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Ivan_Melgar_M View Drop Down
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Joined: April 27 2004
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Points: 19557 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 18 2006 at 11:44
The problem with Rick was caused by the label A&M, he made a terrible contract being young.
 
I believe all his albums until Criminal Record are outstanding but A&M owned all the rights so when he got rid of the label he had to record albums to survive but they were already in the 80's and Symphonic overblown Prog was not fashion, so he went for New Age that was profitable.
 
I read he asked A&M to release Criminal Record and No Earthly Connection on CD but they were not interested (They sold the rights to a Japanese company that released a very short number of copies at an incredibly high price) so he asked to buy the rights again and A&M said no way.
 
He had to wait 25 years (That's the lapse international laws grant to the publishers) torelease those albums again by himself.
 
So llets not judge an artist without knowing his circumstances, he had two alternatives, live poorly witrh the little royalties A&M paid him or make a lot of New Age albums during an era when Prog was not popular, s theguy had to survive
 
Don't mix the excellent Myths and Legends with the ridiculous Hollyday oon Ice version based in his music, which BTW is not his fault, his concerts were planned but during the same time (I believe it was the Wembley Arena) an Ice Show was taking place diring the day, so it was to expensive to melt the ice in the night and freeze it again i the morning so his producers accepted to do that aberration.
 
Yep, I found it in the net:
 
Quote Apparently, Wembley's Empire Pool (later the Arena) had been iced over for some long-running event, and it would've cost too much to thaw it just for Rick's gigs, so he got in a bunch of professional skaters and did it that way.
 
Quoted from Planet Mellotron
 
So don't blame Rick for everything, his managers plus A&M are to be blamed for a lot of the cheesy stuff.
 
Iván


Edited by Ivan_Melgar_M - November 18 2006 at 11:58
            
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salmacis View Drop Down
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Points: 3928 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 18 2006 at 11:50
No, I love his 70s albums (bar Rhapsodies)- I'm one of few here that does!! Like I said, I admire his candour in the way he looked back on the New Age era. I just personally don't like that stuff.

But the fact No Earthly Connection is unavailable in the majority of the world, in particular, is rather startling. For me, it's his best work. I think if you divorce the music from the silly stage shows, there's a heck of a lot to enjoy- and for me, the ending piano flourish on 'Catherine Of Aragon' is one of the definitive prog endings to a song.

He seems to be back on track now, though, in terms of good quality output. I think because prog rock is back to an extent, musicians like Wakeman can make a much better living.

Wakeman is a great ambassador for the genre too- he's always said he loved playing it, and is fully comfortable with the genre, unlike some musicians who deny they are part of it completely! (*cough* Phil Collins)
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