“There’s been a lot happening on Mars since I last visited. So there’s more than enough inspiration”: Rick Wakeman on his sequel to The Red Planet, and taking David Bowie along for the ride

Rick Wakeman.

While Rick Wakeman was in the process of putting his latest solo album Melancholia together, he was asked by Snapper Music to make a follow-up to The Red Planet, his 2020 Mars-themed concept album with The English Rock Ensemble.

Although he hesitated over the prospect of a sequel, he soon found there was a lot of source material to draw on for the tentatively-titled Return To The Red Planet, the release date of which is yet to be confirmed.