Career
Wetton first cut his musical teeth on church music at his family’s piano. He often played the bass parts to help his brother rehearse tunes for services, an experience that led to his love of bass melodies. In his teens, Wetton focused those melodies on the bass guitar and honed his skills by playing and singing with local bands. He also started songwriting with an early bandmate, Richard Palmer-James, a relationship that would continue through five decades.
Wetton achieved his bass guitar sound utilising a 1961 Fender Precision Bass, 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 (1973), Starless and Bible Black (1974), Red (1974), UK's self-titled debut (1978) (reuniting the King Crimson rhythm section of Wetton and Bill Bruford) Jack-Knife's I Wish You Would (1979) a one-off recording project and Asia's self-titled debut (1982), the last being the biggest seller of his career. In 1986 he also contributed to Phenomena II and had a #1 hit with the 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 tours around the world. Wetton also created the Icon project with fellow Asia bandmate Geoff Downes. The duo have recorded three 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. 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. He also played bass on the 1973 Malcolm and Alwyn gospel beat music album Fool's Wisdom, another Larry Norman connection.
Wetton rejoined the other original members of Asia (Downes, 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 and South America, Europe and Asia. A new Asia studio album titled Phoenix, the original band's first since 1983's Alpha, was released in April 2008 and peaked at #73 on the North American Top 200 albums charts.
UK reformed with John Wetton, Eddie Jobson and Terry Bozzio for a world tour in 2012.
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