Rick Wakeman has gear stolen on tour

Rick Wakeman
(Image credit: Sergione Infuso/Corbis - Getty)

Prog legend Rick Wakeman had a van load of gear stolen while staying in Birmingham during his current Grumpy Christmas Stocking tour of the UK.

A van, parked in a hotel car park on the outskirts of the city was broken into and several items of gear was stolen.

"The equipment is of no commercial value, as it is customised and programmed for Rick’s exclusive use, plus all serial numbers and other identifiers are on record, so it can easily be recognised if it is put up for sale," a spokesperson for Wakeman said. 'However, it is invaluable, and largely irreplaceable, as far as Rick is concerned; in particular, the Sycologic M16 Remote, 3 x Sycologic M16R racks and 2 x Sycologic Remote Controller Pads. A reward is being offered for the safe recovery of these, and the rest of Rick’s gear."

Wakeman was able to perform an amended set at Birmingham Town Hall the night following the theft and after some hard work from his tech, will be set up to pick up the tour again at Cambridge Corn Exchange on Saturday December 10.

Anyone with any information regarding the stolen items can e-mail here.

Jerry Ewing

Writer and broadcaster Jerry Ewing is the Editor of Prog Magazine which he founded for Future Publishing in 2009. He grew up in Sydney and began his writing career in London for Metal Forces magazine in 1989. He has since written for Metal Hammer, Maxim, Vox, Stuff and Bizarre magazines, among others. He created and edited Classic Rock Magazine for Dennis Publishing in 1998 and is the author of a variety of books on both music and sport, including Wonderous Stories; A Journey Through The Landscape Of Progressive Rock.