Met Rick Wakeman tonight...

[Squids]

At the Yes concert which was really great. I've never seen this original line up play before. Because the new SR & IK office is pretty close to a major concert hall in the area we tend to be invited to go to more shows. I skipped Britney but this one I was not going to miss.

We went back stage and I finally got to meet Rick Wakeman in person. What a really nice guy. We talked for a while actually as he is already a SampleTank user. I told him all about Sonik Synth 2 and he was so excited about it. I mean genuinely thrilled. Smashing chap.

Then it occured to me that as I have met a lot of keyboardists over the years they all tend to be really nice and friendly. It made me sort of proud to be a keyboard player! I am serious. I've met some very unfriendly and rude musicians many times but I can't say it was ever a keyboardist! They are ALL really nice.

By the way, I am never selling my Minimoog. It sounded soooo nice compared to the array of unnecessarily abundant Korg and Roland keyboards up there. I ordered the Voyager recently (which he also used) but the original Minimoog just sounded so good! It's just "it"! Nothing can beat it for it did.

Anyway, we had a good night. I brought one of our young sample editors to the show who likes Yes. His nick name here is Zamplebot. That is because he barely says two words all day but cuts up samples like a madman (like a robot). So, Zamplebot was thrilled to see the show. I am surprised he even knew some of these songs as they went back in time quite far. They even did a side of Topographic Oceans! (A Squid's favorite, naturally )

Any Yes fans?

[PaintedBlue]

I don't really know much about Yes, although I have heard all of Jon Anderson's work with Vangelis (the song "Mayflower" remaining as one of the most unusual progressive rock concepts I have ever encountered -- the juxtaposition of the pilgrims' endeavors with those of future space travelers).

Can you recommend a good album to start with?

[Squids]

Hmmm. Okay. Perhaps start with FRAGILE. If you are more adventurous and don't mind an album with just 3 songs then getting Close to the Edge could be next. Those are two of the best. On the other hand you might like a slightly more atmospheric sound which is on GOING FOR THE ONE (particularly the song AWAKEN). Those are my three favorite albums from them although others are good too. I also like the Jon/Vangelis stuff.

On a side note, I bet you Vangelis is nice. He's a keyboard player!

[VicDiesel]

Can you recommend a good album to start with?

Why not "Yes Songs"? It's like a greatest hits of the old lineup, and I think the live performances are a bit more, eh, lively, than the studio tracks. It's definitely my favourite.

V.

[PaintedBlue]

I've seen Vangelis on the "Mythodea" DVD (behind-the-scenes), and he seemed to be REALLY nice... to the women of Greece. I wonder what Vangelis would say if you were to send him a copy of Sonik Synth 2?

Anyway, thanks for the album suggestions... I will place an order for all of them right away!

[opiadream]

ok I'm jealous
downright 'he got to see yes and meet the keyboard player and they played a side of topographic' jealous

[opiadream]

get 'close to the edge' and stay there for awhile

[Squids]

Of course I didn't say it to make anyone jealous, sorry.

It's hard to say it without looking like you are rubbing it in anyone's face. I just wanted to share something cool.

On that note, there is this Moog Fest thing I am going to in New York in a few weeks and Wakeman, Emerson and a bunch of other great Moog playing keyboardists will be there. You know I'll be talking all about Sonik Synth 2 to these guys. It's right up their alley. That will be fun. I ordered one of those Anniversary Moog Voyagers the other day. The one that lights up? I don't need it but it looks so cool and it's one of those things that later you'll never be able to get and "might" regret not getting it while you had the chance. Although after seeing tonight's show though I think the ultimate is the real old Minimoog. I have a cool one that has clear wheels. I've had different ones over the years but I am not going to get rid of this one.

[Zoing]

I'll chime in and say i like Yes, even though I don't listen to them much, and I'll never get to see them live, living on the bottom of the world.

I have Yessongs, plus Relayer (that is hard going, bought it for the cover, but the closing section of the side one epic is lovely), Tormato and Going for the One. A bit of an odd mix, but I've got all the classic older stuff on Yessongs.
I agree, Awaken is a cool, powerful sounding song. Love the 12 string riff. And actually my fave off that album is proabably 'Turn of the Century'.

Also John Anderson's solo album Olias of Sunhillow (those names sure sound cool these days ), which is really pretty awesome sounding.

Actually I am mainly a guitarist (sorta), and Steve Howe is one of my faves. along with 2 other 'Steve H's, 'ackett, and 'illage...

I know Rick Wakeman is an awesome keyboard player, but i dont think he writes as well as Tony banks (used too). Someone lent me a solo piano album, which I thought lacked memorable tunes...maybe I didn't give it long enough.

Did you ever see in USA that he hosted a stand-up-comedy TV show thing in England. I don't mean he told all the jokes, he introduced the thing. It was called "Live at Jongluers" or something like that. Crazy, he's better known for that with some people...

[opiadream]

I didn't mean it in a bad way squids.Just wish i'd been there
more power to you

Olias of Sunhillow is an awesome record
my favorite of all records ever released by anyone

which is either cool...or really really sad depending on your perspective

[Squids]

No problem Opia.

Interesting stuff. There is also a solo record from Jon called Animation which has some great stuff and Dave Sancious, Simon Phillips and a few other great players. I wonder if that is on CD! I used to have it on a record but the scratches were always annoying so I stopped listening to it. Terrible reason!

[dgkenney]

Then it occured to me that as I have met a lot of keyboardists over the years they all tend to be really nice and friendly. It made me sort of proud to be a keyboard player! I am serious. I've met some very unfriendly and rude musicians many times but I can't say it was ever a keyboardist! They are ALL really nice.

(Dan cradles his guitar over in the corner and thinks..."hmmm...what did he mean by that?" "He must have meant the drummer or the voacalist")

Dan

[Squids]

Well, just speaking from experience it can vary (drummer, vocalist, guitarist, bassist) who is going to be unfriendly. I had a bad experience meeting Stewart Copeland once which was a bummer because I so much love his drumming. He just wasn't friendly at all. I guess what made me think of this was the sharp contrast between someone so open and friendly like Rick Wakeman and someone so cold and distant like Chris Squire. You know that sort of feeling that you wish you HADn't met someone you like the music of? I am sure many of us have had THAT experience. You have to not let it affect your liking their music!

On the other hand, meeting Rick made me think of him differently and in a really good way. The same thing with Keith Emerson. I mean, the guy threw knives at things so you never know how someone like that would be in person! But, totally cool. He even came to one of my gigs and helped me bring my keyboards in! That was a surreal evening.

Anyway, I know it's not good to generalize. I love all instruments and of course appreciate great musicians in general. Meeting them is another story. Now I wonder what Tony Banks is like though. I've still never met him. I agree with Zoing there in terms of memorable writing.... at least in the 70-80's. I wonder if he is friendly at all. Anyone met him before?

[IK Support]

Squids: A friend mine and yours (Larry) met Genesis a few times back in the 80's and he said all 3 main memebers were extremely nice. So I think thats a good bet that meeting Tony would be a great experience.

I have met a lot of people that I look up to and thankfully non of them have let me down. Thats a drag about Stewert Copeland.

[eddiemacarthur]

Rick Wakeman has appeared recently on British TV as a presenter and guest on some shows. He always comes across as a nice guy, very self-effacing.
one funny thing about Rick; over the years, i've collected music tech magazines where Rick has endorsed products. for some reason, he usually backed products than sank without trace (I think he advertised a computer sequencer called Iconix. anyone heard of it?).
hope this isn't an omen!
p.s. my meeting with a musical celeb that influenced me was on the night of Hogmany (new years eve for non Scots), going into the year 2000.
a friend of mine was chef at a local bar restaurant and had a tip that the Human League would be there after their millenium gig in Glasgow.
so there i was with my girlfriend, buying singer Phil Oakey a pint.
He was friendly and seemed happy to talk about electronic music, etc.
nice when your heroes (are we supposed to admit to such stuff?) turn out to be goodguys.
Ed