# Hail Hail Rock And... Errr.... - Site: Analog Industries - Author: Chris Randall - Date: 2009-07-15 - URL: https://analogindustries.com/2009/07/hail-hail-rock-and-errr/ Oh, god, there's two of 'em. Now, Rick Wakeman is the single most pompous person in the music industry, and pomposity is a trait I can get behind. Also, he can play circles around me and everyone I've ever met, by at least an order of magnitude, so I have no place to talk. Now that I've issued a peremptory mea culpa, let me just say this: the Messrs. Wakeman make the baby Jesus cry. ## Comments (10) **Funkish Bass** (2009-07-15): He has a minimoog perched high and mighty. Looks like an oldie (like mine): 10/10. And he still has to yell in the conductor's ear for the cue, like on a real gig: Priceless. Go Rick! May the fourths be with you. **seancostello** (2009-07-15): Wakeman the most pompous? He always seemed like the down-to-earth guy in Yes. Having a pint on the organ, eating a curry during a boring part of the show, stuff like that. Not to say that he isn't totally pompous, so much as to point out the black hole density of pomposity in Yes. And that music was fucking horrible. As a guitarist, I never can understand why anyone would want to make a keyboard sound anything like a guitar, especially like a guitar playing the Tinkerbell fast high notes. While doing the O face. Did Rick Wakeman think to himself, "You know, this Jan Hammer kid has a good idea there?" **Funkish Bass** (2009-07-15): Just for the record, my cousin was an EMI Studio techie back in the day and had to hang with the Yes cats when they were here in Sydney in the 70s. He reports the whole band regularly stayed in their hotel rooms reading their Bagragavida Spaghettio mystical books, except Rick who went to the local in Surry Hills, pulled up a chair in front of the out-of-tune piano and played drinking songs and sing-alongs for the regulars. Mucho respect for the down-to-earth pianist to the people, Rick Wakeman. And that empty pub was less than 1km from the venue they were filling, who knew..?! As for synth/gtr playing, I suppose Jeff Beck imitating Jan Hammer's licks is supposed to be somehow ironic? Nah... Guitarists are entitled to a bit of professional jealousy. It works both ways. I'm a multi-instrumentalist and keyboardists imitate guitars because guitars sound good doing what they do and people like synths doing that very thing. It's showtime, Brother! Sure, it's dated and clumsy and you think Rick doesn't know that? He is very self-aware. The tour doesn't depend on Rick's "guitar sound". And Rick had to pay for his boy's education playing this cabaret of himself. I seriously wish I could fill any venue at any age I play. **lowlife** (2009-07-15): Actually there's three of them. Rick's oldest son, Oliver, plays with him in Yes sometimes and has a solo album called "The 3 Ages of Magick". Now there's something that sounds like you should be wearing a cape while listening to... **JulesDurbin** (2009-07-15): Sure they can play...but it isn't very interesting, is it? Rick has done better stuff, IMHO. **beauty pill** (2009-07-15): Rick Wakeman and Steve Howe were in the band for Lou Reed's first album. That's one of those facts that sometimes still provokes me to do a spit-take in surprise. I remember it, I forget it, and when I remember it again, it shocks me. If you try to picture the sessions, your brain will break. - c **Chris Randall** (2009-07-15): Really, though. If you get up on stage in a red jumpsuit, put on your gold velvet cape (you know, the one with the silver epaulets?) and play prog rock on a keytar without any shred of irony, all the while gazing glowingly at your son who is doing essentially the same thing sans cape, you've reached the event horizon of pompous. Sorry, but there's no real way to argue that. My favorite, all that aside, are the comments on that YouTube video. The dude that was complaining that all the polo shirts were sold out, man, you can't buy comedy like that. -CR **Mad Al** (2009-07-15): This is why punk happened. Looks like it needs to happen again. **ZombieStomper** (2009-07-15): I firmly believe that guitar/keytar solos are made of 100% pure fail and douchebaggery. When you top that off with a gold cape...yeah, that's just bad. **beauty pill** (2009-07-15): @Mad Al Causality works both ways. Punk is why this needs to happen again. Mars Volta has built a career on this premise. - c