Rick Wakeman: The Caped Crusader of Prog

My burning ambition is to eventually double the size of my Rick Wakeman CD collection, which shouldn't be too difficult as I currently only have this 5-CD box set of Rick's classic albums from the 1970's - bought from Morrisons supermarket of all places for just £8. 

This powerful soundtrack album has No Earthly Connection with Andrew Lloyd Webber, as it was specially written for the re-release of the 1925 silent movie: The Phantom of the Opera. The album features several of the talented stalwarts from the Rick Wakeman touring ensemble, including Ashley Holt and the heavenly voice of Chrissie Hammond and with Tony Fernandez on drums. The album also features operatic tenor Ramon Remedios, making this superb soundtrack well-worth a tenner of anyone's money, but stay tuned for Rick's ultimate 5-star version of The Phantom of the Opera, released in 2017.   

Rick's verdict on the film and soundtrack:-

"This is the strangest soundtrack album ever and in many ways I think it is the best. I would certainly love to get my hands on the original film that the music was used for and do a joint package. The owners actually approached me about the idea and I said I was well up for it - and that was the last I heard from them! Try and find the film on DVD or even video. It's quite brilliant."

This is the "Real" Lisztomania soundtrack (complete with dialogue), as it was originally intended by Rick, but rejected by A & M Records, although in all honesty, I prefer the released version from 1975 with Roger Daltrey.  

I've never stopped believing in Rick Wakeman, but I should give Rick's two albums with his ex-wife (Nina Carter) a miss if I were you. 

I like Gallery, too. It appears to have sustained a bit of unfairly harsh criticism.