Rick Wakeman’s No Earthly Connection gets deluxe edition

By Scott Munro
( Prog )
published

Rick Wakeman’s 6th solo album No Earthly Connection from 1976 to receive double-disc deluxe edition featuring bonus live material

Rick Wakeman
Rick Wakeman (Image credit: Getty)

Rick Wakeman’s sixth solo album No Earthly Connection is to receive a deluxe edition next month.

It was originally released in 1976 and was recorded in France with Wakeman and his English Rock Ensemble.

It’s been remastered at Abbey Road Studios by Andrew Walter and will be released on November 11 via UMC on 2CD. The second disc will feature live material recorded at Wakeman’s show at the Hammersmith Odeon, London, in 1976 which was originally captured by the BBC.

No Earthly Connection will also feature a booklet with extensive liner notes, including an interview with Wakeman conducted by Prog editor Jerry Ewing.

A statement reads: “The album is also being released digitally as well as on a single CD and on vinyl. The original LP came with a small square sheet of reflective plastic, which when curved into a cylinder and placed on the front cover, allowed the viewer to see the cover’s drawing undistorted and with a 3D-like effect – a barely discernible, thin, colourful arc on the cover then appeared as a rainbow keyboard about to be played by Wakeman’s hands.

“This was in consonance with the album’s theme of a creation myth based on music. Excitingly, this has been replicated on the vinyl edition of the album.”

Last month Wakeman and astronaut Chris Hadfield performed a cover of David Bowie classic Space Oddity.

Wakeman will enter the studio next year to work on new music with his former Yes bandmates, Jon Anderson and Trevor Rabin. The trio will tour the UK in March next year.

Rick Wakeman No Earthly Connection tracklist

CD1

  1. Part I: The Warning
  2. Part II: The Maker
  3. Part III: The Spaceman
  4. Part IV: The Realisation
  5. Part V: The Reaper
  6. The Prisoner
  7. The Lost Cycle

CD2

  1. Music Reincarnate: The Spaceman
  2. Catherine Howard
  3. Myth And Legends Of King Arthur And The Knights Of The Round Table: Sir Lancelot And The Black Knight
  4. Myths And Legends Of King Arthur And The Knights Of The Round Table: Arthur
  5. Music Reincarnate: The Realisation
  6. The Forest
  7. Catherine Parr
  8. Music Reincarnate: The Prisoner
  9. Myths And Legends Of King Arthur And The Knights Of The Round Table: Merlin The Magician

Anderson, Rabin & Wakeman UK tour 2017

Mar 12: Cardiff Arena
Mar 13: Birmingham Symphony Hall
Mar 15: Brighton Dome
Mar 16: Bournemouth International Centre
Mar 19: London Hammersmith Apollo
Mar 21: Nottingham Royal Concert Hall
Mar 22: Edinburgh Usher Hall
Mar 24: Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
Mar 25: Manchester Apollo

Rick Wakeman details 4 more releases for 2016

Scott Munro
Scott Munro
Louder e-commerce editor

Scott has spent 35 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in the summer of 2014 before moving to the e-commerce team in 2020. Scott keeps Louder’s buyer’s guides up to date, writes about the best deals for music fans, keeps on top of the latest tech releases and reviews headphones, speakers, earplugs and more. Over the last 10 years, Scott has written more than 11,000 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog. He's previously written for publications including IGN, the Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald newspapers, covering everything from daily news and weekly features, to tech reviews, video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, Marillion and Rush.