Rick Wakeman said: "It's just one of those decisions a manager has to make." Wakeman described the record as "the album Yes should have made instead of "Topographic Oceans"." Released in July 1977, the album spent two weeks at No. 1 in the UK and spawned the No. 7 single, "Wonderous Stories". Wakeman considered its fifteen-minute track "Awaken" as one of the band's best. During the "Going for the One" tour, Wakeman released "Rick Wakeman's Criminal Record", a solo album loosely based on criminality with Squire on bass, Alan White on drums, Frank Ricotti on percussion, and Bill Oddie on lead vocals
Classic Tracks (Rick Wakeman album) Classic Tracks (Rick Wakeman album) Despite the good reviews by fans, Wakeman claims this album was finished and released without his authorization. He also claims that he was threatened with violence if he interfered with the release and was told he wouldn't receive any compensation for it. In this album, lyrics were added to the 1975 instrumental song "Merlin the Magician" from "The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table". Despite Rick's feelings about this album, this new version of "Merlin the Magician" was later played on tour and one of those performances can