I think it's safe for me to say this much, since it was mentioned on alt.music.yes, by a fan who spoke to Rick last week, that Rick told him EMI are planning for a release date of March 8 for RETURN. This is probably due to the delays brought on by Rick's illness. It's reasonable to asume then that with the lack of an announcement regarding any such concert in January that the concert just might take place in March or thereabouts. This could work out for the best anyway. January is a tough time for any promotion department to "work" a new album. March has much
better possibilities, including better weather!
There was a RWCC Christmas bulletin arrived today. Mainly what we already know. The Project has been handed over to EMI and it seems the release is going to be delayed until March or so. The annoying things is that the first gigs may now be in California. Grrr! However no doubt quite pleasing to a lot of people and the way things pan out I guess it could still be anywhere.
I won't say any more otherwise people still waiting for there bulletin what have anything to read.
OH I forgot the TV appearances. It guess Rick was on Never Mind the Buzzocks on the 28th. It is actually the 30th at 9.35pm. In my radio times it called says "and singer Rick Wakeman" I did not know Rock and Roll prophet was that well known!
It also say the new year edition of the Generation game so I suspect Jan 2nd will be the one to watch. My radio times does not go that far.
Dirk wrote:
>I'm looking forward to Return To The Center Of The Earth
>and I expect much from the combination Wakeman/Rabin.
The track 'Never Is A Long Long Time' with Trevor Rabin on vocals is likely to be the first one played by many Yes-music enthusiasts, upon release of Rick's album around Week 1 of March! It seems likely the Roger Dean artwork will atttract attention, as will the CD-booklet (currently planned to be about 38 pages!)
I imagine some Rick Wakeman supporters will be pleased to know the 76 minute CD is also to be released on cassette, possibly plus a limited edition *double* gatefold LP (with special booklet). Good to know EMI's President Sir Richard Lyttleton + senior associates enjoyed the finished album at the private playback, earlier this week.
After listening to the full work several times, if preferred users of the CD can programme their CD player to run through the odd numbered tracks (1, 3, 5+) to hear just the story, as narrated by Patrick Stewart with Rick's music, or the even numbers (2, 4, 6+) to hear just the songs and instrumental pieces.
Currently, the most probable aim is for a concert to take place in California, approximately at Easter time. Clearly, it is likely to be several more weeks before anything is confirmed.
Meanwhile, there is talk of an I-MAX film being made of 'Return To The Centre of The Earth', and a DVD mix possibly to be made in 1999. Already it has been mixed in Dolby surround sound as well as regular stereo.
With Katrina Leskanich (of Katrina and The Waves) providing vocals for 'Ride of Your Life', it seems possible BBC Radio Two may broadcast some of the album, because Katrina is one of their overnight DJ's! (Tiz-tip - Rick supporters could write to other Radio Two DJ's, requesting that track be aired, dedicated to fellow Rick fans! Maybe this will create a 'buzz'.)
Justin Hayward sings 'Still Waters Run Deep' on the album. One of the other occasions when he has worked with Rick is for the charity single 'Everybody's Got A Crisis In Their Life'. That project was put together with a DJ chum of mine, Simon Cummings, who personally delivered stock to me for sale by The Yes Music Circle. (Sadly, Simon has now passed to the great gig in the sky - I'll be thinking of him, this Christmas.)
Proceeds from sale of the 7-inch single go to the Leukaemia Research Fund and Great Ormond Street Hospital (Simon Cummings himself benefited from treatment there!) Performing with Messrs Wakeman, Hayward and Cummings on the single are John Wetton, Cliff Richard, Alvin Stardust, Stephanie De Sykes and many other popsters.
I helped the charity by buying plenty of stock, which I sell at cost price. These are the prices, including postage, to the following areas (Air Mail outside the UK):
- US, Canada or South America costs : US$5.50 (payable via US dollar personal check is OK!) or via Canadian check to the equivalent of £3.30 pounds sterling.
- UK: £2.50 pounds
- Europe outside the UK: £3 pounds sterling (equivalent, payable via cheque in any European currency)
- Japan, Australia or New Zealand: £3.40 pounds (payable via cheque in Australian or Japanese currency)
To place an order, please supply payment (as detailed above) made payable to _E. Hay_ and post it, together with your name and address to me at the international 'Yes' supporters club at:
The 'Yes' Music Circle
P O Box 310
Guildford GU2 5WH
England
Tiz Hay
Any problems, just e-mail me:
tiz@progress.freeserve.co.uk
P S Are there any Southsiders who realistically could afford the time and money to bulk-buy (at cost) some of the YMC stock of Rick Wakeman 7-inch singles, and sell them within various countries of the world. That would make it cheaper for Rick's fans to purchase an individual item, because postage would be 'inland' instead of Air Mail from here in England!
Thanks to a well timed phone call from Graham (Boy am I glad he had my number!) I got to hear an excellent interview with Rick on Talk radio and two bits of tracks from Return!
First there was a Liddenbrook Narration which I was not over impressed with. There were some similar words used and it sounded rather like a talking book with Music to me.
Then we got "Never is a Long time" The Trevor Rabin track. I liked this on first play and I am wishing Medium wave was a bit clear on the 2nd. This generates at lot associations. It reminds me of 1984 and Can you Hear me era Rick? There does not seem a lot of Rick in these two passages and what I have noticed seems very 90's rick in style. The orchestra is really riffing on this one. I really like this track. And I don't think Rabin hates will have anything to worry about. There is a Rabin solo but it is not that big. Good stuff. Roll on the release date! It also reminds me of the sort of arrangements rick was doing for the 1987 BBC orchestra Gala performance. I guess because of the modern production
Back to Liddenbrook. Rick reminds me of the Gospels on this. Mmm I am not sure about the narration. Actually it is very like Robert Powell on the Gospels or the first video of it. It is very straight not much feeling in it. it seems a tad long too.
The interview was very interesting too but I can't really recall the questions and stories of the top of my head.
Earlier this evening I was listening to Nicky Horne's Access All Hours show on Talk Radio to see if I could find out when the interview was going with Rick was going to be one. There was a quiz running and by chance Rick was mentioned as a wrong answer prompting the news that Rick would be on in two weeks time. The quiz was interesting so I stayed listening. At about 6:20pm it was announced that the scheduled live interview with Barry White had to be cancelled. Knowing that Rick's interview had been pre-recorded I wondered if perhaps they'd use that to fill the last hour. Amazingly enough at 6:50pm they announced that was exactly what they would be doing, so shortly after 7pm I found myself listening to (allegedly) the first public airing of a track from Return To The Centre Of The Earth...
The track featured a narration by Patrick Stewart. Except for a couple of bits where there was repetitive pulsing background which may have been on keyboards, the music was dramatic orchestral stuff with choral backing. For some reason it reminded me of music from the Star Trek films. Patrick does a good job though some of the dialogue seemed a little iffy! At low volume, in mono, and out of context, it sounds really good, and I reckon live it is going to sound fantastic.
That track was a bonus tacked on the front of the actual interview which started with discussion of Rick's recent illness. I knew Rick had been seriously ill but hadn't realised he was actually unconscious for three days and that he had been given 48 hours to live at one point. The interview then went on through mention of his time at the Royal College of Music of which the most interesting thing was that last week he had met, for the first time in about 30 years, the professor who had advised him to leave. Rick had asked why he had come up with what seemed unusual advice and it turned out that the professor hadn't completed his course there either.
There then followed familiar (to me) anecdotes about Space Oddity, Morning Has Broken and Adam in Spain. To be honest I've heard them a little too often so I was a bit disappointed at hearing them again at length. However towards the end of the interview there came some more interesting stuff where the interviewer (who has known Rick for years) suggested that success and money had changed Rick for the worse for a long time (though that was water under the bridge now) and Rick agreed. He also agreed to being "out of his time" musically.
There were three questions phoned in. The first asking about Rick's favourite album and track. He didn't really answer except to say he likes what he calls "pomp" - so he loves the stuff with orchestra and choir. The second question brought up Yes and the third working with Adam and neither were really answered per se but they did keep the interview moving. It was quite amusing hearing a couple of the users saying "Good Evening" as I was invited to take part and it was definitely morning :-)
At the close of the interview they played another track which I identified as Never Is A Long, Long Time. This is one of the vocal pieces. Something about the track reminded me of music from Cost Of Living except this one had choral backing and what sounds to me like the orchestra as well (or very well layered synthesis). The vocals and a short guitar break seem rather undistinguished but fortunately the strong, dramatic instrumental backing covers for this (and again I am hearing it out of context and in mono). According to the RWCC newsletter this is the Trevor Rabin track. I don't really know his voice that well so I'll believe it. The vocals aren't bad, just lacking strength and character. I guess we've been spoilt by the wonderful voice of Chrissie Hammond over the last few years. Interestingly on neither track was I really aware of Rick's playing.
So a fairly run of the mill interview but great to finally hear some of RttCotE. I don't think we are going to be disappointed somehow.
Oh yes, and who is "Tony Mitchell" who does one of the six vocal tracks on Return? I can't place the name. The others I know.
Rick is home now after spending several weeks in studios in London,
ready to celebrate the holidays and to relax.
I e-mailed Rick and told him that some people on this list have heard
bits of "RETURN" on the radio. At first he said, "Not possible yet". So
I sent him some (edited!) comments from a couple of people on this list about having heard an interview and portions of "RETURN" on the radio. Here is (with his permission) Rick's response and even a few answers to your questions:
******************
WOW !
I stand corrected.
I will explain as best I can and you can pass on the information if you so wish. I did do an interview with a radio station called TALK Radio, which is exactly what it says it is, ie. a radio solely for speech, discussions etc. No music. It was pre-recorded and I said it was a shame that they could'nt actually play any music . They agreed but said that narrative came under the heading of speech, so if I gave them some ~Patrick Stewart~, they could use it
.
Therefore I gave them the longest piece of narrative on the album ! I also put a mix, (not the final one), of Never Is A Long Long Time on the end of the narrative dat purely as a pre-listen for my friend who conducted the interview. They obviously broke every rule in the book as regards their license and played some or all of both! and who am I to complain! If you go through the comments you sent me, you will see I have done my best to answer them., although it must have sounded pretty grim in medium wave mono !
cheers
Rick
Rick has asked me [Wayne Smith] to pass on the following message to you:
I send you all, my best wishes for Christmas and the New Year, and in particular I'd like to thank you for your continued support throughout 1998, especially during my recent illness.
Whilst I understand your frustration with the enforced delay of "Return to the Centre of the Earth", I hope that you will share my belief that it will be well worth the wait.
Everyone involved with the project is very excited about the finished result which we are all looking forward to releasing in 1999.
Thank you again, and MERRY CHRISTMAS...
Cheers,
Rick
Rick was very funny yesterday on Merry Mind The Buzzcocks. There was a lot of piss taken out of him - much of it by himself. The sort of running jokes were that he didn't recognise any pop music after 1970 and also that he was writing a long letter to his old auntie (if I remember rightly) about what he was doing. He was on the team with Phil Jupitas and Sporty Spice (who was actually quite good and funny herself - don't knock the Spice Girls!).
Quite a few Prog Wizard jokes going around and all in good fun. I'll have to watch it again as I was a little tired when I watched it first time around.