Still trying to get the whole A&M deal finalised, but I am told we’re almost there, so I am trying hard to be patient!
We’re almost there as well as regards signing the contract for the Jon and Rick tour of America and Canada.
We’re also almost there as regards finalising the contract for the piano and orchestra concerts in South America for the end of the year!
We’re also close to finalising the deal for the third Grumpy Old Rockstar book, along with other related bits and pieces!
And guess what......?
We’re also close to finalising four or five special Xmas concerts for December!
There’s an awful lot of “nearly” at the moment, but they truly are all likely to happen which will make life as diverse and fun as ever.
So far in July there’s been a real mixture with a concert with the English Chamber Choir at St. James in Piccadilly and the Royal Albert Hall with the Sunflower Jam.
At rehearsals for the Sunflower Jam, Jon (Lord) and I decided to write a new piece of music especially for the event and what a buzz that was. We both found it so easy to write together and a real fun piece (entitled “It’s Not As Big As It Was”), turned out great.
Over a cup of coffee, (years ago it would have been a bottle of brandy or Scotch), we thought it would be a lot of fun to knock up an entire album of joint compositions, so watch this space...it will happen!
Songs of Praise are doing 4 specials and for reasons best known to the producers, they’ve picked on me for one of them. I’ve already been to film at St Giles in Cripplegate in London where I renewed my relationship with the organ there where I recorded Jane Seymour in 1972 and Close to the Edge in the same year. It was very nostalgic to say the least.
Also at the beginning of the month I recorded two more Just a Minute’s for Radio 4 which are great fun...How did I do?...well, you’ll just have to tune in in early August when the new series starts and you’ll find out!...My compatriots were Julian Clary, Phil Jupitus and Josie Lawrence. A great bunch and it was laugh a minute as much as Joust a Minute!
Filming starts this month for some more Rick’s Rants for the new series of Watchdog which starts again in September.
Rick Wakeman’s Revolution on Radio Nova is reaching the end of its annual contract and so we’re just waiting to hear if they are going to continue with it or not. We hope so, because feedback has been tremendous and it’s a lot of fun to go back in the studio each week with Hoffy, who many of you will remember from Rick’s Place days on Planet Rock.
More recording at The Granary this month too when we hope to complete the two piano projects as they are planned for a Xmas release. Also the Jon and Rick live album from the tour of last year is almost completed and should be available by late summer. It has turned out really well and both Jon and I are really pleased.
Erik Jordan and I have also been back in the studio working on another track of the lovely singer Valentina and these tracks are really turning out to be quite lovely in many respects. More news on this as it happens.
Thanks again for all your support.....makes it all worthwhile.
See you next month....Rick