----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, March 08, 2004 2:12 AM
Subject: Re: [Mellotronists] 400-D?
, "Rick Wakeman - Legends of Rock", containing material from "6 Wives" and "Journey". It sounds a helluva lot better than "vocalists" Holt and Pickford-Hopkins.
Frank Samagaio
San Diego CA
MkII #134 / M300 #908
author, The Mellotron Book
That video's regarded as a minor comedy classic around here. 'Bellowing' Ashley Holt has to be one of the worst vocalists ever to tread the boards at that level. Going by Wakey's autobiog, he's effectively a pub singer who got lucky when Rick's career took off. Pickford-Hopkins is a marvel in comparison.
We particularly liked the honky-tonk upright piano on a hydraulic lift behind Rick, which appears and disappears throughout the gig. At risk of being shot down in flames, this, gentlemen, is why punk happened. Nice Mellotron work, though, not just on the Wake-o-tron, but also a regular M400 which appears to have been mounted on stilts to raise it to sensible playing height for a well-over-six-footer. One of the MiniMoogs is flat all the way through, though, with no attempt from Rick to tune it.
Andy T.