Rick Wakeman
Rick Wakeman
Richard Christopher "Rick" Wakemanis an English keyboardist, songwriter, television and radio presenter, author, and actor. He is best known for being in the progressive rock band Yes across five tenures between 1971 and 2004 and for his solo albums released in the 1970s...
NationalityBritish
ProfessionRock Singer
Date of Birth18 May 1949
country mother real
Country and western is the music of the devil. Thats the real truth of the matter. My late Mother, bless her, loved country and western. God, I couldnt handle it.
book rocks rock-and-roll
When the first list was being drawn up in the rock and roll book of Genesis, it would have been: In the beginning, God created Pink Floyd.
adventure player musical
My earliest professional musical experiences were really as a session player, and every day was an adventure. Three sessions a day, every day, and you never knew who you would be working with until you arrived at the studio.
two cheesy doubt
But I listen to live recordings of things that I did back in the '70s and then how I've done things since. And there's no doubt about it: if I compare the two, it's like chalk and cheese.
two years two-years
Actually, I only left twice. I left then, and then rejoined literally two years later for Going For The One.
rocks play records
But I'd play on everything from pop records to a lot of the glam stuff to rock stuff to classical stuff. I used to get called to do all those things, it was great.
book home historical
I read numerous books - loads in fact - and, as I always do when recording a historical project, immersed myself into the subject matter. I spent many hours at Henrys old homes, such as Hampton Court, and visiting the Tower of London. I read no other books during that period.
writing next needs
The studio is not the place to write. You need to be 75% ready when you go into the studio, and then the music can develop to the next stage.
people zappa frank
People like Frank Zappa were amazing for us Brits.
two band umbilical-cord
Even the two times that I left, I never really felt like I left the band. It's very bizarre. It's like there's sort of an umbilical cord that stretches between us spiritually.
cousin class stuff
As a songwriter, I was influenced by David Bowie - a great writer. A class above everybody in so many ways. Lennon and McCartney, of course. Class stuff. David Cousins was my favorite lyricist.
thinking long born
I was born in 1949 - which seems like a long time ago... Actually, it is a long time ago, when I think about it.
writing
I'm always writing or playing because that is my life.
understanding secret way
The secret of breaking rules in a way that works is understanding what the rules are in the first place.