John Wetton

John Kenneth Wetton (12 June 1949 – 31 January 2017) was an English musician, singer, and songwriter.<ref name="MyOwn">Template:Cite book</ref> Although he was left-handed, he was known for his skilled right-handed bass playing as well as his booming baritone voice.<ref name="BoffomuInt">Template:Cite web</ref> In 1971, he was a member of the rock band Family for a short time, before joining King Crimson in 1972.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> After the breakup of King Crimson at the end of 1974, he played in a number of other bands, including Roxy Music (1974–1975), Uriah Heep (1975–1976), U.K. (1977–1980), and Wishbone Ash (1980–1981).<ref name="MyOwn" />

In 1981, Wetton co-founded Asia as lead vocalist and principal songwriter, which is considered to be a supergroup.<ref name="MyOwn"/> Their self-titled debut album was released in 1982, selling ten million copies worldwide and becoming Billboard magazine's number one album of 1982.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> He later formed the duo Icon with his Asia bandmate and songwriting partner Geoff Downes, and he also had a successful solo career.

Life and career

Early life and musical beginnings

Wetton was born in Willington, Derbyshire, and grew up in Bournemouth, Dorset, where he attended Bournemouth School.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> His elder brother Robert was a classical organist and choirmaster.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> While practising organ, Robert would have John play the bass parts on a piano, since their home organ did not have a pedalboard. John recalled that during the practices, "I got to like bass lines, because Bach bass lines are incredibly interesting. So I thought, this is good, I like bass lines, that's me."<ref name="BoffomuInt">Template:Cite web</ref> Though an enthusiast of classical music since childhood, he decided to explore rock music instead in order to avoid being compared to his brother.<ref name=BoffomuInt/> He played bass and sang in a number of bands with Richard Palmer-James, including the Corvettes, the Palmer-James Group, Tetrad, and Ginger Man.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A key early band he was in was the jazzy Mogul Thrash. After live work with Renaissance, he joined Family and also featured in various recording sessions.<ref name="MyOwn">Template:Cite book</ref> He credited Paul McCartney and Brian Wilson as his first favourite rock bassists, and he additionally cited Jack Bruce, Harvey Brooks, Miroslav Vitouš, and James Jamerson as later influences on his playing.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

King Crimson

In late 1972, Wetton's fellow Dorset native Robert Fripp invited him to join King Crimson. The band's lineup also included violinist David Cross, former Yes drummer Bill Bruford, and percussionist Jamie Muir. Wetton also gained experience as the lead singer and songwriter. His friend Palmer-James also worked with the band as their primary lyricist. Wetton remained with King Crimson until Fripp unexpectedly disbanded the group in 1974.<ref name="AMGBIO">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=ls>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

After the dissolution of King Crimson, Wetton continued to work on various projects, including a tour with Roxy Music<ref>Stump, Paul – Unknown Pleasures: A Cultural biography of Roxy Music, Thunder's Mouth Press, New York, 1998, pps. 72, 154</ref> and two albums with Uriah Heep, for whom he occasionally provided vocals as well as bass parts—examples of his vocal style can be heard on the 1976 album High and Mighty.<ref name="blows_6">Template:Cite web</ref> While still with King Crimson, Wetton had been asked by Roxy Music to sit in on their auditions for a replacement bass player and give his recommendations. Dissatisfied with all the applicants, he offered to do the 1975 tour with the group himself so as to give them time to find a good bassist.<ref name=BoffomuInt/> In 1977, after failed attempts to reunite King Crimson and to create a new band with Rick Wakeman,<ref>"U.K. Humbled in the U.S.A.", Rolling Stone, 21 September 1978</ref> Wetton formed U.K. with Bill Bruford. Wetton recruited Curved Air and Roxy Music keyboardist/violinist Eddie Jobson;<ref name="MyOwn" /> Bruford brought in guitarist Allan Holdsworth from his solo group.

First solo music; Asia

After U.K.'s breakup in 1980, Wetton released his first solo album, Caught in the Crossfire, also in 1980.<ref>Template:Citation</ref> Later that year, he had a brief stint with Wishbone Ash, appearing on their 1981 album, Number the Brave.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> In late 1981, he had a meeting with Geffen Records' president John Kalodner, who took him to task for playing bass in Bryan Ferry's backing band, feeling he should be fronting a group himself. At Kalodner's insistence, Wetton started writing with former Yes guitarist Steve Howe, with a view to forming their own band. Joined by keyboardist Geoff Downes and drummer Carl Palmer (of Emerson, Lake & Palmer), the band became Asia.<ref name="MyOwn" /> Their self-titled debut album sold over ten million copies worldwide, making them a household name. Wetton worked with Asia until 1983, when he was fired (at the insistence of Geffen Records) for then-unknown reasons, but at least in part due to lower-than-expected sales of 1983's Alpha. He returned to Asia in 1985 (with Mandy Meyer replacing Steve Howe on guitar), completing the band's third album, Astra.<ref>"Asia: Continental Drift?", CREEM Magazine, April 1986</ref>

In 1986, a collaboration between Wetton and Roxy Music guitarist Phil Manzanera was released as Wetton/Manzanera. Around that time, Wetton began working with Downes and Palmer to restart Asia. Some of the material they recorded was featured on 1990's Then & Now, including the radio hit "Days Like These".<ref>Template:Citation</ref>

Return to solo work

In the 1990s, Wetton focused on his solo career and collaborations.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He featured on the Phil Manzanera solo album Southern Cross, released in 1990.<ref>Template:Citation</ref> In 1995, he released his second solo album, Battlelines, which had previously been issued as Voicemail (1994) in Japan only.<ref>Template:Citation</ref>

In 1999, an aborted attempt to reform Asia resulted in Wetton and Palmer forming a short-lived progressive group dubbed Qango, with John Young and Dave Kilminster. Qango performed several shows in the UK and recorded a live album, Live in the Hood, before disbanding.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

File:John Wetton and Geoff Downes 7070.jpg

John Wetton (left) and Geoff Downes performing in 2005

In the early 2000s, Wetton reunited with Downes, and the duo released several albums. In 2006, a reunion of the original Asia lineup (Wetton, Downes, Howe, Palmer) finally occurred. A studio album titled Phoenix, the original band's first since 1983's Alpha, was released in April 2008 and peaked at No. 73 on the Billboard 200 albums chart in the United States.<ref>Billboard magazine, April 2008</ref> They issued two more studio albums, Omega (2010) and XXX (2012), before Howe departed in January 2013 to focus on Yes. With new guitarist Sam Coulson, Asia released Gravitas in March 2014.

In 2013, Wetton guested on the album Grandine il vento by Renaissance, with whom he had played live 42 years before. In the same year, he toured with American Idol finalist Leslie Hunt's group District 97, based in Chicago, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the King Crimson album Larks' Tongues in Aspic.

Wetton also worked extensively as a session musician with artists including Brian Eno (appearing on Here Come the Warm Jets), Bryan Ferry, and Ayreon.

Death

Wetton died in his sleep from complications of colorectal cancer at the Macmillan Unit of Christchurch Hospital in Christchurch, Dorset, on 31 January 2017, at the age of 67.<ref name="BoffomuInt"/> He was surrounded by his wife, son, brother, and mother.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Geoff Downes said: "It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I have to report we have lost my dearest friend, brother, bandmate and long term musical collaborator [...] He will be remembered as one of the world's finest musical talents, and I for one of many was wholly blessed by his influence [...] Life will not be the same without him. And words are not really enough to describe the loss I feel right now.<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref>

Billy Sherwood, who was Wetton's producer, co-songwriter, and co-performer on his 2011 solo album, Raised in Captivity, replaced him in Asia. On 17 June 2017, Asia performed a special concert in Wetton's memory, titled An Extraordinary Life (full title: An Extraordinary Life – An Interactive Celebration of the Life & Music of John Wetton), in reference to the eponymous song from the 2008 Asia album, Phoenix; fan-submitted performances were shown on a large video screen above the stage. Some King Crimson songs were also performed at the event.<ref name="An Extraordinary Life">Template:Cite web</ref>

Asteroid 72802 Wetton, discovered by Marc Buie at Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona in 2001, was named in his memory.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The official Template:MoMP was published by the Minor Planet Center on 18 May 2019 (Template:Small).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Influence

Artists who have cited Wetton as an influence or have expressed their admiration for him include Billy Sheehan,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Juan Alderete of the Mars Volta and Racer X,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Michael Sweet of Stryper,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Ron Anderson,<ref>Template:Cite web </ref> Kevin Feazey of the Fierce and the Dead,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Joseph D. Rowland of Pallbearer.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> After Wetton's death, Eric Clapton published a short instrumental tribute entitled "For John W."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Band timeline

• Mogul Thrash (1971)
• Gordon Haskell (1971)
• Family (1971–1972)
• Larry Norman (1972)
• King Crimson (1972–1974)
• Roxy Music (1974–1975)
• Uriah Heep (1975–1976)
• Bryan Ferry (1976–1977)
• U.K. (1977–1980; 2011–2015)
• Jack-Knife (1979)
• Wishbone Ash (1980)
• Solo (1980–2017, his death)
• Asia (1981–1983; 1984–1986; 1989–1991; 2006–2017, his death)
• Qango (1999–2000)
• Wetton Downes (2002; 2005–2009)

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Discography

Solo

Studio albums

Year	Title	Label
1980	Caught in the Crossfire	E'G / Polydor Records
1987	Wetton/Manzanera (with Phil Manzanera)	Geffen Records
1994	Voice Mail / Battle Lines	Pony Canyon / Magnetic Air Records
1997	Arkangel	Eagle Records
1998	Monkey Business 1972–1997 (with Richard Palmer-James)	Blueprint
	Chasing the Deer (soundtrack EP)
2000	Welcome to Heaven / Sinister	Avalon Records
2003	Rock of Faith	Giant Electric Pea
2011	Raised in Captivity	Frontiers Records

Live albums

Year	Title	Label
1995	Chasing the Dragon (Live in Japan)	Eclipse Records
1996	Akustika: Live in America	Blueprint
1998	Live in Tokyo 1997
	Hazy Monet (Live in New York City USA, 27 May 1997)
1999	Nomansland (Live in Poland)	Giant Electric Pea
	Sub Rosa (Live in Milan 5 July 1998)	Blueprint
2000	Live at the Sun Plaza Tokyo 1999
2002	One Way or Another (with Ken Hensley)	Classic Rock Legends
	More Than Conquerors (with Ken Hensley) (CD/DVD)
2003	Live in Argentina 1996	Trade Mark of Official Quality
	Live in Stockholm 1998	Blueprint
	Live in Osaka 1997	Trade Mark of Official Quality
	Live in the Underworld (CD & DVD)	Classic Rock Legends
2004	Amata	Metal Mind Records
	Agenda
2009	Amorata (DVD)
2014	One More Red Night – Live in Chicago (with District 97)	Primary Purpose
2015	Live via Satellite
	New York Minute (with Les Paul Trio)

Compilations

Year	Title	Label
1987	King's Road, 1972–1980	E'G / Virgin Records
2001	Anthology	NMC
2002	...Caught in the Crossfire...	Digimode Entertainment UKTemplate:Efn
2015	The Studio Recordings Anthology

As band member

Years	Bands	Titles	Notes
1971	Mogul Thrash	Mogul Thrash
	Family	Fearless	UK No. 14, US No. 177
1972		Bandstand	UK No. 15, US No. 183
1973	King Crimson	Larks' Tongues in Aspic	UK No. 20, US No. 61
1974		Starless and Bible Black	UK No. 28, US No. 64
		Red	UK No. 45, US No. 66
1975		USA	Live, recorded June 1974
1992		The Great Deceiver	Live, recorded 1973–1974
1997		The Night Watch	Live, recorded 23 November 1973
2012		Larks' Tongues in Aspic (box set)
2013		The Road to Red (box set)
2014		Starless (box set)
1975	Uriah Heep	Return to Fantasy	UK No. 7, US No. 85
1976		High and Mighty	UK No. 56, US No. 161
	Roxy Music	Viva!	UK No. 6, US No. 81
1978	U.K.	U.K.	UK No. 43
1979		Danger Money	US No. 45
		Night After Night	US No. 109
1999		Concert Classics, Vol. 4	Live, recorded 1978
2013		Reunion – Live in Tokyo	Live CD & DVD, recorded 2011
2015		Curtain Call	Live CD & DVD, recorded 2013
2016		UK: Ultimate Collector's Edition'
1979	Jack-Knife	I Wish You Would	Template:Efn
1981	Wishbone Ash	Number the Brave	UK No. 61
1982	Asia	Asia	UK No. 11, US No. 1
1983		Alpha	UK No. 5, US No. 6
1985		Astra	UK No. 68, US No. 67
1990		Then & Now	US No. 114
1991		Live in Moscow 1990	Live
2007		Fantasia: Live in Tokyo	Live
2008		Phoenix	US No. 73
2010		Spirit of the Night – Live in Cambridge 2009	Live
		Omega
2012		Resonance – The Omega Tour 2010	Live, recorded 2010
		XXX	US No. 134
2014		High Voltage – Live	Live, recorded 2010
		Gravitas	US No. 159
2015		Axis XXX Live San Francisco	Live, recorded 2012
2017		Symfonia: Live in Bulgaria 2013	Live, recorded 2013
2000	Qango	Live in the Hood	Live
2002	Wetton/Downes	Wetton Downes/Icon Zero (2017 reissue)	Stallion Records/Epicon Records (2017 reissue)
2005		Icon	Frontiers Records/UMe Digital (US)
		Heat of the Moment '05 EP	Frontiers Records
2006		Icon II: Rubicon	Frontiers Records
		Icon Live: Never in a Million Years	Frontiers Records
		Icon: Acoustic TV Broadcast	Frontiers Records (also released as DVD)
2009		Icon 3	Frontiers Records
		Icon: Urban Psalm	Live CD & DVD, Asia Icon Ltd.
2012		Icon: Heat of the Rising Sun	Live, the Store for Music

Session work

with Gordon Haskell

• It Is and It Isn't (1971) Wetton plays organ, bass, keyboards, vocals, classical guitar, and vocal harmony.

with Larry Norman

• Only Visiting This Planet (1972)

with Malcolm and Alwyn

• Fool's Wisdom (1973)

with Peter Banks

• Two Sides of Peter Banks (1973): Wetton plays bass on track 5 ("Knights") with album covers crediting "John Whetton"

with Brian Eno

• Here Come the Warm Jets (1973): Wetton plays bass on track 3 ("Baby's on Fire") and track 5 ("Driving Me Backwards")

with Peter Sinfield

• Still (1973) Also with Greg Lake, Gordon Haskell, Mel Collins, etc.

with Bryan Ferry

• Another Time, Another Place (1974)
• Let's Stick Together (1976)
• In Your Mind (1977)
• The Bride Stripped Bare (1978)
• Live at the Royal Albert Hall 1974 (2020)

with Phil Manzanera

• Diamond Head (1975)
• K-Scope (1978)
• "Round in Circles" / "Talk to Me" (singles) (Limited Edition vinyl) (2020)

with Duncan Mackay

• Score (1977)

with Atoll

• Rock Puzzle (1979)

with Roger Chapman

• Mail Order Magic (1980)
• Hyenas Only Laugh for Fun (1981)

with Phenomena

• "Did It All for Love" (single) (1987)

with David Cross

• Exiles (1997)

with Steve Hackett

• Genesis Revisited (1997): Wetton sings on tracks 1 ("Watcher of the Skies") and 5 ("Firth of Fifth") and also plays bass on track 5.
• The Tokyo Tapes (1998)
• Genesis Revisited II (2012): Wetton sings and plays guitar and bass on the track "Afterglow".
• Genesis Revisited: Live at Hammersmith (2013): Wetton sings on the track "Afterglow".
• Genesis Revisited: Live at the Royal Albert Hall (2014): Wetton sings on the track "Firth of Fifth".

with Martin Orford

• Classical Music and Popular Songs (2000): Wetton sings lead vocals on track 2 ("A Part of Me").
• The Old Road (2008): Wetton sings lead vocals on tracks 4 ("Take It to the Sun") and 8 ("The Time and the Season") and plays bass on tracks 4 and 6 ("The Old Road").

with Galahad

• Year Zero (2002): joint lead vocals on "Belt Up" and "Take a Deep Breath and Hold on Tight"

with Daniele Liverani

• Genius A Rock Opera – Episode 1 (2002)

with Billy Sherwood

• Back Against the Wall (2005): Wetton sings lead vocals on "Mother" and "Hey You".
• Return to the Dark Side of the Moon (2006): Wetton sings lead vocals on "Us and Them".

with Martin Turner's Wishbone Ash

• Argus Through the Looking Glass (2008)

with Alan Simon

• Excalibur II: The Celtic Ring
• Excalibur III

with Eddie Jobson

• Ultimate Zero – The Best of the U-Z Project Live (2010)
• Four Decades (2015)

with Ayreon

• The Theory of Everything (2013) : Rick Wakeman, Keith Emerson, and Steve Hackett also play on this album.

with Renaissance

• Grandine il vento (2013)

Writing

with David Cassidy

• David Cassidy (1990)

External links

• John Wetton's credits at Discogs.com
• Bournmouth Beatboom article on Wetton's early years