------------------------------------------------------- August 26, 2005 ------------------------------------------------------- Source: Sydney Morning Herald http://www.smh.com.au/news/music/a-natural-progression/2005/08/25/1124562973558.html Confessions of a caped crusader By Richard Jinman The prince of prog rock has forged an unlikely career in stand-up, writes Richard Jinman. Thirty years ago, when every album had a concept, a drum solo and a gatefold sleeve, Rick Wakeman bestrode the world of progressive rock like a caped colossus. As the keyboard player with the British band Yes, and the composer of symphonic solo albums such as The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Round Table, Wakeman set the benchmark for "prog" behaviour. He wore flowing capes, tossed his long blond hair like a dervish and pummelled the biggest array of electronic keyboards seen outside the Casio factory. Wakeman staged "ice spectaculars" instead of ordinary concerts, and employed orchestras and choirs instead of back-up musicians. In South America, where bands such as Yes, Genesis and King Crimson are revered, he is still known as the Godfather of Progressive Rock. It would be tempting to poke fun at Wakeman's youthful indiscretions: to mock his armoury of keyboards - he once took 36 on stage - or his part in the often bombastic musical movement that gave the world albums such as Tales from Topographic Oceans. Unfortunately, Wakeman has beaten us all to the punch. In a development few anticipated, the composer of highbrow works such as The Six Wives of Henry VIII has forged a successful side-career as a stand-up comedian. AdvertisementAdvertisement "I started doing it 25 years ago when I tried to make rock shows a bit different by telling a few gags in between songs," says the 56-year-old, who is performing in Sydney as part of a farewell tour. "Then Jongleurs, one of the big comedy clubs in the UK, asked me to host a show and I ended up with my own slot." So, Rick, how many keyboard players does it take to change a light bulb? "I don't tell gags," he says. "I tell anecdotes. Over the 36 years I've been on the road I've picked up some amazing stories. Like the time I was arrested in Russia for stealing a KGB uniform. I was in all sorts of trouble." Other risible events include the time a party from a retirement home turned up at Wakeman's 1984 rock show featuring Chaka Khan - "they thought it was a piano recital" - and the family who brought their dogs and cats to a gig. During a concert in York a couple was so moved by one of his pieces they started having sex in Row F. And then there is the man who had his leg amputated to Wakeman's music and has had all his prosthetic legs decorated with the cover art from Wakeman's albums. "He calls up regularly to find out what pieces I'm going to play so he can bring the right legs," says Wakeman. "You couldn't make this stuff up." Wakeman's new status as a funnyman was confirmed when his agent called to inform him he was featured in a Top 10 readers' poll in the influential British music magazine Q. "I said 'That's great. Is it for best keyboards or best album?' He said 'No, you're at No. 7 for stand-up comedy'." Wakeman will have more time to devote to extracurricular activities such as stand-up and television - he was one of the irritable stars of the popular British series Grumpy Old Men - when he finally retires from the concert circuit next year. He started touring in 1969 and still spends more than 300 nights a year in hotel rooms. Not surprisingly, he is anxious to give more time to composing, recording and normal life. Wakeman admits the extravagance of '70s rock is unlikely to be revisited. After all, few contemporary bands would attempt to stage an ice spectacular featuring a 45-piece orchestra and a 48-strong choir as Wakeman did in the mid-'70s with King Arthur. "It was just fun, entertainment," he says. "I wanted to do the show at Wembley and they said 'You can't, there's an icerink installed'. I said 'Sod it, I'll do it on ice'." Wakeman admits the absurdities of the era when titans such as Yes, Led Zeppelin and the Who walked the earth were accurately captured by the 1984 "rockumentary" This is Spinal Tap. But he is a little nostalgic for the "pioneering" days when bands would arrive at venues that had never hosted a rock concert before. "We [Yes] played a 35,000-seater in Brazil once that only had one power plug," he says. "The only way we could make it work was to stop all the trolley buses in the area around the venue and connect to the trolley bus power supply." Fans will be relieved to hear that at least one vestige of the good old days remains: Wakeman still wears capes. "It's like putting on a uniform," he says. "It does make you want to play." Close Window YesInThePress.com For site comments, inquiries, corrections, or additions, contact yitp@yesservices.com