Where are they now? - Rick Wakeman
This page last updated: 25 Jan 2012
On this page: Solo projects - Cutting back touring - Collaborations - Re-releases/archival releases - Media appearances, charity work etc.
On other pages: The Anderson Wakeman Project
Rick Wakeman's official
site: Rick Wakeman's
Communication Centre; Official
Twitter (Note that Wakeman does not
have a MySpace site)
Congratulations to Rick who married long-term partner Rachel Kaufman on 14 Dec 2011.
Solo releases
In Wakeman Jan 2011 GORR, he said, "I plan to do at least one new
recording this year as something special". In the Feb 2011 GORR,
he says, "I plan to go into the studio with Erik during the month
to finish off bits and pieces left unfinished from last year." In
his Apr GORR, he said:
I am finishing off writing the music for a double CD of piano which we will be recording at The Granary on my favourite piano. 70% of the music has been recorded so we’re on the last stages now. Hopefully this will see the light of day around summertime.
He continued in his May 2011 GORR: "Quite a bit of recording
going on as well in May with Erik Jordan engineering for me as
always, whilst we finish off two piano albums that we have been
working on, (off and on), for nearly two years now. These will be
recorded at The Granary on my all time favourite Steinway concert
grand piano." In the Jun 2011 GORR, describing activity for that
month: "Jordan and myself will be finishing off the piano
recordings we have been doing at The Granary with my favourite
piano." And in the Aug GORR, Wakeman described finishing recording
on what is now three
piano albums, saying, "It’s possible they will be released in time
for Xmas."
In his Jan 2012 GORR, Wakeman
said, "Quite a few days of recording have been put by [in Jan
2012] with Erik [Jordan] including two more tracks to perform on
for Cleopatra Records in California." (I imagine the Cleopatra
Records tracks are for tribute albums or related, possibly
involving Billy Sherwood, as
Wakeman has done before.)
Out previously was a 3CD set of solo piano music called Past, Present and Future (Voiceprint, MFVP125CD); cover by Mark Wilkinson (worked with Marillion, Judas Priest, Geoff Downes). Another piano album of Yes music performed in a classical manner was also announced as forthcoming but has yet to appear.
In a Feb
2011 interview, Wakeman said: "we have a live album coming
out here which I did on a tour a few years ago with my band called
"In The Nick Of time". That will be out in about a month or so."
However, this release has yet to appear.
Live shows (guest appearances are further down)
For 2010, Wakeman initially announced a "One a Month" series of UK
one-man piano shows. However the schedule grew and the series
re-titled to "A Very Very
Intimate Evening With Me". Shows continued through 2011 with
the same set, and then the series will continue with a new set in
2012, with Wakeman returning to venues he played in 2009/10. The
set list in Truro included [SPOILERS—highlight
to reveal] "The Nursery Rhyme
Concerto", a Yes medley, "Eleanor Rigby" (in the style of
Prokofiev), "Catherine Howard", "Merlin the Magician" and
"Dance of a Thousand Lights". His 16 Jun 2011
Nottingham show sold out. Further England dates followed in
Sep/early Oct, and Wakeman was also hosting a 23 Sep 2011 show at
Norwich Cathedral for the Salvation Army, with proceeds going to
their Toys and Tins appeal.
Two piano concerts in Slovakia followed 10-12 Sep and Wakeman has
also mooted the possibility of his piano show with orchestra and
choir in the country in 2012. Wakeman played 5 South American
shows of piano with orchestra 25 Nov-5 Dec, with Guy Protheroe
conducting. A charity
show back in the UK, Durham Cathedral, with Sir Tim Rice then came
on 8 Dec, and he played 3 Xmas shows in England 9-17 Dec.
Wakeman appeared at the Sunflower
Jam in Jul 2011. The charity event is organised by Jacky
Paice (Ian Paice's wife). Others playing include
Deep Purple, Jon Lord (ex-Deep Purple) and Joe
Bonamassa. Lord and Wakeman wrote a piece for the event during
rehearsals, entitled "It's Not as Big as It was", then performed with band (see on YouTube).
Wakeman, on piano, also led a performance of David Bowie's "Life
on Mars" with Newton Faulkner (vocals), Lord (Hammond organ),
Anna Phoebe (violin), Paul 'Wix' Wickens (keys), Murray Gould
(lead guitar), Micky Moody (ex-Whitesnake; guitar), Nick Fyffe (bass) and Jerry Brown (drums).
The Six Wives of Henry VIII and Journey to the
Centre of the Earth
re-visited
Wakeman has done or is planning live performances/releases of The Six Wives of Henry VIII
and Journey to the Centre of the
Earth, with additional new music. In 2009, it was The Six Wives of Henry VIII
at Hampton
Court Palace, UK, with an expanded English Rock Ensemble
(Tony Fernandez—drums, Ray Cooper—percussion; Jonathan Noyce—bass,
son Adam Wakeman—keys, Dave
Colquhoun—guitars, Pete Rinaldi—acoustic guitars), English Chamber
Choir, Orchestra Europa,
conductor Guy Protheroe and narrator Brian Blessed. Set:
"Tudorture" (new piece, one of three additional pieces composed by
Wakeman), "Catherine of Aragon", "Kathryn Howard", "Jane Seymour",
"Defender of the Faith" (new piece: this is the piece also known
as "Henry VIII" that was planned for the original album, but
omitted due to the running time), "Katherine Parr", "Anne of
Cleves", "Anne Boleyn", "Tudorock" (new piece). An instant CD
package of each night's performance is available from Concert Live, a double CD
of music (including linking narration) plus a third disc with
photos from that night's show etc.
Eagle Rock released a
DVD, Blu-Ray DVD and CD entitled "The Six Wives of Henry VIII:
Live at Hampton Court Palace".
These are all single disc recordings of the 2 May (Saturday) show,
with bonus behind-the-scenes DVD material from Thursday's set-up
and Friday. The 79 min. CD has the narration removed. DVD track
listing: "Tudorture/Henry's Fanfare", "Tudorture/1485", "Catherine
of Aragon", "Kathryn Howard", "Jane's Prelude", "Jane Seymour",
"Defender of the Faith", "Katherine Parr", "Anne of Cleves", "Anne
Boleyn", "Tudorock". A new studio recording of the album was
planned, but has been dropped because of how, as Rick explains in
his Easter RWCC newsletter, "The recording industry has been hit
extremely hard". He does go on to say that he would like to record
a new studio version with the band, but without the orchestra and
choir.
Retiring from some touring and a new focus
I will have to slow down from the pace of the last few years. [...]
I announced two years ago that for various reasons I would be winding down my touring activities with my last major year of touring being 2006. I said after that I would be doing special projects, one-offs and the odd one or two week spell of performing and that would be it. [...]In an Aug 2005 YESFANZ interview, he said:I’m entering a new phase in my life. Television has been very good to me in the UK [...] I want to develop this area more if I can. Radio as well. [...]
[...] I need to do more writing and recording for my own satisfaction. I have a list of things I have to do, and at the age of 57 [...] I really have to start bringing these dreams to reality. [...]
I am also health conscious now. I have had a chequered medical history and have had my wrists slapped many times. I have also witnessed the loss of many friends recently over the last two or three years plus others who have suffered other seriously rehabilitating illnesses. I truly feel that God keeps pointing this out to me and I must take it as a warning if I am to be able to continue making music which is the gift he gave me. I have to re-think my life. I can’t go on at this pace. My average day for the last two years has started at 5.45am and has finished at midnight at very best.
Over the last few years [...] I have been going dolally really. [...] I've been averaging about 150 shows per year [...] health wise its been up and down. I'm 56 going on 57 and I can't do it. [...] I've got a lot of TV shows [...] I've been offered more and I've turned them down because they want you for a three week block and you can't do it because you've got to go on this tour. [...] I've had to turn down some nice film work. I had to turn down a chance to be involved in a musical; I had to turn down a chance to compose. All these things, [...] I really want to do [...] I had a clinical breakdown about 5 years ago or six years ago, I wasn't very well; and again it was pressure [...] you have to buy the time and in order to do that something has to give and I came to the conclusion early this year that the only way to do that would be to cut out the touring. If one-offs come up [...] you are there like a shot but actually to pack a suitcase to go away on a tour...A May 2006 article had: "I am running out of time and having no home life and no chance to write and record. I am so happy around here, my partner Rachel and I do not like going away." In his Spring Newsletter 2006, he said:
the days of solo touring have come to an end now.This still leaves the loads of opportunities to tour as a duo, or trio with other people
An Aug
2010 article said:
After 40 years of concert tours
[...] he has called it quits.
Don't panic! Wakeman simply means no more touring, no more
traipsing from gig to gig, giving the same concert night after
night, sometimes as many as 140 in a year. He is not retiring.
"I wanted to do a lot more (musically). I want to be more
(diverse) in the concerts I do," he told Reuters [...]
What that means is cutting back
to maybe 40 appearances a year.
His Sep 2011 GORR had this:
"Although I have set a date of May 2014 to cut right back and not
work 18 hours a day minimum 7 days a week anymore, (It'll be 4/5
days a week instead), the next two years are going to be more
manic than ever, especially if most of what's in the pipeline
comes to fruition." And the Oct GORR began:
I’m
about to head into one of the busiest travelling periods I’ve
had for years and it is highly unlikely ever to happen again
either! Much as I love performing on stage, my love of hotel
rooms and airplanes dissipated about five years ago, but
sometimes things happen that means that personal rules have to
be broken and the next couple of months are such a period.
Other solo work
In his Sep 2011 GORR,
Wakeman says "negotiations are quite far advanced for 2 film
scores next year [2012]." He is also in discussions with the British
synchronised swimming team about music for the 2012 Olympics, saying in
his Oct GORR:
I
have another meet with the choreographer and organiser of the
British synchronised swimming team to further discuss the music
for them for the Olympics. They are amazing to watch and what
they do is so musical and I’m really enjoying putting thoughts
and ideas into music.
Wakeman did the score for the documentary film "Aleister Crowley—The Wickedest Man in the World: In Search of the Great Beast 666". In an Aug 2007 interview, he said, "I'm currently involved in a stage musical, two other films and a stage juggling show!" In a May 2005 report, Wakeman says that after ending live work in 2006, he "will concentrate on recording and writing for films wherever and whenever possible." In recent years, Wakeman has been doing some soundtrack work. He has been director of the music division at Write Good Films. IMDB.com report that Wakeman is doing the music for a UK film currently in production called "Out of Reach". In an Apr 2004 interview, he says, "I've got this soundtrack thing coming up", but no details were given. In his Christmas 2004 Newsletter, he says he hopes to do more film and TV work. In Apr 2005, Wakeman said he was doing music for an animated children's feature about Noah. He had previously said that he would finish recording of his "Noah" project (performed live with the English Chamber Choir in 1997), but I am unclear whether this is connected or not. In the Nov interview, he said he would like "to do more work with orchestras and choirs and also some more film scoring which I really enjoy."
In a Jan 2003 interview, Wakeman said that there is a good chance that his album The Wizard and the Forest of All Dreams will be turned into a ballet. Early in 2001, Wakeman's newsletter said: "[2001-2] will see Rick concentrating hard on getting major projects off of the ground." This may include a new version of his ballet "Killing Grounds", a.k.a. "Triumph of Death". In his 2011 Innerview, he says, "I'm also halfway through a ballet I've been writing the music for off and on for four years." Wakeman has been working on a follow-up to Hopesongs with music for weddings and funerals, presumably again with Howard Prior. He was planning some pieces with vocals from daughter Jemma; and a keyboard concerto. He expressed the hope to record a "major themed work" in conjunction with Italian television. In a Jul 2004 interview in Switzerland, Wakeman said: "I have a dream to have a year off to do solo work and DVDs etc. However people ask me to do TV shows, concerts, so the dream never happens." While touring Cuba in Apr 2005, Wakeman said he hoped to return to Cuba several times to work with local artists. He expanded on these comments in an interview: "There were three or four very unique musicians [in Cuba] that I have to say I would love to collaborate with in a recording. Very unique styles and forms of writing that I think would fuse well with my orchestral rock way of working, but only time will tell if this is likely to happen."
Collaborations & guest appearances
Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman have been
working together as a duo: an album (The Living Tree) and tour came in 2010; a live
release and more touring came in 2011. See details for further plans.
Anderson, Wakeman and Trevor Rabin have also been planning a
project together: you can follow the story on the main page.
Wakeman is playing on all the tracks of La Bambola di Pezza, the debut
full studio album from Italian singer Valentina Blanca. A sample
is on her website.
The album is largely written by Bruno Rubino (Fiaba) and
arranged by Wakeman.
He is also guesting on a forthcoming covers album by Nektar, also featuring Steve Howe, Patrick Moraz and Geoff Downes. See details on main page.
In Mar 2010, Wakeman met up with actor Sir John Standing. Standing has asked Wakeman for help in developing his Noel Coward tribute project, previously performed on stage in New York.Re-releases/archival
releases
Wakeman is planning re-releases of The Six Wives of Henry VIII, The Myths and Legends of King Arthur
and the Knights of the Round Table, Journey to the Centre of the Earth,
No Earthly Connection and
White Rock on
Gonzo/Voiceprint. In his Jan 2011 GORR, Wakeman said: "this year
[...] barring a disaster, all the A&M catalogue should be
released with lots of enhancements and additions." And in the Feb
GORR, he continued, "sometime this month, the contract will be
signed enabling the release of a very special re-mastered set of
all of the A&M product that I released in the 1970s. There
will also be additional bonus material with this set and it is all
completed and just "sitting" waiting to go". And in the Apr 2011
GORR, he said:
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The A&M Years special edition should be available very soon. This is all the albums I recorded for A&M records, all remastered and “cleaned up” and with additional material as well to create a very special limited edition package. We will also be releasing them separately as well. In the May 2011 GORR, he said: We have already planned
exactly how we’re going to release The A&M Years and
also how it is going to be something very special as
well. And in the Jun GORR: the final contracts
still haven’t been agreed and signed yet as regards the
release of all the original re-mastered A&M product,
but I am reliably informed by the legal eagles dealing
with everything, that it really is the last bit of “i”
dotting and “t” crossing and within the next couple of
months, we should hopefully see the releases appear in
the “real world”. And in the Aug GORR: "Would you believe that we’re still
trying to get the whole A&M deal finalised, but I am
continually being told that we’re almost there, so my
patience continues." Catalogue label Phoenix Music, in alliance with digital rights company One Media, are planning a number of digital compilations based on their recently acquired rights to the Gut Records and Jet Star back catalogues, including material by Wakeman. Due 31 Oct in the UK is "The ITV Live Archive Concert Series: Rick Wakeman" DVD (Wienerworld), a 2-disc release with a 56 minute playing time. |
Buy from Amazon (UK): |
TV and radio work
Classic
Media Group produce a television series called Face to Face, presented
by Wakeman. Each 52-minute episode consists of a one-on-one
interview with a notable musician. Episodes are released on DVD
(first three at least available), broadcast on the Rock on TV
channel in the UK (SKY channel 378) and available on the web
through Classic Media's RockOnDigital.com
(episode
with Ian Anderson available free for part of Mar). Rick's
son, Oscar, is credited as a camera
operator.
Wakeman was hosting his own live radio show, Rick's
Place, on DAB digital radio station Planet Rock (UK and
webcast) every Saturday from 10am to 1pm (repeated Fridays). The
show has a guest each week, sometimes including a performance.
However, his website announced that the show would finish at the
end of 2010, with the final show broadcast on Christmas Day. A new
home for the show is being sought. Wakeman has also done some work
for Classic FM and he has been asked to present a series of
further shows over the next couple of years, maybe as many as 40.
He has a new radio show on Radio Nova in Dublin, Rep. of Ireland,
entitled Rick Wakeman's
Revolution, with a pilot radio show with Mark Jeeves in
development. In his Aug 2010 GORR, he also said he was doing "lots
of programmes" for Hagatas, a new production company.
Chameleon TV are making a documentary about Wakeman and are
seeking photographs or amateur footage—see RWCC for details.
A Wakeman solo tour programme in 2002 mentioned his desire to do
more TV work, commenting that, "He still has huge aspirations to
host his own chat/music show and negotiations are much further
down the line as regards this than people might imagine..." In his
Jan 2011 GORR, he says, "Talks are quite a long way down the line
for a show for me on a new television channel that will be
launched in the Spring and that hopefully may lead to other
programmes as well". He is also doing more work for the BBC TV
series Watchdog and
various further BBC appearances, including Songs of Praise and Radio 4's
Just a Minute. He appeared in a sketch on Jasper Carrott's BBC
show The One Jasper Carrott at Xmas in a band
with Carrott, Bev Bevan (The Move, ex-ELO) and
Phil Tree (The Move).
In his Aug GORR, Wakeman said: "I am doing a pilot show for a new
television programme involving food and music. If the
commissioning goes through, then with a bit of luck I'll be
hosting the series." He then described, "a meeting as regards a
television special which involves myself, some very intriguing
friends and a ridiculously fast boat." The Sep GORR then
described:
the making of a pilot
television programme in Birmingham where my guest was the highly
talented Ruby Turner. [...]
I also found myself in another meeting setting up an amazing 7
part series for television which will be filmed next April. I
can’t say anymore at the moment, but it should be quite amazing.
Other news
"Grumpy Old
Rockstar" (subtitled "And Other Wondrous Stories"; ISBN:
1848090048, Preface Publishing (Random
House Group)), by Wakeman in collaboration with Martin
Roach, was a collection of stories from his life. Wakeman said in
the RWCC Summer Newsletter 2009 (out Sep) that the book "is
currently hurtling towards the 50,000 sales mark and it's [n]ot
even out in other English speaking countries yet". There is also
an audio book version read by Wakeman. A second volume, "Further
Adventures of a Grumpy Old Rock Star" (Preface Publishing),
followed. He is now working on a third volume, initially
tentatively entitled "Even More Adventures from a Grumpy Old
Rockstar". In his Jul 2011 GORR, he said he was close to
finalising a deal for this third volume; and in the Oct GORR,
this: "Whilst away on all overseas trips [solo shows in Slovakia,
Anderson/Wakeman in North America, solo shows in South America] I
like to keep myself occupied as I loathe hotel rooms and so the
plan is to finish the third book in the Grumpy series which has a
working title of "Rick Wakeman's Grumpy Old RockStar Rants". I've
been working on it for most of this year, (and some of last year
too), and, like the first two, contains ludicrous stories but with
added rants along the way!" In the Jul 2005 interview, he said
that he is going to write a book about Yes ("Grumpy Old Rockstar"
only has a small amount of Yes content)—see
details here.
Wakeman is a columnist for Classic Rock Presents... Prog.
He continues with various speaking engagements. He also said to Classic
Rock that, "thanks to the television exposure, I do a
considerable amount of after-dinner speeches". In the RWCC Winter
Newsletter 2007, Wakeman said, "I'm very much looking forward to
producing various music books with duets for piano as well as
music for other instruments accompanied by piano. This is very
much a long-term project and hopefully by Easter , the first books
will be available."
Wakeman has two record companies, Ambient Records and Hope Records. Fintage Music have announced a publishing and neighbouring rights administration deal with Wakeman covering the administration of his rights outside of North America, among other services.
Wakeman is managed by Roger
DeCourcey. Wakeman sits on the executive board of the Bob Moog
Memorial Fund, set up in Bob Moog's memory. He is
also an honorary director at Melling Sports Cars.
Wakeman's regular charity golf day for SPARKS raised over
£47,500 in 2011.
Any news, additions or corrections, please e-mail Henry Potts.
Thanks.