Three heart attacks couldn't stop this prog rock legend as he reveals plans for new shows

Prog rock legend Rick Wakeman has revealed he has no plans to slow down, despite suffering three heart attacks by the age of just 25 and building a music career spanning almost six decades.

The 77-year-old keyboard legend, nicknamed the Wizard of Prog for his flamboyant performances with Yes and his solo work, is still finding new projects to keep him busy – from playing music to rescued bears in Vietnam to plans for a possible return of his spectacular King Arthur On Ice show.

Wakeman, whose career saw him work alongside David Bowie, Marc Bolan and Lou Reed, has just released his new autobiography in which he reflects on some of the extraordinary moments along the way.

Among them is a recent performance at an animal sanctuary in Vietnam, where he played to 150 rescued bears as part of a concert supporting Animals Asia.

His Free The Final Bears show in September aimed to raise awareness of the 125 bears still held in bile farms in the country, despite bear bile farming being banned in 2005.

One bear is even said to have stood up to get a better view of the performance.

The unusual concert is another chapter in a career that has rarely followed a conventional path. In 1975, Wakeman, known for his long blond hair and fancy stage outfits including capes and ankle-length cloaks, staged King Arthur On Ice at Wembley Empire Pool, combining his music with jousting knights and an ice show.

And, he revealed, he would love to bring the spectacle back.

“I’d love to do it again, but it cost a lot of money,” he said.

“It would need, well, serious underwriting, I wouldn’t say sponsorship, would need underwriting to do, it could be done, it definitely could be done, and done better than it was back in 1975.

“Technically, you can do so much now with ice than we could do, I’d love to do it again, it was just such great fun.”

Wakeman's determination to keep performing has remained strong despite his health problems. Doctors advised him to retire after three heart attacks before he turned 26, including one shortly after a gig.

But he now says walking away from a career as a rock god was never an option.

“I mean, there was no way that I was ever going to retire and give up, and I told them that at the time, I said, ‘you’ve got to be joking’,” he said.

“I mean, I enjoy life, and the interesting thing is that I don’t ever want to wake up thinking I’ve got nothing to do.”

His new autobiography also recalls some remarkable encounters, including the night he unknowingly gave artist Salvador Dali a shove off the stage during a Strawbs gig in Paris in 1970.

Wakeman said he thought the unexpected visitor was simply getting in the way of his keyboard solo. It was only afterwards that band leader Dave Cousins revealed his identity.

The musician also looks back fondly on his friendship with T-Rex frontman Bolan, recalling a magical late-night gathering where Bolan and classical guitarist John Williams played together.

Wakeman will take his nine-piece band on the Wizard Of Prog tour in February and March, with dates including Edinburgh, Cardiff and London.