Favourite Wakeman Aphorism

[Full Tilt Boogie]

I think we're all aware that Wakeman Esq. can be something of a wag, to say the least. With that in mind, which Wakeman aphorism floats your boat?

One of my personal favourites is:

"TFTO is one of those albums which you either love or hate....and I don't love it..."

[Dragonfly]

"The end is listless."

Dragonfly :fly:

[Trooper1129]

"I called the album Onion because it brought tears to my eyes every time I heard it."

Rick quoted from Chris Welch's "Close to the Edge: The Story of Yes"

[Bo Locks]

"It was a dance studios in back of Hammersmith. There was a brothel next door. In fact that's where we found you I think, wasn't it?"

On how Alan joined the band: XM Radio 10 October 2002

[yarstruly]

On the YesYears Video....Maybe not exactly word for word but close enough:

"Well I've played on lots of stuff that Tony played on originally and Tony has played a lot of stuff that I played originally, and many times what I played was totally diiferent than what Tony played originally, and what Tony thought I played was different...so we've been putting all the parts together, and it's been very interesting because when you put all the differnt things together it sounds CRAP! No really it sounds quite good really!"

[fovman]

Wakeman: I always wanted to be a fireman..........only there's a problem.....
I don't like fire and I don't like water...

[neilius]

Live at York 2003 : Here's Lee Pomeroy a fantastic bass player who has recently fallen out with his wife just because he woudnt open the car door for her, well, she did have to swim to the surface!

[YesJen357]

The Legend 2000. - "Have I ever been drunk on stage?.... Oh, so you've been to some of my concerts!.... Well, for all the Yes fans, it was the only way I could play 'Tales From Topographic Oceans!"

[new_sum_do_solve_ay]

"It was a dance studios in back of Hammersmith. There was a brothel next door. In fact that's where we found you I think, wasn't it?"

On how Alan joined the band: XM Radio 10 October 2002

Damn thats funny!!!

[soundchaser77]

My personal fav, Rick line is when i ask him if he still had the dirty micky mouse watch which show's Micky and Mininie doing the dirty deed lol! I gave him a few yrs back and which his reply was (belive it or not) my ex got everything including that! .bugger!! ëll'I really loved that watch!

[cinderella]

"Tony has a bigger organ than me."

1991 Union Tour interview.

[Faceintheplace]

Rick and Tony clowning around together in Yesyears is classic:

Tony: My bed is actually right under the stage. My bed is that keyboard there.
Rick: Yes and your toilet is Alan White's drumkit.
Tony: It's a pitty I have to share it with someone.
Rick: Yes, but I am hoping to move out soon.

[cinderella]

Rick and Tony clowning around together in Yesyears is classic:

Tony: My bed is actually right under the stage. My bed is that keyboard there.
Rick: Yes and your toilet is Alan White's drumkit.
Tony: It's a pitty I have to share it with someone.
Rick: Yes, but I am hoping to move out soon.

That's precious. I loved that!

[neilius]

From Say Yes (Ricks autobiography):
Intervew at the royal college of music:

I approached the room for my clarinet interview with trepidation, a runny nose and a cough.
A curt ' Enter' answered my knock.
Three men sat behind a desk. A single chair and a music stand made up the furniture.
'Now you are Mr Wakeman, is that correct?'
'Yes' I spluttered accompanied by sneezes, coughs, and a nose blow which sounded like the 'Trumpet voluntary'.
'Are you feeling OK?' one of them asked.
'Not really, sir,' I replied, ' Im full of flu.'
'Well, in that case youre in no fit state to blow a clarinet, so just sit down and we'll ask you some questions about your playing and i think that will suffice.'
I gratefully sat down
'How would you describe your tonal quality on the clarinet?' the professor enquired.
'Dreadful,' I answered truthfully.
They chuckled.
'Do you know the Weber concertino?'
'Yes. I can't play it, but i know it.'
They chuckled again.
'Would you say you were of orchestra standard?'
'Yes sir. School orchestra standard.'
guffaws.

[cinderella]

"Tales From Topographic Oceans is like a woman's padded bra. The cover looks good, the outside looks good; it's got all the right ingredients, but when you peel off the pading there's not a lot there." ......"There are some nice parts, but it's like wading through a cesspool to get to a water lily."

[gt76yesman]

"Tony has a bigger organ than me."

1991 Union Tour interview.
:lol: ow, I just had coke come out my nose I laughed so hard!

[gt76yesman]

....and for those of you thinking it, it was Coca~Cola!

:nose:

[neilius]

....and for those of you thinking it, it was Coca~Cola!

:nose:



:dog:

[cinderella]

"Trevor didn't burn his bridges when he left Yes, he blew them up."

Rick on the departure of Trevor Rabin from Yes.

[Bugeyes]

After Wakeman's radical vasectomy surgery, his son thought his dad didn't have ... *one* anymore! Children are so priceless.

Something like, "They cut off his winkey!"

[neilius]

Twinkle twinkle little star, in the style of Dawson, thats Les Dawson.
(From the dvd Rick Wakeman 2000)

[Andersonic]

At the YesFocus meeting in Rotterdam 2003 someone asked Rick about a new album with Yes;

- Will you guys make a new album with this line up?

RW: Probably

- And will you come back to Europe for a tour?

RW: Probably

- Can you answer a question different than just with probably?

RW: Probably

We had so much fun at this meeting, I asked if Rick could tell a joke. Well he did...it's too long to write down here and you have to see the moves he made as well.
The DVD we made of this meeting features the joke prominently...

[soundchaser77]

Sounds great Andersonic, Hey where in the Netherlands do you live? Im in IJsselstein near Utrecht! Im an American living here now for 2 yrs, my wife is a Naderlander as well as my step kids! Maybe we can meet sometime and talk yes and Rick wakeman! Ok man and Dag! and doei, tot ziens and ofcause goodbye in english!

[YesJen357]

Twinkle twinkle little star, in the style of Dawson, thats Les Dawson.
(From the dvd Rick Wakeman 2000)
Can anyone explain who Les Dawson is for the un-initiated Aussies who have that DVD?
I noticed that the audience got a laugh out of the comment. But it goes right over the heads of anyone not from the UK.
Have always wondered...
Thanks.

[neilius]

Can anyone explain who Les Dawson is for the un-initiated Aussies who have that DVD?
I noticed that the audience got a laugh out of the comment. But it goes right over the heads of anyone not from the UK.
Have always wondered...
Thanks.

Les Dawson was a comedian from the north of england who used to have his own tv show in the 70's and 80's. It was basically a sketch show and occasionally he would play the piano with disatorous results! playing out of tune and time (which isnt easy to do) and sometimes the piano would collapse or set on fire! it was funny in its day but would be deemed un P.C nowadays (mother inlaw jokes etc etc).

[neilius]

I was as good as unemployed and had trouble keeping up to the lifestyle i had grown accustomed to, which mainly consisted of drinking large quantities of alcohol till the small hours of the morning.
Rick on leaving the Ronnie Smith band for the second time 1969

[soleil7]

Ricks comment when i showed him my Yes tattoo above my heart...."man i imagine that hurt...good thing the band isnt called Led Zepplin!!" he's so witty !!!

[YesJen357]

Thank you Neilius.
Sounds like we missed a classic act. Fortunately for us though, we are exposed to a fair amount of English comedy here 'down-under.'
I grew up on a staple diet of Two Ronnies, Dave Allen, The Goodies, etc...
Wonderful!

[spoukeego]

i saw rw's one man "storyteller" show in easton md, oct. '03. about halfway through he said:

"nothing normal ever happens to me."

[Andersonic]

Sounds great Andersonic, Hey where in the Netherlands do you live? Im in IJsselstein near Utrecht! Im an American living here now for 2 yrs, my wife is a Naderlander as well as my step kids! Maybe we can meet sometime and talk yes and Rick wakeman! Ok man and Dag! and doei, tot ziens and ofcause goodbye in english!

Hallo Soundchaser77,

I live in Nijmegen. Do you know of YesFocus, the Dutch Yesfanclub?
You can join us if you like, see what we do at www.yesfocus.org

See you at Jon's gig in Tilburg??

[overlook]

Glasgow Apollo - 1981..." and now some romantic music. this is where we put the lights down really low.. and you put your arm around yer girlfriend,,,OI, YOU!! I said ROUND HER not...up!!!! ...and the girls cuddle up to the boyfreinds, and the boys cuddle up to the girls , and the boys cuddle up to there ..er boy fr..whaterver..."

it goes on but, OMG it was funny when I was 12 heh! heh!