Return to the Centre of the Earth
| Return to the Centre of the Earth | ||||
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| Studio album by Rick Wakeman | ||||
| Released | 15 March 1999 | |||
| Recorded | March–December 1998 | |||
| Studio |
Various locations
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| Genre | Progressive rock | |||
| Length | 76:51 | |||
| Label | EMI Classics | |||
| Producer | Rick Wakeman | |||
| Rick Wakeman chronology | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| About.com | (mixed) |
| Birmingham Evening Mail | (mixed) |
| The Boston Herald |    |
| Allmusic | |
Return to the Centre of the Earth is a studio album by the English keyboardist Rick Wakeman, released on 15 March 1999 on EMI Classics. The album is a sequel to his 1974 concept album Journey to the Centre of the Earth, itself based on the same-titled science fiction novel by Jules Verne. Wakeman wrote a new story of three unnamed travellers who attempt to follow the original journey two hundred years later, including the music which features guest performances from Ozzy Osbourne, Bonnie Tyler, Tony Mitchell, Trevor Rabin, Justin Hayward, and Katrina Leskanich. The story is narrated by Patrick Stewart. Recording was delayed after Wakeman was hospitalised with a life threatening case of double pneumonia and pleurisy, and needed time to recover.
Upon release, the album reached number 34 on the UK Albums Chart.
In 1974, Wakeman released his third solo album Journey to the Centre of the Earth, a concept album based on the same-titled science fiction novel by Jules Verne. It tells the story of Professor Lidenbrok, his nephew Axel, and their guide Hans who follow a passage to the Earth's centre originally discovered by Arne Saknussemm, an Icelandic alchemist. The idea to produce a sequel album first came to Wakeman in 1991 during a solo tour of Italy, when a journalist suggested to record a new and extended version of Journey with new technology. Several weeks later, during the Union Tour with Yes, Wakeman set up the tentative plan of re-recording the album live in concert with added music in time for its twentieth anniversary in 1994. During the tour's stop in New York City, Wakeman visited the office of Arista Records and spoke about the idea to an acquaintance, but it was turned down. Wakeman recalled, "He said ... you recorded and wrote [Journey] with what you knew existed with instruments and recording techniques, so you pushed as far you could go. Now if you do it again, is different because you would not be pushing anything". Wakeman was advised to put the idea on hold and think about a new "epic" album with a new story and music, of which he'll "know when the right time is".
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Wikipedia