John Wetton Never Thought Id See You Again
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Topic: John Wetton and his controversial career Posted: January xxx 2015 at 16:eighteen
A musician we don't talk much about, with a maybe controversial career for Prog fans, from his stellar performances with King Cerise to the blandest AOR of Asia's worst periods, then recently reviving U.K. with Eddy Jobson again showing great Prog skills. Gifted with a great voice, competent bass player, skilful composer, able to compose and play Prog similar few others just for a long period in his career he chose to try a more commercial path.
What practise you think of Wetton?
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Posted: January 30 2015 at 16:27^I don't know how to reply to this kind of question, Garard. Wetton has had bouts with his own personal demons that I don't want to rehash here. If he felt the need to make some bucks with Asia, fine. He was never a commercial success with either KC or UK. It may be hard to believe, merely KC was cult band at the time of his tenure. KC never had the record sales of Yep or Genesis and maybe Wetton wanted some of that. And UK came into existence during the punk craze. Enough said.
He'southward ok in my book. A fine musician and vocalist, regardless of what musical directions he has taken over the course of his career.
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Posted: January 30 2015 at 16:39I always cherished Wetton, he has remained a consistently splendid player with many bands (let's not forget Roxy Music, Uriah Heep, Wishbone Ash etc.)
John's ane of the best at playing bass full-smash and simultaneously singing lead vocals! Geddy Lee is another 1 of those.
I think he probably did OK over the years financially as a upshot of his stint in Asia. Information technology may seem a flake ridiculous to remember of this, merely Asia's first LP was all over FM radio in the USA when it first came out.
I've had the pleasure to see John with LTIA era KC, UK with Holdsworth and the commencement Asia bout....whenever I've seen him stem the rock & roll stage, I experience like I'm seeing an sometime friend perform!
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Posted: January xxx 2015 at 17:xvNo nifty mystery or controversy here. The only original proggers who didn't endeavor their paw at mainstream rock/pop were those who died before we reached the 80's. From an interview with Archetype Rock Revisited
Ryan: Yous've talked openly almost it in the past that you were going through some personal bug at that fourth dimension (when Asia bankrupt large)
John: Yeah I'm a dyed- in- the- wool alcoholic, but I don't drink these days. All I can tell you is that people would say "Oh it was the pressure", simply no information technology wasn't, it was merely the course of that particular illness. It's gets worse no matter what happens. If information technology'southward a lovely solar day, information technology gets worse, if it'southward a bad day, information technology gets worse. Yes I was in a shocking state. I'd like to say that I wasn't the but one, just the responsibility ultimately lay with me so I have to take that responsibility. If I had been the rest of the band I'd have gotten rid of me too.
He'due south my favourite Crimson vocaliser and bassist plus I really like the get-go Asia anthology, just thereafter, nah...
Edited past ExittheLemming - January 30 2015 at 17:30
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Posted: January 30 2015 at eighteen:00I love John Wetton to $.25. He did some great solo gigs around 11 or 12 years ago with performances of stuff from all his erstwhile bands, which were captured on two great DVDs. Superb live band he had too - John Mitchell, Martin Orford and Steve Christey. This item vid is from a compilation DVD, merely was originally filmed at a warm-upwards gig for his 2003 bout which was staged at The Underworld in Camden, London - & released every bit John Wetton Live In The Underworld. The other DVD was recorded in Poland during the bout proper the same year, & was called Amorata.
A fine musician and vocaliser indeed, who has given united states so much to treasure over the years. 
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Posted: January 30 2015 at 18:12Fantastic bass player. You lot can larn a lot from him. And he had a soulful voice with perfect delivery if he put some extra attempt into it in studio.
Phone call me prejudiced, but I've heard some bad things about 80s AOR, so I stay away from it.
Edited by Dayvenkirq - January thirty 2015 at 18:13
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Posted: January 30 2015 at 18:51 I'yard a dyed-in-the-wool binge drinker, so I don't hold alcoholism against him. He's one of my favourite bassists, plays similar an absolute gun, and he's got a dandy vocalism. I'm not against those taking a commercial turn in their career, and ask anyone if they've heard of Phil Collins - of class they accept, ask about John Wetton and yous become a " who'due south he ? "........ Edited past Tom Ozric - January xxx 2015 at 18:52
The primeval example of Wetton I have on record is his contribution to Gordon Haskell'southward It Is And It Isn't from 1971 - Wetton drives his songs with such intricate and melodic lines Gordon never could (even though he was fine on KC'southward Lizard album).
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Posted: January thirty 2015 at 21:57Great bass player and vocalizer......hither he is in 1971 with Mogul Thrash
I does nil nonetheless nil is left undone.
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Posted: January 30 2015 at 22:03I dear the music he did with KC, but I always thought the weak link in that line-up was Wetton's vocals (not his bass, which is awsome). However, somehow his vocals never bothered me with Asia (at that place information technology was by and large the music, which isn't so great, except for a few good songs)... still, somehow when I take heard Asia's live albums, once over again I rather dislike his vocals. However, once more, I've heard some songs originally from Greg Lake (whom I consider a much stronger vocalist) sung by Wetton (both with Asia and with Steve Hackett), and I really liked how those ones came out (also, I liked very much how he sang some Genesis songs with Hackett). And then, I got some UK, and there I feel he totally ruined the music for me (unlike with KC, with whom I didn't really like his vocals, but the music was nonetheless great).
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Posted: January 30 2015 at 22:03..and with Family unit in 1971...
1 does zero yet nothing is left undone.
Haquin
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Posted: January 30 2015 at 22:12and with Roxy in 76..? before Uk....Wetton and Jobson get fired up at the cease of the song.
1 does nothing nevertheless zilch is left undone.
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Posted: Jan 31 2015 at 04:23
SteveG wrote: He'due south ok in my book. A fine musician and vocaliser, regardless of what musical directions he has taken over the course of his career.
That about sums information technology up for me besides. Not a large Asia fan only he's a great singer and bass actor.
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Posted: Jan 31 2015 at 04:29 I don't run into what's controversial nearly his career. Beingness a part of Asia ain't controversial. Or I wouldn't call information technology that.
The whole Asia reunion thing was lame and I could not understand how of a sudden, Downes gave up on Payne after their long collaboration. it felt like a cash grab. All their albums since reunion are only junior to the Payne era albums, non to mention their 80s stuff.
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Posted: January 31 2015 at 04:44 I'thousand not the world'due south biggest fan of Asia, though I nonetheless can't fathom what all the dissing on Asia is about.....?? Edited by Tom Ozric - January 31 2015 at 04:45
They never set out to exist a 'Prog' supergroup, simply a bunch of veteran musicians trying their hand at writing catchy, accessible songs.
Yeah, and the Asia debut is very adept indeed. Then, each album I've heard thereafter has a few memorable tracks......
Wetton's abilities as a bassist far surpass what he'due south committed to record methinks. Lark'due south Tongues bass-work is top-shelf.
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Posted: Jan 31 2015 at 05:37Hello ,my name is Richard and I similar Asia ( fifty-fifty XXX).
Wetton is a bang-up bass player (non merely competent) and has one of the best voices in prog. He is likewise well suited to the AOR scene simply so he could basically practise anything he wanted and that is his business organisation. In that location is zilch controversial about making a choice which he did. Skillful gars and wish him well.
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Posted: Jan 31 2015 at 05:49 ^ Couldn't agree more, Rich. That opening cut off Thirty is a killer.
I'm glad Wetton pulled himself together in recent years, God knows, we don't need to read another obituary.......
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Posted: January 31 2015 at 06:53I never took much find of his bass playing (if any), just he'due south my favorite singer together with Greg Lake, and I like his song writing.
I similar his music with Male monarch Crimson and UK a lot, plus I love the showtime Asia album and I really liked Battle Lines and some stuff on Arkangel, even though it sounds more commercial and not as prog.
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Posted: Jan 31 2015 at 07:07Crimso'southward Red was nearly the first anthology I totally absorbed every bit a newfound prog fan around the time it came out, and Wetton's voice was the selling bespeak. Nutty me, only I mistook it for Lake's when a buddy of mine first spun the tape for me in the back of his garage, or "pigsty" as he termed it. I was corrected soon plenty, given the history of the ring, and cast into the balance of my life with this overriding honey for all things Ruddy. I have Wetton to thank for that as he served as my entry point, and I have establish joy in snippets of things he's done before or afterwards his KC period. Good health to y'all, John!
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Posted: Jan 31 2015 at 07:40 It would exist so nice if some people stopped thinking that choosing to play more commercial music is tantamount to high treason
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Posted: January 31 2015 at 07:50 Both Richard and Raff's posts should be held up equally a model of common sense and decency on the intertit. Agree with every word 
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