Richard Wakeman ... Richard Clayderman

I noticed this a while back when I got hold of Wakeman's double CD The Masters (and said as much in my review), but tonight I was watching my Rick Wakeman The Legend DVD and I was struck once again at how much Rick Wakeman's unaccomanied piano instrumentals can sound like the stuff Clayderman plays ...

For those who are not familiar with The Legend, it features Wakeman telling tales (he proves to be an excellent stand-up comedian) and playing unaccompanied keyboard ... there's some top-notch prog playing in the medley of Catherine Howard/Catherine Of Aragorn and And You and I

But a lot of his music sounds incredibly like Clayderman, even acclaimed pieces like Birdman of Alcatraz and other stuff like Seasons of Change, Children Of Chernobyl (despite the moving theme) and the bonues track Sea Horses ... does anybody ever feel this way about Wakeman's post 70s output?

I'm genuinely interested to know if anybody detects a similarity in technique on this sort of "easy listening" pieces, that goes beyond "Wakeman does bland piano instrumentals to sell records and so does Clayderman."

chopper wrote: I can't really comment on Rick's solo piano work but I don't think he'll thank you for comparing him to Mr Clayderman. I once heard a story where Rick was in a restaurant and one of the waiters wanted his autograph. Rick said yes, at which point the waiter shot off home and returned with an armful of Richard Clayderman LPs! (It must be the blond hair).

richard clayderman:

 

here in quebec , we have the same genre: (another richard)

richard abel:

richardh wrote: chopper wrote: I can't really comment on Rick's solo piano work but I don't think he'll thank you for comparing him to Mr Clayderman. I once heard a story where Rick was in a restaurant and one of the waiters wanted his autograph. Rick said yes, at which point the waiter shot off home and returned with an armful of Richard Clayderman LPs! (It must be the blond hair).

It had to happen one day ... does this compare to the time my mother met Judi Dench and introduced her to my father as "the Bond girl?"

Rick Wakeman
Richard Clayderman
Richard Abel... for me... For You?