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Biography
Refimprove|date=October 2007Infobox musical artist| name = John Wetton| image = John Wetton playing bass live.jpg| caption = John Wetton playing bass live| background = solo_singer| birth_name = John Kenneth Wetton| Born = Birth date and age|1949|6|12|df=y Willington, Derbyshire|Willington , Derby , England | occupation = Singer-songwriter , musician , Record producer|producer | genre = Progressive rock , hard rock , pop rock , jazz fusion | instrument = Bass guitar|Bass , Singing|vocals , guitar , Keyboard instrument|keyboards | associated_acts = Mogul Thrash , Family (band)|Family , King Crimson , Roxy Music , Uriah Heep (band)|Uriah Heep , UK (band)|UK , Jack-Knife, Wishbone Ash , Martin Turner's Wishbone Ash , Asia (band)|Asia , Phenomena (band)|Phenomena , Renaissance (band)|Renaissance , Qango (band)|Qango , Brian Eno | years_active = 1965–present| label = E.G. Records Mesa Records Eclipse Records Eagle Records Avalon Records Giant Electric Pea Frontiers Records Voiceprint Records | website = http://www.johnwetton.co.uk/ Official website| notable_instruments = Fender Precision Bass Zon Guitars|Zon Legacy John Kenneth Wetton (born 12 June 1949) is an England|English bass guitar|bassist , guitarist , keyboardist , singer and songwriter . He was born in Willington, Derbyshire , and grew up in Bournemouth . He has been a professional musician since the late 1960s. He initially rose to fame in progressive rock with bands such as Mogul Thrash , Family (band)|Family , King Crimson , Roxy Music / Bryan Ferry , Uriah Heep (band)|Uriah Heep , UK (music group)|UK , Jack-Knife, and Wishbone Ash . His biggest commercial success was as the frontman and principal songwriter of the supergroup Asia (band)|Asia . Their Asia (album)|self-titled debut album sold 8 million copies worldwide and was Billboard (magazine)| Billboard magazine 's #1 album of 1982.
Career
cleanup|section|date=July 2008Wetton achieved his bass guitar sound utilising a 1961 Fender Musical Instruments Corporation|Fender Precision Bass , amplifier|amplified through tubes. This style and approach was particularly evident during his stint with King Crimson from 1972 until 1974. Known initially for his bass guitar sound, Wetton's vocal and songwriting abilities garnered attention with his work in the band Asia in the early 1980s. Recorded highlights of Wetton's career include King Crimson's '' Larks' Tongues in Aspic (album)|Larks' Tongues In Aspic (1973), Starless and Bible Black (1974), Red (King Crimson album)|Red '' (1974), U.K. (album)|UK's self-titled debut (1978) (reuniting the King Crimson rhythm section of Wetton and Bill Bruford ) Jack-Knife's I Wish You Would (album)|I Wish You Would (1979) a one-off recording project and Asia (album)|Asia's self-titled debut (1982), the last being the biggest seller of his career. In 1986 he also contributed to Phenomena (album)|Phenomena II and had a #1 chart-topper|hit with the single (music)|single "Did It All For Love" in South America . Since the early 1990s, Wetton has released several solo albums, including studio albums Voice Mail/Battle Lines , Arkangel , Sinister/Welcome to Heaven and Rock of Faith , and a number of live recordings from his solo (music)|solo tours around the world. Wetton also created the Icon project with fellow Asia bandmate Geoff Downes . The Duet (music)|duo have sound recording and reproduction|recorded three recording studio|studio albums of original material ( ICON , ICON II/Rubicon and Icon 3 ) and live releases.
Wetton has done extensive work as a session musician with acts such as Brian Eno , Bryan Ferry and Phil Manzanera . http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp? id=2109 JOHN WETTON music, discography, MP3, videos and reviews Through his connection with George Martin , Wetton also played bass on Only Visiting This Planet by Larry Norman , recorded in 1972 and produced by Martin. The album has been voted "The Best Contemporary Christian Album of All Time" by Contemporary Christian Music magazine.cite news | url = http://www.ccmmagazine.com/features/137.aspx? Page=2 | title = http://www.ccmmagazine.com/features/137.aspx? Page=2 | accessdate = 2007-01-14 | publisher = CCM Magazine He also played bass on the 1973 Malcolm and Alwyn Jesus music|gospel beat music album ''Fool's Wisdom , another Larry Norman connection.
Wetton rejoined the other original members of Asia (Downes, Steve Howe (guitarist)|Steve Howe and Carl Palmer ) in early 2006 to announce a 25th anniversary world tour. This line-up performed a series of dates in the United States in September 2006, and in the United Kingdom in November/December 2006. The band also spent much of 2007 on the road, with shows in North America|North and South America, Europe and Asia . A new Asia (band)|Asia studio album titled Phoenix , the original band's first since 1983's Alpha (Asia album)|Alpha , was released in April 2008 and peaked at #73 on the North American Top 200 albums charts. Billboard magazine, April 2008
Personal life
Wetton has struggled with alcoholism in the past. After the first leg of Asia's 1983 tour, Asia (band)|Asia replaced him temporarily with bassist and vocalist Greg Lake (previously of Emerson, Lake & Palmer and also a King Crimson alumnus), in part because of his drinking problem. Wetton has been sober since June 2005. http://www.vintagerock.com/jwetton_interview.aspx The John Wetton Interview
In August 2007 Wetton underwent heart surgery which placed the remainder of Asia's 2007 tour and recording plans on hold until he recovered. The band, including Wetton, released their new album entitled Phoenix worldwide in April 2008. Artist Roger Dean (artist)|Roger Dean was commissioned to create the cover art. This release was followed by a world tour.
Wetton is left-handed but plays bass and guitar right-handed.Citation needed|date=September 2009
Discography
;With Mogul Thrash
Mogul Thrash (album)|Mogul Thrash , 1971
;With Gordon Haskell
''It Is and It Isn't , 1971
;With Family
Fearless (Family album)|Fearless , October 1971; US #177, UK #14
Bandstand (album)|Bandstand , September 1972; US #183, UK #15
;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
;With King Crimson
'' Larks' Tongues in Aspic (album)|Larks' Tongues in Aspic , April 1973; US #61, UK #20
Starless and Bible Black , June 1974; US #64, UK #28
Red (King Crimson album)|Red , October 1974; US #66, UK #45
USA (album)|USA , (Recorded live June 1974, released 1975, expanded edition 2002)
;With Bryan Ferry
Another Time, Another Place (album)|Another Time, Another Place , July 1974; UK #4
'' Let's Stick Together , September 1976; UK #19, US #160
In Your Mind (album)|In Your Mind , February 1977; UK #5, US #126, Aust #1
The Bride Stripped Bare (album)|The Bride Stripped Bare , September 1978
;With Roxy Music
Viva& #33; (Roxy Music album)|Viva! , July 1976
;With Uriah Heep
Return To Fantasy , 1975; UK #7, US #85
High and Mighty (album)|High and Mighty , 1976; UK #56, US #161
;With UK
U.K. (album)|U.K. , 1978
Danger Money , 1979
Night After Night (UK album)|Night After Night , 1979 - Live
Argus Through The Looking Glass , 2008, Mystic Records
;With Asia
Asia (album)|Asia , 1982; #1 US, #15 JP
Alpha (Asia album)|Alpha , 1983; #6 US, #4 JP
Astra (album)|Astra , 1985; #67 US, #15 JP
Then & Now (Asia album)|Then & Now , 1990; #114 US, #24 JP
Live in Moscow , 1990
The Very Best of Asia: Heat of the Moment (1982–1990) , 2000
Definitive Collection , 2006; #183 US
Fantasia: Live in Tokyo , 2007
Phoenix (Asia album)|Phoenix , 2008 #73 US #28 JP
Omega (album)|Omega , 2010
;With Steve Hackett
Watcher of the Skies: Genesis Revisited|Genesis Revisited 1997
The Tokyo Tapes 1998
;Solo albums
Caught in the Crossfire , 1980, E'G/ Polydor Records
''King's Road, 1972-1980'', 1987, E'G/ Virgin Records
Voice Mail (album)|Voice Mail / Battle Lines , 1994, Pony Canyon / Magnetic Air Records
Arkangel (album)|Arkangel , 1997, Eagle Records
Chasing the Deer (film soundtrack), 1998, Blueprint Records
Monkey Business (with Richard Palmer-James ), 1998, Blueprint Records
Welcome to Heaven (album)|Welcome to Heaven / Sinister (album)|Sinister , 2000, Avalon Records
Rock of Faith , 2003, Giant Electric Pea Records
Raised in Captivity , 2011, Frontiers Records
;With Phil Manzanera
Diamond Head , 1975
K Scope , 1978
Wetton Manzanera , 1987, Geffen Records
;With Daniele Liverani
Genius A Rock Opera - Episode 1 , 2002
;With Alan Simon
Excalibur - The Celtic Ring"
;With Geoff Downes
Wetton Downes (album)|Wetton Downes (Demo Collection), 2002, Stallion Records
Icon (Wetton and Downes album)|Icon , 2005, Frontiers Records/UMe Digital (US)
''Heat of the Moment '05 EP , 2005, Frontiers Records
Icon Live: Never in a Million Years , 2006, Frontiers Records
Acoustic TV Broadcast , 2006, Frontiers Records
Icon II: Rubicon (album)|Icon II: Rubicon , 2006, Frontiers Records
Icon 3 , 2009, Frontiers Records
;With Duncan Mackay
Score - 1977
;With Atoll
Rock Puzzle 1979
;Live albums
Chasing the Dragon , 1995, Eclipse Records
Akustika , 1996, Blueprint Records
Live in Tokyo , 1998, Blueprint Records
Nomansland Live in Poland , 1999, Giant Electric Pea Records
Hazy Monet Live in New York , 1999, Blueprint Records
Sub Rosa Live in Milan Italy , 1999, Blueprint Records
One Way or Another (with Ken Hensley ), 2002, Classic Rock Legends
More Than Conquerors (with Ken Hensley ), 2002, Classic Rock Legends
Live in Argentina , 2003, Blueprint Records
Live in Stockholm 1998 , 2003, Blueprint Records
Live in Osaka , 2003, Blueprint Records
Live in the Underworld , 2003, Classic Rock Legends
Amata , 2004, Metal Mind Records
References
reflist
External links
http://www.johnwetton.com/ Official site
http://www.originalasia.com/ Official Asia Reunion Website
AsiabandU.K.Family (band)King CrimsonUriah HeepWishbone Ash Persondata | NAME = Wetton, John | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | SHORT DESCRIPTION = | DATE OF BIRTH = 12 June 1949 | PLACE OF BIRTH = | DATE OF DEATH = | PLACE OF DEATH = DEFAULTSORT:Wetton, John Category:1949 births Category:Living people Category:English rock bass guitarists Category:English male singers Category:English baritones Category:English rock singers Category:Asia (band) members Category:King Crimson members Category:Jack-Knife members Category:Uriah Heep members Category:Wishbone Ash members Category:Family (band) members Category:People self-identifying as alcoholics Category:People from Bournemouth Category:People from Derbyshire Category:People educated at Bournemouth School
