Reviewed by: Keith "Muzikman" Hannaleck, September 2002
In 1975, Rick Wakeman made history by taking the classic science fiction novel Journey To The Centre Of The Earth by Jules Verne and set it to music with a lavish production including a full band, orchestra, and choir. This DVD and CD set capture the end of that first tour in Australia.
Keeping in mind that this was 1975, it put the proper spin on things for me while watching this performance. You cannot compare today's lighting and stage effects to what they had back then, and the difference is obvious. At times, I noticed that the narrator's voice was not in synchronization with his lips, and I noticed how poor the lighting was and how the camera was taking shots from behind the crowd with people milling about, it was very unprofessional. Wakeman spent most of the performance a putrid shade of orange, so the lighting was not much better. They also used the kaleidoscope effect several times with the filming, which was a little tough on the eyes.
The music on the other hand is vintage Wakeman pioneering a progressive rock classic as well as featuring songs from his albums The Six Wives of Henry VIII and King Arthur And The Knights Of The Roundtable. Take away all of the inadequacies on the technical side and you have one outstanding and memorable performance. I do remember watching it on TV when it first came out. For that time, it was a big deal, and it set the stage for all of theatrics and stage shows that you see today.
Wakeman took a huge risk and invested a lot of time and money in an unproven commodity. He came out the winner with a fabulous production that you will witness documented on the DVD/CD set.
[With this reissue, as represented by the right most cover, the track "Guinevre" is included, but does not seem to appear on the earlier release that Bobo reviewed -ed.]
More about Journey To The Centre Of The Earth:
Track Listing: DVD: Catherine Parr / Guinevere / Journey To The Centre Of The Earth / Catherine Howard - Merlin / Anne Boleyn / Reprise From The Forest
Audio CD: Catherine Parr / Guinevere / Catherine Howard / Anne Boleyn / Journey To The Centre Of The Earth
Musicians:
Rick Wakeman - keyboards
Jeffrey Crampton - guitars
Roger Newell - guitars
Barney James - drums
Ashley Holt - vocals
Gary Pickford - vocals
John Hodgson - percussion
Contact:
Website: www.rwcc.com
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Discography
- Piano Vibrations (1971)
- The Six Wives of Henry VIII (1973)
- Journey to the Centre of the Earth (1974)
- Lisztomania (1975)
- The Myths & Legends of King Arthur & The Knights of the Round Table
(1975)
- No Earthly Connection (1976)
- Rick Wakeman's Criminal Record (1977)
- White Rock (1977)
- Animal Showdown (1979)
- Rhapsodies (1979)
- I'm So Straight I'm A Weirdo (1980)
- 1984 (1981)
- The Burning (OST) (1981)
- Rock n Roll Prophet (1982)
- Cost of Living (1983)
- G'ole! (1983)
- Crimes of Passion (OST) (1984)
- Live at Hammersmith (1985)
- Lytton's Diary (1985)
- Silent Nights (1985)
- Country Airs (1986)
- The Family Album (1987)
- The Gospels (1987)
- 20th Anniversary Limited Edition (1988)
- A Suite of Gods (1988)
- Custer's Last Stand/Ocean City (1988)
- Time Machine (1988)
- Zodiaque (1988)
- Black Knights At The Court Of Ferdinand IV (1989)
- Sea Airs(1989)
- Phantom Power (1990)
- In The Beginning (1990)
- Night Airs (1990)
- Phantom Power (1990)
- 2000AD Into The Future (1991)
- African Bach (1991)
- Aspirant Sunrise(1991)
- Aspirant Sunset(1991)
- Aspirant Sunshadows(1991)
- Rock n Roll Prophet Plus (1991)
- Softsword (1991)
- The Classical Connection (1991)
- Best Works Collection (1992)
- Country Airs (1992)
- Classic Tracks (1993)
- No Expense Spared (1993)
- Prayers (1993)
- The Classical Connection 2 (1993)
- The Heritage Suite (1993)
- Unleashing The Tethered One - The 1974 North American Tour (1993)
- Wakeman with Wakeman (1993)
- Light Up The Sky (1994)
- Live On The Test (1994)
- Lure Of The Wild (1994)
- Rick Wakeman's Greatest Hits (1994)
- The Stage Collection (1994)
- Wakeman with Wakeman - The Official Bootleg (1994)
- Wakeman with Wakeman Live (1994)
- Almost Live in Europe (1995)
- Cirque Surreal (1995)
- Rick Wakeman In Concert (1995)
- Rock & Pop Legends (1995)
- Romance of the Victorian Age (1995)
- The Piano Album (1995)
- The Private Collection (1995)
- The Seven Wonders of the World (1995)
- Visions (1995)
- Can You Hear Me? (1996)
- Fields of Green (1996)
- Orisons (1996)
- Tapestries (1996)
- The New Gospels (1996)
- The Word And Music (1996)
- Vignettes (1996)
- Voyage (1996)
- Welcome A Star (1996)
- Fields Of Green '97 (1997)
- Simply Acoustic - The Music (1997)
- Tribute (1997)
- Master Series (1998)
- Themes (1998)
- Official Live Bootleg (1999)
- Return To The Centre Of The Earth (1999)
- Stella Bianca Alla Corte De Re Ferdinando (1999)
- The Masters (1999)
- The Natural World Trilogy (1999)
- White Rock II (1999)
- Christmas Variations (2000)
- Chronicles Of Man (2000)
- Morning Has Broken (2000)
- Preludes To A Century (2000)
- Recollections - The Very Best Of Rick Wakeman (2000)
- Rick Wakeman The Legend Live In Concert 2000 (2000)
- The Caped Collection (2000)
- Classical Variations (2001/2002)
- Simply Acoustic (2001)
- Out Of The Blue (2001)
- Two Sides Of Yes (2001/2002)
- Treasure Chest Volume 1 - The Real Lizstomania (2002)
- Treasure Chest Volume 2 - The Oscar Concert (2002)
- Treasure Chest Volume 3 - The Missing Half (2002)
- Treasure Chest Volume 4 - Almost Classical (2002)
- Treasure Chest Volume 5 - The Mixture (2002)
- Treasure Chest Volume 6 - Medium Rare (2002)
- Treasure Chest Volume 7 - Journey to the Centre of the Earth + (2002)
- Treasure Chest Volume 8 - Stories (2002)
- Two Sides Of Yes - Volume II (2002)
- Wakeman & Cousins - Hummingbird (2002)
- Out There (2003)
- Retro (2006)
- Journey To The Center Of The Earth Live In 1975 (2001/2002) (DVD)
- Rick Wakeman The Legend Live In Concert 2000 (DVD) (2001/2002)
- Rick Wakeman & The English Rock Ensemble - Live In Buenos Aires (DVD) (2001/2002)
- Rick Wakeman & The English Rock Ensemble - Out There (DVD) (2004)
- Journey To The Centre Of The Earth Live In 1975 - 30th Anniversary Edition (DVD) (2004)
- Made In Cuba (DVD) (2005)
