Grumpy Old Rock Star

Rick Wakeman is the most gifted keyboard player of his generation, and is as at home on stage at a rock concert as in the organ loft of a great cathedral. Born and raised in West London, Rick intended to become a concert pianist but quit the Royal College of Music in 1969 and became a sought-after session musician, playing on ‘Space Oddity’ and ‘Life On Mars?’ for David Bowie, ‘Morning Has Broken’ for Cat Stevens and on tracks for Elton John, Marc Bolan and Lou Reed. After a brief stint in the folk rock group Strawbs, he joined Yes in 1971. In 1974, he formed his own band, the English Rock Ensemble. Since the 1980s, he has toured regularly, doing solo shows that combine music and storytelling, as well as concerts with a band. Outside of music, Rick is also a well-known media personality, appearing on television shows such as Live At Jongleurs, Countdown, Never Mind the Buzzcocks and Grumpy Old Men. He currently has a bimonthly podcast, The Myths & Legends of Rick Wakeman. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Yes in 2017, and was appointed a CBE for his services to music and broadcasting in 2021. This is his fourth book and he lives near Ipswich in Suffolk.