Review of 1984 submitted on 16th June 2006

Despite Rick's misgivings, 1984 really isn't all that bad. There are moments, especially in the Overture, when the band rocks harder than I've previously heard on a RW album and, on the slower tracks, Rick's capability for sweet and delicate music really shines through. Agreeably, Tim Rice's lyrics (and his quirky vocal on "The Proles") are among the album's high points. More importantly though, the bulk of Rick's albums take several spins to grow on me, yet this one I liked right from the off. 1984 isn't a bad place to start for the RW newbie and, thanks to its recent re-issue on CD, it's accessible in more ways than one!

Review of Recollections - The Very Best of Rick Wakeman submitted on 3rd July 2006

A great intro to Rick’s most successful, prolific and creative era and an easily accessible recommendation for the Wakeman newbie. Only down side is that should be a 5CD box set containing absolutely everything from ’73-’79. Now that would be SWEET!