Rick Wakeman: I might be washing my hair on Rock Hall night

Rick Wakeman
Rick Wakeman (Image credit: Deborah Anderson Creative)

Rick Wakeman has slammed the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame for leaving the progressive music genre “ignored” – and says he might not attend if Yes are inducted next year.

They’ve been nominated for the third time after first becoming eligible in 1994.

Wakeman tells WROR: “I pushed for Yes to go in the Hall of Fame when I wasn’t in the band, because I felt the band deserved to go in years ago.

“There’s some bands that have been inducted that I have no idea why they’re in there. There’s bands like Yes and a few others and you go, ‘Why aren’t they in?’ It just doesn’t make an ounce of sense to me.”

He continues: “It seems that anything to do with prog rock was considered a dirty word by them.

“It’s the most inventive and the most influential music to musicians that there’s ever been in the history of rock’n’roll – and yet it’s ignored.

“I’m not sure whether I’d turn up. I’m so disgusted with the way that prog rock and Yes have been treated, I might be busy.

“I might be washing my hair that night.”

Wakeman is currently touring with Yes offshoot Anderson Rabin Wakeman, featuring singer Jon Anderson and guitarist Trevor Rabin.

Anderson said last month that a potential Rock Hall induction would be the perfect reunion opportunity, adding: “There won’t be much room, but it will be fun.

“Three or four years ago I went to the Hall Of Fame. I met everybody and they were very sweet. They were very upset I wasn’t in – they pointed to a corner on the second floor and said, ‘That’s reserved for Yes.’”

Public voting continues until December 5, with fans allowed to vote once a day until then.

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Bad Brains
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Depeche Mode
ELO
The J Geils Band
Jane’s Addiction
Janet Jackson
Joan Baez
Joe Tex
Journey
Kraftwerk
MC5
Pearl Jam
Steppenwolf
The Cars
The Zombies
Tupac Shakur
Yes

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Anderson Rabin Wakeman tour dates 2016⁄17

Oct 26: Red Bank Count Basie Theatre, NJ
Oct 28: Atlantic City Borgota Event Center, NJ
Oct 29: Akron Goodyear Theater, OH
Nov 01: New York Beacon Theatre, NY
Nov 02: Pittsburgh Heinz Hall, PA
Nov 04: New Buffalo Four Winds Casino, MI
Nov 05: Chicago Theatre, IL
Nov 07: Nashville Schermerhorn Symphony Centre, TN
Nov 09: St Louis Fox Theatre, MO
Nov 11: New Orleans Saenger Theatre, LA
Nov 12: San Antonio Majestic Theatre, TX
Nov 14: Austin Moody Theater, TX
Nov 16: Denver Paramount Theatre, CO
Nov 17: Salt Lake City Capitol Theater, UT
Nov 19: Las Vegas Pearl, NV
Nov 20: Phoenix Celebrity Theatre, AZ
Nov 22: Los Angeles Orpheum, CA
Nov 25: San Francisco Masonic, CA
Mar 12: Cardiff Arena
Mar 13: Birmingham Symphony Hall
Mar 15: Brighton Dome
Mar 16: Bournemouth International Centre
Mar 18: London Hammersmith Apollo
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

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Not only is one-time online news editor Martin an established rock journalist and drummer, but he’s also penned several books on music history, including SAHB Story: The Tale of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, a band he once managed, and the best-selling Apollo Memories about the history of the legendary and infamous Glasgow Apollo. Martin has written for Classic Rock and Prog and at one time had written more articles for Louder than anyone else (we think he's second now). He’s appeared on TV and when not delving intro all things music, can be found travelling along the UK’s vast canal network.