built in Birmingham, England in the early 1960s. It superseded the Chamberlin Music Master, which was the world's first sample-playback keyboard intended for music...
on David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
's single "Space Oddity" for a session fee of £9. He went on to play piano for Bowie's "Life on Mars?
Life on Mars?
"Life on Mars?" is a song by David Bowie first released in 1971 on the album Hunky Dory. The song—which BBC Radio 2 later called "a cross between a Broadway musical and a Salvador Dalí painting"—featured guest piano work by keyboardist Rick Wakeman. When released as a single in 1973,...
", "Changes
Changes (David Bowie song)
"Changes" is a song by David Bowie, originally released on the album Hunky Dory in December 1971 and as a single in January 1972. Despite missing the Top 40, "Changes" became one of Bowie's best-known songs. The lyrics are often seen as a manifesto for his chameleonic personality, sexual ambiguity,...
" and "Oh! You Pretty Things
Oh! You Pretty Things
"Oh! You Pretty Things" is a song written by David Bowie in 1971 for the album Hunky Dory. It opens with only Rick Wakeman's piano and Bowie's vocal, before entering the catchy refrain. The simple piano style is often compared to The Beatles' "Martha My Dear"...
" in April 1971 and "Absolute Beginners
Absolute Beginners (song)
"Absolute Beginners" was the theme tune to the film of the same name , composed and performed by David Bowie....
" in 1985. He also played the piano on the Cat Stevens
Cat Stevens
Yusuf Islam , commonly known by his former stage name Cat Stevens, is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, educator, philanthropist, and prominent convert to Islam....
' hit "Morning Has Broken
Morning Has Broken
"Morning Has Broken" is a popular and well-known Christian hymn first published in 1931. It has words by English author Eleanor Farjeon and is set to a traditional Gaelic tune known as "Bunessan" . It is often sung in children's services...
". In 1971 he acquired an early Minimoog
Minimoog
The Minimoog is a monophonic analog synthesizer, invented by Bill Hemsath and Robert Moog. It was released in 1970 by R.A. Moog Inc. , and production was stopped in 1981. It was re-designed by Robert Moog in 2002 and released as Minimoog Voyager.The Minimoog was designed in response to the use of...
synthesiser, purchasing it at half price from actor Jack Wild
Jack Wild
Jack Wild was a British actor who is best remembered for his performances in both stage and screen productions of the Lionel Bart musical Oliver! with Ron Moody, Shani Wallis, and Oliver Reed. He received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the age of 16 for the role of the...
who believed that it was defective because it only played one note at a time
Monophony
In music, monophony is the simplest of textures, consisting of melody without accompanying harmony. This may be realized as just one note at a time, or with the same note duplicated at the octave . If the entire melody is sung by two voices or a choir with an interval between the notes or in...
.
In 1970 and 1971, Wakeman was part of the folk rock
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
group Strawbs. His first appearance on an album sleeve was on Dragonfly
Dragonfly
A dragonfly is a winged insect belonging to the order Odonata, the suborder Epiprocta or, in the strict sense, the infraorder Anisoptera . It is characterized by large multifaceted eyes, two pairs of strong transparent wings, and an elongated body...
, the group's second studio album released in February 1970. The band held a concert at the Queen Elizabeth Hall
Queen Elizabeth Hall
The Queen Elizabeth Hall is a music venue on the South Bank in London, United Kingdom that hosts daily classical, jazz, and avant-garde music and dance performances. The QEH forms part of Southbank Centre arts complex and stands alongside the Royal Festival Hall, which was built for the Festival...
in London on 11 July 1970 where Wakeman performed a solo piano piece named "Temparament of Mind". He received a standing ovation for his performance, and the track appeared on the band's live record released that year, Just a Collection of Antiques and Curios
Just a Collection of Antiques and Curios
Just a Collection of Antiques and Curios is a live album by English band Strawbs recorded at the Queen Elizabeth Hall London on . The album reached number 27 in the UK Album Charts....
. Wakeman appeared on the front page of Melody Maker soon after, which called him "Tomorrow's Superstar", and composed the theme music to the television show Ask Aspel. He remained in the Strawbs for a third album, From the Witchwood
From the Witchwood
From the Witchwood is a studio album by English band Strawbs.It was recorded at Air Studios, London during February and March 1971 and reached number 39 in the UK Album Charts....
, but left the group in mid-1971.
Joining Yes and start of solo career (1971–1975)
In 1971, Wakeman joined the progressive rockProgressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
band Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
, replacing their organist Tony Kaye
Tony Kaye (musician)
Tony Kaye is a British musician.Kaye was the original keyboard player for the progressive rock group Yes from 1968 to 1971, and rejoined Yes from 1983 to 1995...
. His first concert with the group took place in Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
on 30 September 1971. He worked on the group's fourth, fifth and sixth studio albums – Fragile
Fragile (Yes album)
Fragile is the fourth studio album from the English progressive rock band Yes, released on Atlantic Records. It is the first to feature keyboardist Rick Wakeman, who replaced Tony Kaye in 1971, and the first to feature cover art by Roger Dean, who would design many of the band's records.Upon its...
(1971), Close to the Edge (1972), and Tales from Topographic Oceans
Tales from Topographic Oceans
-2003 CD re-issue:A remastered edition was released in 2003, which restored a two-minute ambient section at the beginning of the album's first song. This section was deleted at the last minute before the album was originally pressed...
(1973). Wakeman, however, felt Tales from Topographic Oceans was pretentious and – despite its ambition – insubstantial. He disliked performing the album on tour, feeling the length of the songs prevented the band from playing their more popular tracks. Following the tour, as the band began work on what would become Relayer
Relayer
-Personnel:*Jon Anderson – lead vocals*Steve Howe – acoustic and electric guitars, vocals*Patrick Moraz – keyboards*Chris Squire – bass guitar and vocals*Alan White – drums, percussion-Production:*Produced By Yes & Eddie Offord...
(1974), Wakeman felt further alienated from the group. Disenchanted with the direction in which Yes was going, and already into a successful solo career, he left.
Wakeman produced his first three solo albums during his first run with Yes. On 23 January 1973, he released The Six Wives of Henry VIII
The Six Wives of Henry VIII (album)
The Six Wives of Henry VIII is the debut studio album from the English keyboardist and composer Rick Wakeman, released in January 1973 on A&M Records. It is an instrumental progressive rock album with its concept based on his interpretations of the musical characteristics of the six wives of Henry...
, an instrumental concept album based on his interpretations of the musical characteristics of the wives
Wives of Henry VIII
The wives of Henry VIII were the six queens consort married to Henry VIII of England between 1509 and 1547. The six women to hold the title 'queens consort' of King Henry VIII were, in order:* Catherine of Aragon ,* Anne Boleyn ,...
of Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
, using keyboard instruments. The album was overall well received by critics. TIME magazine named the record one of the best pop albums of 1973. In October 1975, the album was certified Gold
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
.
On 18 January 1974, Wakeman performed Journey to the Centre of the Earth
Journey to the Centre of the Earth (album)
Journey to the Centre of the Earth is the second album from the English keyboardist and composer Rick Wakeman, released through A&M Records in May 1974. The album is a live recording from his second of two sold-out concerts on 18 January 1974 at the Royal Festival Hall in London...
, a forty-minute piece based on the Jules Verne
Jules Verne
Jules Gabriel Verne was a French author who pioneered the science fiction genre. He is best known for his novels Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea , A Journey to the Center of the Earth , and Around the World in Eighty Days...
novel of the same name, at the Royal Festival Hall
Royal Festival Hall
The Royal Festival Hall is a 2,900-seat concert, dance and talks venue within Southbank Centre in London. It is situated on the South Bank of the River Thames, not far from Hungerford Bridge. It is a Grade I listed building - the first post-war building to become so protected...
in London. Combining rock with an orchestra and choir, the concert was recorded and released on 18 May, where it topped the UK album charts on entry for one week. The record became a multi-million dollar seller in six weeks. The album was certified Gold in September 1974.
In May 1975, Wakeman released The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table
The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table
The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table is the second studio album from the English keyboardist and composer Rick Wakeman...
, with the album was performed live at the Empire Pool on ice. The show was well received but expensive to produce, consuming much of the income from sales of the album. The album was also a worldwide success, reaching No.21 in the United States while going Gold (the third time a Wakeman record had achieved this) in Brazil, Japan and Australia. The album has sold 12 million copies.
In 1975, Wakeman produced the first of two soundtracks for films by Ken Russell
Ken Russell
Henry Kenneth Alfred "Ken" Russell was an English film director, known for his pioneering work in television and film and for his flamboyant and controversial style. He attracted criticism as being obsessed with sexuality and the church...
, that being Lisztomania
Lisztomania (album)
Lisztomania is a 1975 progressive rock soundtrack album by Rick Wakeman to the movie of the same name.It is the soundtrack to the 1975 film Lisztomania by Ken Russell of a biography of Franz Liszt.Some tracks feature Roger Daltrey...
; Wakeman would go on to create the soundtrack for Crimes of Passion
Crimes of Passion (film)
Crimes of Passion is a 1984 film directed by Ken Russell starring Kathleen Turner, Anthony Perkins, John Laughlin and Annie Potts. The film explores themes of human relationships and mental illness...
in 1984. In 1976, Wakeman produced and created the album No Earthly Connection
No Earthly Connection
No Earthly Connection is a 1976 progressive rock concept album by Rick Wakeman. It was recorded in France for tax purposes.The LP record's sleeve attributes the album to Rick Wakeman and the English Rock Ensemble...
in France.
Rejoining Yes (1976–1980)
Wakeman returned to Yes for their 1977 album Going for the OneGoing for the One
Going for the One is the eighth studio album from the English progressive rock band Yes, released in 1977 on Atlantic Records. It was produced after an extended break for solo activity from the group, and marks the return of keyboardist Rick Wakeman, who had departed in 1974 after the Tales from...
. He remained until their next album, Tormato
Tormato
Tormato is the ninth studio album by British progressive rock group Yes. Issued as the follow-up to 1977's acclaimed Going for the One, Tormato received less than charitable reviews upon release and its virtues are still a matter of debate for Yes fans and critics...
, a year later. He is reputed to have given the album its name by throwing a tomato at a showing of the art used for the album's cover.
Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe and Yes (1989–1992)
In 1989, he joined with three fellow ex-Yes members to form Anderson Bruford Wakeman HoweAnderson Bruford Wakeman Howe
Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe was a project of four progressive rock musicians, vocalist Jon Anderson, drummer Bill Bruford, keyboardist Rick Wakeman, and guitarist Steve Howe . They had played together in Yes in the early 1970s...
("ABWH"). After ABWH's first album, some of the completed tracks for a planned second album were merged with tracks from an in-progress Yes album to create the album Union. Wakeman, along with the combined members of both bands then joined to form a Yes supergroup (made up of past and present members of Yes) for the subsequent tour in 1991. When the tour ended a year later, Wakeman left again.
Fourth run with Yes (1995–1997)
He then returned in 1996 for the Keys to Ascension albums but left before the band could tour.Fifth run with Yes and Hampton Court (2002–2009)
In 2002, he rejoined Yes and stayed with the band until their 2008 In The Present Tour. For the group's 40th anniversary tour, Wakeman was replaced by his son, Oliver WakemanOliver Wakeman
Oliver Wakeman is a rock keyboardist, best known as a member of Yes, where he replaced his father, Rick Wakeman.-Biography:Oliver is the first son of Rick Wakeman, but his parents divorced when he was young....
.
In 2008, Wakeman toured with a solo show named Rick Wakeman's Grumpy Old Picture Show, featuring an evening of music and stories.
In May 2009, Wakeman performed The Six Wives of Henry VIII live at Hampton Court Palace
Hampton Court Palace
Hampton Court Palace is a royal palace in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, Greater London; it has not been inhabited by the British royal family since the 18th century. The palace is located south west of Charing Cross and upstream of Central London on the River Thames...
for the first time, for two nights. The performance was recorded and released as The Six Wives of Henry VIII Live at Hampton Court Palace
The Six Wives of Henry VIII Live at Hampton Court Palace
-DVD and Blu-ray:-Personnel:* Rick Wakeman – Roland JD-800, Hammond Organ, Moog Mini-moog, Korg M3, Korg OASYS, Roland Fantom-X , Moog Voyager, Manikin Memotron , Roland V-Synth, keytar, piano.* Dave Colquhoun – electric guitar...
.
Instruments
Although Wakeman is a noted player of the grand piano, electric piano, Hammond organHammond organ
The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
, Minimoog
Minimoog
The Minimoog is a monophonic analog synthesizer, invented by Bill Hemsath and Robert Moog. It was released in 1970 by R.A. Moog Inc. , and production was stopped in 1981. It was re-designed by Robert Moog in 2002 and released as Minimoog Voyager.The Minimoog was designed in response to the use of...
and many later models of synthesiser, he is well known as an exponent (for a time) of the Mellotron
Mellotron
The Mellotron is an electro-mechanical, polyphonic tape replay keyboard originally developed and built in Birmingham, England in the early 1960s. It superseded the Chamberlin Music Master, which was the world's first sample-playback keyboard intended for music...
– an analogue electronic musical instrument
Electronic musical instrument
An electronic musical instrument is a musical instrument that produces its sounds using electronics. Such an instrument sounds by outputting an electrical audio signal that ultimately drives a loudspeaker....
that uses a bank of pre-recorded magnetic tape strips, each of which is activated by a separate key on its keyboard and lasts approximately 8 seconds. Wakeman featured playing this instrument, to varying degrees, on the David Bowie track "Space Oddity", the Yes albums Fragile, Close to the Edge and Tales From Topographic Oceans, as well as the solo albums The Six Wives of Henry VIII and White Rock. It proved too unwieldy and unreliable for regular touring, and he eventually doused the last Mellotron that he owned in petrol and set fire to it in a field. Undeterred, he worked with David Biro to develop the Birotron
Birotron
The Birotron is a tape replay keyboard conceived by Dave Biro of Yalesville, Connecticut, USA, and funded by Rick Wakeman of the progressive-rock group Yes, and Campbell Soup Company-Pepperidge Farm Foods in the mid-late 1970s....
, which used the then popular 8-track cassette format rather than tape strips. Because of the advent of digital keyboards at that time, and also because the cassette tape format could not reproduce the attack and decay of musical notes (which the tape strips of the Mellotron could reproduce), the Birotron was never a commercial or technical success. Only 35 Birotrons were produced, and Wakeman eventually threw his across the stage after it broke down mid-concert, an action he now regrets as there are only six remaining examples.
Recent years
Wakeman's track "Arthur" has been used as the theme tune to the BBC's Election Night Coverage since 1979, with the exception of 2001 and 2010. Wakeman's album Fields of Green '97 features the track "Election '97/Arthur" which was used by the BBC for their coverage of the 1997 General ElectionUnited Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
. The music was revamped for the BBC's 2005 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
night coverage.
His TV career was launched in 1982 when he hosted Gastank
Gastank
Gastank was an English television show that aired between 1982-1983 in the United Kingdom on Channel 4. Hosted by former Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman, the show featured a mix of interviews with 1970s musicians and impromptu performances where the guest artist would join Wakeman and his house band...
on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom. The show featured a mix of interviews with 1970s musicians and impromptu performances where the guest artist would join Wakeman and his house band in playing re-arranged versions of their classic songs or entirely new pieces created for the show.
Wakeman is a contributor to the BBC Two show Grumpy Old Men
Grumpy Old Men (TV series)
Grumpy Old Men is a conversational-style television programme on BBC2 which debuted in 2003, The first run of four programmes was repeated several times before a second series, also of four episodes, was shown in 2004. A third series aired in April 2006. There were also 2003 & 2004 Christmas...
. He has also appeared in a number of episodes of Countdown
Countdown (game show)
Countdown is a British game show involving word and number puzzles. It is produced by ITV Studios and broadcast on Channel 4. It is presented by Jeff Stelling, assisted by Rachel Riley, with regular lexicographer Susie Dent. It was the first programme to be aired on Channel 4, and over sixty-five...
. He has also appeared on the satirical panel shows Never Mind the Buzzcocks
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
Never Mind the Buzzcocks is a comedy panel game television show with a pop music theme, currently without a permanent presenter. It stars Phill Jupitus and Noel Fielding as team captains. The show is produced by Talkback Thames for the BBC, and is usually aired on BBC Two...
(4 appearances) and Have I Got News For You
Have I Got News for You
Have I Got News for You is a British television panel show produced by Hat Trick Productions for the BBC. It is based loosely on the BBC Radio 4 show The News Quiz, and has been broadcast since 1990, currently the BBC's longest-ever running television panel show...
. Between September 2005 and December 2010, Wakeman presented Rick's Place, a weekly radio show on Planet Rock with David 'Kid' Jensen
David Jensen
David "Kid" Jensen , is a Danish Canadian-born, British radio DJ.-Early career:Born in a Danish family residing Victoria, British Columbia, Jensen began his career in his home country at the age of sixteen playing jazz and classical music. He then joined Radio Luxembourg at the age of eighteen in...
. Wakeman appeared as himself in "Journey to the Centre of Rick Wakeman", the season two finale of Mitch Benn's Crimes Against Music
Mitch Benn's Crimes Against Music
Mitch Benn's Crimes Against Music is a BBC Radio 4 comedy series, taking a satirical look at popular music. It is written by and stars Mitch Benn and Robin Ince. It also features Mitch's group The Distractions and in the first two series Alfie Joey...
, a BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
comedy programme. The episode detailed a fictional war between England and Wales in 2009 which only Wakeman could stop. Wakeman provided piano for Benn's 2008 single "Sing Like an Angel", which was released on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
. In December 2006, Wakeman was the guest host for an episode of The Personality Test
The Personality Test
The Personality Test is a British radio comedy broadcast on BBC Radio 4, which sees a weekly guest host present a series of questions about themselves to a panel consisting of comedians....
on Radio 4. He also appeared on Top Gear and set a race track lap time of 1'55.26. Wakeman made his debut appearance on Just a Minute
Just a Minute
Just a Minute is a BBC Radio 4 radio comedy panel game chaired by Nicholas Parsons. Its first transmission on Radio 4 was on 22 December 1967, three months after the station's launch. The Radio 4 programme won a Gold Sony Radio Academy Award in 2003....
on Radio 4 on 7 February 2011.
In October 2007, Wakeman commenced a new tour 'Rick Wakeman's Grumpy Old Picture Show', where he accompanies video performers such as Gordon Giltrap
Gordon Giltrap
Gordon Giltrap is an English acoustic and electric guitarist and composer, whose musical styles cross multiple genres, including folk, blues, folk rock, pop, classical and rock....
and the English Rock Ensemble (Ashley Holt, Lee Pomeroy, Dave Colquhoun and Tony Fernandez). A Freemason
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
, he is a member of Chelsea Lodge No. 3098, the membership of which is made up of entertainers. In 2009, Wakeman became a Patron of Tech Music Schools
Tech Music Schools
Tech Music School is a contemporary music school that trains musicians for the music industry in the following disciplines: drums, vocals, guitar, bass guitar and music business...
.
In 2011, Wakeman, alongside Fiaba's drummer Bruno Rubino, has been recording and arranging the debut full-length studio album of the Italian singer Valentina Blanca.
Personal life
On 28 March 1970, Wakeman married his first wife Rosaline Woolford at twenty years of age and had two sons, OliverOliver Wakeman
Oliver Wakeman is a rock keyboardist, best known as a member of Yes, where he replaced his father, Rick Wakeman.-Biography:Oliver is the first son of Rick Wakeman, but his parents divorced when he was young....
(b. 26 February 1972) and Adam
Adam Wakeman
Adam Wakeman is the current keyboardist for Ozzy Osbourne's band and also keyboardist for Black Sabbath...
(b. 11 March 1974). The two divorced in 1977, and Wakeman married studio secretary Danielle Corminboeuf in January 1980 in the West Indies, with whom he had one son, Benjamin (b. 1978). He had a daughter, Jemma Kiera (b. 12 February 1983), with former Page 3 model Nina Carter
Nina Carter
Nina Carter is an English former 1970s Page Three girl and occasional singer. She currently runs an image consultancy and works as a life coach.-Career:...
and the two married in 1984 followed by the birth of their son, Oscar (b. May 1986). He has had a renewal of his Christian faith, which began around the time of their marriage.
Nina and Rick divorced in December 2004.
In his twenties, Wakeman suffered three heart attacks. The first occurred after a performance of Journey to the Centre of the Earth at the Crystal Palace Bowl on 27 July 1974.
A passionate football fan, Wakeman has supported Brentford F.C.
Brentford F.C.
Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One....
since he was a child, and later on he also became a director of the West London club. After a disagreement with the board, he moved on to Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
but maintained his allegiance to Brentford. He was involved in the ownership of the American soccer club Philadelphia Fury
Philadelphia Fury
The Philadelphia Fury was a soccer team based in Philadelphia that played in the North American Soccer League from 1978 to 1980. Among the club's investors were rock musicians Rick Wakeman, Peter Frampton and Paul Simon. The team played at Veterans Stadium....
in the late '70s, along with other rock celebrities such as Peter Frampton
Peter Frampton
Peter Kenneth Frampton is an English musician, singer, producer, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist. He was previously associated with the bands Humble Pie and The Herd. Frampton's international breakthrough album was his live release, Frampton Comes Alive!. The album sold over 6 million copies...
and Paul Simon
Paul Simon
Paul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...
.
He is a strong supporter of the UK's Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
, and performed a concert in September 2004 for the benefit of the party.
Wakeman has been president of the show business charity The Heritage Foundation. The charity erects blue plaques on the homes and/or work-places of late entertainers and sportspeople. He is also Honorary President of the Classic Rock Society
Classic Rock Society
Classic Rock Society, also known as the CRS, began life in 1991, originally as a society founded in Rotherham, England at the Florence Nightingale public house, which quickly progressed to become a large and well recognised organisation helping to forward the cause of Progressive rock, and Classic...
, a UK-based organisation helping to promote classic and progressive rock.