Where are they now? - Oliver Wakeman &
Benoît David
This page last updated: 7 Jun 2010
On this page: Benoît David - Oliver Wakeman
David
is the lead vocalist in Mystery. Their new
album, One
Among the Living (Unicorn
Records UNCR-5080, dur. 69 min.s), is now out.
Tracks:
Samples are
available from Unicorn Records. Details
in Yescography. Guests on the album include Oliver Wakeman, Daryl Stuermer (ex-Genesis,
Phil Collins), John Jowitt (Frost*, IQ, Arena; bass),
Antoine
Fafard (Spaced Out), Claire Vezina and Richard
Lanthier (Close to the Edge). In support of the new album,
the band played a double-bill show with Hamadryad on 22 May in
Montreal. They also played RoSfest
(Gettysburg, PA) in Apr. The rest of the band consists of
Michel
St-Père (guitars, keys, backing vocals, composer) and Steve
Gagné
(drums), with the touring band adding Benoit
Dupuis (keys, backing vocals), Dean Baldwin (guitars, keys, backing
vocals), Francois Fournier (bass, backing vocals).
David also sings with tribute band Close to the Edge (MySpace page), who perform the music of Yes from 1971-4. Close to the Edge played a handful of Quebec shows in 2009 and are considering 2010 dates depending on David's availability. The rest of the band are Richard Lanthier (bass, Moog Taurus, backing vocals), Phil Charmettant (guitars, lap steel, backing vocals), Simon Mercure (keys, backing vocals) and Pierre Dragon (drums).
Oliver's latest solo album was Mother's
Ruin (Progrock
Records) with Oliver on keys and acoustic guitar and Moon Kinnaird (a.k.a.
Ian Gould; ex-Landmarq;vocals),
Tim Buchanan (Smokestack;
bass), Pearce (guitars), Wagstaffe (drums), Karl Groom (Shadowland,
Threshold;
recording
engineer). Artwork and design were
also by Oliver. Oliver
has also been working on an album follow-up to Mother's
Ruin featuring his current band
and to be called Cultural
Vandals. In
a Jun 2008 interview,
Oliver said the band are going to start work on the album in early
2009, but those plans appear delayed by his work with Yes. In an interview around
Nov 2008, he said: "when I get a
gap I intend to try and record my
next solo album which is to be called Cultural Vandals. It is all
written I just need time to finish off the keyboard parts and start
recording the other guys. Maybe we'll get a gap to play live too next
year [2009] on a mini tour." In
Jan 2009, he said, "My own band have been rather quiet during this
period of activity but rest assured there is a new studio album being
planned. It has all been written, I'm just trying to organise the
recording schedule and company to release it." In a May 2009 interview,
Oliver
says:
I
have a lot of solo material that I'd like to record too – four very
different albums' worth. One will be a rock album, another Celtic rock,
the third is a rock opera, and the fourth is made up of piano pieces. I
really hope to start recording them before the end of the year. I like
to use a studio in Virginia Water, Surrey, where I have a great
relationship with the engineer Karl Groom. I produce my own recordings
myself.
In the Jun 2008 interview, Oliver also said that he was "a fair way through a solo project on the piano". Oliver has also started work on a singer-songwriter-style album featuring various musicians he has worked with over the years. Oliver's Enlightenment and Inspiration, originally part of a 3CD boxset but since deleted, has been re-released by Blue Dot Music as a download album through iTunes. Oliver has also now been commissioned to do a new instrumental album in the same style as Enlightenment and Inspiration.
With
other acts
Oliver is in the Strawbs (with whom both his father and brother Adam
have worked). The band has
played dates in 2009, including their 40th
anniversary weekend event 12-3 Sep, in London. (Dad Rick
also played a set with Dave
Cousins.) The Strawbs also played the Memories of Woodstock
festival in the West Midlands in Aug. He
also worked on an album with the
band, Dancing
to the Devil's Beat, now
out. Oliver contributed some writing and arrangements to the album, and
has also
handled the orchestral parts. The rest of the band is
Rod Coombes (drums), Dave Cousins (guitar), Chas Cronk (bass) and Dave
Lambert (guitar).
Oliver was in the Starcastle reunion. This was a partial reunion of
the 1970s line-up
of Starcastle, known to many Yes fans as being very influenced by Yes;
the line-up was Steve Tassler (drums), Al
Lewis (lead vocals), Matt Stewart (guitar), Steve Hagler (guitar),
Bruce Botts (guitar), Woody Lingle (bass), John Jowitt
(IQ, Arena, Frost; bass), Oliver Wakeman
(keys). Joined by Annie Haslam (ex-Renaissance; guest
vocals
on
one
song),
but
without
Jowitt,
they
played
at
the
2007 RosFest
(Rites of Spring) festival in Phoenixville, PA, but had to cancel their appearance
at RosFest 2008. Their 2007 performance was announced as being released
on CD in 2009.
Oliver is now working with
Lewis on a new project.
Clive Nolan (Arena,
Pendragon; keys, backing vocals) & Oliver Wakeman (keys)
have been working on a third album, which may or may not be based on
the
"Frankenstein" story. The Nolan/Wakeman piece "Shadows of Fate" is
covered on the
acoustic live DVD "A Rush of Adrenaline" (Music Video Distributors in
the US) by
Nick Barrett & Clive Nolan.
Anam Cara Featuring Oliver Wakeman & Rachel consisted of Wakeman, Rachel Heffer (Rachel & Common Ground; vocals, harp), Wagstaffe (drums), Buchanan (bass), Pearce (bass). They released a 4-track single, 'The View from Here' (Watermark Records) and an album has been written and recording started, but the project has gone on temporary hold following the birth of Heffer's daughter.
Oliver guests on the new Mystery album, One Among the Living, featuring Yes bandmate Benoît David on lead vocals: see above. It was planned for Oliver to guest on several tracks of Hybrid's forthcoming album Regeneration.
Any news, additions or corrections, please e-mail Henry
Potts. Thanks.