In 1973, at the age of 24, Rick Wakeman was among the biggest stars in the world of rock music. As a member of Yes, whose fifth album, Close To The Edge, had become a creative and commercial triumph, the classically trained keyboard wizard had paid his dues as a session player, put in the hard miles on the road and stood on the precipice of superstardom. Created against all the odds, his first solo record, The Six Wives Of Henry VIII, was the statement that made him a household name. (Let’s overlook Piano Vibrations, an eminently forgettable 10-song set made by Wakeman for Polydor in ’71 that didn’t even feature his name on the cover.)
By rights, The Six Wives Of Henry VIII shouldn’t have been such a huge success. Wakeman’s record company hated it and they had no problem telling him so. The album was certainly unique, and half a century later its six instrumental songs, each inspired by a celebrated spouse of one of England’s most fascinating monarchs, still stands the test of time. It was also the first extracurricular statement from a member of Yes, with numerous successors of varying quality set to follow.
Having respectfully declined an offer from his friend David Bowie to become a Spider From Mars, at the time Wakeman was extremely content in what would be the first of five spells with Yes. Featuring a solo track from each bandmember, the group’s fourth album, Fragile, had been put together in a hurry, something that irked Wakeman – who once dismissed his submission, an instrumental reworking of the Brahms piece Symphony No.4 (newly titled as Cans And Brahms) as “dreadful” – but Close To The Edge provided the breakthrough that Rick and his bandmates both sought and deserved. The opportunity to spread his wings further came in 1971 when Jerry Moss, then head of A&M Records, offered him a contract to make five solo albums. Wakeman relished the challenge, setting himself to work late that same year.
As one of the most popular and identifiable musicians of the era, bagging the record deal would prove the easy part. Deciding had been published the better part of a decade earlier. It would prove the best few dollars ever spent by Wakeman.
