Latest News
2008 News
30th November
In the Present Tour Equipment list
I have been receiving lots of questions concerning the keyboards I am using on this tour and so here is a list to help people who are unable to see what they all are from the audience!
Korg M3 (88 note)
Moog Little Phatty
Korg T1 (88 note)
Korg CX-3
Roland XP30
Korg Triton Pro
Yamaha P-150 (88 note)
Korg R3
Receptor Pro 9 (Rackmount)
Ultimate stands
Pro tools and Allen & Heath mixers
27th November
In the Present tour update
Well we are now over half way through the In the Present tour of North America and it has been great fun. We started rehearsals in Hamilton and then the first show (also in Hamilton) went very well but was a bit nerve racking.
Over the first few shows we all had little moments where we were all still finding our way with each other and the music but each show has got progressively tighter and I must say that the camaraderie between the band members is very good. Often meeting for meals or shopping trips when we get a gap!
It would be difficult to pin point high points of the tour so far as each show has been very special but The Hammerstein Ballroom in New York was particular fun and you can see an interview Alan, Chris and I did before the show by clicking here. I also got to hang out with Jordan Rudess and Mike Portnoy from Dream Theatre which was great as I am a big fan of theirs. You can see a picture of Jordan and I on the photo album section of the website.
The Mohegan Sun Casino was also great fun and the venue was quite outstanding! Over 5000 people and Benoit and I walked around the casino after the show and got to meet a lot of fans.
A couple of nights ago we played in Cleveland which was special as I got to meet up with my sister Amanda which was great as I also got to meet my nephew Finn for the first time!
Last night in Detroit was exciting for a different set of reasons. We had just finished playing Onward which was our 4th song of the evening and we followed it with Astral Traveller and so I prepared to start the song by setting the organ accordingly and following Steves guitar introduction I went to play the opening organ riff only to be rewarded, not with the glorious sound of an overdriven organ, but nothing.....
Thinking quickly I changed the patch on my trusty Korg T1 to an organ sound thinking 'It's ok I can salvage this and still preform the song' so I then went to play the T1 only to be rewarded once again with silence. Frantic looks across to Will my keyboard tech showed that he was also struggling to get any response from the computer he was using to mix the keyboards. We had no alternative but to abort the song as I had no keyboards working at all.
Steve Howe graciously played an impromptu solo to entertain the audience while Will started to reboot everything. When we thought we had it all up and running we performed Astral Traveller but as we were playing I checked on a couple of other synths only to find that 3 of them still weren't working.
Luckily the organ was ok and so we managed to perform Astral Traveller but we had no choice but to take an early intermission to allow Will time to get the back up system up and running and allow us to carry on with the second set.
We started the second set with And You and I followed by Close to the Edge. Nothing like a couple of quick simple songs to test the keyboard rig with! Chris credited me at the end of Close to the Edge and also thanked the 'newly working keyboard rig'!
One thing I must say is that all the people I have had the pleasure to meet at the shows have been extremely nice and encouraging to both myself and Benoit. This has made the enormous task of learning all the material and joining the band so much easier. I am so aware that it is a huge part of peoples life and I am thankful for the support people have shown.
In particular, yesterday the audience were very understanding over the technical issues we had. I guess that's part of the excitement of live music!
I am currently traveling with Paul (the tour manager) and Benoit on our way to Cincinnati for a Thanksgiving meal with the rest of the band and the crew which will be great. This will be my first ever thanksgiving which I am looking forward to as it is not something us British know too much about.
We have now performed 17 shows and have 14 left for this leg of the tour and then its home for Christmas! I look forward to seeing you at the upcoming shows.
Oliver Wakeman
27th November 2008
25th November
Oliver has appeared on various TV and radio interviews during the tour. Here is a link to the interview that Oliver, Chris and Alan appeared on for the CW 11 Morning News show to promote the New York show.
http://weblogs.cw11.com/news/local/morningnews/blogs/2008/11/yes.html#more
23rd November
There have been so many photographs taken of the shows and some are now available for viewing at www.yesworld.com
20th November
Here is the first review of the tour from the main newspaper in Hamilton, Canada.
http://www.thespec.com/Entertainment/article/461397
29th September
Mike Tiano, the webmaster from the Yesworld website has posted an extensive interview with Oliver for the website 'Notes from the Edge'.
27th September
The tour dates for the 'In The Present' tour are available now. Please visit the Concerts page to see the current confirmed shows.
Click here to read the entire OFFICIAL press release.
The band for these shows will be Steve Howe, Chris Squire, Alan White, Oliver Wakeman and Benoit David.
31st August
Oliver and Paul has a great time performing at the Wath Beer festival last week. It was great to meet up with familiar faces and the set was very well received.
The set list was as follows
Glimmer of Light
Mother's Ruin
Busy Going No-where
Heavens Isle Medley (Piano Solo)
Picture of a Lady
If You're Leaving
Walk Away
Wondrous Stories
The last track of the evening was the famous Yes track which Oliver felt would be great fun to play following the cancellation fo the Yes tour earlier in the year and Paul did a great job with the Jon Anderson vocal!
24th June
The German magazine 'Empire' features 'The Agent (live)' on the front cover CD of the current issue.
The track is taken from the live CD which comes with the swing case edition of the 'Coming to Town' DVD. The Magazine is issue 85 and if you require further details about the magazine please visit www.empire-music.de
10th June
Oliver's statement on the current Yes situation....
"I can't pretend that the cancellation of the Yes tour hasn't been a huge disappointment for me, however Jon's health must take priority and I hope that he gets well soon. I totally understand the need for him to rest and recuperate. Having gone through similar health scares with my father I can imagine how his family is feeling and it is absolutely the right decision for Jon not to tour.
I was really looking forward to playing to all the Yes fans and would like to thank all the people who sent kind words of welcome when I joined, and commiserations when the tour was cancelled. I knew it was a big role to step into Dad's shoes but every ones words of encouragement made it all seem less daunting!
As to the future, I hope that I can be involved with the band but the guys have a lot to sort out and decisions to be made and so I guess it's a wait and see scenario! I was very proud to have been asked to do the tour and becoming part of the ongoing Yesstory!"
5th June
The updated official European release date for the new Oliver Wakeman Band DVD 'Coming to Town' is the 9th of June. The DVD will be available in the US on the 8th of July.
The DVD includes an interview with Oliver Wakeman, photo gallery, biography, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and more!
The DVD is also available in a limited swing case edition, including a bonus audio CD with songs recorded during the gig at the theater.
4th June
YES Cancels 40th Anniversary Tour
NEW YORK, NY, JUNE 4, 2008 - Legendary rock band Yes announced today that the group will unfortunately be canceling their 2008 40th Anniversary Tour. The 26-city tour was scheduled to kick off in Quebec next month and run through the summer.
Said Jon Anderson, 'In the wake of my recent respiratory attack, doctors have advised me to spend the coming months resting and recovering. Unfortunately, this means I won't be able to tour with Yes this summer as originally planned. I'd like everyone know how deeply disappointed I am by this turn of events. I was looking forward to celebrating our music with the amazing family of Yes fans once again; but as we all know, health must come before anything else. Wishing you all the very best...'
Said Chris Squire, 'We were all looking forward to performing for our fans after a prolonged leave of absence from touring. I am especially regretful of the fact that I know many of our fans and friends have probably laid out non-refundable airfares and hotels, etc. in order to enjoy the Yes shows this summer. Please join me in wishing Jon a speedy return to health, which at this point in time is our main concern.'
Yes frontman and founding member Jon Anderson was admitted to the hospital last month after suffering a severe asthma attack. He has now been diagnosed with acute respiratory failure and was told by doctors this weekend that he needs to rest and not work for a period of at least six months or suffer further health complications. Upon receiving this news the band has determined that their tour plans need to be put on hold.
Ticket refunds will be available at the point of purchase. - Source - Yesworld.com
23rd May
The track 'Mother's Ruin' from the new DVD 'Coming to Town' is available to watch on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frve4DOSUsI. More details on the release date to follow.
5th April
The Oliver Wakeman Band DVD to be released through Metal Mind Productions.
Metal Mind Productions presents the first live DVD release of Oliver Wakeman, the oldest son of Rick Wakeman (Yes), one of the best keyboard players in the history of progressive rock.
Oliver Wakeman is a great prog-rock musician known for his many artistic collaborations, including the one with Clive Nolan (Pendragon, Arena, Neo, Caamora), which resulted in the creation of two genuine masterpieces of the genre: 'Jabberwocky' and 'The Hound of the Baskervilles'. Oliver Wakeman already has a cult status in the progressive rock community.
He was acclaimed both as a solo artist and as part of various musical projects by fans and by critics (in January 2008 Oliver was presented with the Classic Rock Societies Keyboard Player of the the Year award!).
His latest studio project - album entitled 'Mother's Ruin' from 2005 - marks a progression in Wakeman's musical career. The album sees a change in direction from Oliver's recent instrumental releases and draws heavily both from his progressive roots and also the experience performing live with his band. It's a collection of hard-edged yet melodic songs, showcasing Wakeman's writing skills. The album also allows room for the dynamic instrumentation which has become a trademark of his work.
In mid March Yes confirmed their world-wide tour with Oliver Wakeman taking the position of the keyboardist.
'Coming To Town - Live in Katowice' DVD is an extraordinary mixture of progressive and symphonic rock, spiced up with intriguing sounds, performed live with both charisma and perfection! This wonderful show was filmed at an atmospheric venue of Wyspianski Theater in Poland. The band performed in the following line-up: Oliver Wakeman (keyboards, piano), Paul Manzi (vocals), David Mark Pearce (guitar), Paul Brown (bass) and Dave Wagstaffe (drums). The DVD includes an interview with Oliver Wakeman, photo gallery, biography, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and more!
DVD is also available in a limited swing case edition, including a bonus audio CD with songs recorded during the gig at the theater.
'Coming To Town - Live in Katowice' DVD will be available on 5th May 2008 in Europe and 10th June 2008 in USA (via MVD)
4th April
New website goes live. Please see the 'What's New?' link in the footer to get a quick summary of the content changes.
31st March
Yes Tour Planned for 2008
It's official - Yes is back! Jon, Steve, Chris, and Alan are planning a world tour, with Oliver Wakeman on keyboards.
For more details read the press release.
The tour dates for the North American leg are now available!
13th January
Happy New Year to all our visitors!
The first bit of news we can report this year is that Oliver was presented with the Classic Rock Societies Keyboard Player of the the Year award at last nights CRS BOTY Awards night. Oliver was delighted with the award and it currently has pride of place on his piano next to the one he won last year!
Oliver would like to thank all those who voted for him and really enjoyed chatting and meeting so many new people last night.
Whilst at the awards night, Oliver also recorded to interviews for the radio stations ARFM and Rock 24 7 online. Hopefully we'll be able to let you know when these interviews are likely to be broadcast.
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2007 News
20th September
Following Karnatakas cancellation of the agreed show on the 13th October (which Oliver and Paul were due to support as an acoustic duo), the Oliver Wakeman Band are taking over the headline spot for this concert.
Please see the concert page for details on how to obtain tickets for this show.
9th September
New website goes live!
8th September
Oliver has nearly completed the writing for the new album which is to be titled 'Culteral Vandals'. There is one more arrangement to finish and then the band will have to start learning all the new songs.
There is no scheduled release date or record company as yet but we'll keep you informed about this exciting new album!
7th September
Oliver Wakeman Band to record live DVD in Poland!
Agnieszka Kulpiska - Metal Mind Productions Press Release:
'Caamora' will perform 'She' project on 31st October 2007 at the Wyspianski Theatre, Katowice, Poland. The musical version of 'She' is based on the classic novel of the same name by Victorian adventure writer H. Rider Haggard. This represents the culmination of the last two years' work of Caamora, and will feature a host of musicians as well as eye catching visuals and dramatic stage show. Clive Nolan: "We still don't know exactly how this show will turn out; there are many ideas on the table and things are developing all the time. Whatever happens, it's going to be a terrific event!"
Spearheaded by Clive Nolan and Agnieszka Swita, this epic production will also feature guest vocalists 'Alan Reed' (Pallas/Neo), 'Christina Booth' (Magenta), 'Karl Groom' (Threshold), 'John Jowitt' (IQ, Neo), 'Hugh McDowell' (ELO), orchestra and choir, forming an ambitious two hour musical journey. It's going to be a magical night surely not to be missed by all rock fans.
"She" album will be recorded in the summer of 2007, with a partly staged performance to be filmed in Wyspianski Theatre for DVD on 31st October 2007. The album and DVD box set for release on 21st January 2008. But, as regards this special night at the Theatre, this is not all....
Caamora will be supported by two fantastic bands - 'Pallas' and 'The Oliver Wakeman Band' in the following line-up: Oliver Wakeman (keyboards, piano), Paul Manzi (vocals), David Mark Pearce (guitar), Paul Brown (bass), Dave Wagstaffe (drums)! Oliver is a son of Rick Wakeman (Yes), one of the best keyboard players in the history of progressive rock. The music of the band is an extraordinary mixture of styles, incorporating influences from progressive and symphonic rock. Oliver Wakeman already has a cult status in the progressive rock community. He was acclaimed both as a solo artist and as part of various musical projects by fans and by critics.
Pallas - the pioneers of neo-progressive rock. The group released 6 studio albums so far, the latest one, "The Dreams Of Man", considered to be their best effort. On this record the band extended its line-up by two new members: Paul Anderson, a very talented violinist who enriches the band's sound with an element of traditional Scottish music, and Pandy Arthur, a classical vocalist.
The official premiere of the prog-rock opera "She" is an event on a world-wide scale and it is only at Wyspiaski Theater that one will be given a chance to bear witness to the splendor of this incredible show. Stunning stage setting, impressive visuals and, of course, breath-taking music will all make for an unforgettable 5 hour show! It's going to be a real treat for fans of progressive rock!
31.10.07 - Teatr im. Wyspiaskiego, Katowice, Poland
Agnieszka Kulpiska
Metal Mind Productions - Promo Dept.
e-mail:agnieszka.kulpinska@metalmind.com.pl
www.metalmind.com.pl
www.myspace.com/metalmindproductions
6th September
The band recently performed at the Fordham Festival and there are some photographs of the show available to view from http://www.p7photography.co.uk/41.html
The guys had a great time and are hopefully appearing again next year!
5th September
Press release from F2 music regarding the Prog Aid single which Oliver was involved with
Sincere apologies for the silence since we all came together for the recording of the ProgAID single 'All Around The World' in early 2005. Rest assured that we have been doing everything in our power to push the single as much as possible since it's release.
The end result of all of our efforts is that we are able to donate GBP 7,138.77, the entire profits of the single. A little short of our GBP 10,000 goal, but enough to make a difference which was always our aim.
Having spoken to a number of charities over the last 12 months, the one that we have chosen is 'Save The Children' in the UK. They have assured us that the money will be used to help children in Indonesia, many of whom were effected by the tsunami in December 2004. They also ensure that the money they take from the donation for their 'running costs' are amongst the lowest of all charities.
May I take this opportunity to again thank you all for your help and assistance in this project, and I hope that you are all happy with the donation that we have been able to make, and the Charity that has been chosen.
Best regards
David Robinson
F2 Music Ltd, Festival House, 2 Goldfinch Close, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3HG, UK
http://www.f2music.co.uk
http://www.progrock.co.uk
24th June
Oliver appeared on Paul Bakers radio show this afternoon for a live on air interview.
The interview covered a range of subjects and 3 tracks were played from the new Mother's Ruin EP, If You're Leaving, Busy Going Nowhere and Mother's Ruin.
Paul has invited Oliver and Paul on the show to record a live session soon. More details when we have them!
If you missed the show - don't worry, the show is repeated on Wednesday evening between 7-10pm. See the previous news item for details of the radio stations website.
24th June
Oliver is due to appear on Paul Bakers radio show this afternoon at 4pm.
The radio station details are as follows:-
Station: Rock247Online
www.rock247online.co.uk (Click on listen live)
23rd June
Well the show for the Classic Rock Society was really well received. Nice to see so many new faces as well!
The evening was topped off by the release of a new Mother's Ruin EP which features Paul Manzi singing on three tracks from the Mother's Ruin album and a new song 'Busy going Nowhere' which Oliver and Paul have performed at their duo shows. The original album is still available through Prog Rock records and this EP is intended as a chance for people to hear Paul singing some of the songs.
This EP is a strictly limited edition and will be available to buy from this website really soon!
The concert itself went really well and very quickly! The guys all did themselves proud and hearing 'Wall of Water' performed as the last song of the evening was something to have seen! The encore 'Walk Away' was even more fun than usual and included Oliver, Paul and Dave Pearce all passing their microphones to the audience for the sing-along section!
The setlist was as follows:
Don't Come Running
At Home in the Mire
The Agent
In the Movies
Dangerous World
The Enchanter
Picture of a Lady
The Forgotten King
Busy Going No-where
Burgundy Rose
Mother's Ruin
Enlightenment
If you're Leaving
I Don't Believe Angels
Wall of Water
Encore
Walk Away
Don't forget, the band can be seen at the uncoming Fordham Festival on the 11th June!
21st June
Oliver is still writing up some details about the Starcastle show but we thought it was about time some links to reviews and photos were available from the website so here goes!
Photos
Michael's Starcastle Photos
Comments/Reviews
Seaoftranquility.org
progressiveears.com
Musicstreetjournal.com
Video footage
YouTube.com
24th May
The Oliver Wakeman band will be performing for the Classic Rock Society on the 9th June at the Herringthorpe in Rotherham.
For more details visit the concerts page.
30th March
The Classic Rock Society have put together an advert currently being used on RotherFM in Rotherham. The voice over is supplied by Rick wakeman and the advert features music by Oliver!
If you would like to hear the advert please click here to download the mp3 file. (about 1Mb)
20th March
Oliver and Paul will be performing a short half hour set in support of the Karnatika concert for the CRS this Saturday. Also supporting is Clive Nolan and his new project!
Tickets available from the CRS ticket office on 01709 702575 or from the Classic Rock Society website.
12th February
We are extremely proud to announce that Oliver has been selected as the keyboard player for 70's classic rock band 'Star Castle' for their upcoming headline appearance at the RosFest (Rites of Spring) festival in the United States on April 27th. This will be Oliver's first live appearance in the US.
Here is some information about Starcastle:
"Starcastle, one of the most respected American progressive rock bands, formed in the late 1960's in Champaign Illinois.
Starcastle released four records on CBS/Epic Records: Starcastle (1976), Fountains of Light (1976), Citadel (1977), and Real to Reel (1978). Together these records have sold more than a million copies. The middle two albums were produced by Queen/Cars/Darkness producer Roy Thomas Baker."
Starcastle toured extensively into the 80's, appearing with such artists as Aerosmith, Foreigner, Jethro Tull, Roxy Music, Ted Nugent, Rush, The Guess Who, Gentle Giant, Kansas, ELO, J. Geils, Styx, Peter Frampton, Hot Tuna, Blue Oyster Cult, Santana, Boston, Todd Rundgren.
The line up for the show is as follows:-
Drums: Steve Tassler
Guitar: Matt Stewart
Guitar: Steve Hagler
Guitar: Bruce Botts
Bass: Woody Lingle
Bass: John Jowitt
Keyboards: Oliver Wakeman
Lead Vocals: Al Lewis
Guest Vocalist: Annie Haslam
Present in spirit: Gary Strater
Mark Rubel (producer/bassist) will be a utility third bassman, I think one song will have all 3 guys playing bass.
Quote form Shaun Gordon from ProgRock records "This is going to be one heck of a show."
Oliver is extremely excited about playing with the band and is currently working hard learning the music. The new album 'Song of Times' is due out in March and sounds great!
Hope to see some of the US fans at the show!
8th February
The Oliver Wakeman band have two shows confirmed so far, the 9th June at the Herringthorpe in Rotherham. the band will also be appearing at the The Fordham Music Festival on Saturday 11th August.
For more details visit the concerts page.
7th February
'Enlightenment and Inspiration' the album Oliver wrote as part of a 3 CD box set a few years ago was deleted last year.
However the album is now being re-released by Blue Dot Music as a download album from iTunes on March 12th
We will have a direct link to iTunes from this site closer to the time, however in the meantime click here to have a look at the record companies website.
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2006 News
15th December
Oliver to appear on Rick's Place on the digital radio station Planet Rock on Saturday16th December.
The show starts at 10 and runs until 1pm and can be found on Sky chanel 0110 or Cable channel 924.
10th December
We are delighted to announce that Oliver won the Classic Rock Society Best Keyboard Player Award at last nights CRS Awards show.
These awards are voted for by the members of the Classic Rock Society and Oliver is very honoured to have been voted for and even more honoured to have won!
The awards were presented by the MD of the CRS, Martin Hudson and Carl Palmer of Aisa and ELP fame.
Oliver and Paul Manzi were both in attendance, Paul just missing out on the best vocalist award but coming a very respectable 2nd place. The guys had a great night hanging out with Luke and Ben of Thunder, John Mitchell (new singer/guitarist of It Bites), the guys from Strangefish, Nick Barrett (Pendragon) and many others.
A great night was had by all and the award now has pride of place on top of Oliver's piano!
The Mother's Ruin album did very well, coming 7th in the best Album category and the title track came 5th in the best song category.
The rest of the band did very well for themselves, Paul coming second in the vocalist category, Dave Pearce coming 12th in the Guitarist category, Paul Brown came 7th in the Bass Player category and Dave Wagstaffe came 6th in the Drummer category.
The band also appeared 6th in the Best Band category, 8th in the Best Gig category and 7th in the Best New Band category! All in all a good evenings work!
Many thanks to all who attended and who voted for Oliver and the guys - it means a lot to us all.
10th November
All to often we hear about radio play of Oliver's after the event - we are lucky to be able to warn you in advance of the following rock show which is to feature some of Oliver's music!
The show is a a full "1-hour special" rock radio show featuring ..
BOB CATLEY interview
SPIRIT OF MAN tracks
DAVE THOMPSON/PAUL UTTLEY (LOST WEEKEND) interview
FOREVER MOVING ON tracks
OLIVER WAKEMAN (track from MOTHER'S RUIN)
and is set to be aired on BRADFORD ROCKS on BCB 106.6 FM in West Yorkshire and via Realaudio feed from the station website www.bcbradio.co.uk
Date: Thursday 23rd November 2006
Time: 9-10 pm GMT (4-5 pm EST)
6th November
Saturday night saw Oliver and Paul Manzi travel up to Rotherham to play a short half hour set for the Classic Rock Society. The set was extremely well received, so much so that it looks like Oliver and Paul may do a few more together!
Watch out for dates involving the whole band for next year!
The set list for the show on Saturday was as follows....
Glimmer of Light - Jabberwocky
If you're Leaving - Mother's Ruin
Picture of a Lady - Hound
Busy going nowhere - New
Mother's Ruin - Mother's Ruin
Walk Away - Mother's Ruin
Thanks to those of you who travelled to see the show, much appreciated as always! Keep visiting the site for a review of the set soon.
17th October
Some of you may remember that earlier in the year Oliver and the band were due to perform for the Classic Rock Society and that Paul Manzi suffered a back problem and was unable to perform.
You may also remember that the guys still went on and pulled of a great - albeit shorter - set for the fans who had come to the show.
Oliver and Paul discussed their disapointment about not being able to perform together for the CRS at some length! However - an opportunity recently presented itself when Martin Hudson of the CRS suggested that Oliver and Paul made a visit to Rotherham to open the CRS 'Thank you to the Fans Free* Show' on the 4th November.
Oliver and Paul will be performing a short half hour set to open the show and will perform tracks from Mother's Ruin, Hound of the Baskervilles and Jabberwocky as well as the possibility of a new track!
The deal for the show is this (courtesy of the CRS magazine):
*This is a free show to say thank you to those who keep the CRS cogs turning. If you have been to a CRS gig this year and have a ticket to prove it (and your membership card) you will get FREE entrance.
All others are £10 on the door. Also appearing are Credo and Anemo. Tickets available from the CRS ticket office on 01709 702575 or from the Classic Rock Society website .
We hope to see you there!
The full band are also due to return to the CRS stage at some point next year.
16th October
Well the guys had a great time at the Grey Horse last month on the 29th September with a short set which was performed to an extremely receptive crowd! Everybody seemed to really enjoy themselves with Wall of Water being particularly well received. This was the full version including Oliver and Paul's comedy routine at the beginning - you had to be there!
Anyway, for those who missed it, here's the set List
1. Calling for you
2. Don't Come Running
3. In the Movies
4. The Agent
5. Mother's Ruin
6. If You're Leaving
7. Wall of Water
8. I Don't Believe Angels
9. Enlightenment
10. Walk Away
22nd August
Click here to be taken to the Sea of Tranquility website for an interview Oliver carried out regarding Mother's Ruin!
20th August
The Band had a great concert last night at The Cartoon in Croydon. The setlist for the show was as follows...
1. Calling for you
2. At Home in the Mire
3. In the Movies
4. Don't Come Running
5. Dangerous World
6. The Enchanter
7. Glimmer of Light
8. The Agent
9. Mother's Ruin
10. If You're Leaving
11. Wall of Water
12. I Don t Believe Angels
13. Walk Away
The band had finished for the evening but weren't being let off that easily - after much cheering from the crown they returned for....
14. Coming to Town
We have found a mention about the show from melosprogbazaar.com which was as follows....
"Great gig, Oliver Wakeman Band are excellent live, Anyone has a chance to see them GO!, Even though only 90 people there, Standing ovation for the band that won the crowd over, Will go and see them again, and start buying their cd's, That's what gigging is about, attracting new fans, Me and Tina are now converts."
The band certainly enjoyed themselves and are looking forward to playing there again at some point in the future.
Other information....Oliver appeared on Mark Deren's dutch radio show this evening and discussed the band, Mother's Ruin and the 4 Wakeman's and a Christmas Tree show. He also was asked about playing in Holland which the guys are hoping for for 2007!
17th August
Don't Forget Oliver and the band are performing at the Cartoon in Croydon this Saturday. See the concerts page for more details. We look forward to seeing you there!
Other news - Oliver was played on LBC radio last Wednesday morning.
Walk Away from Mother's Ruin was aired during the Steve Allen morning show to promote the Cartoon show and then on Saturday Oliver's father Rick played 'The Forest' from the Jabberwocky album.
If you are listening to the radio in Holland this weekend, you could catch Oliver on the radio there as he's the guest of Mark Deren's radio show. For more details click here!
2nd August
What a night that was.....!
Oliver has said that it was the hardest show he's ever had to do.... What happened.....find out by clicking here to read Phil Hudsons review!
13th July
Great News!!!!!
Oliver and his band will be headlining next Saturdays Classic Rock Society concert at the Boardwalk in Sheffield (22nd July).
The band will be:
Oliver Wakeman - Keyboards & Piano
Paul Manzi - Vocals
David Mark Pearce - Guitar
Paul Brown - Bass
Dave Wagstaffe - Drums
Support is from Ashtar from Brazil and a great nights entertainment from the CRS is promised as usual!
Tickets are on sale from the Classic Rock Society website or you can order by phone by calling the CRS ticket line 01709 702575.
We hope to see you all there!
20th May
Updates!
Firstly, I thought it was a good idea to update you all on a few bits and pieces. Unfortunately the site has been un available for a few days due to the re-registering of the site but hopefully normal service has now been resumed.
The Bob Tour
Well it's finished! I returned from the European leg (well Spanish) of the tour on Sunday to end a thourally enjoyable experience with Bob and the band.
For an insight to the tour click here..... You can also see some photos from the tour on the Photo album.
The Oliver Wakeman Band
I now have to start to organise myself for the shows that I have coming up with my band which are listed on the concerts page. We look forward to seeing you at the shows, be warned we may do a few new pieces......
Spiritual Enlightenment
A few years ago Oliver was commissioned to write an album for inclusion in a 3CD box set called divine Harmonies. Due to certain circumstances the box set never quite worked and has now been deleted. However, good news is that the album due to be released in June as a download album. Details to follow soon.
Oliver has also put new artwork together for the re-release and this can be seen on the albums page.
Interviews
Norways Scream magazine is now available and features an in depth interview with Oliver. Oliver has also done a couple of other interviews, Revelationz website and the Sea of Tranquility website. Click here to read them!
9th April
Oliver will be out on tour this coming Easter week as part of the Bob Catley band.
The dates are
Friday 14th April - Rock Café 2000 - Stourbridge
Saturday 15th April - The Boardwalk - Sheffield
Sunday 16th April - The Underworld - London
Monday 17th April - The Joiners - Southampton
Tuesday 18th April - The Limelight - Crewe
Wednesday 19th April - Club Phoenix - Ilfracombe, Devon
Saturday 22nd April - Celtic Warriors - Huntington, Cambs
May dates....
12th May - Nemelrock 4 Madrid - Spain
13th May - Nemelrock 4 Santander - Spain
For more details please visit the Bob Catley website.
1st February
Well the show in Rotherham at the weekend was a great success. Oliver and the Guys played a great half hour set which consisted of:
Don't Come Running, In the Movies, Calling for You, Mother's Ruin, I Don't Believe in Angels and Walk Away
Oliver then joined Damian Wilson on stage for an acoustic rendition of Damian's 'Homegrown'. Oliver and Damian were then joined by the rest of Oliver's band for a rousing version of the classic 'Hard to Handle'!
You can see a photo of Oliver, Arjen , Dave Pearce and Paul Manzi in the photo album section of the site.
Hardrockhouse.com had this to say about Oliver and the band:
Review & Photos - Dougie & Steve Cummings
Saturday the 28th January 2006 was another day of first's for this reviewer, My first visit to Rotherham and the Classic Rock Society and the completion of a first “hat trick” for the site, i.e. review the album, interview the band and finally see the band live. It also happened to be the very first UK gig for Stream Of Passion.
Opening this particular show was the Oliver Wakeman Band. Their gig consisted of a short sharp set of Prog/AOR style numbers. Opening with 'Don't Come Running including a great re-arranged version of Mother's Ruin which like all the tracks featured great vocals from Paul Manzi, who has a voice with great range and power. The entire set was punctuated with great keyboard & guitar work from Oliver Wakeman and David Mark Pearce respectively and at times the interplay between the two was very much Deep Purple inspired. The set ended with excellent AOR sounding Walkaway and I have to say that I enjoyed what was on offer and hope at some point to see the band do a full set with a better sound.
Next on stage was one Damian Wilson with a very short acoustic set. Wilson is obviously a favourite with Classic Rock Society members as he has been voted best vocalist six times in total in their annual polls and judging on the this evidence it's easy to see why. Damian is blessed with a very strong, “ pure” voice and a good line in on stage patter. After four or five Songs with just a acoustic guitar he was joined on stage by Oliver Wakeman for run through of “ Homegrown” which resulted in the obligatory audience sing along. The rest of the Oliver Wakeman band then returned to the stage for a riotous version of the Otis Redding classic 'Hard to Handle' with the two vocalist trading lines and the guitarist and keyboardist at each others musical throats. However as things were on a tight schedule this ended all to soon but it certainly proved that Damian Wilson has to be the best “unknown” vocalist around at the moment.
The full review of the gig and photos can be found by clicking here.
24th JanuaryDon't forget that Oliver and the band will be the special guest band supporting Arjen Lucassen's new band 'Stream of Passion' when they play at the Oakwood Theatre in Rotherham this Saturday!!
23rd JanuaryMagnum singer Bob Catley has announced some changes in his band's line-up prior to the start of the UK tour in support of the release of his brand new solo album Spirit of Man :- Oliver Wakeman (son of Yes legendary keyboard maestro Rick) on keyboards and Gavin Cooper on bass from Statetrooper .
Also joining Bob on stage from many previous tours will be Vince O'Regan on guitar and Jamie Little on drums
Check out Bob Catley on stage:
14/4/06 Rock Café 2000, Stourbridge
15/4/06 The Boardwalk, Sheffield
16/4/06 The Underworld, London
17/4/06 The Joiners, Southampton
18/4/06 The Limelight, Crewe
19/4/06 Club Phoenix Ilfracombe, Devon
22/4/06 Celtic Warriors, Huntington, Cambs
22nd January
Oliver's Review of 2005
Firstly may I wish all visitors to the site a very happy New Year! I hope that 2006 is a great year for you all!
I felt that, as things had been a little quiet on the website for a while (even thought behind the scenes it's been unbelievably busy with album launches and concerts!), I should write a review of the year to update everyone with what has been happening.
Well, 2005, in terms of personal life and music life it was a great one! It started off well with my wife Lisa and I preparing for the birth of our son who was due in August. A lot of time was spent looking forward to this that a lot of music work was put on temporary hold although we still found time to get a show or two in!
In July after several months of searching I found a record company who shared my enthusiasm for the ' Mother's Ruin' album. The deal was organised and the release was arranged for November. Many of you may know that I trained in my student life as a Graphic Designer and I have been involved in the design and layout of the majority of my albums. The Mother's Ruin cover was a cover that I had spent a great deal of time creating and wanted it to look the best it could. Therefore as it was being released by a new label, I had to revisit it and get all the artwork finished and sent to them in time for the November release. On top of this work I also had a pre-arranged show for late August with a rehearsal just before.
So even though I'd agreed not to do too much music work for the period around the birth of Arthur (August) the diary seemed pretty full!
Arthur turned up on August the 4th, one day ahead of his expected due date, and he was welcomed to the world by two extremely happy parents! However, with the joy of a new baby as I'm sure many of you are aware, comes the sleepless nights and intense learning period.
Looking back on those hectic months I'm not sure I can recommend organising an album release, having a baby, rehearsals and concert all in the same month. Probably best to try and stagger them! Full credit must go to my wife Lisa for putting up with all the usual nonsense that goes on with the music career and looking after Arthur at the same time.
Still, it keeps life interesting!
Following on from the birth of Arthur we performed our first show on a double header bill with the band Strangefish which was good fun which we will hopefully repeat in the future at some point.
We then started preparing for the launch of the album with the launch concert that we had organised in association with the Classic Rock Society in Rotherham. We had a great time and everyone who attended had a great time. Guests in the audience included my dad, Rick, Dave Bainbridge (Iona), Strangefish, Guy Manning (The Tangent) and many others.
The band went on at about 9 and we played a full 2 and a half-hour set which included the majority of the new album. Only Wall of Water was omitted purely due to the time it's going to take to learn it!
One of the highlights for me was getting Dad up on stage to join in on the 'Wakeman Boogie'. A little jamming piece I had put together in rehearsals one day. Nothing was really planned it just seemed like a good idea and the crowd certainly seemed to enjoy it! Full credit must go to the band for playing like the professionals they are and it was very gratifying for me to have Lisa in attendance! Our first night away together from little Arthur!
The album was officially launched on the 25th (although the UK release didn't happen until early December and is now widely available) and the reviews started to come in.
On the whole they have all been very complimentary. As usual there are a few people who hate what I do and seem to get immense pleasure by just being plain nasty but, in the majority of cases, people enjoyed the album and gave it glowing reviews, 'album of the week', 'must have album', 'one of 2005's late surprises' etc. From my perspective, I enjoy listening to my albums and all I hope for is that people hear what I do in the music and that it gives them pleasure.
I then started preparing for the 3 shows I had booked in December, the first being a band concert along with Credo and Also Eden at the Bierkeller in Bristol. It was great to meet up with a few people I hadn't seen for many years.
Then I had 2 shows which Dad had organised called '4 Wakeman's and a Christmas Tree' which was a show involving Dad, myself and my brother Adam and my Sister Jemma.
We played 2 sell out nights at the Marlborough College Memorial Theatre in Marlborough on Saturday and Sunday the 18th and 19th December. Part of the show involved each of us 'kids' getting a solo spot on the Colleges beautiful Steinway Grand. I played a medley of 'Heaven's Isle' and 'Montegues Wreck' from my Heaven's Isle album with accompaniment from Dad on Strings pads and Adam on Acoustic guitar which was really something! I just hope somebody videoed it! There is a full review of the Saturday show on the reviews section of the RWCC site if you wish to read more about it.
The Saturday show was preceded by a Christmas party for the members of Dad's fanclub, the RWCC. It was great to meet many of Dad's fans who had in turn become fan of my albums. A great way to put names to faces! I was also quite please with the tour programme which I put together to support the event.
So driving home after the Sunday show to my now extended family of Lisa, Myself, Arthur and Berta (the cat) I was really looking forward to a relaxing Christmas and spending some time with them all.
And so now it's the beginning of 2006 and I have high hopes from Mother's Ruin and the band. I also have a few other projects I'd like to work on as well as the follow up to Mother's Ruin but as with all good things in life, they come to those who wait, including me!
I hope you all have a great 2006.
Oliver Wakeman
January 2006
2005 News
6th December
Mother's Ruin update.
Firstly, we'd like to thank all the people who braved the terrible weather in order to support the band for the launch concert of the new Mother's Ruin album. Guests in the audience included Oliver's wife, Lisa, his father, Rick (who joined Oliver on stage for the Wakeman Boogie!), Dave Bainbridge (Iona), Steve, Paul and Dave (Strangefish), Chris Welch (noted Journalist) and many others.
A great time was had by all and the band were really well received as was the new material. There will be a proper summary of the evening appearing on the Mother's Ruin section of the website over the next few days - so keep checking back!
The album continues to receive rave reviews with some people describing it as "....a masterpiece", "....one of 2005's late surprises" and the honour of being the album of the week on the 'On the Rocks' radio show hosted by John Bollenberg. Johns review can now be read on the reviews section of the Mother's Ruin site as well as the general reviews section along with a couple of other reviews which have been submitted to us.
If you have enjoyed the album and would like to submit a review for posting on the website please click on the link on the reviews page!
Unfortunately, the album still appears to be hard to get hold of in UK shops. This is mainly due to the fact that record shops don't really stock anything during the X-Mas period except best ofs so expect to see the album getting into shops in the New Year. It can, however, still be ordered directly from Progrock Records or the RWCC. See the shop link above.
Oliver would like to extend a personal thanks to Martin Hudson of the CRS and the guys in the band for their wonderful performance on the night. They are now all looking forward to the show on the 15th December at the Bristol Bierkeller - see the concerts page for more information. We hope to see some of you there!
17th November
News Update
Firstly, many thanks to all the people who have written to us at the website praising the new Mother's Ruin album. Oliver is really pleased that so many people are enjoying it!
The album is widely available in the US and Europe but expect UK availability to increase over the next week or so.
Don't forget you will be able to buy a copy if you come to the launch concert at the HLC in Rotherham next Friday - the 25th November. Come along, you never know who you'll bump into in the crowd!
The band are also playing on Thursday the 24th at the Limelight Club in Crewe and December 15th at the Bierkeller in Bristol.
We can also announce that Oliver and the band will be the special guest band supporting Arjen Lucassen's new band 'Stream of Passion' when they play at the Oakwood Theatre in Rotherham in late January!
We look forward to seeing you at the gigs!
20th October
Concert news.
Bad news to report we're afraid with regards to the Progeny Festival which was to be held at the London Astoria. the whole weekend has now been cancelled and so Oliver and the band will not be appearing there on Sunday the 20th November.
However, you will still be able to see Oliver and the band headlining at the Limelight Club in Crewe on Thursday the 24th November and performing a full set at the special launch concert for Mother's Ruin at the Herringthorpe in Rotherham the following night.
We have also had confirmation that Oliver and the band will be appearing in concert at the Bristol Bierkeller on Thursday the 15th December along with three other bands which include Also Eden and Credo. More details to be announced soon.
Don't forget that Oliver will be then playing alongside his father, Rick, at the Memorial Hall in Marlborough on the following Saturday and Sunday. For details of this show please visit www.rwcc.com.
Also please keep checking back to the site for the new Mother's Ruin pages which will be going live very soon!
3rd October
Great News!!!!!
Oliver and his band will be performing at a special album launch concert to promote his new Mothers Ruin' album.
The long-awaited launch of the Mothers Ruin album will take place on Friday 25th November at the HLC in Rotherham.
Tickets will be on sale later this week from the Classic Rock Society website or you can order by phone by calling the CRS ticket line 01709 702575.
We hope to see you all there!
3rd OctoberMother's Ruin is now available to pre-order from the Progrock Records website, Simply click here to be taken to their shop page.
25th SeptemberMother's Ruin audio samples now available on the website, simply click on the sound links and then click the Mother's Ruin sleeve.
24th SeptemberThe date for the Oliver Wakeman Band's appearance has been moved to Sunday 20th November. Please see the concerts page for more details.
19th September
Progrock Records Press release.....
to view the original please click here
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OLIVER WAKEMAN IS SIGNED TO PROGROCK RECORDS AND RELEASES THE ALBUM “MOTHERS RUIN”
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 19 September 2005 Mother's Ruin is Oliver's latest studio project and marks a logical progression in his musical career. The album sees a change in direction from Oliver's recent instrumental releases and draws heavily both from Oliver's progressive roots and also the experience performing live with his band.
A collection of hard-edged yet melodic songs, the album showcases Oliver's writing skills but also allows room for the dynamic instrumentation which has become a trademark of Oliver's work.
With tracks such as'Mother's Ruin' tackling the emotive issue of the environment and our impact on the planet, and'The Agent' depicting experiences with a fictional music industry low-life, this album covers a host of subjects all within the framework of powerful rhythms and grooves.
Oliver comments, “In Shawn and Progrock Records I have finally found a company which has the same aims and belief in the album which I have. I am extremely excited by the prospect of what we can achieve together and trust this marks the beginning of a very successful working relationship.”
He adds, “Of all the albums I have released,'Mother's Ruin' stands as the piece of work I am most proud of.”
“Oliver first came to my attention when he collaborated with Clive Nolan and I really loved his work. When I heard Mothers Ruin, I knew we had to get it, so I'm really pleased and proud to add Oliver to our roster.”, Shawn Gordon, President of ProgRock Records said.
”Mothers Ruin” is the ProgRock Records debut release from Oliver Wakeman, and can be found at http://www.progrockrecords.com/artists/view.php?id=48. This is an album with a lot of melody, musicianship and hooks and while it has broad appeal, it will certainly appeal to fans of neo-prog. The album will be released in early November 2005.
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Check out the albums page to see the cover and keep checking back for more information on the release!
There will also be a special concert in association with the Classic Rock Society in the UK to launch the album in late November - more details to follow.
1st September
RICK WAKEMAN COMMUNICATION CENTRE PRESS RELEASE
Four Wakemans and a Christmas Tree
For the first time ever, (and probably the last), there will be four Wakemans appearing on the same stage at the same time as part of Rick's "good-bye" to touring schedule.
The Christmas Show will be based around Rick performing on a grand piano as well as having a few keyboards scattered about here and there for variation. He has said that there will be the odd celebrity guest appearing on stage from time to time but the biggest highlight is likely to be when Rick is joined by three other keyboardists whom he knows pretty well! Two of his sons Oliver and Adam and Jemma, one of his daughters. They in turn will be joined by a school choir to do a selection of Christmas carols. There will be a special arrangement allowing them to each show off their varying skills between each of the choir carols as well...and expect the unexpected.
There will also be a sort of "Grand Finale", although when asked, Rick said he had no idea what that would be at the moment, except that there would be one! There is no doubt though that this is a true one off concert and one not to be missed. Over the last year or so Rick has collected a load of new stories which are bound to be thrust upon an unsuspecting audience.
Date : Saturday 17/12/2005
Venue : The Memorial Hall
Location : Marlborough, UK
Box Office : +44 (0)1380 721347 after 6pm
27th August
Many thanks to all who came to the show at the Limelight on Thursday.
The guys in the band had a great time and are already looking forward to their return visit on the 24th November.
Photos of The Oliver Wakeman Band at the Limelight show are available to see by visiting the photo albums in this site.
Oliver and the band will also be appearing at the Progeny festival at the London Astoria on the 19th November.
23rd August
Oliver and his band to perform as one half of a 'Progressive Rock Evening' with Strangefish at the Limelight Club in Crewe on Thursday!
See the Concerts page for further details!
15th August
Many of you may or may not have been aware that Oliver and Lisa have been expecting a baby for the last 9 months.
We are, therefore, very proud to announce the birth of Arthur Joseph Wakeman on the 4th August 2005 at 11.44am to proud parents Oliver and Lisa.
Arthur weighed 7 pounds and 9 1/2 ounces at birth and Mother and Baby are both doing extremely well!
3rd July
Oliver appears on the new Steve Howe album 'Spectrum' which is due out tomorrow!
Also check out the review of the OW Band's Sheffield show by clicking on the Reviews link above!
16th May
We are at last proud to announce that Oliver appears on the new Steve Howe album 'Spectrum'. We have wanted to let you know for a while but thought it only fair to wait until Steve announced it himself!
Also appearing on the album are Tony Levin, Dylan and Virgil Howe. Oliver appears on four of the tracks on the album and he really enjoyed performing on it.
It is due for release on the 17th June 2005.
For more info please visit Steve's website - www.stevehowe.com
6th May
Last Saturdays concert at 'The Boardwalk' in Sheffield went extremely well! Thank to all who attended and helped make it a memorable night.
The band performed very well even though Oliver and Paul were suffering with heavy colds!
Following numerous requests to the website, here is the set list. Hopefully we will have a full report regarding the gig on the site soon.
Set List
1. Don't Come Running
2. Shadows of Fate
3. At Home in the Mire
4. Dangerous World
5. In the Movies
6. Burgundy Rose
7. Run For Your Life
8. Three Broken Threads
9. The Forgotten King
10. Heaven's Isle/Montagues Wreck Piano Medley
11. Picture of a Lady
12. The View from Here
13. Mother's Ruin
14. The Agent
15. Glimmer of Light
16. Calling for you
17. Enlightenment
18. I Don't Believe Angels
19. Walk Away
20. Coming to Town (encore)
The band will next appear at the Limelight club in Crewe alongside 'Strangefish' on Thursday the 25th August!
24th April
The Oliver Wakeman Band Live at The Boardwalk, Sheffield, UK.
Saturday 30th April 2005
Oliver Wakeman - Keyboards & Piano
Paul Manzi - Vocals
David Mark Pearce - Guitar
Paul Brown - Bass
Dave Wagstaffe - Drums
Oliver Wakeman and his band return to the Classic Rock Society stage this coming Saturday.
The band, with identical line-up to last year's double-header concert with Lana Lane and Erik Norlander, have developed existing and previously unperformed material and anticipate building on the reputation gained through critical acclaim.
Oliver says; "I am delighted with the band's tightness and cohesion which has fulfilled all of my expectations for a touring band in transferring my music from a studio environment to the live stage."
The set again draws from Oliver's back-catalogue with music from both 'Jabberwocky' and 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' albums (composed with Arena's Clive Nolan), and from his solo ventures 'The 3 Ages of Magick' and 'Heaven's Isle'. The show will also include material from the forthcoming album 'Mother's Ruin'. With no current release-date scheduled, the live performance presents a rare opportunity to preview this album's material.
Whilst the demand for band material biases the show towards the rockier of his endeavours, Oliver is keen to cater for fans of both his piano works and softer material with a dynamically-tailored set which also echoes previous 'unprogged' acoustic performances.
Concert information:
Doors 7.00pm
Tickets £10.00 on the door
£8.00 for CRS members when ordered in advance from the Classic Rock Society
Website at http://www.classicrocksociety.co.uk
Ends
Oliver Wakeman is a published composer and touring musician.
Contact: Mike Clarke
Email: mike@oliverwakeman.co.uk
Tel: +44 7966 175397
http://www.oliverwakeman.co.uk
28th March
The new ProgAid single 'All Around the World' featuring Oliver Wakeman and many others is now available from the ProgAid website www.progaid.co.uk.
You can see the cover on the 'Albums' page - just click on the 'Albums' link above.
All money raised goes directly to this extremely worthwhile cause.
This months 'Rock Society' magazine (available form www.classicrocksociety.com) ran a feature on the recording and quotes that 'Oliver Wakeman's keyboard parts are simply outstanding'.
Oliver is greatly flattered by this comment and is pleased that he could be of help to this very worthwhile project to raise money for the Tsunami Earthquake disaster fund.
27th March
Peter Pracownik's new book 'The Enchanted World of Peter Pracownik" is now available and a very good read it is to. Anyone with an interest in fantasy art would find this a great book to own.
Oliver actually gets a page to himself in the book featuring the covers to 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' and 'The View from Here' as well as the photo of Oliver from the hound Booklet!
To find out more about the book visit www.peterpracownik.com
11th March
It is with great regret that we have to announce that tomorrows concert at the Plinston Entertainment Venue in Letchworth has had to be cancelled. The Dayglo Pirates are unable to appear due to personal reasons.
Obviously, Oliver and the guys are extremely disappointed at not being able to perform tomorrow but have been informed that a new date will be organised for the near future.
We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause anyone who was travelling to see the band but unfortunately the situations is out of our hands.
24th January
Oliver Wakeman & Clive Nolan's 'Jabberwocky' and 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' are officially released in Russia.
The albums are being released by 'Irond' and feature slightly different artwork - although you need to be a collector to spot the differences!
For more information please visit www.irond.ru.
19th January
Oliver has offered his musical services to the forthcoming ProgAid charity single.
Please see the following press release, courtesy of the ProgAid website, for more information.
ProgAID - Help us make a difference
The Prog Rock community coming together to help where we can!
ProgAID was set-up in the wake of the terrible earthquake and Tsunami disaster that tragically struck on the 26th December 2004. The sheer destruction and loss of human life was of a scale that shook the world.
We considered what the Progressive Rock community could do, even in a small way, to help alleviate some of the suffering endured, and help towards the rebuilding of lives and communities.
We have therefore decided to co-ordinate the recording of a CD single to help raise as much money as possible for those that need it. The song, titled 'All Around The World', will be recorded on the 29th and 30th January 2005, and since the decision was made, we have been overwhelmed by the generosity of so many great musicians who have agreed to give their time to appear on the single.
The list grows daily and currently includes:
Neal Morse
Roine Stolt - The Flower Kings
Anthony Phillips
Martin Orford - IQ
Pete Nicholls - IQ
John Jowitt - IQ
Alan Reed - Pallas
Nick Barrett - Pendragon
Clive Nolan - Arena / Pendragon
Mick Pointer - Arena
John Mitchell - Arena / The Urbane
Gary Chandler - Jadis
Arjen Lucassen - Ayreon
Oliver Wakeman - Oliver Wakeman Band
Steve Balsamo - Alan Parsons Project
Troy Donockley - Iona
Bryan Josh - Mostly Autumn
Steve Gee - Landmarq
Tracy Hitchings - Landmarq
Dave Wagstaff - Landmarq
Bruce Soord - Pineapple Thief
Stu Nicholson - Galahad
Magenta
Steve Babb - Glass Hammer
Daniel Gildenlow - Pain Of Salvation
Mike Baker - Shadow Gallery
Gary Wehrkamp - Shadow Gallery
Doogie White - ex Rainbow / Yngwie Malmsteen
Rob Gould - Fula
Fiona Ford - Fula
Alain Chiarazzo - Eclat
Steve Taylor - Strangefish
Danny Chang - The Fyreworks
Andy Edwards - Ezra
Colin Edwards - Ezra
Chris Dale - Sack Trick / Bruce Dickinson
Paul Davies - ex Karnataka / Panic Room
Jonathan Edwards - ex Karnataka / Panic Room
Nic Waulker - Bluehorses
Liz Prendagast - Bluehorses
Once recorded, the single will go on sale, which is expected to be late February 2005, and all proceeds will go to the charities that can help the victims of the Tsunami disaster.
Regular updates, including the amount of money raised, will be posted at the ProgAID web site at www.ProgAID.com, so please visit for the latest news. The full list of musicians participating on the single will also be listed within the "Who's Who" section of this site.
We thank you for supporting this release and please spread this news to as many people as possible!
Best Regards
ProgAID
www.ProgAID.com
18th January
Oliver Wakeman and his band will be performing as one half of a progressive rock evening at the Plinston Entertainment Venue, in Letchworth on Saturday 12th March, 2005. The other band will be the Dayglo Pirates, a Jethro Tull tribute band.