Rick Wakeman is an absolute genius. I have been a fan since his very early years. I'm 71 now and am still enthralled by his performances. He writes most of what he plays and I rate him amongst the best of the historic classical composers.
been listening to Rick and Yes for 50years, welcome to the world of prog sorry for your loss will subscribe for your son xxx love and respect from Suffolk England xx
I've seen Rick with Yes and solo a few times over the years and he never fails to impress.He is a very funny guy and the anecdotes he comes out with in between the musical numbers are hilarious.He's a real character and an absolute legend.
Just came across this video, and needed to comment as it brought a smile to my face. As a few others have mentioned in the comments, this was from a pay-per-view from the tour ABWH (Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman, Howe) did back in 1989 at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, CA. I watched this live with friends, and while I'd been into Yes for several years at that point, seeing them play live, even via a television, was amazing. My first in person show for Yes wouldn't be until 1991 on their Union tour, but I still remember this show very fondly! On a related note, I actually saw Yes at this very venue in July 2002 after Wakeman had returned to the band, where they played "South Side of the Sky" live for the first time in nearly 30 years. They were the first band I truly fell in love with, and they remain my favorite band. Wonderful seeing your reactions to Wakeman's solo, as it reminded me of my original experience!
What a master. Rick is one of the greatest keyboard players of all time and I think was one of if not the first to have multiple keyboards surrounding him to expand his range of sound. His wardrobe during the 70's was blinding. Can't wait till that reaction. Lol! I wonder when that was filmed? Looked maybe late 80's. He was so thin. Time has not been kind to him, but still the master of the keys.
Thanks for the info. Puts it when I was thinking. Just the clothing and hairstyles, video quality and his general age were my clues but I wasn't sure of specifics.
This is what I wanted Kel to see.Nobody plays like Rick in the rock world.I'm so happy to be able to say that I met Rick back in 93' and his sense of humor is as great as his keyboard playing.There's only one way your going to react to this video.Peace and Love.
I saw Yes at the Boston Gliderdrome sometime around 1970. Rick was on a TV documentary about the place decades later and said that if England ever had a rock and roll hall of fame, it should be at the Gliderdrome because the audiences there were so good. :)
So very sorry for your loss. I am humbled and inspired by your strength and generosity to share this with us. RIP. I enjoy your videos, and look forward to seeing more!
Rick Wakeman was (is) a different species of animal, and studied classical piano from the age of 7. When he left Yes, they lost is energy, and they became a No.
Kelly and Rich. I'm the one who turned you on to Rick Wakeman Solo. Thank you for the shout out for us Vets in prior video. Looking forward to the rest of the reactions. You have also turned me onto music I've never heard of and with that I'm very grateful. God Bless the both of you.
Thank you so much for being here with us John, and for your kind message here. We are so glad that you are here with us on the channel sharing the music and the love. Thank you for protecting the privilege we all call freedom. Are you home or away on duty? And if home, which State are you in? Much love to you and your dear soul.
@@kelligafter502 I served back in 84. I was injured during my time and medically discharged. I now spend most my time at home. Currently been going through chemo for Crohn's disease. I hope the 2 of you were able to relax and watch that Kitaro Concert link I sent you. Doubt you'll do a video on it but thought you both may enjoy it as much as I have. Again thanks for the videos. I'm enjoying hearing about some of these bands I've never heard of. Oh FYI I'm in Northern California nearby San Francisco.
John Bain hi John, Sorry for the delay in my response but I work a lot and don’t always get to messages right away. Do you have to be on chemo for the Crohn’s for a long time or is this just a short term intervention? We really hope you are feeling better. We are sending you all of our love and wish you a speedy recovery.
Hi John, Thank you for the reply. I apologize for the delay in my response but with my crazy work schedule I don't get a lot of time for replying to messages or emails. We are trying to change that. I am so sorry to hear that you are going through that. We will check out the Kitaro Concert link, thank you 😊 We would do a video on it but generally RU-vid only allows us to post in 30-40 min segments max then they block the video. We would do it in parts. I am glad that you are having fun being here with us listening to new music. That is partly what why we are doing this. It's a ton of fun to be here with all of you each day. I really hope you are feeling better soon.
Rick is a monster as all yeses keyboard players Rick ,Tony ,Patrick all monsters and in that same time you had Emerson ,lake and Palmer monsters as well ....check out Gentle Giant ,Tull's (passion play ) so many musical treasures in that period Such a rich and creative time Some Italian progs like ,PFM ,Banco etc I saw all these groups love and all above exceptional 12 yes ,3 tull ....Rick wakeman's( journey to the center of the earth) 1st American tour in 73 in Dallas great work you guys ....keep the flame lit♥️♥️♥️👍☮️☮️💯
I have been a huge fan of both Yes and Rick Wakeman since the mid 70's. This solo was from a show at the Mountain View Arena in San Jose Ca and was broadcast live around the world. I had the pleasure of seeing this performance live and am very pleased that someone chose to react to this piece. If I may offer up a suggestion, consider reacting to the song Close to the Edge. The keyboard parts played by Rick in that piece are some of the best he has ever done. There is also amazing interactions between Rick and the guitarist Steve Howe, another classically trained musician from the band Yes. I hope you will take a look at it! Also, if you want to experience one of the most beautiful pieces of classic rock ever performed, react to the song Awaken. There is simply no other piece of music that can match the overall beauty of that song.
Heads up, Rick Wakeman is touring this summer and fall, it's called the Grumpy Old Rock Star tour and he'll be in America and Canada. I have a feeling it's going to be amazing. Definitely consider going!
Classically trained with tens of thousands of hours practicing. My mom was a classical organist and pianist who was a Julliard graduate in 40's during WWII. I grew up listening to all kinds of classical music. In the late sixties she bought a harpsichord kit and we spent the summer assembling it.
I love the way you love each other. Not sure why I have not seen the two of you on RU-vid for a long while. I do hope that all is well with you both. Unfortunately, for me and my family, things have not played out as I would have liked. My wife of 41 years passed away in May. When I see the two of you, I see the two of us. Please be happy and healthy…I know that life is not a fairytale and shit happens.
So much music this man gave us, with Yes, individuel. And still playing live, being 70+. That last part is an extra bow for the wizzard of decades. Even now so much skill on playing the piano, playing all these songs he was involved with and still finding own ways of filling it al in again as a clown, as a narrative speaker...but after all: as a GR8 keybourdplayer :) Thnx Rick! When visiting The Netherlands again? ;)
Thanks for choosing this performance, Rich. Rick is an amazing guy. I got to meet him in 2004 when Yes were touring with Dream Theater. He agreed to buy some of my analog synths. We spoke for about 20 minutes about synths, his Retro album plan, etc. I found his story about advising Dave Smith on the name and front panel layout of the Prophet 5 while lounging around a hotel pool in California fascinating. If you can get your hands on his autobiography, get it.
Rich, our son Cory passed away 14 years ago at age 30, and it seems like yesterday, although decades ago. Needless to say, I feel for your pain, brother. And oh, I love you guys. Thank you.
Rich, so sorry about the loss of your son. I have also lost a son, from a car accident, so I feel some of your pain. Be strong, brother! Love your reaction videos! Thank you! Love Rick Wakeman! He’s one of my musical heroes.
Rick lived a quarter mile from me and as an artist and picture framer I did lots of work for him,then after work I,d drop the finished items off to him. The kettle was always on and we,d sit down and talk. He is one of the funniest guys you could wish to meet. His stories had me cracking up,and we both shared a love of cars. So I ended up painting an image of his rare Rolls Royce once owned by the Sultan of Bruni.The last time I called I,d just missed David Bowie ,...dam.
I don't know precisely when it happens, but about 2 minutes into this performance there comes the realization that we are witness to and in the presence of greatness.....
I have seen Rick in concert with the English Rock Ensemble several times, awesome every time, Journey to the centre of earth is a superb album as is six wives of Henry the eighth and myths and legends of king Arthur.
Just some trivia. The piano on Cat Stevens 'Morning Has Broken' is all Wakeman. His session work spans 5 decades with artists too numerous to mention and crosses almost every musical genre. His 'Six Wives of Henry VIII' album is epic and is worth a listen.
As a teenager, I was listening to this while my friends were listening to rap. This is from the Anderson-Brufford-Wakeman-Howe live album. Suggested listen is Brother of Mine from this same live album. Puts tears in my eyes. I'm glad you were able to listen to this.
Rick's tribute when Bowie died was awesome. He played Life on Mars beautifully. In fact Hunky Dory is a bit like a Rick solo album with Bowie singing along. I saw King Arthur on ice in 75 and it was as mad as it sounds. Can't wait for the Journey concert in July. Brilliant choice of video.
I confess: I was the one who recommended this one. 🙂 I was looking forward to seeing Kel's reaction in particular, and she didn't disappoint. I knew she would appreciate the wizardry that is Rick Wakeman. And those are his compositions - I put him up there with any classical music composer of the past. Anyway, it brought me great joy that you enjoyed it Kel. Oh and by the way Rich, that was Tim Wakefield, knuckleballer for the Red Sox. I grew up in Massachusetts getting pummeled by the Yankees and all their championships. How the tide has turned! 😎 ⚾️🏉
That was great playing by Rick. In the UK there was/is a radio station called Planet Rock, and Rick used to be a regular DJ on it. He was really interesting and informative on music and would venture his opinions in all sorts of other areas. Being in the music business he was very informed and would tell all sorts of anecdotes. An amusing and greatly talented DJ. Not sure if he is still on it as I have not listed for a few years. I must go back and listen. Planet Rock also had Alice Cooper as a regular DJ, and he was similarly entertaining and informative. I think you would have enjoyed listening to both.
This was from ABWH's live show. BTW, the bassist on tour was Tony Levin (of King Crimson, Peter Gabriel, Liquid Tension Experiment - and WAY more!) but he became seriously ill and missed a number of shows, so the bassist on this video was his replacement, Jeff Berlin, who's a giant in the prog-jazz world. He has a long history with Bill Bruford, playing with Bill for years in his band, "Bruford," along with the late Alan Holdsworth, another giant of Prog, on guitar. Anyway, Rick is great, even without a cape! Something you should check out, just for your own enjoyment, is Rick's DVD/BluRay his "Six Wives of Henry VIII, Live at Hampton Court Palace." Right now, the multi-format version is on-sale for $14 at Amazon! He played his works with a full symphony and choir at Henry VII's summer palace, which was something he always wanted to do. The album was a materpiece, but due to limitations of the media, the "Henry VIII" piece had to be cut. In this concert, he played it. Check it out on RU-vid then BUY it from Amazon! $14 is a bargain!
Are you two for real???!!! Such a muted response. That was spectacular...should have been freaking out...jumping around, especially if you studied piano. That was beyond...1989-Anderson bruford Wakeman and howe-Mountainview Ca. Watched it on paper view at the time.
Rick Wakeman was a telepathic player. He woodshedded to gain his craft but was completely spontaneous with impeccable ear, inovation and tecnnique not drudgery of practicing. Beyond gifted
Don't forget Wakeman's piano work on Bowie's Is there Life on Mars? BTW, Wakeman was a HUGE influence on Jordan Rudess. Kel lit up when Wakeman played the honky-tonk piano solo from the song "Merlin" form Wakeman's album King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. The "Awesome Piano Solo" on RU-vid is part of the Anderson, Buford, Wakeman, and Howe" concert tour featuring those four stars from the band Yes. Thank very much for exploring Prog Rock on your channel!!!--David Peck
Came back to watch this after watching Keith Emerson ( RIP) the two were amazing artists and good friends, sounded like Emerson right at the end in style.
I love watching you two smile when you hear this stuff. Wakey is a classically trained pianist which gave him such a wonderful influence on YES's music of the 70s. He's also a very nice person, approachable, loves to hang out with his fans and is one of the funniest people on the planet. If you want a 30 second sample of his sense of humor just lookup "Rick Wakeman's Squealing Pig" here on youtube. He was on a morning talk show and a caller wanted the DJs to do an imitation of a squealing pig, but they called Rick into the studio early and asked him to do one instead. The result is gut busting. Thanks for the videos. The music has always made me feel great, now watching you two react to it brings back all the emotions in an instant.
I'm a subscriber... I miss you guys... I know you've been through a lot lately...you are my favorite reaction people. Hope all is well....we miss you....God bless.
We are here! We are on a medical hold because of the injuries and problems Kel suffered in the pitbull attack. She has another surgery scheduled for mid February so we are optimistic that that will have a good result and we will return by summer. Obviously no way to tell at this point, but that’s what we are hoping for. Thank you so much for reaching out. Please stay subscribed so that you can be alerted when we drop our first video comeback! All the best to you and yours, Kel and Rich
Had the immense pleasure of being at Rick Wakeman's solo gig in Boston Stump a cathedral sized church in Boston Lincolnshire with just a grand piano and microphone. He tells great stories as well as being an awesome piano player!!
Rick Wakeman was studying at The Royal College of Music in London when he started to get significant session work, including Bowie's Space Oddity. He made the momentous decision leave the college before graduating and the rest is history...including Yes. He has written and scored numerous orchestral pieces. Somebody suggested The Six Wives of Henry VIII which is a good call. I would suggest the video which was shot at a live performance at Hampton Court Palace, Henry's home.
I enjoyed you guys enjoying that. If you haven't already, check out 'Rick Wakeman's Acceptance Speech at the 2017 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame'. He has the whole crowd laughing their asses off.
Rick Wakeman came to our school in 1970 playing with the band the Strawbs - my first ever music concert. He played on the school's steinway grand and blew us all away when he played the "hamlet" theme whilst smoking a cigarette. In the school hall. We just couldn't believe it......never mind the Strawbs; he was smoking in the school hall! Whoa! Rebel! Little did we know then what a superstar he was to become, and he's still that rebel....in a nice, English way...
The reason Rick got THe David Bowie "Space Oddity" gig in 1968 was that he was the only one who knew how to play and keep going the Mellotron which was new then and he kept the secrets of it for a while until Engineers finally sussed it out as he was getting all the Session work that required it as no-one else had a clue :) Briliant Piano Player and Human Being and extremely funny :)
So sorry, about your son. I admire your strength, And your commitment to honor him, while bringing great content, music, and opinion. I salute you both.
Rich, you can never be an "ex-musician" than I can ever be an ex-cellist or ex-mandolin player. Same for your lady. Y'all's musicians, man. Ain't no "ex-" when it comes to MUSICIANS.
Rick is a major major talent. One of the best pianist ever. Wakeman is a very funny guy as well. If you want to watch something really funny watch his acceptance speech when Yes got inducted into the rock & roll hall of fame. It is comic gold.
I remember seeing this on Pay-Per-View for the first time and also saw two shows on this tour at the Meadowlands at at Madison Square Garden. they were all still in their prime and was a very emotionally enriching performance.
And Rick Wakeman is not ONLY about precision rapid playing. He has a magical touch with the synthesizer keys. Please check out more of his incredible work. And then move on to Rick's prodigal son, Oliver Wakeman, who learned well from his dad and has done some great collaborative work with another magical keyboard wizard, Clive Nolan the regular keyboardist from prog band Pendragon. Check out Nolan & Wakeman's project album, "The Hound of the Baskerville."
