| Rock n' Roll Prophet | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | December 1982 [1] | |||
| Recorded | 1979 | |||
| Studio | Mountain, Montreux, Switzerland | |||
| Genre | Progressive pop, synth-pop, novelty | |||
| Label | Moon | |||
| Producer | Rick Wakeman | |||
| Rick Wakeman chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Rock n' Roll Prophet | ||||
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Rock n' Roll Prophet is a 1982 album by English musician Rick Wakeman. The album was recorded at Mountain Studios in Montreux, Switzerland, [3] and was released by Moon Records.
As well as playing keyboards, Wakeman provided lead vocals for three tracks ("I'm So Straight I'm a Weirdo", "Maybe '80" and "Do You Believe in Fairies") [4] – the only album on which his singing appears besides Rhapsodies, which features his singing on the opening song "Pedra De Gavea". [5] Due to his association with progressive rock (being the antithesis of then-popular punk rock), Wakeman wanted the album to be released under a pseudonym – his suggestion being "KUDOS". It was, however, released under his own name, which he called "a big mistake". [3]
The album was re-released in 1991 by President Records as Rock 'n' Roll Prophet Plus, containing four bonus tracks. These tracks were recorded at Wakeman's own [6] Bajanor Studios on the Isle of Man, and were mixed by Stuart Sawney. The re-release was mastered at Abbey Road Studios. [7]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [8] |
| Discogs | [9] |
Rock 'n' Roll Prophet has gained largely negative reviews, with comments describing the album as "goofy", [4] "novelty" and "crap". [10] McGlinchey does, however, recognise that the album was largely produced as a tongue-in-cheek project and that "the humour on [the] release is intentional". [10]
AllMusic described the album as sounding similar to The Buggles, [4] with Wakeman corroborating their influence by stating that the album was an attempted spoof. [3] Wakeman's vocals are also described as "serviceable but not strong" – with the instrumentals "not up to [his] highest standards". [4] Ground and Sky likened the album to "someone gleefully pressing the self-destruct button on whatever credibility they previously had managed to accrue as a music artist." [10]
Wakeman, however, has commented that he likes the analogue sounds and production on the album, [3] and that the album was "little ahead of its time [and] a little off the wall". [7]
All tracks composed by Rick Wakeman
Richard Christopher Wakeman is an English keyboardist and composer best known as a former member of the progressive rock band Yes across five tenures between 1971 and 2004, and for his solo albums released in the 1970s. AllMusic describes Wakeman as a "classically trained keyboardist extraordinaire who plied his trade with Yes and developed his own brand of live spectacular in a solo act."
Phantom Power is a 1991 album by Rick Wakeman. It was written as a modern soundtrack for a re-release of the 1925 silent film The Phantom of the Opera.
The Strawbs are an English rock band founded in 1964 as the Strawberry Hill Boys. The band started out as a bluegrass group, but eventually moved on to other styles such as folk rock and progressive rock.
Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe (ABWH) were an English progressive rock band active from 1988 to 1990 that comprised four past members of the English progressive rock band Yes. Singer Jon Anderson left Yes as he felt increasingly constrained by their commercial and pop-oriented direction in the 1980s. He began an album with other members from the band's 1970s era: guitarist Steve Howe, keyboardist Rick Wakeman, and drummer Bill Bruford, plus bassist Tony Levin.
The Six Wives of Henry VIII is the first studio album by English keyboardist Rick Wakeman, released in January 1973 on A&M Records. It is an instrumental progressive rock album with its concept based on his interpretations of the musical characteristics of the wives of Henry VIII. After signing with A&M as a solo artist, Wakeman decided on the album's concept during a tour of the United States with the progressive rock band Yes. As he read a book about the subject on his travels, melodies he had written the previous year came to him and were noted down. The album was recorded throughout 1972 with musicians from Yes and The Strawbs, the group Wakeman was in prior to Yes, playing on the album.
Rhapsodies is a studio double album by English keyboardist Rick Wakeman, released in May 1979 on A&M Records. It was his last studio release on A&M and reached no. 25 in the UK. Described by Wakeman as "probably the most confusing I have ever made" due to the range of styles, it contains generally shorter tracks than his previous work to date, the longest being 5:32. All of his previous non-soundtrack albums had contained at least two tracks over seven minutes long.
Return to the Centre of the Earth is a studio album by English keyboardist Rick Wakeman. It was released on 15 March 1999 on EMI Classics and is the sequel to his 1974 concept album Journey to the Centre of the Earth, itself based on the same-titled science fiction novel by Jules Verne. It tells a new story of three unnamed travellers who attempt to follow the original journey 200 years later, but from a different entrance. It is narrated by actor Patrick Stewart.
Lisztomania is the first soundtrack album by English keyboardist Rick Wakeman. It was released in November 1975 by A&M Records as the soundtrack for the Ken Russell's musical biographical film Lisztomania about the Hungarian composer Franz Liszt. Some tracks feature The Who's Roger Daltrey singing lead vocals.
Silent Nights is a rock album released in March 1985 by Rick Wakeman.
Cost of Living is a progressive rock album released in 1983 by British keyboard player Rick Wakeman. Actor Robert Powell provided narration on the last track of the album.
Sea Airs is a piano album written by rock musician Rick Wakeman and released in November 1989. It is the second in a trilogy of New Age piano albums. The first album in the trilogy is Country Airs and the third album in the trilogy is Night Airs.
Night Airs is the third album in a trilogy of piano albums by British rock musician Rick Wakeman. The first album in the trilogy is Country Airs, and the second is Sea Airs.
Rick Wakeman's Criminal Record is a studio album by English keyboardist Rick Wakeman, released on 9 November 1977 on A&M Records. After touring his previous album No Earthly Connection in August 1976, Wakeman rejoined the progressive rock band Yes as they recorded Going for the One (1977) in Switzerland. When recording finished, he started work on a new solo record which took form as a keyboard-oriented instrumental album similar to that of his earlier album, The Six Wives of Henry VIII (1973), and loosely based on criminality. Several guest musicians play on the record, including Chris Squire and Alan White of Yes, percussionist Frank Ricotti, and comedian Bill Oddie on vocals.
Time Machine is a progressive rock album released in July 1988 by Rick Wakeman. The album features guest vocals from Roy Wood.The timings are for the CD release on which 5 tracks were extended versions from the LP edition. LP timings for the extended tracks are: "Angel of Time" (4.38), "Slaveman" (5.05), "Open Up Your Eyes" (5.48), "Make Me a Woman" (4.57) and "Rock Age" (7.48).
The Seven Wonders of the World is a studio album by progressive rock artist and keyboardist Rick Wakeman, released in 1995. The album explores instrumentally the themes of each of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World. Each track is introduced by Garfield Morgan, giving a short biography of each wonder before the instrumental track begins. The album is free of any bombastic attack, and each track has a refined tempo and instrumental progression that outlines each wonder's attributes.
Junior's Eyes was a British group led by guitarist Mick Wayne, which recorded one album and is notable for acting as David Bowie's backing band during 1969.
Classic Tracks is a progressive rock album of re-makes of classic Rick Wakeman songs. It features Wakeman and four American musicians.
Rick Wakeman's Greatest Hits is an album by Rick Wakeman.
Light Up The Sky is an EP by Rick Wakeman which contains four new songs.
White Rock is the second soundtrack album by English keyboardist Rick Wakeman, released in January 1977 by A&M Records. It was produced as the soundtrack to White Rock, a 1977 documentary film about the 1976 Winter Olympics held in Innsbruck, Austria.
