Just Announced category interest

Rick Wakeman's “Return to the Centre of the Earth” is a studio album released on March 15, 1999 on EMI Classics. The album is a sequel to Wakeman’s 1974 concept album “Journey to the Centre of the Earth”, itself based on the same-titled science fiction novel by Jules Verne. Wakeman wrote a new story of three unnamed travelers who attempt to follow the original journey two hundred years later, including the music which features guest performances from Ozzy Osbourne, Bonnie Tyler, Tony Mitchell, Trevor Rabin, Justin Hayward, and Katrina Leskanich. The story is narrated by Patrick Stewart. Upon release, the album reached number 34 on the UK Albums Chart.

“I AM IMMENSELY PROUD OF RETURN TO THE CENTRE OF THE EARTH, AS WHEN I LOOK BACK, IT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN ALMOST SUICIDAL TO HAVE RECORDED AND RELEASED IT WHEN PROG WAS AT SUCH A LOW STATUS, BUT THANKS TO RICHARD LYTTLETON, THE PRESIDENT OF EMI CLASSICS, WHO BELIEVED SO MUCH IN THE MUSIC, IT WAS RECORDED TO THE HIGHEST STANDARD POSSIBLE AND I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT WITHOUT HIM, THE MUSIC WOULD NOT EXIST TODAY.” -  Rick Wakeman, UK 2020.

ADVERTISEMENT

CREATE OR CLAIM YOUR ARTIST PROFILE TODAY!

Get Press, Get Booked, Go on Tour, Grow your career! Thousands of contacts added regularly. Join over 34,000 artists already in our system!

Click Here to Get Started

ArtistAndFan Artist Profiles

Details of what is in the boxes:

“Return to the Centre of the Earth” Deluxe:
Signed and Numbered Certificate
“Return to the Centre of the Earth” CD
“Return to the Centre of the Earth” - LIVE double CD from Canadian performance where the narration is in french.
CD of Radio Edits
DVD of;
surround sound mix and enhanced stereo by Simon Heyworth
Approximately 80 minutes unseen footage filmed in the studio, at the album launch as well as featuring Rick includes Bonnie Tyler and Justin Heywood
Reproduction Press Pack
Reproduction Press Photo
Reproduction ticket to the album launch
2 x A3 Posters

Click HERE to pre-order: 

“Return to the Centre of the Earth” Super Deluxe:
Signed and Numbered Certificate
180 gram double vinyl album
“Return to the Centre of the Earth” CD
“Return to the Centre of the Earth” - LIVE double CD from Canadian performance where the narration is in french.
CD of Radio Edits
DVD of;
surround sound mix and enhanced stereo by Simon Heyworth
Approximately 80 minutes unseen footage filmed in the studio, at the album launch as well as featuring Rick includes Bonnie Tyler and Justin Heywood
Reproduction Press Pack
Reproduction Press Photo
Reproduction ticket to the album launch
2 x A3 Posters

Click HERE to pre-order: 

Watch the sneak preview of what fans can expect from episode one of Rick's Plaice. 

Rick Wakeman is an English keyboardist, songwriter, producer, television and radio presenter, actor and author best known for being in the progressive rock band Yes across five tenures between 1971 and 2004 and for his solo albums released in the 1970s.

Born and raised in West London, Wakeman intended to be a concert pianist but quit his studies at the Royal College of Music in 1969 to become a full-time session musician. His early sessions included playing on "Space Oddity", among others, for David Bowie, and songs by Junior's Eyes, T. Rex, Elton John, and Cat Stevens. Wakeman became a member of The Strawbs in 1970 before joining Yes a year later, playing on some of their most successful albums across two stints until 1980. Wakeman began his solo career in 1973; his most successful albums are his first three: The Six Wives of Henry VIII (1973), Journey to the Centre of the Earth (1974), and The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table (1975), all concept albums. He formed his rock band, The English Rock Ensemble, in 1974, with which he continues to perform, and scored his first film, Lisztomania (1975).

Wakeman pursued solo projects in the 1980s that varied in levels of success; his most successful album was 1984, released in 1981, which was followed by his minor pop hit single, "Glory Boys", from Silent Nights (1985). He hosted the television show Gastank, and recorded his first of several New-age, ambient, and Christian music albums with Country Airs (1986) and The Gospels (1987), respectively. From 1988 to 1990 he was a member of Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman andamp; Howe which led to his third Yes stint until 1992. He returned twice more between 1995 and 2004, during which he completed several more solo projects and tours, including his most significant of the decade, Return to the Centre of the Earth (1999). From 2016 to 2020, Wakeman was a member of Yes Featuring Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin, Rick Wakeman. He continues to record albums and perform concerts worldwide in various capacities; his most recent album is The Red Planet (2020).

Wakeman's discography includes over 90 solo albums that range from several musical styles. He has made many television and radio appearances; in recent years he became known for his contributions to the BBC comedy series Grumpy Old Men, Watchdog and his radio show on Planet Rock that aired from 2005 to 2010. Wakeman has written three books; an autobiography and two memoirs. In 2017, Wakeman was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Yes.