Rick Wakeman
Author of Fragile
About the Author
Image credit: Wikimedia Commons
Works by Rick Wakeman
Christmas Portraits 3 copies
Country Airs 2 copies
Rick Wakeman - Greatest Hits 2 copies
1984 2 copies
Access All Areas - Rick Wakeman 2 copies
Odyssey From Altec 1 copy
The Oscar Concert 1 copy
RICK WAKEMAN: PIANO ODYSSEY 1 copy
Christmas Variations 1 copy
Piano Album 1 copy
Night airs 1 copy
Retro 1 copy
The family album 1 copy
Phantom power 1 copy
Softsword 1 copy
The cost of living 1 copy
African Bach 1 copy
The masters 1 copy
Aspirant sunrise 1 copy
Stella Bianca 1 copy
Crimes of Passion [Original Soundtrack Music] — Composer — 1 copy
Rick Wakeman Live 1 copy
Associated Works
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Wakeman, Rick
- Legal name
- Wakeman, Richard Christopher
- Birthdate
- 1949-05-18
- Gender
- male
- Nationality
- UK
- Country (for map)
- England, UK
- Birthplace
- Perivale, Middlesex, England, UK
- Places of residence
- Montreux, Switzerland
Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain - Education
- Royal College of Music
Wood End Infants School, Greenford, England, UK
Drayton Manor Park Grammar School, Hanwell, England, UK - Occupations
- Keyboard player
composer
author
Members
Reviews
Grumpy Old Rockstar: and Other Wondrous Stories by Rick Wakeman
I love getting autobiographies and memoirs read to me by their author-subjects. Rick does not disappoint. His enthusiasm is evident and his stories are often hilarious. If you're interested in Rick or Yes or progrock from the 70s, this book is for you. One unintended bit of humor for me is that Rick's speaking voice sounds an awful lot like Peter Jones, another Brit and narrator of the television version of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy". I started having HHGttG flashbacks.
Like its predecessor, this is another collection of Wakeman anecdotes, at least as funny as the first lot. A pleasure to read if you enjoy stories from within the music business, and a must if you're a fan of the master of prog rock keyboard wizardry. Funny, I never pictured him as a frustrated golfer, but I guess you never know.
If you're looking for a, "I was born in...lived here at...met so-and-so..." sort of a tome, you're in the wrong place. A pity in part, inasmuch as I would like to have read Rick Wakeman's description of his early days in Yes, and some of the tumultuous times which followed. But I suppose there are other books for that sort of thing.
No, this is not so much a biography as it is a series of anecdotes from keyboard maven Wakeman's life and career, and some of them will just leave you speechless. A lot of times I was shaking my head, wondering how he has managed to stay alive so long, but as a fan I'm glad he did! The stories about trips (sans documentation!) to the Soviet Union and South America are riots, as is his description of King Arthur on ice...yes, you read that right! I have loved that record for years and always wondered what possessed Rick to present it as an Ice Follies kind of show. Now not only do I know the why, I wish I'd been there to see it!
There's more he could be telling, obviously; this book only takes you so far...that's what the SECOND book ("Further Adventures of a Grumpy Old Rock Star", naturally) is for, and I will be looking for a copy of it. Till then I shall have to be content in finally knowing how they created that amazing waterfall sound in "No Earthly Connection" without electronics...and, mentioning that, I feel the need to pee...
Fans of Wakeman will eat this stuff up. Just plain folks will love the inner details of the life of the Rock Star. Highly recommended.… (more)
No, this is not so much a biography as it is a series of anecdotes from keyboard maven Wakeman's life and career, and some of them will just leave you speechless. A lot of times I was shaking my head, wondering how he has managed to stay alive so long, but as a fan I'm glad he did! The stories about trips (sans documentation!) to the Soviet Union and South America are riots, as is his description of King Arthur on ice...yes, you read that right! I have loved that record for years and always wondered what possessed Rick to present it as an Ice Follies kind of show. Now not only do I know the why, I wish I'd been there to see it!
There's more he could be telling, obviously; this book only takes you so far...that's what the SECOND book ("Further Adventures of a Grumpy Old Rock Star", naturally) is for, and I will be looking for a copy of it. Till then I shall have to be content in finally knowing how they created that amazing waterfall sound in "No Earthly Connection" without electronics...and, mentioning that, I feel the need to pee...
Fans of Wakeman will eat this stuff up. Just plain folks will love the inner details of the life of the Rock Star. Highly recommended.… (more)
A light-hearted enjoyable romp of a memoir as Rick relates tales of the alcohol-fuelled times had on tour and the puerile behaviour that ensued. He comes across as a genial bloke, happy in the pub and loving being a touring musician. En route meeting the likes of Castro and Ronny Biggs, and being let free to dream up mad concerts that featured dinosaurs or were extravaganzas on ice...
Awards
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Statistics
- Works
- 57
- Also by
- 5
- Members
- 341
- Popularity
- #69,903
- Rating
- 3.8
- Reviews
- 8
- ISBNs
- 13