Rick Wakeman
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Rick Wakeman (born May 18, 1949 as Richard Christopher Wakeman) is a progressive rock keyboard player. He is a classically trained pianist and has been highly acclaimed for his virtuosity. In his early years he was a pioneer in the use of electronic keyboards, and his name has become a byword for a keyboard player surrounded by a vast array of equipment.
He was born in Perivale, Middlesex, England.
Wakeman came to fame in 1970 playing with The Strawbs, and joined Yes for the first time in 1971. Wakeman has joined and left Yes at least four times in his turbulent long-term relationship with the group. In 2002, he joined the band for a fifth time.
Wakeman has enjoyed a long, extremely prolific, but only occasionally successful solo career. He has also performed as a guest or session musician for artists as disparate as John Williams, Brotherhood Of Man, Elton John, Lou Reed, David Bowie and Black Sabbath.
Wakeman became highly skilled at playing the temperamental and notoriously intractable Mellotron - an electronic musical instrument that worked using continuous prerecorded tape loops. He went on to invent the Birotron, developed with David Biro, and designed to overcome the quirks and challenges on the Mellotron. The Birotron was not a commercial or technical success.
Once known as one of the hardest-partying rock musicians, he has been calmed down somewhat by an early heart attack, marriage (to former model Nina Carter, although they have since divorced), children and renewal of his Christian faith. Despite once being a director of Brentford F.C., he now supports Manchester City F.C. after a disagreement with the board.
Discography
Solo and with his son Adam
- 1971 Piano Vibrations
- 1973 The Six Wives of Henry VIII
- 1974 Journey To The Centre Of The Earth
- 1975 The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table
- 1975 Lisztomania
- 1976 No Earthly Connection
- 1977 Rick Wakeman's Criminal Record
- 1977 White Rock (soundtrack to winter olympics)
- 1978 The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Performs the Best Known Works of Rick Wakeman
- 1979 Rhapsodies
- 1981 The Burning (soundtrack)
- 1981 1984 (soundtrack)
- 1982 Rock 'N' Roll Prophet
- 1983 Cost of Living (soundtrack)
- 1983 G'ole! (soundtrack to 1982 Soccer World Cup)
- 1984 Black Nights in the Court of Ferdinand IV
- 1985 Silent Nights
- 1985 Live at Hammersmith
- 1986 Country Airs
- 1986 Crimes Of Passion (soundtrack)
- 1987 The Gospels
- 1987 Family Album
- 1988 Time Machine
- 1988 Suite Of Gods
- 1988 Zodiaque
- 1989 Sea Airs
- 1990 Night Airs
- 1990 Phantom Power (soundtrack)
- 1990 In the Beginning
- 1991 Rock'n'Roll Prophet Plus (reissue of Rock'n'Roll Prophet plus 4 new tracks)
- 1991 Aspirant Sunset
- 1991 Aspirant Sunrise
- 1991 Aspirant Shadows
- 1991 Suntrilogy
- 1991 The Classical Connection (remakes of earlier works)
- 1991 2000 A.D. Into The Future
- 1991 African Bach
- 1991 Softsword: King John and the Magna Charter
- 1993 Heritage Suite
- 1993 Classic Tracks
- 1993 Wakeman With Wakeman
- 1993 No Expense Spared
- 1994 Wakeman With Wakeman: The Official Bootleg (live)
- 1993 The Classical Connection II
- 1993 Prayers
- 1994 Live on the Test (live - recorded in 1976)
- 1994 Rick Wakeman's Greatest Hits (remakes of old works)
- 1995 Seven Wonders of the World
- 1995 Cirque Surreal
- 1995 Romance of the Victorian Age
- 1995 King Biscuit Flower Hour -- In Concert (live - recorded in 1975)
- 1995 Visions
- 1995 Simply Acoustic (known as The Piano Album)
- 1995 The Private Collection
- 1995 Almost Live in Europe (live)
- 1996 Fields of Green
- 1996 Voyage (compilation)
- 1996 The New Gospels
- 1996 Tapestries
- 1996 The Word and Music
- 1996 Orisons
- 1996 Can You Hear Me?
- 1996 Vignettes
- 1997 Tribute (Beatles covers)
- 1998 Themes
- 1999 Return to the Centre of the Earth
- 1999 The Natural World Trilogy
- 1999 The Art in Music Trilogy
- 1999 White Rock II
- 1999 Stella Bianca alla corte de Re Ferdinando
- 2000 Recollections: The Very Best of Rick Wakeman 1973-1979 (compilation)
- 2000 Preludes to a Century
- 2000 Chronicles of Man
- 2000 Christmas Variations
- 2000 Rick Wakeman Live in Concert 2000 (live)
- 2001 Out of the Blue
- 2001 Classical Variations
- 2001 Two Sides of Yes
- 2002 The Wizard And The Forest Of All Dreams
- 2002 Wakeman & Cousins - Hummingbird
- 2002 The Yes Piano Variations
- 2002 Two Sides of Yes - Volume 2
- 2003 Out There
External links
- Rick Wakeman's Communication Centre (http://www.rwcc.com/)
- Yes World (http://www.yesworld.com/)
- Steve Raiteri's Album Recommendations (http://my.voyager.net/~sraiteri/wakeman.htm)
- Rick Wakeman Discography (http://web.onetel.net.uk/~ggj/recollection/disco.html)
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