The Wizard of Prog
The truth and something like the truth
Will be published approx. on 29. October 2026
Book
Hardback
352 pages
978-1-5299-8386-9 (ISBN)
Description
'From the beginning to not quite the end... just yet'.
From piano-playing child prodigy, through to classically trained keyboardist and onto his rise with Yes and as a solo artist, Rick Wakeman's life so far has been one of very dramatic spirals, spectacular comebacks and legendary rock 'n' roll excess.
The first of his epic concept albums, The Six Wives of Henry VIII, was released in 1973 to indifferent reviews, but was a worldwide hit, to the vast surprise of his record company. The following year, Journey to the Centre of the Earth was another phenomenon. He took it around the world, with huge orchestras and choirs, which he funded, spending every penny he'd earned. After headlining Crystal Palace Park, he suffered a heart attack aged just 25. Languishing in hospital, he wrote his next album, The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Ignoring doctors' orders to retire, he went straight out on tour. However, the high cost of his lavishly staged concerts, combined with his second divorce, eventually caught up with him, leaving him impoverished, homeless and occasionally even sleeping rough by 1980. He lived to tell the tale and many more like it.
While Rick takes his music and creativity very seriously, he views his life as material for a sitcom. This unmissable memoir is the story of a musical genius with a taste for adventure, a delightful sense of the absurd and a winning gift for comedy. It's the book Rick has always wanted to write and the sole unsurprising thing about it is that it's a hell of a read.
From piano-playing child prodigy, through to classically trained keyboardist and onto his rise with Yes and as a solo artist, Rick Wakeman's life so far has been one of very dramatic spirals, spectacular comebacks and legendary rock 'n' roll excess.
The first of his epic concept albums, The Six Wives of Henry VIII, was released in 1973 to indifferent reviews, but was a worldwide hit, to the vast surprise of his record company. The following year, Journey to the Centre of the Earth was another phenomenon. He took it around the world, with huge orchestras and choirs, which he funded, spending every penny he'd earned. After headlining Crystal Palace Park, he suffered a heart attack aged just 25. Languishing in hospital, he wrote his next album, The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Ignoring doctors' orders to retire, he went straight out on tour. However, the high cost of his lavishly staged concerts, combined with his second divorce, eventually caught up with him, leaving him impoverished, homeless and occasionally even sleeping rough by 1980. He lived to tell the tale and many more like it.
While Rick takes his music and creativity very seriously, he views his life as material for a sitcom. This unmissable memoir is the story of a musical genius with a taste for adventure, a delightful sense of the absurd and a winning gift for comedy. It's the book Rick has always wanted to write and the sole unsurprising thing about it is that it's a hell of a read.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Ebury Publishing
Dimensions
Height: 240 mm
Width: 156 mm
Thickness: 40 mm
Weight
750 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5299-8386-9 (9781529983869)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
approx. 10/2026
Ebury Digital
€14.99
Not yet available
Person
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.
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.