Rick Wakeman: A rock icon struts his stuff
Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Rick who? While today's MTV Generation may frown at hearing the name of Rick Wakeman, baby boomers remember him well as that former Yes keyboard player with the straight blonde hair way down to his waist, who composed music that was inspired by classic literature.
"He is, like, a genius. He played keyboard and explored the keys as if his fingers had no bones," 40-something Arief recalled of his idol.
But it was not until over 25 years later, or Feb. 21, 2002 to be precise, that Arief was finally able to see the progressive rock icon perform. It was a performance that brought him back to the good ol' days when Yes still reigned supreme.
Before an audience of about 1,700 at the Jakarta Convention Center, most of them around Arief's age or older, Wakeman strode onto the stage, surrounded by four sets of keyboards and a synthesizer.
His tall figure was wrapped in a silvery white robe as a green laser light shot through the audience.
A second later, 1974's Journey To The Center of The Earth, an adaptation of Jules Verne's classic, was played to the cheers of the dedicated audience.
The 53-year-old musician joined Yes in 1971 and played a key role in the final shaping of the group's fourth album, Fragile, which was released the same year.
He left the band in 1974, but returned two years later before leaving for good in 1980.
As a solo artist, he is known for historical and classic literature themes in his projects.
Wakeman's first solo album in 1973, an instrumental work called The Six Wives of Henry VIII, consisted of his musical interpretations of the lives and personalities of the 16th century English king's consorts.
After Journey came 1975's The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.
"I'm not very good at writing love stories. I like history, and I want to write things that no one writes about," Wakeman told a media conference here two days before the concert.
"As for Jules Verne, he's my favorite science fiction writer. Almost everything he wrote did come true," he said, adding that he still wished to adapt more of Verne's books but it would take a lot of time and money.
His music also spans many genres, from rock to gospel.
"If you do what you like to do all the time, you don't get a lot. We need to try out new things. It's important to not just be walking on one road so that we can get more experience," he asserted.
Wakeman recalled the early period after he joined Yes as the most rewarding time.
"To some extent, you weren't influenced much by the record company," he said of a time before giant record labels ruled the world of music.
At the concert, Wakeman presented 11 songs from his albums. His fingers ran from one key to another as he played Never Is A Long Long Time to King Arthur Suite to Catherine of Aragon to 1984. The latter is the fruit of his collaboration with lyricist Tim Rice on a musical adaptation of George Orwell's novel.
Wakeman was accompanied by The English Rock Ensemble, which comprised Damian Wilson (vocal), Tony Fernandez (drums), Ant Glynne (guitar), Lee Pomeroy (bass), and Wakeman's eldest son, Adam Wakeman, who played keyboards and acted as backing vocal.
On stage, Wakeman senior teased his son while introducing him to the audience.
"Look at this poor boy. He can't afford to buy shoes," Wakeman pointed to his barefoot son, with whom Wakeman released an album titled Wakeman With Wakeman.
In Merlin the Magician, the father and son dueled with each other on their hand keyboards. But it was obvious that the father's skill is way above the son's, who, by the way, looks like a member of a boyband.
As Adam "gave up" and went back to his keyboard, Wakeman went into the audience, who applauded in response.
Wakeman came back on stage, asking a woman member of the audience to follow him, and she then held the keyboard for him.
Afterwards, it was Adam's turn to walk off the stage with his yellow hand keyboard, slipping through the audience in the front row, before standing on one chair and showing off his skills.
Performing with dad seems like a better career choice than his previous gig, working with the English girl band Atomic Kitten, which delayed his arrival in Indonesia and led him to miss the media conference.
Carried away by the antics of father and son, vocalist Damian Wilson ran down off the stage, up to the balcony, said hi to the audience, before returning to the stage again.
To honor his former band, Wakeman then performed a number from Yes called Starship Trooper.
The show ended with The Beatles' Eleanor Rigby played as an encore.
"He's just as great as in the old days. Too bad the band couldn't keep up with him. Except the drummer, he's on the ball. His son is way behind the father," said Arief as he discussed the concert with some other devoted Wakeman fans.