{"product_id":"rick-wakeman-return-to-the-red-planet","title":"Rick Wakeman - Return To The Red Planet","description":"\u003cp\u003eTHE EPIC RETURN TO MARS FROM RICK WAKEMAN A NEW PROGRESSIVE ROCK SUITE INSPIRED BY BOTH PAST \u0026amp; THE LATEST DISCOVERIES ON THE RED PLANET FEATURING LEE POMEROY, DAVE COLQUHOUN, ADAM FALKNER \u0026amp; MOLLIE MARRIOTT.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFollowing his acclaimed 2020 album 'The Red Planet', Rick Wakeman makes a triumphant \u0026amp; inevitable return to Mars with 'Return To The Red Planet', a sweeping new progressive work that fuses science, imagination \u0026amp; musical virtuosity into one of the most ambitious recordings of his career.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt a time when space exploration has moved back to the forefront of human endeavour - with missions to the Moon, Mars \u0026amp; beyond once again capturing the world's imagination - 'Return To The Red Planet' feels both timely \u0026amp; visionary, rekindling the cosmic spirit that helped define progressive rock's golden age.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhere its predecessor opened the story, this album explores the planet's ancient lakes, vast canyon systems, shifting dust storms \u0026amp; geological epochs, drawing directly on the remarkable images \u0026amp; research that have transformed our understanding of Mars in recent years, Wakeman immersing himself in planetary research, data, \u0026amp; mission reports before a single note was written.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Once I started looking at the new data \u0026amp; photographs, I realised there was an entirely new album waiting to be written. There was simply too much more to say about Mars - musically \u0026amp; spiritually - not to return.\" - Rick Wakeman\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRecorded between August 2025 \u0026amp; January 2026, the project also marks a welcome return to full band recording, with all musicians working together at Decoy Studios - a creative approach Wakeman considers essential to capturing the spontaneity \u0026amp; energy of progressive rock at its best.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe album is performed by Wakeman's English Rock Ensemble, featuring bassist Lee Pomeroy, guitarist Dave Colquhoun, drummer Adam Falkner \u0026amp; vocalist Mollie Marriott, daughter of legendary Steve Marriott. The album was mastered by renowned engineer Simon Heyworth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"This isn't just another Rick Wakeman album. It's a bloody good one!\" Simon Heyworth - Producer of Tubular Bells\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmong the album's centrepieces is 'Bowie's Vision', a deeply personal homage to Wakeman's friend David Bowie, whose fascination with Mars helped shape popular culture's image of the planet. The connection is more than thematic: Wakeman performed the iconic piano on Bowie's 'Life on Mars?', making this tribute both musical \u0026amp; autobiographical - a reflection on a shared history, a lasting friendship \u0026amp; one of rock's most celebrated recordings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe music was initially composed as keyboard \"templates\" at Nursery Studios, before being expanded collaboratively by the band at Decoy Studios \u0026amp; engineered by Toby Wood. Final overdubs \u0026amp; mixing with producer\/ engineer Erik Jordan bring the vision into sharp focus - from sweeping symphonic passages to intricate rhythmic sequences \u0026amp; haunting choral textures.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePraise for 'The Red Planet' (2020):\u003cbr\u003e\"An astonishing return to form...Wakeman at his most imaginative\" - Prog Magazine\u003cbr\u003e\"A richly detailed symphonic rock journey\" - Classic Rock\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWakeman needs little introduction. A central figure during his many years with Yes, he is also one of the most successful solo artists in progressive rock history, with a catalogue of over one hundred albums \u0026amp; global sales in the tens of millions. His career as a session musician includes landmark recordings with David Bowie, Elton John, Cat Stevens \u0026amp; many more, establishing him as one of the most distinctive keyboard voices of his generation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis 2- disc edition of 'Return To The Red Planet' includes 'The Return To The Red Planet' studio album CD \u0026amp; a Blu-ray disc featuring Dolby Atmos, 5.1 Surround Sound \u0026amp; Hi-Res Stereo mixes as well as the 'Maki\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"MADFISH","offers":[{"title":"Indies Crystal Clear 2LP","offer_id":57178364739964,"sku":"HJM-11626","price":55.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"LP","offer_id":57178364772732,"sku":"HJM-11627","price":44.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":57178364805500,"sku":"HJM-11628","price":15.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD\/BLU-RAY","offer_id":57178364838268,"sku":"HJM-11629","price":20.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0633\/9022\/0535\/files\/PROP_20260715_1851_180034_246_p_0636551835626_001.jpg?v=1784202007","url":"https:\/\/heyjoemusic.co.uk\/products\/rick-wakeman-return-to-the-red-planet","provider":"Hey Joe Music \u0026 Coffee","version":"1.0","type":"link"}