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A man for all SEASONS When it comes to Rick Wakeman, the answer to most questions is ‘Yes’. Is he easy to get on with? Yes! A brilliant raconteur and exceptional musician? Yes! Which prog rock group is he most associated with? Yes! Does he have Cotswold connections? Sort of, says Katie Jarvis PHOTOGRAPHY BY LEE WILKINSON cotswoldlife.co.uk COTSWOLD LIFE September 2013 105 COTSWOLDCHARACTER {One of the things that amazes me is people who go into the main body of Gloucester cathedral and say, ‘This is wonderful!’ and then go shopping. There is so much more❜ h, lordy. As I wait in the electronic music pioneer, dismantled and London restaurant Rick mended your Minimoog on stage as you Wakeman has nominated performed in front of a 20,000-strong as our meeting place, I pass audience, Rick. the time by studying the • Or about the time your mate Eric Sykes Oprices. And then construct a list of asked Tommy Cooper (also your mate) to pacifying sentences to my editor. (“Honest meet potential backers for a film of The Injun. I only ordered the luxury hamburger Plank. And Tommy turned up late, still out of politeness, etc, etc.”) dressed in pyjamas. In the event, I could have done my • Or the fact that your headmaster wrote Sudoku. on your final report, ‘Wakeman will end up “Just a coffee for me,” Rick says, as he in one of three places – 10 Downing Street, sails in, larger than life, trademark longish prison, or on the stage at the London blondish hair, trademarkish beard. “I had Palladium.’ breakfast this morning and I’m deliberately …Though, actually, to be scrupulously not eating anything until I get home, when fair to the headmaster, hadn’t you just run To read more there will be the world’s biggest plateful of over his prize rose-bed in a careering car? asparagus waiting for me.” “I had. interviews, (For anyone unfamiliar with the “I remember my father saying, ‘Well, I Rick Wakeman performing with Adam, scan this code ridiculously long lead-time of magazines, I hope it’s the Palladium’. I’ve actually done Jemma and Oliver at Blackfriars, Gloucester am actually interviewing him plumb in the all three – I’ve been on stage at the London middle of asparagus season.) Palladium; I’ve been in Number 10 more “They call us the Good Life,” he says of than a few times; and I’ve actually been in himself and (fourth, but that’s happily it) prison – but only as a visitor to help with installation last week and there’s a picture the Knights of the Round Table. For days as the keyboardist in Yes. The you go! Yet another Cotswold connection!) wife, Rachel. “We’re quite self-sufficient, some stuff at Parkhurst on the Isle of of the Worshipful Master – I’m Senior detailed (but eminently practical) reasons Gloucester concert was particularly notable It might sound like a passing interest – all but the asparagus comes from a mate of Wight.” Warden – standing there with full regalia that leave my head slightly spinning, it for featuring three of his six children this history stuff – but the more you talk to ours who has an asparagus farm. We’re There are several things to say, here. on.”) didn’t work out; but rather than disappoint alongside him – Adam, keyboardist for Rick, the more you realise the past is old-school. We eat what’s in season. Firstly, it may sound from the above as if The next point I know you’ll want me to anyone, Rick rearranged to come back this Ozzy Osbourne’s band and Black Sabbath; deeply imbedded in his psyche. And one Tempting as it might be to get asparagus all he’s full of himself. In actual fact, Rick tackle is: What exactly is Rick Wakeman’s June to play the Centaur in Cheltenham – in Oliver, also a keyboardist; and Rick’s overriding reason is that his love for year round, we don’t.” Wakeman is fantastic company, who so Cotswold (born and brought up in London; a show that also featured Worcester daughter, the singer Jemma Wakeman. heritage was passed on by his beloved dad, I’m waiting for him to be a Grumpy Old fails to big himself up that it takes you a lives in Norfolk) connection? There Cathedral Chamber Choir and Cheltenham Is that OK? Are you satisfied? Look – the who died over 30 years ago, “at the age I Man (“There are three kinds of vasectomy: while to realise he rarely talks about his genuinely is one; though, to put my cards Symphony orchestra - as well as the point is, I really wanted to interview him. am now – 64. the short jobbie; the half-hour jobbie; and own talents or achievements. (Apart from on the table, I’d happily have lied on this atmospheric Blackfriars in Gloucester. (For Oh - and he loves Gloucester. “It’s such a “When I was younger, he’d take me to then the hour-and-a-half job – a general the Masons. He likes talking about his point. Besides which, it’s quite complicated anyone who missed it, there are Youtube wonderful city. You’ve got to look in the stately homes; and when you’re younger, anaesthetic where they remove everything membership.) (Though hang on a mo! I and I’m not altogether sure I’ve got it right. clips.) The evenings were not only a cracks. One of the things that amazes me you don’t want to go to stately homes. But they can, is unbelievably painful, and you thought it was all meant to be terribly Basically, Rick was asked last year by the triumph but a reminder of this man’s sheer about people is the way they’ll go into the he would say things like, ‘You see these can’t walk for a week… Guess which one I secretive I-could-tell-you-but-then-I’d- organiser of the Gloucester Mystery Plays range of talent: the programme included main body of the cathedral and say, ‘This is pictures of people who lived here? Yeah? had.”) But he isn’t. He so isn’t. have-to-kill you stuff? “It’s not secret at – the amazing Phil McCormick – to take part favourites from his own compositions, wonderful!’ and then go shopping. There is Well, close your eyes and imagine they’re What he is is such a great raconteur that all!” he says. “You can see pretty much in an outdoor pageant, featuring some of such as The Six Wives of Henry VIII and so much more. I know it quite well because here and imagine exactly what it was like it’s hard to know where to begin. anything you want you on the [Chelsea Rick’s solo compositions, such as the epic Journey to the Centre of the Earth, as well Oliver lives in Bourton-on-the-Water; he – no electric lights’. And that started to • Tell me about the time Dr Robert Moog, Lodge] website. In fact, we had our The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and as the classic Starship Trooper from his was in Northleach first of all.” (See – there bring things to life. He just loved 106 COTSWOLD LIFE September 2013 cotswoldlife.co.uk cotswoldlife.co.uk COTSWOLD LIFE September 2013 107 COTSWOLDCHARACTER history and heritage; it’s in your blood, Rick Wakeman performing at The The fascinating detail. Because everything then, isn’t it.” Centaur, Cheltenham Rick Wakeman says is a story. He talks a lot So did that initial interest develop into about the power of laughter, for example, his ability to translate historical characters as well as being very funny himself. “I into music? I’m thinking of his brilliantly remember playing Glasgow Apollo and I interpretive King Arthur and Six Wives thought it would be really cool to come on compositions, for example? for the encore in a kilt. Now I’d been told “I’m sure. I was about eight when my Scotsmen don’t wear anything under a kilt, grandmother on my mother’s side was and the stage at the Apollo was about 14 about to die. I’m not being flippant but foot high – an old cinema complex. The grandma was about to die every year. And, encore was cut short mainly due to female in fact, she was about to die for the next contingent in the front row, who were – crikey – nearly 30 years. Anyway, this overcome by shock.” particular year, I was sent to a place in Or there’s the anecdote about living in Devon called Trafalgar, and I was taken to Switzerland with his second wife, Danielle, so-called King Arthur’s castle at nearby and settling down with friends to watch a Tintagel. I just thought this was absolutely Match of the Day video, purchased from a wonderful and, thanks to my father, I could specialist video-recording company. “I put transport myself back in time.” this VHS on and thought: First time I’ve Although he went on to study music, it’s ever seen a naked woman in a football imagination, not academia, that’s at the match. And then Fabrice, one of my forefront of his compositions. “I don’t try friends, said: ‘Where did that donkey come and write period music because that’s a from?’ We all looked at each other and I mistake. I know how to do it; but that’s not said, ‘I think they’ve sent the wrong tape’.” my job.

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