Rick Wakeman – 21 Impressive Facts You Didn’t Know
Richard Christopher Wakeman was born on May 18th 1949 in Perivale, Middlesex, England, UK. He is probably best known as a member of the progressive rock band “Yes”.
Those are facts about Rick Wakeman you probably already knew, keep reading for 21 impressive facts about Rick Wakeman you didn’t know.
He Pushed A Famous Artist Off The Stage
When he was with the Strawbs, Rick Wakeman once pushed the artist Salvador Dali off the stage as he made a guest appearance during Rick’s piano solo.
I didn’t know who he was. I thought, ‘Silly old sod, coming on the stage waving his stick’.
Rick Wakeman
He Played Keyboards On Several David Bowie Tracks
In 1969 Rick Wakeman left the Royal College of Music to become a full-time session musician. During that time he worked on several David Bowie songs including “Space Oddity” on which Wakeman plays the mellotron.
Other artists the young Rick did session work for include; Marc Bolan, Elton John, Lou Reed and Cat Stevens.
His First Work As A Session Musician Was For Ike & Tina Turner
Rick Wakeman’s first booking as a session musician was when guitarist Chas Cronk came into the record shop where Rick was talking to some friends.
Chas wanted an organist for some session work. Rick was taken on as organist and brass arranger for the Ike & Tina Turner Band.
He Was A Member Of The Strawbs
In 1970 Rick joined the folk rock group “The Strawbs” and recorded 2 full albums with them,”Just A Collection Of Antiques And Curios” and “From The Witchwood”. He was also a session musician on their earlier album “Dragonfly”.
The first album he worked on with “The Strawbs” , ”Just A Collection Of Antiques And Curios” was recorded live at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London on July 11th 1970. The show brought the talent of Rick Wakeman to the attention of the musical press. With Melody Maker stating that he was “Tomorrow’s superstar”.
He’s Been A Member Of Yes 5 Times
Rick left “The Strawbs” in 1971 to join “Yes”, the first “Yes” album Wakeman contributed to was “Fragile” which was released on November 26th 1971. After they recorded “Tales From Topographic Oceans” Wakeman wasn’t happy with the record saying it contained too much padding.
After the 1973-74 tour in support of the album, Rick left the band to concentrate on his solo projects. He returned as a session artist on “Going For The One” and then he rejoined the band. He left again in 1993 citing managerial issues as the reason for his departure.
He returned again in 1995 and recorded 2 albums with the band, “Keys To Ascension” and “Keys To Ascension 2” . He left “Yes” again in 1997 only to return a 5th time in 2002.
He retired from large-scale tours in 2004 due to health reasons.
He Turned Down A Place In David Bowie’s Band
In July 1971, with a large mortgage and not enough income to repay it, Rick Wakeman was invited by David Bowie to join his new backing band, “The Spiders From Mars”. Later that same day, Chris Squire telephoned him and asked him if he’d consider replacing Tony Kaye on keyboards for “Yes”.
He agreed to meet up with “Yes” and during a rehearsal for their “Fragile” album, he helped them put together the iconic “Roundabout” as well as “Heart Of The Sunrise”. Feeling that “Yes” represented the way he wanted his musical career to go, he agreed to join “Yes”.
He declined David Bowie’s offer and played his final show with “The Strawbs”.
SEE ALSO: David Bowie Albums Ranked (rated from worst to best)
He Had 3 Heart Attacks Before He Was 30 Years Old
In his 20s, Rick suffered from 2 minor and 1 serious heart attacks. The 3rd took place shortly after a performance of “Journey To The Centre Of The Earth” at Crystal Palace Park in July 1974.
The heart attacks were apparently due to his unhealthy lifestyle, and so Rick gave up smoking 5 years later in 1979.
He Wrote His 3rd Solo Album From His Hospital Bed
While recovering from his heart attack at Wexham Park Hospital, he started composing the music for his next solo album, “The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table”.
Following its release in March 1975, the album peaked at number 2 on the UK charts and number 21 in the US.
He Once Appeared As Thor
In 1975 Wakeman composed the soundtrack for a biographical film about the composer Franz Liszt called “Lisztomania”. He appeared in the film as Thor the God of Thunder.
He Put Together A Pub Band As His Backing Band
Rick Wakeman visited a pub called “The Valiant Trooper” just after he’d completed a sell out tour with “Yes”. He took a keyboard with him and joined in with the pub band which included one of Rick’s friends Ashley Holt. The next week he turned up again and as word of his performance spread, neighbours started to complain about the crowds of people flocking to the pub.
A few weeks later Wakeman said to Holt “I’d like to see you do vocals on this project I’m doing, You think the boys are up for it?” That project was “Journey to the Center of the Earth”.
The album was recorded live at The Royal Festival Hall with the London Symphony Orchestra, English Chamber Choir and the English Rock Ensemble (the boys from the pub band), in front of an audience of 2,700 people.
He Slept On Park Benches In 1980
By 1980 Rick Wakeman was famous worldwide, he’d toured with arguably the biggest prog rock band in the world, performed on soundtracks to movies, documentaries and worked with many famous musicians and singers. But due to the expense of some of his elaborate shows, he was broke and homeless.
He spent a few months in 1980 homeless and was forced to sleep on benches in Kensington Gardens until a former roadie let him crash at his house.
And Then A Year Later He Had A Top 40 Hit Album
A year after Rick had been sleeping on park benches, he released the concept album “1984” based on George Orwell’s classic book with lyrics by Tim Rice. He reformed the “English Rock Ensemble” and with vocalists including Chaka Khan, Kenny Lynch, Steve Harley and Jon Anderson they produced the album that peaked at number 24 on the UK album charts.
He Bought The Queen Mother’s Racehorse
In the 1970s Rick met Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and bought a racehorse called “Tropical Saint” that belonged to her.
He Is A True Blue Conservative
Wakeman is a supporter of the British Conservative party. He once said that he was “unique in [Yes] as a card-carrying Conservative”.
He Declined To Perform At Bill Clinton’s Inauguration
In 1993, Wakeman was invited to play piano at the inauguration of US President Bill Clinton. He declined due to unavailability.
He Is A Freemason
In 2007 Rick Wakeman became a Freemason. He joined the Chelsea lodge number 3098 which is made up of entertainers. His father was also a mason and the family had received so much support from his father’s friends at the lodge after his death. This all influenced Rick to become a mason.
In 2011 he joined the Knights Templar fraternity and he is also a member of the Vaudeville Lodge. In 2014 he was installed as the 110th Worshipful Master of the Chelsea Lodge and elected as the 125th King Rat in the show business fraternity and charity organisation the Grand Order of Water Rats. Making him the first person to ever hold both titles.
He Performed On Many Film Scores
Rick has written and performed on several film scores including Lisztomania (1975), White Rock (1977), The Burning (1981), Golé! (1983), Crimes Of Passion (1984), Creepshow 2 (1987), Phantom Power (1990), Bullet To Beijing (1995) and White Rock II (1999).
His Agent Was A Ventriloquist
Rick Wakeman’s agent for TV and media is Roger De Courcey who is best known for performing with his puppet “Nookie Bear”.
He Has Appeared On Many Hit Songs By Famous Artists
Rick has appeared as a guest artist on many songs by a multitude of famous artists including;
- David Bowie
- Heatwave
- Elton John
- John Williams
- Ralph McTell
- Cat Stevens
- T. Rex
- Lou Reed
- Al Stewart
- Ozzy Osbourne
- Black Sabbath
- Elkie Brooks
- Etta James
- William Shatner
- Jools Holland
- And Many More
He Received A CBE
In 2022 Rick Wakeman was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2021 Birthday Honours for services to music and broadcasting.
He’s A Grumpy Old Man
In 2003 the BBC produced a TV show called “Grumpy Old Men” which featured a number of UK personalities talking about any issues of modern life that irritate them.
Rick appeared in the series which ran for 3 seasons.
Do You Know Any More?
That’s our impressive facts about Rick Wakeman, do you know any more? We’d love to hear them, let us know in the comments below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Rick Wakeman was born on May 18th 1949 in Perivale, Middlesex, England, UK.
The name of Rick Wakeman’s first solo studio album is “Piano Vibrations” which was released in 1971.
It is true that Rick Wakeman turned down an offer by David Bowie to join ”The Spiders From Mars”, Bowie’s backing band. Rick received the offer the same day that Chris Squire called him to offer him the keyboardist position in the prog rock band “Yes”.
The first Strawbs album to mention Rick Wakeman in the credits was “Dragonfly” which was released in 1970.
While performing in France with the “Strawbs”, Rick Wakeman pushed Salvador Dali off the stage during Rick’s piano solo. He said he never knew who he was, he thought he was just a silly old man.
The album that Rick Wakeman wrote from his hospital bed whilst recovering from a heart attack was “The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table” which was released in 1975.
The name of the film that Rick Wakeman once appeared in as Thor the God of Thunder was “Lisztomania” which was released in 1975.
The British political party that Rick Wakeman supports is the Conservative Party.
The UK TV series that Rick Wakeman Appeared in for 3 series starting in 2003 was “Grumpy Old Men”.
In 2022 Rick Wakeman was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2021 Birthday Honours for services to music and broadcasting.
The first “Yes” album that Rick Wakeman contributed to was “Fragile” which was released on November 12th 1971.
When Rick Wakeman was in his 20s, he suffered from 3 heart attacks, due to his excessive lifestyle and pressures of his work load.
Rick Wakeman’s first solo UK number 1 album was “Journey To The Centre Of The Earth” which was released on May 3rd 1974.
The last studio album that Rick Wakeman performed on with “Yes” was “Keys To Ascension 2” which was released in November 1997.
Rick Wakeman was a guest artist on the Black Sabbath album “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath”. Which was released in 1973, he played keyboard on the track “Sabbra Cadabra”.
