I have long learned to eradicate from my mind the daft notion that a new year cleverly eradicates all the crap from the year before and in return brings loads of fabulous new additives to your life...... because it doesn’t!
What it does give me though, is a chance to try and plan some new ventures and look at ways in which I can hopefully continue to create. This is because the entertainment industry seems to still be in slumber mode for the first couple of months of any new year and considers any new year to start around March!
So what do I think 2011 holds for me and those around me?
Well I really enjoyed doing my solo shows as "one-offs" and not as a tour and that will continue throughout 2011. Different theatres and the same show "A Very Very Intimate Evening With Rick Wakeman". In 2012, I’ll also be doing one off concerts, but will be returning to theatres I played in 2009 and 2010, with a completely new one man show.
Talks are well down the line as regards concerts for Jon and myself in Canada and the USA and also Jon, Trevor Rabin and myself are working on putting a band together to both record and perform, which I personally find very exciting.
As regards other joint projects, it’s very likely that I will be collaborating with both Jon Lord and Keith Emerson on separate ventures but these are likely to be later in the year.
Saturdays will obviously never quite be the same without the madcap Planet Rock show, but talks are ongoing as regards a new home for The Rick Wakeman Show and which will not be restricted to Saturdays either.
My six month contract for my Saturday evening show on the Dublin based station, Radio Nova, finishes at the end of February and as yet we have no indication as to whether or not it is going to continue. Regardless of whether it does or not, I have thoroughly enjoyed being involved with the station as everybody there is so enthusiastic about music and radio.
Talks are quite a long way down the line for a show for me on a new television channel that will be launched in the Spring and that hopefully may lead to other programmes as well …and whilst on the subject of radio and television, in January I will be making my debut in Just a Minute on Radio 4. Broadcast date is not known yet, but as soon as we find out it will be on the website.
I plan to do at least one new recording this year as something special and also, barring a disaster, all the A&M catalogue should be released with lots of enhancements and additions.
The recession has certainly bitten hard in the music business and try as I have, I have yet to find any funding or sponsorship for the planned extravaganza of the extended Journey to the Centre of the Earth and Return to the Centre of the Earth double bill. I shall continue to keep looking though!
As regards some of the charities I am involved in, I have 2 golf tournaments this year, one at Burhill and one in Estonia. Both are great fun events and have a dinner in the evening with great entertainment. If there are any golfers out there who are interested in taking part and would like to bring their partners or guests to the evening bash, then just send an e-mail to the website and it will be sent on to Graeme Slocombe who organises the events for me.
Current diary includes the following, which may, or may not be of interest!!
January
Friday 7th ….recording Just a Minute.
February
Tuesday 1st…..guest presenter at O2 for Voice in a Million.
Saturday 26th….solo show at Broadway Theatre Peterborough.
March
Friday 4th…..solo show. Central Theatre Chatham.
Saturday 12th…solo show. St Andrews hall Norwich.
Saturday 26th …solo show…Mercury Theatre Colchester.
Wednesday 30th…..solo show….St Moritz.
April
Saturday 2nd…….solo show….Garrick Theatre Lichfield.
Saturday 16th……solo show…..Harrogate.
Saturday 23rd……solo show.Birkenhead.
May
Sunday 22ns……solo show..St Georges hall …Bristol.
Sunday 29th……solo show…..Hinkleyact Festival.
June
Friday 3rd….solo show..Edinburgh.
Saturday 4th….solo show…Grand Theatre Swansea.
Friday 10th……solo show….The Forum Barrow.
Thursday 16th…solo show..The Playhouse Nottingham.
Saturday 18th …Rick Wakeman Golf Classic Estonia.
July
Saturday 9th….solo show…Thoresby Hall Nottinghamshire.
August
Friday 5th…..Rick Wakeman Golf Classic and dinner at Burhill
……….so that’s it for January’s GORR. I have a feeling that much will happen during the year and which will include more than a few surprises, so I will never be short of anything to write!