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
1984 (Rick Wakeman album) 1984 (Rick Wakeman album) 1984 is a studio album by the English keyboardist Rick Wakeman, released in June 1981 on Charisma Records. After reforming his band The English Rock Ensemble in 1980 and completing a European tour, Wakeman entered a recording deal with Charisma and began preparing material for a studio album. He decided on a concept album based on the dystopian novel "Nineteen Eighty-Four" by George Orwell. The lyrics are by Tim Rice. The album received a warm reception, and peaked at No. 24 on the UK Albums Chart. Wakeman promoted it further with a world tour throughout 1981.