New Rick Wakeman Compilation Features Ex-Yes Keyboardist Playing Various Classic

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Purple Pyramid RecordsOver the last several years, ex-Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman has contributed to various star-studded tribute albums saluting such famous rock bands as The DoorsThe WhoPink Floyd and Supertramp. Now, a new compilation titled Starship Trooper has been released that gathers together a number of those songs along with some previously unreleased tracks.

The 13-track album includes cover versions of The Doors’ “Light My Fire,” The Who’s “Love Reign O’er Me,” Pink Floyd’s “The Great Gig in the Sky” and “Nobody Home,” Supertramp’s “Crime of the Century,” 10cc‘s “I’m Not in Love” and Yes’ “Starship Trooper.” The record also features a previously unreleased rendition of Tool‘s “Sober.”

Accompanying Wakeman on the various songs are such other respected musicians as current Yes members Steve Howe and Billy Sherwood, ex-Yes keyboardist Tony KayeStarship singer Mickey ThomasVanilla Fudge‘s Carmine AppiceKing Crimson‘s Tony LevinXTC‘s Colin Moulding. In addition, William Shatner is featured on the song “Change,” which originally appeared on the Star Trek actor’s 2013 prog-rock concept album Ponder the Mystery.

Wakeman says of his recent work as a guest musician, “It’s always challenging to be involved in tracks of other people’s music and other people’s arrangements as it often makes you think and play differently and certainly on many of these tracks I play in quite an unexpected way, but there again, much of my life has been pretty unexpected anyway!”

Starship Trooper is available now on CD and as a digital download. Here is the album’s full track list, as well as the artists who contributed to each song:

“Sober” — featuring Billy Sherwood & Jürgen Engler
“Are We to Believe? — featuring Steve Hillage, Billy Sherwood & Jürgen Engler
“Random Acts — featuring Jerry Goodman, Nik Turner, Jimmy Haslip, Billy Sherwood & Jürgen Engler
“Dynamics of Delirium” — featuring Jürgen Engler
“Love Reign O’er Me” — featuring Huw Lloyd-Langton & Carmine Appice
“Crime of the Century” — featuring Tony Levin & Billy Sherwood
“The Great Gig in the Sky” — featuring Steve Howe
“I’m Not in Love” — featuring Nektar
“Starship Trooper” — featuring Tony Kaye, Mickey Thomas & Billy Sherwood
“Check Point Karma” — featuring Colin Moulding & Billy Sherwood
“Change” — featuring William Shatner & Billy Sherwood
“Nobody Home” — featuring Billy Sherwood
“Light My Fire” — featuring Steve Howe & Jürgen Engler

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