Grumpy Old Rock Star

Grumpy Old Rockstar is a collection of never-before-told stories from Rick Wakeman’s amazing life.

Around September 1948, Mr. and Mrs. Cyril Wakeman had an early night and sometime later, at Perivale in Middlesex, Mrs. Wakeman produced a bonny baby son. They named him Richard, but he quickly became known as Rick.

Rick was a likeable little fellow who had a talent for the piano and for making trouble and music became Rick’s life. Later he joined a popular music group called Yes and became a legend. Much later he became a Grumpy Old Man who appears on Countdown, hosts a hugely popular radio show on Planet Rock and performs a one-man show telling stories about his rather extraordinary life. Such as the time he ordered a curry on-stage. And how he ended up with the earth from around Che Guevara’s body in his shed.

Mr. Wakeman is simply one of the great storytellers of our age — let’s face it, he has some fabulous material. It seemed a shame that some of the funniest yarns shouldn’t be more widely known. So he accepted some cash and here we are.

We defy you not to want to read it aloud and laugh.

Rick Wakeman is the most gifted keyboard player of his generation, equally at home at a rock concert as in the organ loft of a great cathedral. A keyboard player for the 70’s supergroup, Yes, his extraordinary live tours and multimillion-selling albums are legendary. Rick is a regular on BBC’s hugely popular Grumpy Old Men.