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Asia Co-Founder and King Crimson Vet John Wetton Dead at 67
Asia Co-Founder and King Crimson Vet John Wetton Dead at 67
http://ultimateclassicrock.com/john-wetton-dies/
John Wetton, the bassist and frontman for Asia as well as a former member of King Crimson and U.K., has died at the age of 67 after a battle with cancer.
Wetton first came to rock fans’ attention in 1972 when he joined a revamped King Crimson lineup, sticking with the group over a two-year span that included the records Larks’ Tongues in Aspic, Starless and Bible Black, and Red. Upon Crimson’s temporary disbandment, he served stints with Roxy Music and Uriah Heep before co-founding U.K. with Yes vet Bill Bruford and embarking on a solo career.
All that early success, however, was just a warmup for the multi-platinum frenzy that surrounded his next project. With A&R legend John Kalodner acting as musical matchmaker, Wetton joined up with former Yes members Geoff Downes and Steve Howe and ex-Emerson, Lake & Palmer drummer Carl Palmer to form Asia — a so-called prog supergroup whose self-titled debut topped the charts in the U.S. on its way to more than four million in sales.
Asia’s quick start presaged a turbulent period for the original lineup, as they struggled to maintain their momentum, temporarily parted ways with Wetton, and ultimately disbanded following 1985’s little-heard Astra LP. A late ’80s reunion ended with Wetton departing to resume his solo career, while Downes soldiered on with a new version of the group that persisted throughout the ’90s and early aughts.
http://ultimateclassicrock.com/john-wetton-dies/
John Wetton, the bassist and frontman for Asia as well as a former member of King Crimson and U.K., has died at the age of 67 after a battle with cancer.
Wetton first came to rock fans’ attention in 1972 when he joined a revamped King Crimson lineup, sticking with the group over a two-year span that included the records Larks’ Tongues in Aspic, Starless and Bible Black, and Red. Upon Crimson’s temporary disbandment, he served stints with Roxy Music and Uriah Heep before co-founding U.K. with Yes vet Bill Bruford and embarking on a solo career.
All that early success, however, was just a warmup for the multi-platinum frenzy that surrounded his next project. With A&R legend John Kalodner acting as musical matchmaker, Wetton joined up with former Yes members Geoff Downes and Steve Howe and ex-Emerson, Lake & Palmer drummer Carl Palmer to form Asia — a so-called prog supergroup whose self-titled debut topped the charts in the U.S. on its way to more than four million in sales.
Asia’s quick start presaged a turbulent period for the original lineup, as they struggled to maintain their momentum, temporarily parted ways with Wetton, and ultimately disbanded following 1985’s little-heard Astra LP. A late ’80s reunion ended with Wetton departing to resume his solo career, while Downes soldiered on with a new version of the group that persisted throughout the ’90s and early aughts.
8 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
that's sad 
