A four-CD box set gathering together recordings from various solo concerts that longtime Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman played during the mid-1970s will be released this Friday, May 13.
The Myths and Legends of Rick Wakeman features Wakeman showcasing songs from his first three solo concept albums — 1972’s The Six Wives of Henry VIII, 1974’s Journey to the Centre of the Earth and 1975’s The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.
Disc one features performances from shows that Rick played in North America in 1974, disc two was recorded at a 1975 concert at San Francisco’s Winterland Ballroom, disc three captures a 1976 concert at London’s Hammersmith Odeon, and the final disc features a 1976 performance from the Farnham, U.K., venue The Maltings.
“It’s really lovely to see some of the music I’m most proud of, released in a new way and presented so well,” Wakeman says about the box set. “I’m still wondering though if I am more of a myth than a legend!!!”
The collection includes a 16-page booklet offering liner notes and archival photos. You can order the box set and check out its track list at CleoRecs.com.
Meanwhile, in a new update on his official website, Wakeman reports that he’s busy writing new material for his next album, which he’s planning to have finished by mid-June.
The 72-year-old Rock & Roll Hall of Famer also reveals that he’s been “struggling with osteoarthritis and diabetes,” noting that he’s “slowly getting them under control.”
In addition, he reports that he has a new book coming out around Christmas time titled Ramblings of a Grumpy Old Rock Star, and is working on an official biography that he plans to complete “sometime next year.”
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