For those of you who do not know who Rick Wakeman is, let me tell you...

Rick Wakeman's interest in music started when he was 14, he joined a local band - Atlantic Blues, and the same year left school to enrol in the Royal College of Music.

He had his eye on a career as a concert pianist, but Rick was dismissed from the college after it became clear that he preferred playing in clubs to studying technique.

By his late teens, he was an established session man, playing on records by such diverse acts as Black Sabbath, Brotherhood Of Man and Edison Lighthouse.

At the end of the '60's, his name also began appearing on the credits of albums by such artists as Al Stewart, David Bowie and a set of sessions with a folk-rock band called The Strawbs, which led to him joining the band in 1970.

After 2 albums with The Strawbs, Rick joined Yes, a post-psychedelic hard rock band that had attracted considerable attention with their first 3 albums.

Rick played a key role in the final shape of the groups 4th record - Fragile, creating a fierce, swirling sound on an array of synthesizer's, mellotrons, electric and acoustic pianos.

Fragile was a hit, driven by chart success of the single 'Roundabout' and Rick was suddenly elevated to star status.

Yes' next album Close To The Edge expanded his audience and his appeal, for his instruments were heard almost continually on the record. During the making of Close To The Edge in 1972, Rick also recorded his first solo album, an instrumental work entitled - The Six Wives Of Henry VIII, which consisted of his musical interpretations of the lives and personalities of the said royal spouses.

Released early 1973 on A&M records, it performed respectably on the charts. Public reception of Yes' 1974 album - Tales From Topographic Oceans was mixed, and the critics were merciless in their attacks upon the record.

Rick decided to leave the group and recorded another r solo album - Journey To The Centre Of The Earth, adapted form the writings of Jules Verne and featuring a rock band, narrator and full orchestral accompaniment, was released to tremendous public response in both England and America, where it topped the charts.

In 1975, Rick's next album - The Myths and Legends Of King Arthur and the Knights Of The Round Table, was given a grand-scale premiere at Wembley's Empire Pool, although it cost Rick a fortune to stage the event on ice. During this same period Rick also began working on film scores for Ken Russell's Litzomania, which was a modest hit.

In 1977 Rick returned to Yes, with which he has continued recording and touring. His solo career continued on A&M into the end of the '70's with Criminal Record and Rhapsodies which were modestly successful.

Rick's biggest media splash during this period, however, came through his alleged role in getting The Sex Pistols dropped by A&M Records soon after being signed. None of this bothered his fans, which rapidly expanded to encompass those he picked up through his work with lyricist Tim Rice on a musical adaptation of George Orwell's 1984, and his burgeoning film work, which included the music to movies about the 1976 Winter Olympics and the 1982 World Cup Competition.

Additionally, he became a regular on Britain's Channel 4, Rick's audience and reputation survived the '80's better than almost any progressive rock star of his era, as he continued releasing albums on his own label. He has remained associated with Yes into the '90's.

As the 1990's progressed Rick continued to compete and release solo albums, including the EMI release of - Return To The Centre Of The Earth, together with armfuls of TV appearances and live performances.

Rick is captured for this DVD at Marlborough College during his tour of the UK in 2000. Rick, a bit older and wiser, stands alone for this show except for his barrage of keyboards.

Gone now is the long hair and cape, but Rick shows that he is still the keyboard wizard that he is known for by many. In-between each track, Rick reflects with the audience stories from his former years and at times has the audience in stitches as some of the stories he has to tell are very funny.

Rick's keyboard skills are as outstanding as ever, Rick has on one side of the stage a single electric piano and on the other a barrage of synths and depending on the track to be played moves from one to the other.

You will also see how much keyboards have changed over the years, from the DVD 'Journey To The Centre Of The Earth', you will see Rick fine tuning during the whole concert, the sound from the synths he was playing at the time, now everything is programmable, and I am sure has made it a lot easier.

As Rick explains before he plays Jane Seymour, on the original album, this particular track was recorded on a church organ, and there is no way, you could take the church organ to a live concert, but nowadays you can sample sounds, and put them into the synthesisers of today, enabling Rick to play this track.

Here on this DVD we have a collection of Rick's composition's from his career so far, you will also find Rick's version of 'You And I/Wondrous Stories' from his yes period, played entirely on keyboards, no band, no vocals, just Rick and his arrangement of the Beatles classic's 'Help/Eleanor Rigby'.

You will also find that most of the tracks that Rick plays on this DVD have changed from their original format, and have slight changes, variations within them, this didn't bother me at all, it shows that Rick is constantly improving his work where he feels the need.

Other features on this DVD are some extra tracks, which are audio tracks only. There is also Rick's Biography and a Photo Gallery.

You also get a CD of the concert too, see above for track listing.

Anyway, just to sum up, this is a wonderful DVD, showing Rick is still the keyboard genius of all times. Wakeman's fans and Yes fans and to be honest keyboard fans if you haven't already bought this release, then I would suggest that you do so!!!

Released by Classic Pictures: http://www.classicpictures.co.uk

Rick Wakeman's Website: http://rwcc.com/

Rick Wakeman Discography