The Strawbs’ founding father Dave Cousins tells an hilarious rock and roll story, when, just as the sixties turned to the seventies, a fresh-faced keyboardist by the name of Rick Wakeman joined the band.
Cousins recalled: “Rick came in for a chat and I said, ‘Listen. What are you doing next week?
“He told me he was getting married.
“When I asked him where he was going on honeymoon, he said he couldn’t afford it, so I said come to Paris and join the Strawbs.”
Wakeman signed on for £25 a week, long before he found mega stardom and disappeared to some far-off planet of cape wearing prog-rock excess.
“Rick’s honeymoon was playing under a big-top circus tent in a rock and roll circus, with high wire act, a couple of clowns and some jugglers.
“Suddenly, during one of Rick’s solos, Salvador Dali jumped up onstage, and the audience just gasped and then went crazy.
“Rick turned around and said: ‘Who’s that?’ I said, Salvador Dali.’
He said, ‘Get him off the ******* stage now.
“It was surreal at the time, one of the funniest things I’d ever seen.
“Rick played on three of our albums and then suddenly he became the supreme keyboard player in the country and he joined Yes on £100 a week.”
CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FROM RICK WAKEMAN AT GONZO
 | Caped Crusader- Rick Wakeman in the 1970's Book - £14.99 |
 | Video Vaults 6DVD box - £85.00 |
 | The Burning CD - £9.99 |
 | Cirque Surreal CD - £7.99 |
 | Gole CD - £9.99 |
 | 1984 CD - £9.99 |
 | Cost Of Living CD - £9.99 |
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