Acting
May 17, 1949
Perivale, London, England
Rick Wakeman
Acting
Biography
Richard Christopher Wakeman (born 18 May 1949) is an English keyboard player, composer and songwriter best known for being the former keyboardist in the progressive rock band Yes. He is also known for his solo albums, contributing to the BBC comedy series Grumpy Old Men and for Rick's Place, his former radio show on Planet Rock that aired until December 2010. Born in west London, Wakeman purchased his first electronic keyboard at 12 years of age. In 1968, he studied the piano, clarinet, orchestration and modern music at the Royal College of Music before leaving after a year in favour of session music work. He went on to feature on songs by artists including Ozzy Osbourne, David Bowie, T. Rex, Elton John and Cat Stevens. Wakeman joined the folk group Strawbs in 1969 and played on three of their albums. He first joined Yes in 1971 to replace Tony Kaye, and left the group in 1974 to work on his solo career. He returned in 1976 before leaving with lead vocalist Jon Anderson in 1980. Wakeman was part of the side project Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe, a group of ex-Yes members formed in 1989, and the eight-member Yes lineup that followed until his third departure in 1992. He returned for two years in 1995 and once more in 2002, where he was part of the band's 35th anniversary tour until its end in 2004. Wakeman began his solo career during his first run with Yes. His perhaps most known records being his first three, The Six Wives of Henry VIII (1973), Journey to the Centre of the Earth (1974) and The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table (1975). He has produced over 100 solo albums that have sold more than 50 million copies. In November 2010, Wakeman was awarded the Spirit of Prog award at the annual Marshall Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards.
Feature Films (56)
Rick Wakeman tells the story of the concept album from Woody Guthrie to the present day - a musical format usually based around a structured narrative that developed to become the equivalent of rock 'n' roll theatre.
When Pop Went Epic: The Crazy World of the Concept Album
In 2003, the band made their first appearance at the Montreux Festival, despite having a long association with the town itself (they recorded there frequently in the 70s). It was a triumphant night and is regarded by both the band members and fans as probably the finest Yes gig ever to be filmed. The classic line-up includes Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Chris Squire, Rick Wakeman, and Alan White. Prog-rockers Yes return to the stage in this 2003 performance at the Montreux Festival. Though decades may have passed since the group's heyday in the 1970s, Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Rick Wakeman, Chris Squire, and Alan White have lost none of their edge. Laying into deep cuts like "Siberian Khatru," "Long Distance Runaround," and "I've Seen All Good People," this group of grizzled legends delivers a smoldering rock performance.
Yes: Live at Montreux 2003
Songs from Tsongas is a live video and album by the English rock band Yes, released on DVD in 2005 and CD and Blu-ray in 2014 by Image Entertainment. It was recorded at the Tsongas Arena in Lowell, Massachusetts on 15 May 2004 during the band's 2004 tour in celebration of their 35th anniversary. It is the band's last live album to feature original singer Jon Anderson.
Yes - Songs From Tsongas - 35th Anniversary Concert
Filmed live at London's Rainbow Theatre in December 1972, the innovative group Yes performs its progressive rock symphonies -- epic compositions that influenced new trends in contemporary music. "Yessongs" provides a visual record of the concert tour that became a groundbreaking tour de force in rock music. This unique concert video of Yes was filmed during their record-breaking tour and features the talents of the five original band members. The massively popular band defined the prog rock movement with their mystical epics which infused both a Medieval and Classical sound into rock music. Titles performed include "Close to the Edge," "All Good People," and "Roundabout."
Yessongs
Television & Series (19)
This fast-paced and stunt-filled motor show tests whether cars, both mundane and extraordinary, live up to their manufacturers' claims. The long-running show travels to locations around the world, performing extreme stunts and challenges to see what the featured cars are capable of doing. The current hosts are Paddy McGuinness, Chris Harris and Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff.
Top Gear
The clock is ticking as contestants compete in games of lexical dexterity and numerical agility.
Countdown
New series of stand-up comedy broadcasts from Jongleurs comedy clubs, for digital channel Loaded TV.
Jongleurs Live!
What the Dickens is a television panel game hosted by Sandi Toksvig. Team captains were Dave Gorman and Tim Brooke-Taylor for the first series and Sue Perkins and Chris Addison for the second and third. It is recorded at Sky Studios in West London.
