Behind the wheel with Rick Wakeman

As told to: Danny Scott

What’s been your best road trip?
I spent several years living in Montreux in the 1970s and 1980s and used to love driving down to the South of France. Living so close to the Alps, I thought I’d get one of those European sports cars you see in the films, so I bought a Lamborghini Espada. An absolutely beautiful car, but... Let’s just say that the Espada was not exactly suited to winter driving. Never have I been so thankful for crash barriers.

Where’s on your bucket list? 
I’ve always wanted to stage a massive outdoor gig in Iceland. I’m a sucker for all that mystical, Nordic stuff – mountains and volcanoes. Even back in 1974, I was writing about it on my album, Journey to the Centre of the Earth: “By horse, by rail, by land, by sea, our journey starts. Two men incensed by one man’s journey from the past. In Iceland, where the mountain stood with pride, they set off with their guide to reach the mountain side.”

What’s your ultimate travel song? 
Believe it or not, I almost always listen to talkSPORT radio. On the odd occasion when I do listen to music in the car, it will always be classical and more often than not composers from Eastern Europe... Prokofiev, Shostakovich or Stravinsky. 

What is your most dramatic road trip story?
To be honest, I try to avoid drama when I’m travelling but it stands to reason that, after 59 years of driving, there have been a few memorable incidents. Again, back in Switzerland, I managed to lock the wheels on my Range Rover while I was coming down a mountain. As the speed began to increase, I took the not very easy decision to put the car in a ditch. A large branch crashed through the windscreen, missing my head by inches. I remember muttering something like, “Blimey, that was close.” Or words to that effect! 

What are your three packing essentials and why?
If I’m travelling for a live show, there’ll be a selection of capes for my stage outfit – if I turn up without a cape, the crowd demand their money back. A microwave curry in case I get peckish. And a series or two of Dad’s Army on my computer. 

Do you have any clever travel hacks? 
I’ve driven a lot of classic cars in my time and I always used to keep a pair of women’s tights in the glove compartment. My first ever car was a 1958 Ford Anglia 100E and the fan belt broke when I was taking my girlfriend home from the pictures. Thanks to those tights, I got her back before curfew. To this day, I’m sure she still thinks I did it deliberately. 

What’s your dream car? And where would you want to drive it?
I’ve owned nearly 250 cars and a lot of them would fit that description. Can I have two? I remember buying a 1922 Model T Ford in Los Angeles and shipping it back to the UK. It cost me eight grand and, as I drove it out of Tilbury Docks, a bloke stopped me and offered me ten grand for it. I drove it for less than 15 minutes, which I regret. And then there’s the 1965 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III – an exquisite car! The drive would have to be from my home in Suffolk down to Exmouth, which is my favourite place in the whole world. 

Do you think you’re a good traveller?
Doing this job involves a lot of miles around the globe. I reckon I’ve easily run into millions of miles over the best part of 60 years that I’ve been making a living. The only difference these days is that if I’m in a car, I prefer to be behind the wheel. 

What’s been your craziest travel experience to date?
I’ll certainly never forget the time I flew into New York from Barbados in the 1970s. I was a long-haired rock star, so the customs guys assumed I was bringing over something I shouldn’t. (“Would you step this way, Mr Wakeman?”) They literally sawed my hardshell suitcases into quarters, found nothing, stuffed my clothes into a plastic bag and waved me goodbye. (“Welcome to New York, Mr Wakeman!”)

If you could live anywhere else in the world, where would it be, and why?
If I had no choice but to live abroad, it would be Tenerife – but avoiding the touristy bits. I’ve spent a lot of time there over the years and am always struck by its diversity – mountain, coast, quiet country, bustling town. But the truth is, I love living in Suffolk and can’t imagine anywhere that would make me as happy.

Rick Wakeman’s forthcoming UK tour, The Return of the Caped Crusader Part 2 – Rick Wakeman with the English Rock Ensemble, kicks off in Aylesbury on 12 October