I was hoping to be able to confirm quite a few things in this month’s GORR in relation to stuff like the Jon and Rick tour of North America, the A&M releases and the Rick, Jon and Trevor situation as well, but as ever, things seem to take much longer than you think is necessary and subsequently I only have “bits and pieces” to report on the above.

At the moment it looks very much like the Jon and Rick tour of North America will be between the 19th of October and the 12th of November. Dates are not quite rubber stamped yet as there are still some areas that Jon and I need to iron out with the organisers, but certainly, we are very close now. Jon and I are in constant contact and are both very excited about bringing the show to America and Canada.

Jon is in pretty constant contact with Trevor Rabin and music has already started flying back and forth. Jon has sent through some great ideas and I will shortly be sending some stuff back across the Atlantic to both Trev and Jon. Trev, I know, is also working on music for the project and we are all really up for it and excited as to what it’s going to produce. As many people know, it’s a combination of YES personnel that’s never been used on recordings, and certainly, if the chemistry that happened on the UNION tour between the three of us can reignite itself, then we are in for a treat making the music and hopefully it’ll be a treat for others to listen to it......and then, with a bit of luck...live performances...and special ones, not hundreds of gigs one after the other which dissipates all meaning of the music.

Moving on to the A&M releases, we are so close to getting the final contracts signed that it is a little frustrating, but I do accept that for all interested parties, it has to be done properly.

We have already planned exactly how we’re going to release The A&M Years and also how it is going to be something very special as well. With all good fortune this should be cleared up and put to bed by the end of this month so June will be full of all the information as regards The A&M Years.

There are one man show concerts coming up at Hinkley, Christchurch and Basingstoke, all details of which are on the RWCC web site. Quite a bit of recording going on as well in May with Erik Jordan engineering for me as always, whilst we finish off two piano albums that we have been working on, (off and on), for nearly two years now. These will be recorded at The Granary on my all time favourite Steinway concert grand piano.

The radio show (Rick Wakeman's Revolution), seems to be going from strength to strength on Radio Nova in Dublin and it is great fun to record....and talking of radio, I have just been informed that The Lyric Theatre competition, which used to run on Rick’s Place on Planet Rock, has just been nominated for an Archiva award!....I think the last time I won anything I was in short trousers, so we’ll have to wait and see what happens!

Watchdog filming has been going very well and it is such fun to do. It seems that Rick’s Rants is becoming a pretty regular spot on the programme which is great. More filming is booked for this month.
There are some very interesting musical developments looking likely for the rest of the year as well and as they come to fruition, they’ll appear on the web site.

Finally, a quick word about a couple of things that happened in April.

I played in Wallasey at the Arts Centre which is the most amazing venue which was originally an old cattle market and then became a bus museum in later years before becoming the Arts Centre it is today. Great people there and a wonderful place. Well worth a visit to see a concert if you’re anywhere near the area.

...and on a sporting note....many thanks to Norwich City Football Club, (my nearest local team), who made me so welcome when I saw them beat derby County 3-2.  They are in the Premiership next season along with my beloved Man City, who I hope will be able to complete a fine footballing year for me by winning the FA Cup and also getting into the Champion’s League...we shall see! To complete the new season, Brentford getting promotion would just about put the icing on the cake.

...........In the meantime, enjoy the summer that seems to have come early, (well it has where I live in East Anglia)!!!

Cheers
Rick

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