What is your favorite Wakeman album?

[bmcmolo]

Not enough Wakeman solo talk for BMcMolo... or, as my friends call me, "Attorney Wakey..."

My favorite Wakeman is either "Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table" or "Shout at the Devil (symphonic version)"

How about you?

[Dantalion Rides Again]

Oh man. Shout at the Devil Symphonic is Wakeman at his indisputable best. Especially in the video for "Cum On Feel the Noize" when he twirls his keyboard around by the stand and sings it like he means it. :gok:

[Dale Cleary]

I will have to think about this because I like a wide range of his music.

[Thoughtbecontact]

First is still the best--Six Wives, hands down.

Second is Myths and Legends of King Arthur.

Third would be the Simply Acoustic Live--showscase his compositional skills without all the bells and whistles.

[RobAdams]

For billions of years I've been undecided between SIX WIVES and CRIMINAL RECORD. I think SIX WIVES would be my all time favorite though.

[ANTIOCH]

My immediate reaction upon reading this thread was "Criminal Record", so I'll stick with that choice. His XM show was however quite BRILLIANT !

[BredYes]

Next to Criminal record, Arthur and the Six Wives, I love The Piano Album: a live concert with Rick solo on piano, recorded in the mid-nineties. He plays some of his solo classics (Merlin, Catherine etc.) but also some Yes, David Bowie (Space Oddity, Life on Mars and Cat Stevens (Morning has Broken) and more classical stuff. I can really recommend this one to you (You can order it via Rick's website).
I recently bought the Yes Piano Variations, with some interprations of songs like Awaken, HOTS, CTTE etc.

[bmcmolo]

I have yet to hear 'Criminal Record.' Perhaps I overrate "Myths and Legends," as it seems to always be overshadowed (unfairly, in my opinion) by 'Six Wives,' but yes, 'Six Wives' is indeed a superlative album. I neglected to mention it in my original post.

I've heard good things about that new-age-y piano album. When the next spot of disposable income falls my way, perhaps I'll traipse through the Wakeman section at the local musichala...

"Lisztomania" tends to be underrated, as well. Although it's an odder effort. I rank the gatefold of "Rhapsodies" as among the strangest to grace any LP. (I really like his version of "Rhapsody in Blue" on there - quite unique, unlike any other version of it I've heard - perhaps that's a good thing!)

Bryan

[yes_angel]

I have to say Criminal Record,that started me collecting Rick Wakeman's solo material.

[Silent_wings]

Well maybe it's just the whole Jules Vern Sci-Fi thing that I love but Journey to the Centre of the Earth is my favorite.

[Martin Riley]

Same here, Kathy, it's Journey for me.


And although it's not a solo, I also really,really, really like the duo album , Hummingbird, which he did with Dave Cousins last year.

[Jackaranda]

I like Return to the Center of the Earth. Trevor Rabin and Justin Hayward both contributed wonderful songs to that album.

[YesfanAndy]

I agree w/ you Jack. "Return" is probably my favorite album by Rick. "Still Waters Run Deep" is an awesome song...Runner up would be the album "Live at Hammersmith." There is a version of "Journey" on there (it's on YES: Friends & Relatives also). That version kicks. Plus they guy who is singing vocals is way better than that person on the original "Journey."

"Return" Definately!!

[Silent_wings]

I’m not that big a fan of Return, but I love to hear Patrick Steward's narration. Oh and Ozzy singing Buried Alive is just great. :D

[stevie]

Criminal Record without a doubt. Some of the tracks on there should have been on a Yes album.

[seescape]

I'll say Myths and Legends, but then it's the only Wakeman solo I own! I do remember when I was very young there being a beat-up old copy of White Rock belonging to my brother in the house. I used to constantly listen to the title track and it's still now one of my favourite Wakeman moments. Don't know about the rest of the album though, not sure I ever listened to it!

[stevepenn]

Criminal Record. Six Wives. No Criminal Record. No, Six Wives. Defintely Six Wives. No.... Criminal Record.

Does that answer the question?

:}

[Paul Adams]

I don't think that I could choose just one; My favorite album changes all the time BUT I can confidently list my Top 10 ;)

in no particular order:

Out There
Six Wives
No Earthly Connection
Return To The Centre Of The Earth
Time Machine
Criminal Record
Myths & Legends Of King Arthur
Journey To The Centre Of The Earth
White Rock
The Classical connection

for now...

[the'YES'kid]

Definitelly "Return to the Centre of the Earth".

So many great songs in just one album. Like if it was a "hits" CD.


:keyboard:

[Scooty]

I only enjoy 2 of his albums.

Six Wives and Criminal Record.
Other than that..i just don't get it...LOL

[the'YES'kid]

I only enjoy 2 of his albums.

Six Wives and Criminal Record.
Other than that..i just don't get it...LOL

hey scott :cheers:

I don't blame you. The very first time I heard "Journey..." with all those low voices and the trumpets and all I was like "what the hell is this?" but my mistake (as well as many people) is that I was especting something like Yes, just because he played in Yes. But Rick's music is way diffrent than Yes.

When I finally got that, I started to like it and now I just can't get enough.

[Paul Adams]

hey scott :cheers:

I don't blame you. The very first time I heard "Journey..." with all those low voices and the trumpets and all I was like "what the hell is this?" but my mistake (as well as many people) is that I was especting something like Yes, just because he played in Yes. But Rick's music is way diffrent than Yes.



I played "Out There" to friends on two separate occasions recently, without telling them who's album it was, only for them to say that they thought it was YES - odd eh?

I mean Damian Wilson does NOT sound like Jon Anderson one bit :eeek:

ah well

[the'YES'kid]

I played "Out There" to friends on two separate occasions recently, without telling them who's album it was, only for them to say that they thought it was YES - odd eh?

I mean Damian Wilson does NOT sound like Jon Anderson one bit :eeek:

ah well


That's weird. Not to mention that the guitarrist plays VERY diffrent than Steve.

[Paul Adams]

Exactly - there's no educating some people LOL ;)

[tecladista]

I played "Out There" to friends on two separate occasions recently, without telling them who's album it was, only for them to say that they thought it was YES - odd eh?

I mean Damian Wilson does NOT sound like Jon Anderson one bit :eeek:

ah well

Paul, did you play the CD or the DVD for your friends? I ask because I noticed my DVD sounds much better than the CD. Did you get the same impression?

[Paul Adams]

I played the CD (I think there would have been moans of discontent had I made them sit through the DVD ;) )

I agree the DVD does sound better & I am downmixing the 5.1 audio to stereo as I don't have a surround system.

[weebl]

Six Wives.
Love it. Maybe it's because I heard it first, and listened to it non-stop. (My mate's dad also had an old cassette copy of it which he gave to me).

I've got a few of Wakey's LPs, but it's def Six Wives. Followed closely by Arthur.