I've bought an album that my dad used to play a lot when I was young. Rick Wakeman's Journey to the Centre of the Earth. My son now enjoys it when I put it on in the car. I'm reading the Jules Verne novel to him at bedtime too. We're both enjoying it. I had never read the story before. The album was very magical to me, it is a kind of overture with excellent narration of excerpts of the book, slightly altered for more drama to convey the story with just a few lines. The music brings the story to life I feel, one of the most pleasing combinations of music and storytelling, all the more remarkable given the age gap between them.
I was a big fan of Yes, especially the Rick Wakeman era. He wore capes and had long blonde hair and was mysterious to me because I never heard his voice. But his synthesisers and keyboards were very very distinctive. He played on Black Sabbath's Sabbath Bloody Sabbath album to great effect. When he started appearing on TV later in life he was just a nice bloke, not the aloof and intriguing character I had imagined of him at all!
2 comments:
Love the book. I'm glad you and your son are enjoying it together. Never heard this record though...I will have to check it out.
LB: Thanks, the book is really great - just right to inspire an 11 year old boy! Check out the record, if you can. It was one of those rock/classical combinations of the early 70s but this one actually works I think.
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