Where are they now? - former Yes members

This page last updated: 30 Nov 2024

YES and projects with several Yesmen
Jon
Anderson
Steve
Howe

Geoff
Downes
Chris Squire
Alan White
Billy
Sherwood

Jon
Davison

Rick
Wakeman

Patrick
Moraz

Trevor
Rabin

Trevor
Horn

Tony
Kaye

Oliver Wakeman
Jay Schellen
Igor
Khoroshev

Bill
Bruford

Peter Banks
Benoît David
Asia
Arc of Life
CIRCA:
Yes ft. Anderson Rabin Wakeman
Others associated with the band


Bill Bruford Official website for Bill Bruford and Earthworks; News; Webstore; MySpace page

Bruford had retired from performance (Oct 2017 interview: "I no longer perform, practice or teach on the instrument."; 2015 interview: "I have not been playing any music. I've not touched the drums for five years."). However, he started to return to performance in 2022. He explained in an Oct 2024 interview:

I’ve only just returned to music after complete burnout in 2009. For 13 years, I couldn’t stand the sight of a drumkit. Finding my way back after a long time in academia, was explosive, unexpected, and very sudden. I remember passing someone else’s kit one day, sitting down, and feeling exhilarated all over: urgently and violently keen to start all over again. I’d sold all my own drums, years earlier, so I had to go and find a new set and start a daily two-hour daily practice routine.

In 2022 I formed a rehearsal band with Guildford guitarist Pete Roth. Pete had worked as my drum tech in Earthworks 20 years previously. I knew he was an accomplished guitarist, but I was astonished how far he’s come [...] One thing led to another through 2023; a few local gigs came along, but only in South-East England. Then a festival or two, and now the Pete Roth Trio has a dozen dates this autumn in theatres and arts centres, with festivals and clubs to come through 2025. It’s a privilege to support and mentor a much younger player, and I get to play whatever I want on the tubs. We prefer smaller places where we can see the whites of your eyes, hear your breathing in the quiet bits and have a musical relationship with you, of the sort that not possible in the big places.

In a Feb 2024 interview, Steve Howe had described how Bruford "did stop playing" for many years, but that Bruford had spent "two years re-learning".

The Pete Roth Trio is Pete Roth (guitar), Mike Pratt (bass) and Bruford (drums). Ed Percival reported on Facebook about a Feb 2024 show in Windsor, UK: "They did a mix of jazz standards, plus their on take on Dvorak's New World, and some tunes written by the guitarist. They did a Bruford tune called "In a Ghost Garden"." They have further UK shows this year (promo video) with 9 dates advertised from 18 Sep-11 Dec 2024, including a 15 Oct show as the Pete Roth Quartet with Simon Bates (sax). The first six all sold out. 2025 dates are also appearing (e.g., Newhampton, 16 Jan 2025 and Milton Keynes, 24 Jan 2025) and the band are seeking European dates too (bookings handled by MoonJune Records). Bruford explained further on a YouTube video in Oct 2024:

I’m currently a featured performer in The Pete Roth Trio. Pete is an exciting young guitarist beginning to develop a career as a performer. We’re playing his music locally, when and where he wants. He does the logistics and heavy-lifting that comes with any band starting out. He’s taking on an older, more experienced player who’s along for the ride. I have marginal interest in developing my own career (already developed!) but I do want to further my music skills, which have lain fallow for fourteen years. Pete and I have a balance of needs. I’m low maintenance, and free as a bird.

I’ve been asked many times to explain why I want to play a more reflective, interactive music in small intimate rooms to 150 people rather than a less reflective, less interactive music in enormodromes to thousands of people. Music, for me, now, is not so much about being able to play something, it’s more about being able to think up fresh things to play, in conjunction with others, in a small place, in real time. How best to do that, at my age? Performing in the Trio is a good way.

[...] How about, I’m thinking, downgrading from professional musician to amateur? Could I leave behind the disagreeable bits that the professional has to endure and reconnect with the amateur me who did it, back in the 60s, for the sheer love of it, with barely a care in the world?

The Musician’s Union here in the UK has a ‘professional’ musician as one who earns the majority of her income from music activities. An ‘amateur’ is held to be one who earns less than half her income from music activities. This deals only with finance, and speaks not at all about skill level, success and failure (however measured), time taken, or any pleasure achieved or achievable. Amateurs are frequently more ready, willing and able to perform than their professional colleagues.

So out go the front covers of magazines, the tour bus, the elections to Halls of Fame, the (usually unhelpful) record company attention. Out goes the full panoply of late 20th century record industry awards, incentives and bigger bucks. Been there! In comes meaningful, small scale, improvised human interaction, in a wonderful Earthworks- or Pete Roth- sized place called music. In come the small bucks and the love of doing it for the love of it. Bring it on!

The band vary their set list from show to show, and use a lot of improvisation. 1 Nov 2024 set: [SPOILERS—highlight to read] "Billy's Bounce" (originally by Charlie Parker), uncertain (possibly something by Chopin), "If Summer had its Ghosts", "Summertime" (originally by Gershwin), improvisation on the largo movement of Dvořák's Symphony No. 9, "Trio of 5" (the first piece the band have written together), another Charlie Parker piece, "Full Circle" (by the band), "Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum" (originally by Wayne Shorter), "Looking Forward to Looking Back" (by the band, and described by Roth as their "most ambitious one"), unidentified. Read my further thoughts on the show here. A 27 Nov show had the same set list, except with the addition of "Dancing with Grace" (by Roth, about his daughter) after "Full Circle". After the 1 Nov show, Roth said the band is very new and still working on their future plans, but he said they would be recording some video content on 4 Nov for promotional purposes. At the 27 Nov show, he said, "We keep writing at the moment."

Bruford also played at the Aug 2023 John Wetton memorial concert, drumming on "Let's Stick Together" (originally by Roxy Music) with Chris Difford (Squeeze; vocals, guitar), Phil Manzanera (ex-Roxy Music; guitar, backing vocals), Guy Pratt (worked with Pink Floyd, Madonna, The Orb, Pure Reason Revolution; bass) and a saxophonist, keyboardist and backing vocalist from the Paul Green Rock Academy.

Bruford continues to research, write and give talks, and oversees archival and re-releases. There was a Bill Bruford fan convention in Tokyo, Japan on 16 Jun 2024, which included a Q&A with Bruford and performances by 2 UK tribute bands. Then, on 29 Jun, he was in conversation with Anil Prasad in New York, NY, followed by ProgJect in concert with a set including material from Bruford's back catalogue (Yes, King Crimson, Genesis, UK, Bruford). There was then a second night with the same format on 30 Jun in Philadephia. (One of the nights was filmed.) Bruford also attended the 3rd International MoonJune Festival, Sep 2024 in Spain. He was in conversation with Sid Smith on 22 Sep, and in a roundtable discussion about 1972-4 King Crimson with Smith, David Cross and Markus Reuter on 20 Sep. (The David Cross Band played the music of King Crimson on 21 Sep, with Bruford in the audience.)

Compilations, re-releases and archives
The Best of Bill Bruford - The Winterfold & Summerfold Years (Summerfold) is a 3CD re-issue of the earlier Winterfold and Summerfold compilations, re-designed by Dave McKean and overseen by Bruford. It is due 18 Oct 2024.



Out is Live at the Schauburg Bremen 1987 (Moosicus), on digital, from Bill Bruford's Earthworks. The recording comes from a November 1987 Radio Bremen broadcast. Digital release was in Nov 2022, but the CD was delayed until early 2023. The band consisted of Bill Bruford (acoustic and electronic drums, percussion), Mick Hutton (double bass), Django Bates (keys, tenor horn, trumpet) and Iain Bellamy (saxes). Tracks:
  1. "The Shepherd is Eternal"
  2. "Bridge of Inhibition"
  3. "Making a Song and Dance"
  4. "Pressure"
  5. "Up North"
  6. "Ikebana", a Django Bates piece that didn't make any of the studio albums
  7. "It Needn't End in Tears"
  8. "Dancing on Frith Street"
  9. "My Heart Declares a Holiday"
  10. "Thud"
Earthworks' Live in Santiago CD/DVD was previously released as part of the Earthworks Complete boxset, but got a standalone release on 12 May 2023 on Summerfold (BBSF027CRDVD). Art is by Dave McKean. Tracks: "Turn and Return", "Revel Without a Pause, "Bajo del Sol", "Modern Folk", "Come to Dust", "Triplicity", "Seems Like a Lifetime Ago", "One of a Kind", "The Wooden Man Sings and the Stone Lady Dances", "Beelzebub", "Footloose and Fancy Free".
Many years back, Phil Manzanera's website described a possible archival collection entitled Rare Two including material with Bruford, but news of the release was withdrawn. In Apr 2003, bassist Bill MacCormick answered a question about the relevant sessions on the Phil Manzanera/Roxy Music forum saying:
Some of the early sessions for the Listen Now album [...] involved Bill Bruford + Phil, [Brian] Eno and me (not sure about Eddie [Jobson] though he certainly played on other sessions).  These tracks were never used though I believe Phil still has the 24-track masters somewhere.  Every now and then we talk about what we might do with them.  We haven't come up with an answer yet.
Rare Two finally appeared as part of the 11CD 50 Years of Music box set, out Nov 2024, but these tracks with Bruford are not included.

In a Jul 2008 blog, Bruford said: "I think Voiceprint is about to release a live Gong album from the short time I was with them, but you'd have to check their website". As yet, there has been no announcement from Voiceprint or successor Gonzo. Bruford played with Gong for a few months in late 1974. An example set from Dec 1974 went: "Invocation", "Master Builder", "A Perfect Mystery", "Never Glid Before", "White Christmas", "Solar Musik Suite", "Flute Salad", "Oily Way", "Inner Temple", "Outer Temple", "Sprinkling of Clouds"



King Crimson
Various Crimson re-releases and archival releases continue. Red (50th Anniversary) features various new mixes of the album. There is a 2CD/2Blu-ray edition (KCXP5017), with liner notes by Sid Smith. The Blu-ray contains 2024 mixes in Dolby Atmos, DTS-HD MA 5.1 Surround Sound and Hi-Res Stereo by Steven Wilson; 2024 Elemental Mixes by David Singleton; extra tracks drawn from the existing sessions reels; all three mixes of the live album USA in Hi-Res Stereo; 5 bootleg concert recordings from the 1974 US tour (first time on disc) and the bootleg recording of the band's final US show in Central Park, New York on 1 Jul 1974 in Hi-Res 24/96 stereo. The CDs contain 2024 stereo mixes and instrumentals by Wilson; the Elemental Mixes; and a sequence of studio recordings detailing the making of "Starless". There is also a 200g 2LP release of the album, Red (50th Anniversary) (KCLPX2024), with LP1 being 2024 stereo mixes by Steven Wilson and LP2 being Singleton's Elemental Mixes. Red (Elemental Mixes) was released digitally 25 Oct 2024; tracks:
  1. "Red (2024 Elemental Mix)" (6:30)
  2. "Fallen Angel (2024 Elemental Mix)" (6:26)
  3. "One More Red Nightmare (2024 Elemental Mix)" (7:44)
  4. "Starless Percussion [Overdubs] (2024 Elemental Mix)" (4:00)
  5. "Starless (2024 Elemental Mix)" (14:04)
Beat is a new band consisting of Tony Levin and Adrian Belew, from the early 1980s Crimson line-up with Bruford, plus Steve Vai and Danny Carey. They tour in 2024: see under Levin for details. The David Cross Band released Ice Blue, Silver Sky (Noisy Records) in Nov 2023, including new versions of Crimson's "Exiles" and "Starless". They tour in 2024/5 playing all of Larks' Tongues in Aspic plus further 1970s King Crimson material. There were 5 Polish dates 21-25 Feb 2024, 4 South American dates 19-23 Aug, a European show 20 Sep, then 33 US/Canadian dates 26 Sep-3 Nov, followed by further US dates Jan/Feb 2025.

John Kelman is writing a book about King Crimson and connected acts, based on material he's written for the All About Jazz website over the years through Panegyric Publishing.


Tony Kaye Facebook page; YouTube channel

Kaye's debut solo album, End of Innocence (Spirit of Unicorn Music, SOUM01CD; distributed through Cherry Red Records) was released 10 Sep 2021. This is the day before the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, which the album is about. In the Aug 2021 podcast, Kaye was asked whether he would be doing further solo work after End of Innocence, and replied, "That has to be seen... Look, [laughing] I can't promise you anything, but it's certainly inspired me to have my studio here and to be playing keyboards. And it would be great if something came up, but I do have to be inspired by a project." Asked if he will "continue" in a Sep 2021 interview, he said, "I think it's a one off really. Just because of what it is. But who knows? Maybe next time, I'll try something completely different." In the Feb 2021 interview, he also said he was "starting a new album" with Torchia.

Kaye had joined Badfinger in 1979, and Jay Schellen later joined on drums. In an Oct 2022 interview with the Yesshift podcast, Schellen was asked if there were any studio recordings from this period. He answered that "something is going to happen, according to Tony." He continued, "We did a recording in Beverly Hills [...] it was the last stuff that Tommy [Evans] and Joey [Molland] played together. And the last stuff that Tommy has recorded." On prompting, he said this was in 1982.

Kaye is in CIRCA: with Billy Sherwood. Jay Schellen (drums) and Jimmy Haun (guitar) make up the rest of the current band. They have a new album "nearly complete" according to a Mar 2023 interview with Sherwood by Aymeric Leroy (author of "Yes"). Kaye and Sherwood recorded a song with Scott Walton: see under Sherwood.

Brian Chatton (ex-Warriors, ex-Flaming Youth, ex-Jackson Heights, worked with Jon Anderson) had a number of songs on his MySpace page that were produced by Kaye. Kaye was also helping Chatton with some videos to accompany his autobiography "Rolling with Rock Royalty" (Facebook), now out. Chatton has talked about releasing further songs with Kaye.

Kaye appeared on John Wetton's solo album Raised in Captivity, which is included in the forthcoming An Extraordinary Life box: see details on main page.

Peter Banks Peter Banks Home; Remembering Peter Banks Facebook page
Peter Banks Musical Estate releases
The Peter Banks Musical Estate have released multiple albums to make Pete's music available, with Daniel Earnshaw (worked with Yes, Bill Bruford, Jon Anderson, Rick Wakeman, Billy Sherwood) appointed in 2017 "enduring exclusive authorisation to handle all administrative affairs, relating to the musical and rights aspects of the Banks estate". The fifth release was Crossover (2020) by David Cross and Peter Banks, the last new album of material from the estate. Out 2021, was The Best of Empire (PBME005CD), an 11-track compilation of tracks from Empire's The Complete Recordings, and The Best of Peter Banks's Harmony in Diversity (PBME006CD), a 9-track compilation of tracks from Harmony in Diversity's The Complete Recordings.

Flash
In the USA: Live Recordings 1972-73 (Think Like a Key Music; video trailer), released 9 Sep 2022, is a 3CD live release; tracks—CD1:
Roslyn, NY, 1 Aug 1972:
1. "Black and White"
2. "There No More"
3. "Monday Morning Eyes"
4. "Small Beginnings"
5. "Children of the Universe"
6. "Lifetime"
CD 2:
Hempstead, NY, 18 Jul 1972:
7. "Small Beginnings"
8. "There No More"
9. "Children of the Universe"
10. "Dreams of Heaven"

Passaic, NJ, 16 Dec 1972:
11. "Small Beginnings"
12. "Black and White"
13. "Children of the Universe"
CD 3:
Indianapolis, IN, 7 Dec 1972:
14. "Small Beginnings"
15. "Black and White"
16. "Children of the Universe"



Burbank, CA, 9 Oct 1973:
17. "Dead Ahead"
18. "Psychosync"

Miami, FL, 26 Oct 1973:
19. "Children of the Universe"
20. "Black and White"

Cape Cod, MA, 24 Aug 1973:
21. "The Bishop"
22. "Manhattan Morning (Christmas '72)"
It seems to have been put together with Ray Bennett. He said of the release, "What 'Think Like A Key Music' set out to do here [...] is to gather together whatever was left out there of live FLASH stuff regardless of quality and present it in the best possible way. Whatever improvements could be made to the audio were done. Quite a bit of it is rough sounding, but I found that even with the poor sound issues there was something coming across of the live experience. [...] A fair bit of this material was fan-recorded, probably on cassettes, some possibly from rough mixing board recordings; some is much better studio type quality, and some has been online for years on obscure websites, but in the worst possible form – awful sound [...] So all that has been cleaned up and the sound mastered as well as possible. [...] Other than the 'In Public' CD [...] this new set is it as far as we know. Pretty much all that there is of live FLASH performance." The release comes with a 32-page booklet with band interviews, unpublished photographs, and a tour itinerary.

Re-releases
The Two Sides of Peter Banks received a limited edition red vinyl LP re-release on 26 Jan 2024.



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The New Empire
The New Empire consists of Fernando Perdomo (Dave Kerzner band, In Continuum; guitars, bass, backing vocals), Mark Murdock (Masheen Messiah, ex-Empire; drums, backing vocals) and Marisol Koss (worked with Perdomo, Kerzner; lead & backing vocals). The group want to play Banks's material live and to "create new material in the spirit of the original Empire." They have the blessing of Sydney Foxx (a.k.a. Sidonie Jordan), who was the other half of Empire with Banks. Their debut album, Second Lifetime in tribute to Banks, was released Oct 2020. Details in Yescography. It mixes new material with pieces by Empire, Flash, Banks solo and Yes. Guests on the album include Foxx, Preston Murdock and Dave Kerzner (In Continuum, worked with Billy Sherwood, Jon Davison, Geoff Downes, Jon Anderson, Steve Hackett, Steven Wilson, Genesis). "Foundation" was being developed by the final incarnation of Empire and an instrumental version was released on their album Mark III. Jordan completed lyrics for the song and sang the piece on Second Lifetime.

On 26 Oct 2024, Mark Murdock released digitally Mark V by Empire in Ruins. The album "reflects Mark Murdock's interpretation of his involvement with the late YES guitarist, Peter Banks band "Empire"". The 9-track album also includes Perdomo (guitar on tracks 1-4), David Rambeau (guitar on tracks 5-9), Jeff Curry (bass) and Preston Murdock (ending guitar solo on track 4).

Other news
Banks can be heard speaking on Yesterdays' A Moonlit Night in Budapest, out 22 Sep 2023. The album was recorded on Yesterdays' 2007 tour in Budapest, when they played with Harmony in Diversity (performance released on The Complete Recordings) and Flamborough Head (who have also released their performance on the night as a live album). At the end of Yesterdays' performance, Pete got on stage to praise the band and his words are included at the end of this live album.


The Syn's Flowerman – Rare Blooms from The Syn (Grapefruit) compiles all surviving 1960s recording by the band, plus some additional material. Banks and Chris Squire are on most tracks. In content, it is basically a re-release of most of disc 1 of the out-of-print 2004/5 release Original Syn; there are no previously unreleased tracks. See details under Chris Squire. The release omits the disc 2 tracks recorded in 2004 with Banks (guitar), Steve Nardelli (vocals), Martyn Adelman (drums), Gerard Johnson (keys) and Steve Gee (bass). These have had a separate 2023 digital release as Illusion (Cherry Red Records). Tracks: "Illusion" (14:17), "Grounded 2004" (5:05), "Time and a Word" (4:59), "A Tide in the Affairs of Man" (7:45), "Time and a Word (Reprise)" (3:37). The last three are one continuous piece. Buy from Amazon (UK) #ad. The Syn's "Flowerman" has also been re-released as a 7" single: again, see under Squire.

A documentary about Pete is being made by Supposable Productions. "Claiming Peter Banks" (new trailer) has been organised by George Mizer, a close friend of Pete's, with some of the interviews done by Heidi Hornbacher. Principal photography is wrapped and the project is in post-production. The filmmakers are seeking to crowdsource $70,000 to finish the film. Interviewees include Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin, Patrick Moraz, Oliver Wakeman, Tom Brislin (Kansas, worked with Yes), author Chris Welch, Mike Hough (ex-Flash), Colin Carter (ex-Flash), Andrew Booker (Harmony in Diversity), Nick Cottam (Harmony in Diversity), Mark Murdock (ex-Empire), Steve Hackett (ex-Genesis, ex-GTR, ex-Squackett), Sepand Samzadeh (Days Between Stations), Thijs van Leer (Focus), Joe Vitale, Fernando Perdomo, Bill Forth (League of Crafty Guitarists), Steve Stevens (Billy Idol, worked with Chris Squire), writer Jon Kirkman (worked with Yes), Derek Lawrence (worked with Flash), David Cross (ex-King Crimson), Davy O'List (ex-The Nice), Jeff Fayman (ex-Empire), Clive Bayley (Mabel Greer's Toyshop), Tom Gagliardi (DJ), Roy Flynn (former Yes manager), Martyn "Max" Adelman (ex-The Syn), Bob Henrit (ex-Argent, ex-The Kinks, worked with Roger Daltrey), Dave Wagstaffe (ex-Wishbone Ash), John Jowitt (ex-IQ, ex-Arena, ex-Frost*), Clint Bahr, John Etheridge (Soft Machine), Burleigh Drummond (Ambrosia), Steve Nardelli (The Syn), Robert Haggar (Mabel Greer’s Toyshop), Sidonie Jordan (Banks's ex-wife, ex-Empire), Fernando Perdomo (The New Empire) and David Mansfield (ex-The Tea Bags). Mizer said on Facebook in Jan 2018 that "we have put a band together to promote the Banks documentary [...] It will include past Flash members and now we hope to have Fern[ando Perdomo] join in on the fun." Hornbacher said on Facebook in Nov 2021: "working on the edit. It's a huge project sifting through 7 years of interviews. No release date yet."




Patrick Moraz PatrickMoraz.com; PatrickMoraz.net; MySpace page; Facebook

In an Oct 2015 interview, Moraz plotted out his future plans:
I’m [...] planning to do some concerts by myself. More than ever, I’m back in the saddle to record. I have multiple projects in the pipeline, and they will come out as they come out. I also have some classic music in preparation, and some other new stuff that’s going to knock your socks off.

[...]

I have other symphonic works [in development; in addition to A Way to Freedom] as well, including the completion of my “Children’s Concerto” for orchestra. I’ve added some orchestral colors to it…but I like to keep some mystery about what I’m doing!

I have also been expressing myself by writing poems, either in French or in English. And I’ve already recorded some of them. And I’ve almost completed a double CD with my other group in Switzerland [possibly a reference to Random Kingdom]; that’s going to come out..probably not this year [2015] or next year [2016], but after that. I have at least two other albums schedule to come out. But for now, MAP is taking priority

[...]

Because my children are grown up, and because I’m not committed, contracted yet – yet! [laughs] – to tour with a big band with my music, I have more time. And I’ve developed a very interesting studio here in Florida.

In a Jan 2017 interview, he said, "I'm playing seven hours a day, and I'm also recording every day and every night[.] I've composed many hundreds of pieces of music."

Live
Moraz was due to perform at ProgStock 2024, but withdrew due to ill health. The festival announced:

We are sorry to announce that Patrick Moraz will not be able to travel to the festival this weekend. He has recently taken ill and his doctors will not allow him to travel this week. We expect he will be back on his feet in no time. With that knowledge in mind, we have pre-booked him for ProgStock 2025 and are also discussing a possible ProgStock Presents show featuring Mr. Moraz in the spring of 2025.

An audio message from Moraz was played at ProgStock in which Moraz described having had surgery recently. Moraz performed at ProgStock 2023 on 8 Oct 2023, opening for Unitopia. He was also doing an interview session with a film screening on 6 Oct 2023.

Moraz was interviewed, but didn't perform, at NAMM 2024 on 26 Jan. The Bob Moog Foundation exhibit about him was also shown.

Moraz played a benefit show for 5 local musicians affected by Hurricane Ian in Nov 2022 in Florida.

Band projects
Moraz and Ronnie Ciago (Facebook) (ex-CIRCA:, Brand X, worked with Bill Ward, Mick Taylor, Jaco Pastorius, Robert Downey Jr.; percussion) have been working on an album together; one piece with Ciago appeared on Moraz's solo album Change of Space. Ciago said on Facebook in late Sep 2011: "there is also 2 Moraz & Ciago cd's due out in the next few months, Patrick Moraz & Ronnie Ciago "Live On The Radio" and The new studio cd ( Moraz & Ciago ) with known guest musicians."

Solo albums
In a late 2014 interview, Moraz said of the project, "In LA, I was in the finishing stages of a very important album — actually it's for a rock album — which I just finished the production of, which took quite some time to do. I composed all the tunes and all the music. [...] I composed 14 pieces, of which we chose nine. I arranged everything. [...] A couple of weeks ago, I received the final mastered version and that album is going to be released hopefully very soon. We're just in the middle of preparation of the sleeve and the credits and this and that." The project was begun around the mid-2000s.

In the Oct 2015 interview has more on the making of the album and news of plans for a follow-up:
It was a balance between the two [beginning with Moraz' compositions or not]. We played together and jammed and so on. The music was composed, first and foremost. Actually I composed more than nine pieces – at least fourteen pieces – and then I let him choose the ones that felt the most comfortable. [...]

Greg and I and John Avila, we can now play that music with our eyes closed! We can play it the way it is [written], but we can also jam. And that’s what we will do for the next album. We are really, really determined to put out a bunch of albums together. We had so much fun making this album

Moraz also said they are "discussing and planning how we’re going to do" live dates, continuing, "Not only promotional dates, but proper concerts."

Due for some time has been a new studio project, entitled A Way to Freedom. This project dates back several years and has been described as an "electro-ethnic" solo album. In the Oct 2015 interview, Moraz said:
I want to keep it a surprise. But what I can tell you is that it’s not just one CD, one album. It’s a bunch of different works for myself at the piano, with a band, with a trio, orchestra and choirs. That’s why it’s taking so long. In this kind of work, you can never say exactly when it’s going to be ready.
In an interview circa May 06 (Notes from the Edge #299), Moraz said:
A WAY TO FREEDOM seems to be taking a long time to come out. It's not the lack of material, but more about the inherent inertia which has surrounded the project from the beginning. I have lots and lots of recorded material already, but I never seem to be able to put the finishing touch to the production as a whole.

In an Aug 2013 interview, asked about the project, Moraz replied:

It’s still on the front burner, it’s just that I’ve got different projects and different productions that take precedence. [...] I’ve got several pieces that I’ve had rendered for a symphony orchestra and percussionists and a jazz brass band. All of the music is written and arranged; it’s on paper. It’s just that it takes time. I could have finished it and released it, but in some way I have been enjoying my right to be a little bit of a perfectionist. (Laughs.)

Asked about the project in the late 2014 interview, Moraz said, "I am in the finishing stages of A Way To Freedom, because I've got some other productions that take precedence. [...] that's going to be my solo album. I've been working on that for several years on and off."

A Jun 2014 interview described it as "due in the very near future". It also describes as upcoming Cantata, a piece for a soprano-alto-tenor-bass choir in 7 movements, "paying homage to 'Our Planet.'" The latter was previously described on Moraz' website as EcoCantata. His site website also said Moraz is "progressing in the compositional development, production and "finition" of a "Futuristic Ballet" and other works featuring electronic arrangements as well as innovative, rhythmic instrumentation and acoustic orchestrations."

Patrick Moraz and Human Interface toured in 1983, with a set including all of Story of i. The band consisted of Moraz, Tim Franklin (bass, vocals), Paul Parker (drums), Jim Gentry (guitar, vocals) and Michael Franklin (keys, vocals). (Michael and Tim Franklin are currently working with Jon Anderson.) On 11 Dec 2022, M Franklin said on Facebook, "We have a video tape of the whole show. I hope re-master and re-render this year [2022]. [...] Recorded at The Beacham Theater in Orlando in 1983."

Other news
Save Us is a forthcoming 5-track EP due 1 Feb 2025, on CD and limited edition (300 copies) vinyl, from Mark "Truey" Trueack (Unitopia, United Progressive Fraternity). Trueack was at ProgStock in Oct 2023 when his café restaurant in Thailand was hit by major flooding. In response, he wrote the title track, developed with Patrick Moraz and Christophe Lebled (worked with Jon Anderson). Tracks:

  1. "Show Me How (soul version)" [Lebled/Trueack] (6:24)
  2. "What We've Done" [Dave Buchholz] (9:08)
  3. "So Fragile" [Layton/Trueack, arr. by Kerzner/Perdomo] (4:21)
  4. "Reality (soul version)" [Layton/Trueack] (7:05)
  5. "Save Us" [Moraz/Lebled/Trueack] (7:12)

All lyrics by Trueack, except "What We've Done". "Save Us" is performed by Lebled (keys, melodic and percussive sequences, orchestral arrangement), Moraz (piano), Don Schiff (fretless NS/Stick), Chester Thompson (drum kit), Mark Trueack (lead vocals, harmonies), Steve Unruh (guitar, violin), Joanna St Clare (backing vocals) and the Maew Pao Café Choir (including Supattra Anontri, Nippon Sanboon, WuKam, Suphalak Jaib, Aoi Chanchayapop, Kris Sookhnoom, Bualai Sriburin). Also appearing on the EP are Dave Kerzner (Arc of Life, worked with Jon Anderson, Lee Pomeroy, Steven Wilson; keys), Fernando Perdomo (The Fusion Syndicate, In Continuum, The New Empire, worked with Rick Wakeman; guitar, bass, harp), Stephen Layton (worked with Jon Anderson; guitar, keys), Jamison Smeltz and others. The EP was produced by Trueack, engineered, mixed and mastered by Steve Unruh, and with artwork and graphic layout by Ed Unitsky. There is also a GoFundMe for the café's recovery.

Moraz guested on the 10-track album Not in Kansas Anymore, the posthumous and only solo album by Robby Steinhardt (ex-Kansas, worked with Jon Anderson), released Oct 2021. Steinhardt was working on the album in his final months before his death in May 2021. The album was produced by Michael Franklin (works with Jon Anderson), with many of the players from Jon Anderson's 1000 Hands: Chapter One and the associated touring band. The music was mostly written by Michael and Tim Franklin, with Steinhardt given co-writing credit for his input too.

Moraz covered Jean-Michel Jarre's "Oxygene (Part 4)" on Synthesizer Classics (Cleopatra Records), out Aug 2022: see on main page for details. Moraz appeared on 1 track each of the three latest Prog Collective albums from Billy Sherwood, Dark Encounters (released Mar 2024), Seeking Peace (2022), and Songs We were Taught (2022): see main page for details. Moraz appears on "Pigs (Three Different Ones)" on the Cleopatra Records release, Animals Reimagined – A Tribute to Pink Floyd: see on main page for details.

In the late 2014 interview, Moraz described another project:
seven years ago, I had a project [...] “Seven Days a Week: Music on the Road From A to Z,” [...] I was seeing real people in real time, and the idea was to record in one week, in seven days — actually seven different CDs, one CD every day with a different theme every day. I kind of started to prepare production, because it’s a rough animal to do that, but as of yet I haven’t had the chance to complete such the project. But it’s still in the future works, as a future operation.

In the Oct 2010 Classic Rock Presents... Prog, Moraz says:

I am so busy right on many projects. They vary from rock to classical. Right now, I'm working with some extraordinary musicians in Tampa, Florida. Moreover, there are various reissues being planned. And I'm currently writing my autobiography, when I will reveal the truth of what happened with Yes.

Moraz has been working on a CD with himself on piano and electronic keyboards and drummer Jacob Armen (ex-Prince). Moraz also appears on one piece on Armen's forthcoming solo album: called "Cachaca II", it is an arrangement for piano and drums of Moraz's "Cachaca" on The Story of i. In a 2007 Innerviews interview, Moraz says, "It features the piano base of the original track which you can't really hear on my album, in addition to the original chord structure from the middle of the piece. The rest of it is quite different—almost a different tune." In the Oct 2015 interview, Moraz said, "I have a very good friend of mine, Jacob Armen – on whose album I played a piece called "Cachaça" – and his album will be out very soon...I don't know when." The duo have played a small number of live dates and further shows. In late 2009, Moraz, Armen and bassist Matt Malley (ex-Counting Crows) were working on an album together at Malley's studio. In Oct 2009, Malley wrote on his website:

For the last couple of nights I've been recording with Patrick Moraz, (Yes, Moody Blues) and Jacob Armen, (Prince) in my studio and it is downright frightening how good they are.  No need to "explain" anything...no analyzing...just play.  Think with your heart and feel with your brain.  I would love to tour with this little combo!

In a Feb 2007 interview, Moraz talked of his desire to play live with a band and that he was rehearsing for live performances, but he did not seem to have any specific plans for shows. Moraz had said that Vega Music, a Japanese label who are re-releasing Moraz's solo album Resonance there (see below), would like to bring him to Japan for both some piano and electronic concerts. In the interview for Innerviews published in May 2007, Moraz talked about what material he might play live, describing delving deep into his back catalogue with material from Mainhorse, Refugee ("like "Papillon" or a bit of "Credo.""), The Story of i, Out in the Sun, Future Memories, and "even" Timecode. He adds, "Perhaps I'll play some Moraz-Bruford pieces like "Children's Concerto" as well" and that he "might consider playing something from Yes like "Soon"".

Moraz played on sessions for bassist Dave LaRue (The Dixie Dregs, John Petrucci) for a second solo album that has yet to appear.

Moraz was in Refugee and their track "Ritt Mickley" is on the 4CD Round and Round – Progressive Sounds of 1974 (Esoteric Recordings, ECLEC42831), due 30 Jun 2023.

Longer term plans
Moraz has talked of multiple further projects, but many of these appear to be some way from producing any output. He has plans for a third "Future Memories" show, which he discusses in a new interview on a forthcoming DVD release of the first two "Future Memories" TV programmes (see below). Moraz has also been working on an album with Michel Sanchez (Deep Forest) for some time. A report circa Feb 2005 said that Moraz has two electronic albums close to completion, one of which seemed to be the one with Sanchez. It is unclear whether the other was A Way to Freedom, with Armen or some other project.

Moraz has expanded "Modular Symphony (1st Movement)" from his 1987 Human Interface album into an entire piano concerto, which he intends to release at some point according to a Mar 2005 interview.

Although he has no immediate plans, in his Mar 2005 interview, Moraz talked of his willingness to do a video or film project based on his solo album The Story of i. In his NftE interview (Jan 2001), he said, "I've also been writing and researching some stories. I'd like to do a movie of THE STORY OF I either in 3-D computer graphics, an animated version, or the real thing. I have also written a couple of other movie scripts; one is a science fiction story and the other is about the life and times of a composer who lived three hundred years ago." In an earlier interview (Oct 2000), he said: "I have just about 30 other projects that I have already composed, I've composed hundreds of pieces of music in the last 9 years. [...] I have also, maybe, studying to get a commission for a symphony orchestra perhaps in europe for next year [2001]." At some point, he has been planning to do a charity Christmas album.


Trevor Horn

Trevor Horn news it on its own page.


Trevor Rabin
Homepage; Facebook; Twitter

Rio
Rabin's new solo album, Rio, was released 6 Oct 2023 on InsideOut (announcement video). In an interview in the Apr 2020 issue of Prog, Rabin said he was working on a new solo album with vocals (in contrast to the largely instrumental Jacaranda). On 26 Dec 2022, in a comment replying to a post on the Trevor Rabin Fans Facebook group, Rabin said, "It is done [...] record company is done". He also announced the title, which is his granddaughter's name (Ryan's daughter). Rabin plays most of the instruments on the album, including drums in places, while drums are otherwise by Lou Molino III (ex-Yes ft ARW), with Vinnie Colaiuta (worked with Billy Sherwood, Frank Zappa, Joni Mitchell, Sting) on "Push". (There were reports that son Ryan was also on drums, but he is not on the album.) Rabin also painted the cover (originally called Absinthe). Rabin produced, engineered and mixed, while Paul Linford mastered the album. Tracks:
  1. "Big Mistakes" [Rabin/Marchi] (5:34), first single, out 4 Aug 2023 (video), all instruments and vocals by Rabin, except drums by Molino and backing vocals by Dante Marchi and Liz Constantine; about "the mistakes we all make as teenagers and the curiosity that leads us to some unfortunate places" (as per Rabin's interview with Rabinesque)
  2. "Push" [Rabin] (6:48), second single, out 5 Sep (video); all instruments and vocals by Rabin, except drums by Colaiuta and violin by Charlie Bisharat (worked with Rabin before on film scores, also worked with Jon Anderson, The Beatles)
  3. "Oklahoma" [Rabin] (6:52), third single, out 29 Sep (video, by Christian Rios), about the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing
  4. "Paradise" [Rabin] (7:03), backing vocals by Marchi and Constantine; about Rabin's view of England declining; side B begins for 2LP version
  5. "Thandi" [Rabin] (4:22), drums and backing vocals by Molino and rhino noises by various rhinos; about poaching in South Africa, named after a particular white rhino who survived a poaching attack
  6. "Goodbye" [Rabin] (5:10), described in promo as "Country & Western with an edgy drive"
  7. "Tumbleweed" [Rabin] (4:08), which had the working title of "The Demographic Nightmare"
  8. "These Tears" [Rabin] (5:18), side C begins
  9. "Egoli" [Rabin/Cindy Alter?] (4:03)
  10. "Toxic" [Rabin] (5:45)


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Rio made #5 in the UK rock & metal albums chart, #16 in the album sales chart, #19 in the physical albums chart, and #52 in the album downloads chart. It also entered the UK progressive albums chart at #7 (Oct 2023). It made #52 in Switzerland and #90 in Germany. It was also on various iTunes charts: US #24, UK #30, Australia #51, Germany #52, Canada #53. The album came 10th in Prog magazine's 2023 critics' choice and 6th in their readers' poll. Rabin was 4th in the readers' poll Best Guitarist category.

Rabin said of the album, "I wanted to get into many different areas[.] Of course there are 'prog things,' but overall there are a lot of styles going on." "Egoli" is about the political situation in South Africa, eGoli being the Zulu name for Johannesburg. Rabin told Rabinesque: "In '94 this possibility like a rainbow opened up, that this country's gonna be healed and become just a fantastic place, there wasn't gonna be bloodshed. And that happened. But once Mandela went, that's what the song is about. It's like a kleptocracy, particularly Johannesburg which is obviously the biggest economical hub, if you like, in South Africa. The corruption is just way beyond belief." In the liner notes, "Egoli" is credited to Rabin. On YouTube, it is credited to Cindy Alter. Alter said on Instagram: "I am honored to have written this song which is featured on Trevor Rabin's new album, 'Rio', released today globally ✨🎉🙏" I guess it is a co-write?

The album is available digitally, on CD, limited edition CD + Blu-ray mediabook (CD comes with bonus tracks; Blu-ray has a 5.1 Surround mix (by Linford) and hi-res 24bit stereo; with a 28-page booklet), 180g black 2LP, limited edition 180g transparent sun yellow 2LP, translucent sea blue 2LP, and limited edition (2000 copies) 180g transparent red 2LP (with bonus tracks on side D) + Blu-ray. Side D of the vinyl release (other than the red version) has an etching. Bonus tracks are "Spek & Polly" (2:21, instrumental, seems to be the same composition previously premiered as "Duet for Violin and Piano"), "Fragile (demo)" (5:00; Rabin's original demo of the Yes ft ARW piece, the same or close to the version used in Agent X) and "Georgia" (3:11; instrumental cover of Ray Charles' "Georgia on My Mind", probably the version he posted in 2014 on Facebook). These seem also to be the bonus tracks for a Japanese release. The bonus tracks are performed by Rabin, plus Bisharat on violin on "Spek & Polly". On 7 Feb 2024, "Fragile (demo)" was released to streaming services.

There was a 6 Oct 2023 launch event at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. In the Aug 2023 issue of Prog, he said he planned to tour behind the album. In a Sep 2023 interview, asked about possible touring, he replied, "We're going to be talking about that. We haven't started even on that yet because this is all sort of, I'm still catching up with the video for "Oklahoma" and I got to watch it today and et cetera, so... I'm a procrastinator and I haven't caught up yet but, let's hope so." In an interview published Dec 2023 (but possibly conducted nearer the album release), Rabin said of touring: "I was talking to Lou [Molino] about it. There's so many offers, and the producer of the ARW tour has been talking to me about doing shows and integrating some film scores with it. Doing some orchestra, I conduct a bit and then do the album and some Yes stuff."

"Push" seems to be a different version of the taped intro music used at the summer 2018 Yes fr ARW shows. There's no indication that Anderson or Wakeman were involved here and I would guess that only Rabin was behind the music ARW used. In another Sep 2023 interview, Rabin said the song "is kinda aimed at just looking around at Hungary and Putin and even the corruption in Ukraine [...] it's just generally that the political atmosphere in America, the kleptocracy in South Africa, just all around the world, it just seems it's a bloody mess." Colaiuta recorded his parts separately because of COVID-19.

In another promo interview video, he said, "The culmination of it all came pretty much way after COVID struck, and all these ideas just fell into place". He was asked if any of the material was left over from previous projects, and replied, "There were some songs that were kinda leftovers. Some of the songs that were leftovers from previous albums, I landed up not using because [...] some of them just started feeling a bit old [...] So, I would say no. No, very little". In the second part of the interview, Rabin said, "I didn't want to just stick to one genre, like, 'This is a prog rock album,' or, 'This is a pop album,' or a blues album or whatever. Because my last solo album [Jacaranda] was, actually, not vocals [...] almost fusion-y with some classical [...] [T]his [...] is definitely a rock album, but there're some areas which kind of delve into chicken pickin', country, and some long kind of more serious things, and then there's some pop tunes and [...] obviously prog rock-y stuff on it, but it's kind of a variation, it's a demographic nightmare. I should have called the album A Demographic Nightmare." He continued, "I wanted this album not to represent one particular thing. I just wanted to have fun as an artist [...] By doing different styles, I could really [...] expand guitar solos and piano solos, and even vocally. [...] There's some jazz stuff on where I have multiple extended chords on the vocals." In the latter Sep 2023 interview, Rabin said, "the working title of the album was Demographic Nightmare, because I do some country chicken picking thing and [...] there's different areas I visit, but y'know putting the producer cap on, [...] I got to the point where I thought, no, this is going to work, because y'know my voice is the same voice [...] my guitar style is going to be the same style, or different styles but within the same hands. So, hopefully that'll glue it all together".

He said in a 2022 interview that: "on this new solo album and the previous one [Jacaranda], I decided I don't want anything that's not a real instrument playing, warts and all. [...] on my new album, there's [...] very little MIDI. It's all played and sung and it's 100% done on Digital Performer." He had been working on ideas since before ARW, initially in gaps between film scoring. In a Prog article around 2020, Rabin said there will be "some name guests" on the album, including Colaiuta, and that he hoped to "persuade Rick [Wakeman] to come in [...] on a track or two" and also talked of "asking others". However, it doesn't appear that Wakeman is involved. Rabin said more in a May 2020 article, saying he had been halfway through the project before getting sidetracked by touring with ARW and putting together the compilation Changes. He described the album as having "vocals and the whole enchilada." As for guests, he said, "I will definitely be getting people in. At this point, I haven't decided who and when and how." In another Apr 2020 interview, Rabin said, "I'm focusing on my new album. A follow up to "Can't look away". I've been putting in blood, sweet and tears. I'd say I'm 60% there." In a Jul 2020 interview for the Rabin-esque blog, Rabin said he was still at about 60% completion, but that he knows the overall shape of the project and has 3-4 pieces he is really happy with. He also said he is devoting himself to the album for the rest of 2020. In another Jul 2020 interview with Andy Burns, Rabin said he has been "at home, just writing" for the album. As he explained in this Sep 2020 interview, he had decided to be "full steam" on the project, but was persuaded to do a score for Renny Harlin during 2020 (see below), but that he had "recently" finished that and was "back on my album". He described the album as "a follow-on from Talk/Can't Look Away" and said he was "about two thirds" done. He continued, "I suppose that I could say that I have enough to have been completed at this point, but I keep writing new stuff and stuff that I think would fit in better". Asked if the album will include "epic proggy moments" by interviewer Sean Tonar, Rabin replied, "even the short songs are pretty long, but there is one or two tracks that have that kind of feel to it, but [...] I'm really not doing the album with a view of, y'know, restricting myself to a specific genre [...] whatever fits will come into the album. [...] There's definitely gonna be some kind of epic things, but there's also gonna be [...] just regular songs [...] but even those have turned out to be quite long anyway." He also said he didn't have a working title for the album, and that none of the material was intended for the aborted ARW album. At the end of the interview, Rabin then added, "I'm doing part of "Endless Dream" on my new album. [...] The instrumental "Silent Spring" [...] I have a variation of that, which, y'know I don't want to leave out and I'm gonna put it on the album. It's different, but it's the same piece."

Back in an Oct 2016 interview, Rabin was asked whether it will be a 20 year wait for his next solo album, referencing the 23 year gap before Jacaranda. He replied: "The answer to that is definitely no. The wait won't be quite that long." In a Jan 2017 interview, Rabin said, "I'm [...] about half way through a new solo project. I'[m] enjoying singing again." In one of the Oct 2017 interviews, he said, "I'm about halfway through a new solo album [...] There's no titles yet but there's about five or six songs I'm really excited about. There's another five that are written that I still have to do".

Further back, in summer 2014, his website announced the new album as "coming soon". In Jun 2014 on Facebook, Rabin described it: "the current album I'm working on is a vocal album. I'm not sure where it will ultimately land up. But it's definitely a rock album at this point. What I've been writing is definitely challenging my fingers. But I'm loving it." The day before, he'd posted:
sorry i've been missing in action,,,.but I have been 24/7 on the new solo album, and it's turning into something pretty cool.
I was hoping i'd be closing in by now.
Ufortunately it'll take a but longer. It's just taking time to let it all happen the right way. But i'm quite excited with where it's going.
I'm about half way through and very happy. Bare with me.

In Sep 2014, Rabin said the album will have "some surprise guests" and described 3 drummers will be involved, Lou Molino (who had already recorded parts, and previously played on Jacaranda and with Anderson Rabin Wakeman), son Ryan Rabin and an as yet unnamed drummer. Recording sessions continued in Sep 2014. In Aug 2015, he posted to Facebook:
Sorry there's been little on the new album.
I'm had to take some breaks to fulfill some film obligations.
But it's going great, I wish it was happening a little faster.
I would say I'm half way there and will be back at it next week.
speak soon. all the best

A Jun 2015 interview described him as "now writing an album of all-original rock material and considering a tour." However, in Feb 2016, he said (again on Facebook) that he was "just working crazy at the moment" and "putting my solo album on hold". This appeared to be connected to the ramping up of activity by Anderson, Rabin & Wakeman. Back in Feb 2014, Rabin said on Facebook:
I've completed 2 tracks for my next solo album.
I wasn't sure what shape my voice would be in, as singing is something I do little of with scoring (or on Jacaranda), ... but voice exercises and singing a lot,....i'm in good shape.
Happy so far, ...long way to go!

Journalist Jon Kirkman said on Facebook (Jan 2014) that Rabin is keen to get the rock album out within 2 years and he already has some material for it. On Facebook in Feb 2014, Rabin talked of having completed two songs in the style of Can't Look Away and 90125.

Broader context and other work
In promo interviews for Rio, Rabin said he is already working on a new solo album (with vocals). In a Sep 2023 interview with The Record Player podcast, he said, "I've got a whole other album I want to get out there" in terms of ideas. He also said that he had told his agent for film scoring not to discussany offers "until I do another album".

The Apr 2020 Prog interview described "at least two opportunities" for Rabin to work live with orchestras "in the next year [2021] or so", while noting, "nothing is yet confirmed". This was, of course, shortly before COVID-19 changed everyone's plans. One would have been a performance of Rabin's own work, as mentioned above, while the other, in Rabin's words, "would give me the chance to get involved with a very big name from the rock world." Rabin continued that he "feel[s] confident both will happen, with at least one in London." This second opportunity appears to have been a project with guitarist Joe Bonamassa and his producer Kevin Shirley (worked with Joe Satriani, Led Zeppelin, The Black Crowes). A May 2021 interview with Steve Louw, who was also working with Shirley and Bonamassa, had this: "I flew to New York on the 3rd of March [2020] [...] and Kevin [Shirley] headed to LA to film with Trevor Rabin who was scoring Joe Bonamassa songs with a full orchestra for a live concert film they were going to film last August [2020] at Red Rock in Colorado." Two shows were planned, 9-10 Aug 2020 (trailer) with the Colorado Symphony. Promo said:
Bonamassa will perform at least 14 new and extended versions of his songs with this nationally renowned orchestra. Unlike most concerts featuring a rock band and orchestra, this concert will be driven by the orchestral arrangements written by some of the world's leading classical composers as well as Hollywood’s leading movie orchestrators.

Each composer will orchestrate one or two songs of their choice. The direction of the songs will be set by the orchestrator and producer with Bonamassa performing both electric and acoustic guitar, and singing within those confines. You will be able to hear the desperate addiction in "Sloe Gin", the ferocious animated realism of a desperate train journey in "Slow Train", the Rodrigo-like Spanish influences in "The Last Matador" and majestic landscapes to create a spectacular music event for lovers of all kinds of music.

Following pandemic disruption, Bonamassa played a one-off live show on 9 Aug 2023 at the Hollywood Bowl, with the 40-piece LA Philharmonic Orchestra, which was filmed for a live release. String arrangements were by Rabin, David Campbell (worked with Rush, Ariana Grande, Muse, Aerosmith, and his son Beck), Calvin Turner (Bonamassa's bass player) and Jeff Bova (worked with Katy Perry, Celine Dion, Cher). Campbell conducted. Set: with band: "Evil Mama", "Dust Bowl", "Love ain't a Love Song", "I Want to Shout About It", "Heart That Never Waits"; with orchestra: "When One Door Opens Overture", "Curtain Call", "Self Inflicted Wounds", "No Good Place for the Lonely", "Ball Peen Hammer", "Last Matador of Bayonne", "Prisoner", "If Heartaches were Nickels", "The Ballad of John Henry"; encore: "24 Hour Blues", "Sloe Gin". Live at the Hollywood Bowl with Orchestra was released on various formats on 21 Jun 2024, including CD/Blu-ray, CD/DVD, 2 LP (180g 'Blue Eclipse') and digitally. The release just covers the set with orchestra and not the prior songs just with his band. Rabin appears to have arranged "Prisoner" and "The Ballad of John Henry".

ARW bassist Lee Pomeroy said in a Jun 2020 interview that when he last spoke to Rabin, in late 2019, Rabin was conducting the Los Angeles Philharmonic for something. In the Jul 2020 interview, Rabin explained that Brian Lane and Larry Magid (who organised ARW's touring) had been willing to organise and finance such an event, but that the COVID-19 pandemic had stalled any plans.

Rabin's main activity had been Yes featuring Anderson Rabin Wakeman for a period, but the band is now over. He was expected to be re-focusing on film scoring and a follow-up to Jacaranda in 2019. In a Jun 2018 interview, he talked about how he had initially thought ARW touring would be more limited ("I thought it'd be 5, 6 m[onths]"), but how the Hall of Fame induction "enlarged the whole idea of the thing" and that "there's all these people relying on the tour, the crew" and, thus, he has "continued and continued" with the shows. However, "next [year? which would be 2019]... I'm going to start... I've got an album to do, a solo album, and [...] the record company really want do so a second one [after Jacaranda] [...] so I'm gonna do that, but then I'm getting back into film." He continued later in the interview:
Once [...] we [ARW] do Europe […] once that tour is finished, I'm actually going to start bookings [for film scoring]. So I've promised [new manager] Rich [Jacobellis] that when I come back, in between now and doing the next tour [26 Aug-9 Sep 2018] […] I'll agree to start taking meetings, speaking to people and I'll phone my friends [like directors Renny Harlin and Jerry Bruckheimer]
An Apr 2017 interview (conducted Mar) had laid out the following plan:
I’ve got two solo records which I’m scheduled to do and two scores which I’m not at liberty to mention [...] I pretty much signed on to them now, and so I’m pretty busy right up until the end of 2018 at this point.

I did an instrumental album in 2012 [Jacaranda]. I wanna follow that up with another [instrumental] album, and I also do wanna do a kind of vocal rock album to follow up on [...] Can’t Look Away [...] obviously, a priority goal for us is ARW

In a Jun 2017 interview, Jason Becker, who is having Rabin guest on a piece of his, said, "[Rabin] is working on a symphony now": I am unclear what that is, and whether it is related to solo work, film scoring or something else.

He released his solo album Jacaranda in 2012 and said in one May 2012 interview that: "I've already starting thinking about material for a next album." He explained in another interview (published around May 2012, but possibly from earlier in that year):

I love my work and my work for the last 12 years, or so, has been making song scores, but I love going on vacation. I really do enjoy doing the movie stuff and I’m not going to stop. I am also not going to let that side of things get in the way of doing this [solo work], which is my favorite thing to do.

He has talked about two projects, an electric guitar concerto and the rock album with vocals. He said later in the latter May 2012 interview:

I am actually about halfway through an electric guitar concerto right now. I was very into it but there is so much work, right down to how to write it, that I have not  finished it yet. Right now, it has four guitars in it but it might end up having five guitars. What is a guitar concerto, you may ask? There will be four or five guitars that will each have very specific parts written for it.

In a Nov 2012 interview, he described two projects:
I've had something on the burner for a long time, but I've never really got centered on it [...] I have an electric-guitar concerto. I'm calling it that, which might sound a bit posh, but it's just a classical electric guitar. What I have sketched out is for full orchestra and electric guitar. I've also included four bagpipes, which just sounded so great. It's a great combination, these very legato, almost sitar-ish guitars and the drone of the bagpipes, which is an extraordinary sound. I really want to come to terms with this guitar concerto
And:
I'm also very determined to do a rock album, whatever that means, with singing on it.
In a Jun 2012 interview, he said, "I will sing on a record in the future. I've started working on a followup to Jacaranda. I'm going to do a vocal." He also says, "I met with Robert Plant and we wanted to do something together, so I'd love to revisit that." And in another Jun 2012 interview, Rabin says, "I will sing soon! Yes, I will definitely be singing on my future albums and projects." And adds, "This album [Jacaranda] and the music I express on it is definitely a turning point for me. I will be far more creatively free from this moment on since creating Jacaranda." In my Jul 2012 interview with Rabin, he said: "I am so motivated by Jacaranda it certainly won't be 20 years between albums again." In an Aug 2013 interview, he said: "I am starting a new solo album as a follow up to Jacaranda".

In a Mar 2014 radio interview, Anderson mentioned a recent email from Rabin who had, in Anderson's words, "just written a piano concerto for Lang Lang" [official website].

Film scores etc.
Rabin has done the theme music for the animated US sitcom Digman!, which premiered on 22 March 2023 on Comedy Central.

In a May 2018 interview, Anderson said that, "Trevor [Rabin] has been doing music for a Broadway show as well as film soundtracks". Anderson appeared to be describing recent activity, but that is not clear. In the Jul 2020 interview, Rabin said he had been approached by producers about a Broadway show, but decided he was not interested.

Re-releases and archival releases
90124 is being released on vinyl for the first time, as a double LP on clear vinyl (Blue Day, BDL022LP). The release was out 24 Feb 2023.

Rabin has an online store through Music Glue (who do Rick Wakeman's) and managed by Gonzo Multimedia. As well as a number of existing releases, the store includes some previously promo-only releases and re-releases: these were released Jun 2020. Lost Soundtracks Vol 1 – Jack Frost is the score to the 1998 film. Lost Soundtracks Vol 2 – Film Music was a promo-only compilation by Rabin's management. There is a 2CD album, Cry Lonely Wolf, a live recording from Boston, 13 Dec 1989. (This looks different within the Changes boxset, where it is called Live in L.A. and Boston, and I don't know whether the standalone release is actually different or not.) There's a remastered 2CD re-release of Rabin's 1989 solo album Can't Look Away, with a bonus disc of edits and promotional material. (The bonus disc also includes 2 live songs from the Boston show, at least on the version in the boxset Changes; I am unclear if they are included in the standalone release.) There's a remastered re-release of his 1979 solo album, Face to Face, which purports to come with a bonus track of "Don't You Ever Lose (single edit)", but this isn't actually included. There's also a remastered re-release of what is advertised as Beginnings aka Trevor Rabin and which physically says Trevor Rabin (Beginnings) on its cover, but this is the Trevor Rabin form rather than the earlier Beginnings version. This comes with two bonus track single edits. There's a remastered Wolf. There's a remastered re-release of 90124, with the track listing for the final track appropriately corrected to "Don't Give In (a.k.a. Make It Easy)" and new liner notes.

Finally, there is a 10CD boxset entitled Changes with everything together. The boxset comes with a signed and numbered certificate, 24-page A4 photo book about the making of Wolf, 24-page A4 photo book about Can't Look Away and beyond, an A3 poster and press photos. In his Prog interview, Rabin explains that the project was the idea of Rob Ayling (worked with Jon Anderson, Rick Wakeman) of Gonzo Multimedia. Rabin said, "I was far from convinced this was a good idea. Those first four solo albums are all available anyway, and did I really want to put out a lot of sub-standard demos as bonus tracks? [...] But the way this has been put together now works for me."

In the Burns Jul 2020 interview, Rabin said, "We're talking about doing a film score boxset [...] There, I will choose my favourite stuff." Likewise, in the Sep 2020 SOAL interview, he said, "we want to do a boxset of [...] score music" and talked of a 20-25 disc set. He continued, "I might even go in and re-record some of it with orchestra. And even integrate some scores together [...] just make a couple of really long suites".

Collaborations, guest appearances & other news
Rabin performed at the 2 Oct 2022 tribute show to the late Alan White: see details under White.



"Talking to Yourself" (2:53; video) was the third single from Carly Rae Jepsen's album The Loneliest Time (604/School Boy/Interscope), out 21 Oct 2022. The single was released 16 Sep 2022, backed with "Beach House" and "Western Wind". All three tracks were then also included on the fourth single, "The Loneliest Time" (with Rufus Wainwright), released 7 Oct. "Talking to Yourself" was co-written and produced by Captain Cuts, who are now Ryan Rabin (Trevor's son) and Benjamin Berger, who also performed on the track. Trevor guests on a guitar solo. Neither of the Rabins appear on any of the other 12 tracks (or 3 digital bonus tracks). The album was recorded 2020-2, largely in lockdown. The album made #16 in the UK, #18 in Canada, #19 in the US, #37 in New Zealand, #52 in Japan (#33 in digital albums), #61 in Ireland, #62 in Australia, #94 in Spain, and #180 in both Flanders and Wallonia (Belgium). It also made #39 on the German digital chart. "Talking to Yourself" made #91 on the UK iTunes chart. The album made #4 on the Canadian iTunes chart, #6 in Brazil, #7 in the US and Australia, #9 in the UK, #21 in Germany, and #26 in France.

Rabin guested with Outlanders (alternate website, Twitter), a collaboration between vocalist Tarja Turunen (ex-Nightwish) and musician/producer Torsten Stenzel (York, worked with Mike Oldfield, Nelly Furtado, Joss Stone). The project, which was mainly recorded in Antigua, mixes electronic music, vocals and (electric and acoustic) guitars. The album uses some texts by Paulo Coelho. Marcelo Cabuli is the executive producer. The first single, "Closer to the Sky" (streaming audio; music video), featured Rabin and was released digitally 26 Nov 2021. There is also a 7" vinyl release, with a b-side of "Closer to the Sky (Dub Mix)". There was also a Scot & Millfield remix and a Beau Chapeau remix of the song, both also released in 2022. The song was written by Turunen and either Erik Nyholm or Stenzel (I've seen different reports), and is performed by Turunen (vocals), Stenzel (programming) and Rabin (guitars). It was recorded and engineered in Antigua by Stenzel, with the vocals recorded by Turunen in Marbella, Spain, and the guitars recorded and co-produced by Rabin. The song was produced and mixed by Stenzel, Turunen and MIC, and mastered by Tom Porcell. The band released 8 singles in total before an album, A Peaceful Place, out 23 Jun 2023, including on CD and curacao blue vinyl 2LP. Tracks:
  1. "Outlanders", with Walter Giardino (Rata Blanca)
  2. "Closer to the Sky", with Rabin
  3. "The Cruellest Goodbye", with Al Di Meola
  4. "World in My Eyes", with Vernon Reid)
  5. "Mystique Voyage", with Steve Rothery (Marillion)
  6. "The Sleeping Indian", with Joe Satriani
  7. "Land of Sea and Sun", with Marty Friedman
  8. "1971", with Giardino
  9. "We Own This Sky", with Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal (ex-Asia)
  10. "Never Too Far", with Mike Oldfield (worked with Jon Anderson, Geoff Downes)
  11. "Echoes", with Jennifer Batten
  12. "A Peaceful Place (Return to the Oasis)", with Giardino


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Rick Wakeman and Rabin have both mooted the possibility an album together at some point: see here for details. Rabin also appears on a couple of tracks of Wakeman's Unreleased Demos Volume 1, the third Caped Crusader Collector Club release, with demos and more from the 1990s. He then also appeared on one track of the fifth Caped Crusader Collector Club release, Rehearsals and Demos, on another demo: see under Rick Wakeman. Both Rabin and Wakeman are expected to guest on Jon Anderson's 1000 Hands: Chapter Two, expected in 2023: see under Anderson.

Rabin and Roger Hodgson worked together around the time Hodgson turned down the idea of joining Yes, the collaboration yielding "Walls" on Talk. Some of that material was recorded with Squire, White and Kaye. Asked in the Sep 2020 SOAL interview whether any of it might see release, Rabin replied that he and Hodgson "always keep in touch". He continued, "we really spent quite some time enjoying writing together and recording stuff. A lot of it just never got finished. [...] That's something that, y'know, maybe, at some point, Roger and I should... y'know, time's getting on, so we should do it sooner than later. [...] There's quite a lot of stuff that wasn't finished and, we've always talked about, we should get this done, finished, and forget about where, how it's gonna be done, let's just do it and get it done." Talking on The Record Player podcast (Sep 2023), it appeared nothing had happened since 2020. Rabin said, "Nothing's finished and mixed," but that he would talk to Hodgson about the material when he saw him in Oct 2023.

Gary May (Trevor's brother-in-law) said on Facebook in early 2015 how he had had "Trevor produce, orchestrate and play on one of my songs", with a photo taken in Rabin's Jacaranda studio in Oct 2014.

Rabbitt reunited as Rabbitt Reloaded for a South African tour with original members Duncan Faure, Ronnie Robot and Neil Cloud, but without Rabin, although Rabin is supportive of the project. The new band was joined by Marius Marais. However, the tour was postponed before starting following Robot suffering a hand injury.

In Aug 2021, Rabin sold his music publishing catalogue of 3528 pieces—including music with Yes, from his solo career and film scores—to private equity firm Round Hill Music Royalty Fund Limited. Round Hill got the writer's and publisher's share of the catalogue and administrative control. Josh Gruss, chairman and CEO of Round Hill, said, "We believe this is a particularly attractive area in which to be increasing our exposure, as film and TV performance revenues continue to increase in value."


Igor Khoroshev

No current info




Oliver Wakeman - Rick's son. Homepage; Oliver Wakeman Band Facebook page; Twitter; YouTube
Solo
Oliver Wakeman's new solo album, Anam Cara (trailer; SOUMCD607; 58:00 duration), was released 10 May 2024 (brought forward from 17 May) on Spirit of Unicorn Music. Wakeman described it in promo as "a sort of spritual sequel to The Three Ages of Magick, even though it's a completely different type of record[.] On that one I used whistles and a violinist and a Uilleann pipe player, and it worked really well. I went back and listened to it when I did the box sets, and it sort of stoked that fire in me to use those instruments again." He also explained the title, which means "soul friend", saying "the songs are about interactions between people [...] about people being away from each other, about people from the past who are no longer with us [...] The songs are all little vignettes. It's not a concept album, but there is a theme around the idea of the soul friend, someone who is looking for something, a connection." In a Mar 2024 interview, he explained how he had planned to do the album around 2007, but then he got busy with Yes and subsequent other projects. Then, in late 2022, his management asked for a new album and they agreed on Wakeman doing Anam Cara, although the project then took more work than he had expected, as he extensively re-wrote much of the material. The album is performed by Wakeman (keys, piano, electric guitars, backing vocals), Hayley Griffiths (vocals), Dave Mark Pearce (electric guitar, backing vocals), Oliver Day (worked with John Holden; acoustic guitars, lap steel, lute, mandolin), Troy Donockley (Nightwish; Uillleann pipes, whistles), Scott Higham (drums, percussion, backing vocals), Steve Amadeo (bass), Mick Allport (sax, clarinet) and Robert McClung (violin). Karl Groom (Threshold, worked with Yes, Pendragon) engineered and mixed.

The opening track is "The View from Here", which partly dates back to 2002, with the chorus being described by Wakeman as "still recognisable" from an earlier version of the piece recorded with vocalist Rachel Williams, while he's "completely rewritten [other] parts". Prog magazine describes the album's centrepiece as "Marble Arch" (8 minutes), a song about a love triangle. Wakeman talked about writing the music "over the years", and he'd "think, [']Well, that fits that sort of spiritual, celtic thing, so I'll save it" for the project. Then, "a year or two ago, I listened to them all and thought, 'Oh, they sound pretty good.' Then you get into it, and actually you end up rewriting half the stuff!" Tracks:
  1. "The View from Here" (4:01)
  2. "The Queen's Lament" (5:46), a "story-like song", according to Wakeman, about Catherine Howard (but unrelated to his father's "Catherine Howard") and how she handled her impending execution, written from her perspective; Wakeman plays a harmonium, while his wife provides backing vocals
  3. "Here in My Heart" (7:26), a song about "inner turmoil"; this started life as a "little Celtic refrain vocally", with Wakeman adding multiple sections to create a long-form piece, but then belatedly deciding he needed to replace the initial vocal melody with a new one
  4. "1000 Autumns" (4:08), described by Wakeman as "more of a singles type track [...] a sort of relationship song"; it began "much more complicated than it's ended up on the album", but Wakeman "pulled it apart" and re-worked it
  5. "Marble Arch" (8:44), based on a story Wakeman wrote as a teenager
  6. "In the Moonlight" (6:05)
  7. "Miss You Now" (4:51), video; with Wakeman on electric guitar, keys and backing vocals
  8. "Instead of My Fear" (3:01), second video
  9. "Lonely" (5:25)
  10. "Golden Sun in Grey" (8:26), set 100-200 years ago about a woman who has had a liaison with a sailor and is wishing for his return
Anam Cara was at #25 in the UK Progressive Albums chart for May 2024.

Wakeman tweeted in Nov 2022 about recording guitar and keyboard solos for Anam Cara, and said the album was due early/mid-2023, although the album was subsequently delayed. He then tweeted 31 Dec 2022, "Managed to finish the writing & arrangements for the new 'Anam Cara' record today. [...] Looking forward to recording sessions over the next month & mixing in Feb." On social media on 22 Jan 2023, he said, "the new album tracks are all written, arranged and lyrics finalised as of 9.06 this evening! About to send everything off to the vocalist who will work her magic on my dodgy guides!" On Facebook, he followed up, "I'll be doing some [guitar], two other fantastic guitarists handling the more complicated stuff!" On 27 Jan 2023, he said on social media, "Looking forward to the drum recording sessions for the Anam Cara album next week with the great Scott Higham". They were recording at Clive Nolan's studio. On 28 Jan, he wrote, "Great afternoon today going through the electric guitar parts with David Mark Pearce for the new album." There were several more messages on 2 Feb: he wrote of "receiving acoustic guitar parts from Oliver Day. Meanwhile Dave Pearce works on the electric guitar parts & the vocal sessions are going on in Surrey!" Then, "The first few songs of guitars (and assorted stringed instruments) which I received yesterday from Oliver Day [...] were amazing". And finally: "Another great day recording drums with Scott Higham and Karl Groom for the new Anam Cara album. We're all finished now. I even persuaded Scott to add some Bodhrán in places! More guitars to listen to tonight from Oliver Day". On 3 Feb 2023, Wakeman tweeted, "Aiming to have it recorded, mixed & mastered by May, for release in the autumn.🤞" On 11 Feb, he said on social media, "Fun day today, back working with David Mark Pearce on the electric guitar parts for the new Anam Cara project. Had the drum recordings back today as well so looking forward to hearing them. It's slowly coming together!" On 10 Apr, he said, "Spending the evening working on the final keyboard and guitar parts before I head into the studio to record the vocals for the new Anam Cara record. [...] Still aiming for an autumn release!" On 21 Apr, he said, "Really looking forward to a weekend in @LordConnaught's [John Mitchell] studio with the fantastic Hayley Griffiths [...] recording the vocals for the new Anam Cara album." Griffiths was formerly in Karnataka. On 9 Jun 2023, Oliver said:
I was supposed to have delivered the album for mixing by now but I decided at the last minute that 2 songs needed a rewrite (one quite substantially!)
Just finished the second one now so I think I’m finally there. Need to get everything to Karl [Groom] for mixing now!

He tweeted on 16 Jul 2023: "Just received the first mix of the Anam Cara record. A few tweaks required but I can't express how pleased I am with this record. Still aiming for autumn release. Also spent the weekend with the wonderful @AnneSudworth discussing the artwork for the cover and booklet. He said 19 Jul on social media, "Hoping the final mixes will be complete by the weekend." In a Dec 2023 interview, Wakeman talks about almost finishing the album when he decided the chorus on one song wasn't good enough, thus delaying the album for further work on it. In that interview, he also described the album as "rock/celtic" and talked about Robert McClung (Telergy) guesting on violin. Other performers are guesting on sax and clarinet. He also explained the origins of the project:
It it came originally from a project I was doing 20 years ago with a young singer called Rachel, who was a a Welsh singer. And she just sang beautiful, lilting folk songs and she was a harpist. So the project originally started off at that. And I think it was her husband turned around and said to me, oh, if you do a project together, you should call it Anam Cara. And I said, well, what's that? And he said, well, it's Celtic for "soul friend" [...] you musicians, you're all like soul friends together because you don't know anything about each other when you first meet and you just create music together. [...] The project never really got going [...] We did a couple of demos, I think, and then it sort of fell apart. [...] [Later,] my management was saying to me, what, what do you want to do next?And I kept thinking to myself, I want to do that Celtic rock record again because I love [...] that Riverdance stuff. I love Clannad, all that. [...] And also I wanted to work with a female vocalist because I've worked a lot with male vocalists.
He had described the project in his Nov 2022 newsletter thus:
I currently have about 3 records in the works but I decided to focus on the one which I have wanted to do for quite a while, Anam Cara. This was an idea for a project I wanted to do many years ago when I started working with the singer Rachel.

However, as that band dissipated and morphed in into the Oliver Wakeman Band and the Mother’s Ruin album, the ideas I had for this album were put on the back burner. So when I was in discussion with the management company about what was coming next, I mentioned this album idea and got the green light

[...] nearly all the music is written and I have David Mark Pearce doing the electric guitars, Steve Amadeo on bass and Scott Higham on drums. [...] There will be more announcements over the coming weeks about the vocalist and other musicians confirmed on the album.

[...] Anne Sudworth will again be providing one of her wonderful pieces of artwork for the sleeve. [...] Karl Groom [...] will be handling the mixing and mastering.

We are currently aiming for an early 2023 release date.
I believe the other "records in the works" are Works for Art and Cultural Vandals: more on those below. Wakeman tweeted 7 Nov 2021, presumably about Anam Cara, "Starting the journey of working on a new album." This may also be the project alluded to on 21 Feb 2020, when he tweeted:
Busy trying to finish the writing sessions for my new album which will hopefully be out later this year [2020]. Had a breakthrough today writing the middle section for a piece I’ve been working on for some time
Nearly ready to start working on the arrangements. Then comes the recording!

Oliver's Oct 2018 Newslist also described three major projects. First, he wrote how, "I have been working on a new project which is very exciting and I have a meeting during this month to finalise the details and so look out for news in the next newsletter." It's unclear which project that was. Secondly in the Oct 2018 newsletter, he wrote, "I have also been working on a collection of instrumental piano pieces based on music I have written for my family or commissions for other peoples loved ones. I was encouraged to put it together following the nice comments from people who heard some of the pieces at the solo piano shows and by the people who have commissioned pieces from me. I am still working on it but it is coming together nicely and I am hopeful for a release in the New Year [2019]." This would appear to be the same album he described in an Aug 2018 tweet, saying he was, "currently looking into the release of a new instrumental album for later in the year [2018]". It would also appear to be the same project described in a 31 Oct 2018 tweet: "Starting to put some plan[n]ing for a new solo instrumental album due next year [2019]... more info soon." His Sep 2019 newsletter said:
I have continued to work on the collection of instrumental piano pieces based on music I have written for my family or commissions for other people's loved ones.

I have decided to include other musicians on the album (as it was originally going to be just myself on piano) as I feel that, with the way some of the pieces are developing, it feels more like the follow up to 3 Ages of Magick album I recorded in 2003. I think I have all the music now composed but the crafting and arrangement work has started in earnest. I am hoping that this will be out for Spring 2020.

Pieces on the album include "Lottie's Song" (for his daugher) and a new version of "November Wedding" (previously released on Trinity). In a Facebook broadcast in Apr 2020, Wakeman said he is currently working on the album, which will be called Works for Art. He was working towards a release for the end of 2020, with a cover by Rodney Matthews, but the album has yet to appear. In an Apr 2024 interview, he said:
I'm doing that […] with some instrumental pieces. […] I've done some commissioned music in my time, where people write to me and ask me to write a piece of music for their their wife or a special occasion. So I've written music for people's occasions. And I suddenly thought I've done that maybe six or seven times and I thought, you know what, it'd be quite nice to actually put these pieces of music out, and so I started writing some other pieces of music for myself, and they've sort of sort of come together in a little bucket of work, and it's like, OK, that's quite good fun. So I'm doing a few sort of piano shows at the moment, so what I'm tending to do is, I take a lot of these piano pieces with me, and I go and perform them live, and they adapt […] They find their arrangement, when you play them and you perform them, you get a feel as to how a piece of music is going, so that's another little bucket that's sort of going on. And there were some pieces from Anam Cara that I didn't use that I may use next time. But I've also got another bucket full of rock songs, because I want to do another rock album at some point. There's always a good couple of buckets on the go of music.
To Prog magazine (Mar 2024 issue), Wakeman said he plans to release a follow-up to Mother's Ruin: "I've written the follow-up[.] I realised that 2025 will be the 20th anniversary of that record, so we've been talking about recording the follow-up and going out and playing both. I believe this a reference to Cultural Vandals, the third project mentioned in the Oct 2018 newsletter, where Wakeman said: "With all the work that has been going in my life for the last few years (Yes, Gordon Giltrap, Piano solo shows & Sessions) my own rock band has taken a back seat which meant that my 'Cultural Vandals' project never got finished. I am intending to try and get this finished and released next year [2019] as well. I have all the music written and most of the instruments and vocals have been recorded, it just needs some final recording done and then a jolly good mix and an interested record label!" In his Sep 2019 newsletter, however, he said "[t]his hasn't progressed any further". The band has been himself (keys, piano), Paul Manzi (Arena; vocals), David Mark Pearce (works with Lisa LaRue; guitars), Paul Brown (ex-Medicine Man; bass), Dave Wagstaffe (Landmarq, ex-Peter Banks, ex-John Wetton; drums). He continued to write material during his tenure in Yes and had, at one point, decided on 9 songs for the album. He was re-working this material from Jan 2011. Manzi and Pearce were also working on creating a rough mix of the album. Wakeman said on Facebook in May 2011: "The album itself will be a mixture of different styles and lengths of songs but I don't really like to give away song titles or descriptions before an album is released because that way no-one will have any pre-conceived ideas on how it will sound!" In a Sep 2011 blog, he said:

Cultural Vandals is coming along really well. We are currently discussing the options for releasing it which will hopefully be towards the end of the year [2011] or early 2012. I have been working on another project for the last few months and I hadn't listened to it for a while. I mentioned in my last blog that I always like to let albums sit for a while and then revisit them to make sure that I am happy with them. I sat and listened to it in full yesterday to see what other work was required and it felt really good to me. I can't wait to start recording [...] a finished version

Manzi was recording vocals with Wakeman in May 2012, presumably for this project.

In a review of 2016 on his website, Oliver said, "There is my large scale musical project which I have been working on all year [2016] with a well known music producer and my business partner. We are confident that it will see the light of day this year [2017]."  In a May 2018 tweet, he talked of "working on my next album rough mixes".

In a May 2009 interview, Oliver says:

I have a lot of solo material that I'd like to record too – four very different albums' worth. One will be a rock album, another Celtic rock, the third is a rock opera, and the fourth is made up of piano pieces. I really hope to start recording them before the end of the year [2009]. I like to use a studio in Virginia Water, Surrey, where I have a great relationship with the engineer Karl Groom. I produce my own recordings myself.

In the Jun 2008 interview, Oliver also said that he was "a fair way through a solo project on the piano". Oliver had also started work on a singer-songwriter-style album featuring various musicians he has worked with over the years.

On 13 Mar, Oliver tweeted about being, "Back in the studio working on the new @dexibellMI project..." Dexibell are an Italian musical instrument company. Further details as to what this project entails have not been forthcoming so far.

Oliver is available for writing commissions.

Live
Oliver Wakeman's Anam Cara were to play the Summer's End Festival on 7 Oct 2023. However, due to a bereavement affecting a band member, they had to postpone to the Winter's End Festival in Chepstow, UK, and performed on 14 Apr 2024. The set was "Moneyfacturing", "Dangerous World", "Run for Your Life", "The View from Here", "1000 Autumns", "I Don't Believe in Angels", "Miss You Now", Wakeman solo, "The Forgotten King", "LJW", "Glimmer of Light", "Instead of My Fear", "Mother's Ruin", "Words on a Page", "From the Turn of a Card" (Ravens & Lullabies arrangement), "The Gift of Love", "To the Moment", encore: "Coming to Town". The band was with Hayley Griffiths (vocals), Scott Higham (Pendragon; drums), Oliver Day (guitars, additional keys) and Dan Nelson (Magenta, Cyan; bass). Wakeman said in the Dec 2023 interview, "if that goes well and it and we feel like it's gelled properly, then I'd like to do a little tour with it." To Prog magazine (Mar 2024 issue), he added, "But if we do the whole record, I'm really going to need some whistles and violins and all that stuff." In the Mar 2024 interview, he also said he "would love" to tour and will go "wherever people want to hear it". In a Nov 2024 interview with Yes Music Podcast, Wakeman said he is "hopefully doing some shows next year [2025]" and described possible acoustic trio shows with Griffiths and Day, as well as wanting to play From a Page live again.

Rick Wakeman, Oliver Wakeman, Gordon Giltrap (worked with Rick Wakeman, Oliver Wakeman) and Carrie Martin (worked with Oliver Wakeman) played a charity concert on 6 May 2023 in Tewkesbury, UK, entitled The 'Other' Coronation Concert. Oliver's son, Arthur, also joined Oliver for one song. The event raised money for Milestone and Cleeve Schools and nearly sold out. A second show was planned for 22 Jun 2024, again with the two Wakemans, Giltrap and Martin.

Oliver was also due to play with dad Rick at a proposed Apr 2024 performance of Rick's The New Gospels in an updated form, under the new name of Christus. This didn't happen in Apr and I am unclear if it is still going ahead: see under Rick Wakeman for details.

Work with Rodney Matthews
In the Mar 2024 interview, Wakeman described working on 4 projects with illustrator and drummer Rodney Matthews. Wakeman said, "The thing that I'm working on at the moment is for a project called Squidd, which was his band from the seventies", later describing this as "the next thing that will come out from Rodney". Matthews drummed in Squidd, but the band didn't release any material at the time. Wakeman explained how Matthews said to him, "I've got these recordings the band did, back in the seventies, for a radio show." Matthews continued, "I'd really like to do these and write some new stuff into these songs and [...] get them re-done." So, Wakeman has "been working through all these old tapes" and "re-recording a load of these parts [...] and writing new sections". Wakeman continued, "We're writing new music for it, but of course I want to write in the style of how the original band was." This means that Wakeman is just using Hammond, Moog and piano.

Matthews had tweeted about the project in Nov 2023, saying, "A new illustration for a music project that I have just commenced with @OliverWakeman, based upon ideas both musical and image-wise that I worked on in the early 1970s but never recorded as an album!" He had earlier mentioned this same illustration in his newsletter, where he said:

Work has now commenced on a new music project with Oliver Wakeman. This will most likely take the form of an album on vinyl and CD, with tracks influenced by my images. The twist with this one is that it will be retro, incorporating images and musical ideas that I first experimented with during the early 1970s – that definitely makes it “proggy”! Right now I am working on a new illustration for the booklet, titled ‘Armageddon sings as the Toad Conducts the Band’.

Wakeman and guitarist Jeff Scheetz are also working with Matthews on a follow-up to 2019's Trinity. Wakeman said in the Mar 2024 interview that both he and Scheetz "have started writing for that".

In the Nov 2024 interview with Yes Music Podcast, Wakeman said Karl Groom is working with him on something for Matthews.

Rodney and his wife Sarah re-did the 1978 children's book "Yendor", originally by Graham Smith and Rodney. (Yendor is Rodney backwards.) The book is out. There is a CD release with narration by Sarah, some additional voice from Rodney, and a score by Wakeman.

The audio version, with Wakeman's music, was turned into an animation. The 17 minute "Yendor - The Journey of a Junior Adventurer" was shown at multiple film festivals, winning several awards. The Matthews are working towards a second Yendor short animation, with a story scripted specifically for the film. In the Mar 2024 interview, Wakeman confirmed that R Matthews "[i]s doing another Yendor film" and that he will again do the soundtrack. In an Apr 2024 interview, Wakeman said: "I'm doing some music with artist Rodney Matthews about a book at the moment. We're working on some music to a book". This may be in reference to this or one of these other projects.

The fourth project with Matthews that Wakeman mentioned in the Mar 2024 interview is "another CD one track thing for something". Previously, Wakeman played on a single from Rodney Matthews & Friends, "Lost in the Wild Wood" (trailer), now out. Performing were Tony Clarkin (Magnum; guitar), Pete Coleman (English bagpipes, psaltery, recorder, etc.), Bob Catley (Magnum; vocals), Charlotte Dickerson (vocals), Wakeman (keys), Roberto Vitelli (bass), Clare Hines (electro hurdy gurdy) and R Matthews (drums). The lyrics are by R Matthews, based on a quotation from Kenneth Grahame's "The Wind in the Willows", with the music by Coleman, Clarkin and Matthews. The single was produced by R Matthews and executive produced by R & S Matthews, with art by R Matthews and graphic design by R & S Matthews.

Other work
Wakeman has done the soundtrack for the 80-minute drama "Diamond Sky" (trailer), directed by Felix Mackenzie. In a 27 Jan 2024 tweet, Wakeman wrote:

Very enjoyable day working with the director and producer of the film I’m writing the soundtrack for.

Nearly there with the final version!

On 20 Jan, he had tweeted that he was "just finishing the writing for [...] a film soundtrack". On 3 Feb, he said on social media, "A weekend of working through all the final music edits for the new feature film I'm working on as it gets delivered to Karl [Groom] [...] on Monday for the mix to start." On social media on 14 Feb 2024, he described how he "was listening to the [...] master for the film soundtrack I've been working on for the last few months". Wakeman attended the film's premiere on 14 Mar 2024 in London.



In the Mar 2024 interview, Wakeman said, "There's a chance that there might be another one" (that is, another film score).

Wakeman guests on The Madrigal Project's 11th Hour: see main page for details.

Wakeman guests again on a project by Carrie Martin. He plays on 2 tracks of her album Evergeen (earlier known as Beside the Evergreen; promo), out on Psychotron Records, contributing piano and strings to "End of Story" (based on Louise Swanson's novel of the same name) and also appearing on the 8-minute track "Keep in the Light". Martin wrote on Facebook in Nov 2022 about receiving Wakeman's parts for "End of Story". Tracks:

  1. "Beside the Evergreen", with Jim Waltham (bass)
  2. "Wynter", previously released on the LP version of Martin's Entity
  3. "Earth Angel", with Waltham (bass), Sarah Dean (harp), Martha & Alice Tregonning (additional vocals)
  4. "Keep in the Light", with O Wakeman, Roger Fisher (ex-Heart)
  5. "Deep Blue Heaven", with John Verity (ex-Argent; electric guitar), Jamie Mallender (bass)
  6. "End of Story", with Waltham (bass)
  7. "She Doesn't Know", with Dan Cassidy (fiddle), Waltham (bass)
  8. "Girl with a Feather in Her Hair", with Waltham (bass)
  9. "Boxes of Nothing", instrumental
  10. "The Tempest", with Waltham (bass)
  11. "Lost in the Right Time"
  12. "Loren", cover of the Gordon Giltrap piece; CD only

Jeremy Richardson (John Hackett band; bass) and Wayne Proctor (drums) also appear. Ben Martin (Carrie's son) produced. Cover art is by Clare Roper-Paris.

In his Nov 2024 interview with Yes Music Podcast, Wakeman also revealed that he has worked on "a couple of sessions" with Hayley Griffiths that haven't been released yet.

Early May 2023, Oliver and dad Rick were both interviewed for a forthcoming documentary film about The Strawbs.


Benoît David

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YES and projects with several Yesmen
Jon
Anderson
Steve
Howe

Geoff
Downes
Chris Squire
Alan White
Billy
Sherwood

Jon
Davison

Rick
Wakeman

Patrick
Moraz

Trevor
Rabin

Trevor
Horn

Tony
Kaye

Oliver Wakeman
Jay Schellen
Igor
Khoroshev

Bill
Bruford

Peter Banks
Benoît David
Asia
Arc of Life
CIRCA:
Yes ft. Anderson Rabin Wakeman
Others associated with the band

Any news, additions or corrections, please e-mail Henry Potts. Thanks.