I’m about to head into one of the busiest travelling periods I’ve had for years and it is highly unlikely ever to happen again either! Much as I love performing on stage, my love of hotel rooms and airplanes dissipated about five years ago, but sometimes things happen that means that personal rules have to be broken and the next couple of months are such a period.

I’m off to Slovakia in a few days and I am really looking forward to visiting the country and performing two piano concerts there.  There is also a distinct possibility that the piano show with the orchestra and choir might happen there sometime in 2012.

Before leaving for Slovakia I have another meet with the choreographer and organiser of the British synchronised swimming team to further discuss the music for them for the Olympics. They are amazing to watch and what they do is so musical and I’m really enjoying putting thoughts and ideas into music.
I literally get off the plane when returning from Slovakia to get on another one to America to join Jon for rehearsals for our North American tour. I’m really looking forward to renewing our friendship back on stage after the success of the UK tour and I suspect that as well as some really good music there will also be more than a few laughs along the way.

No sooner do I get off the plane coming back from Canada, (where the tour finishes), than I am back on another one heading for Argentina where I will be doing 5 shows with piano and orchestra with Guy Protheroe conducting. (All the dates are printed below for all concerts home and away up until the end of the year).

Journey to the Centre of the Earth looks set for the end of May 2012 at Hintlesham Hall in Suffolk. I am led to understand that there are just one or two “i”s to dot and one or two “t”s to cross and then we’re there.

Whilst away on all overseas trips I like to keep myself occupied as I loathe hotel rooms and so the plan is to finish the third book in the Grumpy series which has a working title of “Rick Wakeman’s Grumpy Old RockStar Rants”. I’ve been working on it for most of this year, (and some of last year too), and, like the first two, contains ludicrous stories but with added rants along the way!

Returning to the three tours, (Slovakia, North America and South America), I have set myself a personal goal on these three trips of that of going on a very strict diet. No cakes, no biscuits, no chocolate, no late meals, no huge breakfasts, no snacking and no desserts!.....to this end, my rider as to what I want in my dressing room at concerts is now the simplest ever.........water, tea and coffee!!!...so no temptations. The plan is to lose a minimum of 30lbs, which after all is only half a pound a day, which should be a realistic target and well achievable.

Finally, many congratulations to my daughter Jemma on producing my sixth grandchild, Melody, who, like the other five, is very special, although they do make me aware of my advancing years, that’s for sure.
Jemma has also convinced me that I need to tweet and so I have tentatively started under the name of GrumpyOldRick.   I think to date I have 2 followers!!!  My daughter has convinced me it’s non intrusive and so I believe her!!!   However the same cannot be said of Facebook and My Space and all those other ones that I dislike intensely as they are totally uncontrollable. I understand there’s still a Facebook up in my name and a lot of people think I run it....aarrggghhh!!!

As I always say...simple rule is that if you read it on the rwcc.com website....then it’s for real. Anywhere else you can never be sure!

The November GORR will come from America, but in the meantime, here are the concert dates as promised.

See you next month....Rick

OCTOBER

Sat 8th - Tunbridge Wells
Mon 10th - Slovakia Piano Concert
Wed 12th - Slovakia Piano Concert
Jon & Rick Tour

NOVEMBER

Jon & Rick Tour
Sat 26th - Piano & Orchestra concert la Plata
Sun 27th - Piano & Orchestra concert Buenos Aires
Tues 29th - Piano & Orchestra concert Rosario

DECEMBER

Thurs 1st - Piano & Orchestra concert Cordoba
Sat 3rd - Piano & Orchestra concert Santiago
Thurs 8th - Durham Cathedral (with Tim Rice)
Fri 9th - Old Granary Xmas Concert
Sat 10th - Southend Xmas Show
Sat 17th - Worthing Xmas Show

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