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Wakeman Rick Quizzes, Trivia and Puzzles
Wakeman Rick Quizzes, Trivia

Rick Wakeman Trivia

Rick Wakeman Trivia Quizzes

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Fun Trivia
3 Rick Wakeman quizzes and 35 Rick Wakeman trivia questions.
1.
  Journey to the Centre of the Earth    
Multiple Choice
 15 Qns
How well do you know Rick Wakeman's theme album?
Tough, 15 Qns, ubermom, Apr 19 20
Tough
ubermom
Apr 19 20
294 plays
2.
  Rick Wakeman's Early Years    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This is a short quiz on the early career of Rick Wakeman, one of rock music's foremost keyboard players.
Tough, 10 Qns, Glaswegian, Jan 05 09
Tough
Glaswegian
272 plays
3.
  Rick Wakeman - The Later Years    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Part 2 of my Rick Wakeman series as we travel through the later years of his career.
Difficult, 10 Qns, Glaswegian, Jan 05 09
Difficult
Glaswegian
210 plays
trivia question Quick Question
From which Yes song would you find the following lyric: "A river a mountain to be crossed, The sunshine in mountains sometimes lost"?

From Quiz "Yes lyrics"





Rick Wakeman Trivia Questions
1. Heading into the eighties, Rick wrote his second movie soundtrack - for which film?

From Quiz Rick Wakeman - The Later Years

Answer: The Burning

'The Burning' was a teen revenge/horror movie set in a summer camp. Rick was offered a percentage of the profits but elected to take a fee instead, as he didn't think the film was very good. The film ended up as the highest grossing horror move in Japan and made the name of the brothers who had made it - the Weinstein brothers and Miramax. The first soundtrack he wrote was for Ken Russell's 'Lisztomania' from 1975.

2. Rick is a classically trained musician. Where did he study?

From Quiz Rick Wakeman's Early Years

Answer: Royal College of Music

Rick studied piano, clarinet and modern music.

3. Rick had now moved away from the long album tracks he had once made famous and his next few albums were derided by critics, although still well received by fans. On the album 'Cost of Living', which famous actor narrated one of the tracks?

From Quiz Rick Wakeman - The Later Years

Answer: Robert Powell

The track was called 'Elegy - Written in a Country Churchyard' - a sort of tribute to the Thomas Gray poem. The critics also slated lyricist Tim Rice, with one critic stating that 'all the songs with lyrics on this effort are beyond redemption'. I guess he didn't like it then.

4. Rick started out as a session musician, playing with artists such as David Bowie and Cat Stevens. On which Bowie hit did Rick play the keyboards?

From Quiz Rick Wakeman's Early Years

Answer: Space Oddity

He also played on the Bowie hits "Life on Mars" and "Changes".

5. How many vocalists (aside from the choir) does the album feature?

From Quiz Journey to the Centre of the Earth

Answer: 2

Ashley Holt and Gary Pickford Hopkins share vocal duties, performing a sharp, piercing duet in "The Battle". The higher voice is Gary, the lower is Ashley.

6. Rick's first live album for a decade was 'Live at Hammersmith' in 1985. Rick himself describes it as 'a pretty half decent live album'. However, a power cut caused problems during the show. What did Rick do during the power cut?

From Quiz Rick Wakeman - The Later Years

Answer: Told jokes to the audience

This was an easy choice as Rick is a great joke teller and raconteur. After the show Rick had to pay a fine for going into overtime. After his protests that the power failure was not his fault, he learned that he had told jokes for 45 minutes - but power had been restored after only 3 minutes!

7. Which band did Rick join in 1970?

From Quiz Rick Wakeman's Early Years

Answer: Strawbs

Rick only stayed for two albums, "Just a Collection of Antiques and Curios" and "From the Witchwood" before moving on to join Yes.

8. How many songs are on the album?

From Quiz Journey to the Centre of the Earth

Answer: 4 & four

"The Journey", "Recollection", "The Battle", and "The Forest" are the only songs named on the album. There are many other unnamed musical interludes, including themes for a boiling river, a storm, and the party's return to the surface.

9. Back to movie soundtracks and another Ken Russell film, this time 'Crimes of Passion' in 1985. Rick's compositions were loosely based on which well known classical symphony?

From Quiz Rick Wakeman - The Later Years

Answer: New World Symphony

Dvorak's 1893 symphony 'The New World' has no real connection with the film itself. 'The Pastoral' is Beethoven's 6th symphony, 'The Surprise' is Haydn's 94th symphony (he wrote over 100) and while there are various 'Requiem Symphonies', most people will know Mozart's 39th symphony. The film itself starred Kathleen Turner and Anthony Perkins.

10. After leaving the band he joined in 1970, Rick joined Yes. What was his first album with the band?

From Quiz Rick Wakeman's Early Years

Answer: Fragile

"Close to the Edge" was his favourite album with the band. He left after disagreements over the album "Tales from Topographic Oceans".

11. Which tunnel did Professor Liedenbrock choose?

From Quiz Journey to the Centre of the Earth

Answer: Eastern

"Admiring shades of lava, which imperceptibly passed from reddish brown to bright yellow, their way lit by crystals appearing as lighted globes, they continued through the lava gallery which gently sloped until they reached the intersection of two roads. Without hesitation, Professor Liedenbrock chose the eastern tunnel." (Narrator)

12. While with Yes, Rick released his first solo album, "The Six Wives of Henry VIII". The album cover shows Rick at Madame Tussaud's with the wax effigies of the king and his wives. Which American President can just be seen in the background?

From Quiz Rick Wakeman's Early Years

Answer: Richard Nixon

Strange but true!

13. How long did the party travel before they came to a dead end?

From Quiz Journey to the Centre of the Earth

Answer: Three days

"The eastern route they had taken had come to a dead end. With three day's walk back to the fork to find Arne Saknussemm's original route, they found their water rations were limited to one day." (Narrator)

14. Rick returned to one of his most successful albums, 'Journey to the Centre of the Earth', for a sequel called 'Return to the Centre of the Earth'. He used several guest performers, including which rocker?

From Quiz Rick Wakeman - The Later Years

Answer: Ozzy Osbourne

Ozzy performed the track 'Buried Alive'. Other guest artists included Bonnie Tyler, Justin Hayward and Trevor Rabin. The production was narrated by Patrick Stewart. Bon Scott was with ACDC and Ronnie James Dio replaced Ozzy in Black Sabbath.

15. Which member of the party became separated from the others?

From Quiz Journey to the Centre of the Earth

Answer: Axel

"Professor Liedenbrock's nephew, Axel, found himself alone. His mind was seized with unparalleled fear, and he saw memories of home flashing before him." (Narrator)

16. In later years Rick contributed to a BBC television show, moaning about numerous facets of life in general. What was the show called?

From Quiz Rick Wakeman - The Later Years

Answer: Grumpy Old Men

Rick was a regular moaner on the series. Other moaners included Jeremy Clarkson, Arthur Smith and the late John Peel. Each contributor would put forward their views and pet hates on everything from mobile phones to Christmas.

17. Where was "Journey to the Centre of the Earth" recorded?

From Quiz Rick Wakeman's Early Years

Answer: The Royal Festival Hall

The recording almost made Rick bankrupt because the record company restricted the budget. Rick sold many of his belongings and mortgaged his house to provide funds.

18. What is the first adventure after setting out to sea?

From Quiz Journey to the Centre of the Earth

Answer: The battle

"But five days out to sea, they witnessed a terrifying battle between two sea monsters. One having the snout of a porpoise, the head of a lizard, and the teeth of a crocodile -- an icthyosaurus; and the other, the mortal enemy of the first, a serpent with a turtle shell -- a plesiosaurus." (Narrator)

19. In 1993, Rick also toured and recorded a live album with one of his children. Which child?

From Quiz Rick Wakeman - The Later Years

Answer: Adam

'Wakeman with Wakeman' featured Adam on keyboards and was recorded live in Argentina in 1993. The others are also Rick's children. Oliver also plays keyboards and was due to play on the 40th Anniversary tour of Yes. The tour was cancelled, however, because singer Jon Anderson was ill.

20. How is the raft destroyed?

From Quiz Journey to the Centre of the Earth

Answer: It is bashed against reefs by the storm.

"For four days the storm had raged, as they clung to the mast of their raft for safety. Finally, with their raft wrecked, after being bashed against the reefs, they lay sheltered from the pouring rain beneath a few overhanging rocks where they ate and slept." (Narrator)

21. What rock band did Rick establish to accompany him on tour and on studio albums, appearing on "Journey", "The Myths and Legends" and "No Earthly Connection"?

From Quiz Rick Wakeman's Early Years

Answer: The English Rock Ensemble

Although the line up was quite fluid, regulars included Roger Newell (bass), Barney James (drums) and Mike Egan (guitar).

22. Which sea monster won the battle?

From Quiz Journey to the Centre of the Earth

Answer: The icthyosaurus

"Suddenly, the serpent's head shot out of the water bathed in red And the serpentine form lay lifeless on the ocean." (Choir)

23. Where did Rick write the majority of the "King Arthur" album?

From Quiz Rick Wakeman's Early Years

Answer: In hospital

Most of it was written in Wexham Park hospital after Rick suffered a heart attack. A specialist recommended he stop playing and retire. Thankfully, for his fans at least, he ignored the advice - after all he was only 25 years old!

24. Why did the men flee the forest?

From Quiz Journey to the Centre of the Earth

Answer: They saw mastodons being herded by a gigantic proto-human.

There are three references to what the men saw in the forest that frightened them so: "Exploring the forest, they discovered a herd of gigantic animals, mastodons, which were being marshaled by a primitive human being, a proteus. He stood over twelve foot high, and he brandished an enormous bough, a crook worthy of this antediluvian shepherd." (Narrator) "Their shepherd came, now long extinct, a huge primeval man. The three men filled with disbelief, just turned as one and ran." (Solo) "Dumb with astonishment and amazement which bordered on stupification, they fled the forest." (Narrator)

25. What did the men discover when they fled the forest?

From Quiz Journey to the Centre of the Earth

Answer: A knife and carving on a rock

"Discovering a rusty dagger on the beach and the carved initials of the explorer before them on a slab of granite, they realized that they were once again treading the route of Arne Saknussemm." (Narrator)

26. Where do the men return to the surface of the Earth?

From Quiz Journey to the Centre of the Earth

Answer: In Italy

"Trapped in the shaft of an active volcano, they rose through the ages of man, to be finally expelled out on a mountainside riddled with tiny lava streams. Their journey was completed, and they found themselves three thousand miles from their original starting point in Iceland. They had entered by one volcano, and they had come out by another. With the blue mountains of Calabria in the east, they walked away from the mountain that had returned them, the frightening Mount Etna." (Narrator)

27. Which song was the victim of major technological problems?

From Quiz Journey to the Centre of the Earth

Answer: "The Battle"

Buzzing and other problems in a section of "The Battle" couldn't be cleaned up, so the engineers (Paul Tregurtha and Pete Flanagan) were forced to reuse a section from later in the song. Hence, the original words, "Moving close to their raft's side, the three men prayed as one and cried," are replaced with, "Battle won, a victor's pride, the three men thanked the Lord and cried," which doesn't make any sense at that point in the song.

28. What famous composer did Wakeman borrow a few bars from?

From Quiz Journey to the Centre of the Earth

Answer: Grieg

The closing musical sequence includes the famous theme from "In The Hall of the Mountain King."

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