Journey to the Centre of the Earth (album) earned Wakeman a nomination for an Ivor Novello Award and a Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance. In 1999, Wakeman released a sequel album "Return to the Centre of the Earth". After the original score was presumed lost, Wakeman was reunited with it in 2009 and re-recorded the album three years later with 18 minutes of music previously cut due to time constraints. By mid-1973, Wakeman had been with the progressive rock band Yes for almost two years, and he had released his debut solo effort, "The Six Wives of Henry VIII", to critical acclaim. For his next release
Rick Wakeman on "Madman Across the Water" by Elton John, and "Changes", "Oh! You Pretty Things", and "Life on Mars?" for Bowie's album "Hunky Dory". Bowie invited Wakeman to his home and played the outline of the tracks for him to learn; Wakeman later called them "the finest selection of songs I have ever heard in one sitting in my entire life". He also developed music for the 1972 film, "Zee and Co." In late 1971, an album compiled of pop tunes played by Wakeman on the piano was released as "Piano Vibrations" by Polydor Records. Wakeman did not receive any royalties