Rick Wakeman

No Earthly Connection

   ^{Rick Wakeman — No Earthly Connection (May 1976/29 Jan. 2013)}
¬•   ¬•   No Earthly Connection bylo albem “... nasazení revolučních záznamových technik a produkce, které daleko předstihly svou dobu a celkovým výsledkem bylo, že vytvořilo více kontroverzních reakcí než kterékoli předešlé album,  co jsem udělal. Buď to lidé milovali, nebo nenáviděli ... ”. (Richard Christopher Wakeman)
¬•   Což může vysvětlovat, proč tato nahrávka dlouho nebyla vydána na CD, pouze v limitované edici v Japonsku. Přesto, ze všech jeho sólo věcí je “No Earthly Connection důkazem odklonu od klasických témat. Obsahuje pravděpodobně největší výzvu pro moderní prog rockery. Vydání na labelu Real Gone obsahuje původní obal desky a zahrnuje vnitřní pouzdro s texty, kredity + novými poznámkami od Gene Sculattiho. Za připomínku stojí, že své první elektronické varhany Minimoog si koupil od herce Jacka Wilda. Wakeman varhany koupil za poloviční cenu, protože Wild si myslel že varhany nejsou plně funkční. Uvádí pravidelnou rozhlasovou show na Planet Rock. Je považován za jednoho z nejlepších klávesistů všech dob. Vydal sólově + se synem Adamem 93 alb a je majitelem 5x Gold, 3x Silver a 6x Platinum. Jeho sólových alb se prodalo přes 50 milionů kopií. Celkem byly vydány 3 bibliografie: Wakeman, Rick (1995). Say Yes! An Autobiography. Hodder & Stoughton. / Wakeman, Rick (2008). Grumpy Old Rockstar: and Other Wondrous Stories. / Wakeman, Rick (2010). Further Adventures of a Grumpy Old Rockstar. Arrow.
¬•   Classically trained keyboardist extraordinaire who plied his trade with Yes and developed his own brand of live spectacular in a solo act.Birth name: Richard Christopher Wakeman
Born: 18 May 1949, Perivale, London, England
Location: United Kingdom
Album release: May 1976/24 Bit Remaster 07/10, 2003/29 Jan. 2013
Recording date: January, 1976 — March, 1976, Le Chateau Studios, Herouville, France
Record Label: A&M/Universal Music, UICY–9295 / Real Gone
Duration:     42:43    
Tracks:
1 Music Reincarnate, Pt. 1: The Warning (Introduction)     5:15 
2 Music Reincarnate, Pt. 1: The Warning (Conclusion)     3:01 
3 Music Reincarnate, Pt. 2: The Maker     3:41 
4 Music Reincarnate, Pt. 3: The Spaceman     4:09 
5 Music Reincarnate, Pt. 4: The Realisation     4:20 
6 Music Reincarnate, Pt. 5: The Reaper     8:04 
7 The Prisoner     7:09 
8 The Lost Cycle     7:04
¬•   All tracks composed by Rick Wakeman.
Personnel:
¬•   Rick Wakeman — pipe organ, Hammond C.3, grand piano, electric piano, clavinet, moogs, harpsichord, electric harpsichord, upright honky tonk piano, mellotrons, Godwin organ, effects pedals
¬•   Ashley Holt — vocals
¬•   Roger Newell — bass guitar, bass pedals, vocals
¬•   John Dunsterville — acoustic and electric guitars, mandolin
¬•   Tony Fernandez — drums, percussion
¬•   Martyn Shields — trumpet, flugelhorn, french horn, vocals
¬•   Reg Brooks — trombone, bass trombone, vocals
Awards:
Billboard Albums
¬•   1976 No Earthly Connection The Billboard 200      #67Lyrics:
Music Reincarnate, Pt. 2: The Maker
Knowing,
Gift of music showing.
Gift of love to show me the way
to the little man.
Teaching the way for the little man.
Show the way the music stems from love.
Music of my soul.
Maker.
Let me meet my Maker.
Let me see the man
who will offer eternal life.
Show me the way to eternal life.
Reincarnete music of my soul.
Music of my soul.
Love, let love guide the way,
for man, to find his music.
Love, let music be love,
to guide man to his soul.
(Music of my soul).Description 1 by Gene Sculatti:
¬•   Coming on the heels of his epic Journey to the Centre of the Earth and The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table projects, erstwhile Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman’s 1976 LP No Earthly Connection was a relatively stripped–down affair with respect to its orchestration, employing the six–piece English Rock Ensemble (most notably vocalist Ashley Holt, guitarist John Dunsterville, bassist Roger Newell and percussionist Tony Fernandez) for a metaphysical exploration of the musical essence of mankind’s soul. This departure from the symphonic sound of his previous releases met with a decidedly mixed reaction from Wakeman’s fan base (though the album did hit #67 on the charts); as he puts it, No Earthly Connection was “…full of recording techniques and production that were way ahead of its time and the album has created more controversy than any other album I have made. It’s either loved or hated…” Which may explain why this record has only seen release on CD in a limited edition in Japan. Yet, of all his solo records, No Earthly Connection, with its move away from classical themes, has probably the most appeal to modern–day prog rockers. Our Real Gone release features the original cover artwork, and includes the inner sleeve with lyrics and credits, with new notes by Gene Sculatti.
Description 2:
¬•   No Earthly Connection is a 1976 progressive rock concept album by Rick Wakeman. It was recorded in France for tax purposes.
¬•   The LP record’s sleeve attributes the album to Rick Wakeman and the English Rock Ensemble. In addition to Wakeman with his wide variety of keyboard instruments, including harpsichords, Mellotrons, Moog synthesizers, organs, and pianos, musicians on the album are vocalist Ashley Holt, Roger Newell (bass guitar and vocals), John Dunsterville (guitars, mandolin, and vocals), Tony Fernandez (drums and percussion), Martyn Shields (trumpet, French horn, and vocals), and Reg Brooks (trombone and vocals).
¬•   The original LP release contained a small square sheet of reflective plastic that could be curved into a cylinder, which when placed on the front cover allowed the viewer to see the cover drawing undistorted and with a 3D–like effect. A barely noticeable thin colourful arc on the cover (see picture) appeared then as a rainbow keyboard about to be played by Wakeman’s hands, in consonance with the album’s theme of a creation myth based on music.
¬•   The album is currently in print via a re–issue released by Real Gone Music.
¬•   The original art was created by Chris Moore at Moore Morris
Credits:
¬•   Gordon Anderson Reissue Producer
¬•   Jake Berry Crew
¬•   Reg Brooks Trombone, Trombone (Bass), Vocals
¬•   John Cleary Crew
¬•   Mike Doud Concept, Design
¬•   John Dunsterville Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Mandolin, Vocals
¬•   Toby Errington Crew
¬•   Tony Fernandez Drums, Percussion
¬•   Geoff Halpin Logo Design
¬•   Ashley Holt Vocals
¬•   Tom D. Kline Design
¬•   Tony Merrell Crew
¬•   Chris Moore Cover Illustration
¬•   Roger Newell Bass Pedals, Guitar (Bass), Vocals
¬•   Fabio Nicoli Art Direction
¬•   Tony Powell Crew
¬•   Mike Putland Photography
¬•   Fred Randall Personal Manager
¬•   Gene Sculatti Liner Notes
¬•   Martin Shields Flugelhorn, French Horn, Trumpet, Vocals
¬•   George Snow Sleeve Design
¬•   Paul Tregurtha Engineer
¬•   Plug Usher Crew
¬•   Didier Utard Assistant Engineer
¬•   Rick Wakeman Clavinet, Composer, Electric Harpsichord, Fender Rhodes, Hammond B3, Harpsichord, Mellotron, Organ, Pedals, Piano (Electric), Piano (Grand), Piano (Upright), Producer
Review
By Stephen Thomas Erlewine, AMG;  Score: ***
¬•   Released in 1976, just as prog rock’s hold in the popular imagine was starting to slip, No Earthly Connection is, comparatively, a streamlined album by Rick Wakeman. It is not as elaborate and ambitious as its immediate predecessors — which tackled Henry VII, Journey to the Centre of the Earth, and King Arthur & the Knights of the Round Table, respectively — and only the length of a single vinyl album, with the first side devoted to the half–hour suite “Music Reincarnate” (it spills over to the second side in the original vinyl pressing) and the second splitting the difference between two songs, “The Prisoner” and “The Lost Cycle.” Wakeman shows some slight hints of funk infatuation here — “The Warning" works out its clavinet songs, with its second part buttressed by brass — and the entirety of the “Music Reincarnate” side is a bit more forceful than expected in both its rhythms and attack. The other two songs have an element of breathing room — even “The Lost Cycle,” which begins with farting analog synths that never quite disappear over the course of the track — but they’re more distinguished by the flourishes Wakeman lays over the basic track, indications of how the keyboardist is so taken with his technique he thinks of it as nothing special, just something that deserves to be on ample display.
Website: http://www.rwcc.com/
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Rick Wakeman

No Earthly Connection

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