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Any fans of John Wetton?


Ivan May

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The bassist for King Crimson from late 1972 until 1975, John Wetton was an excellent bassist who clearly had a love and affection for the bass. On record he played a Fender Precision Bass through an Ampeg SVT 810 amp, though he also played a Gibson Victory Bass and a Rickenbacker, and his vocals were a deep, grasping contrast from the fuzzed out fireworks of Robert Fripp's Les Paul and Bill Bruford's jazz drumming.

I really love his bass playing on the Starless and Bible Black and Larks Tongues In Aspic albums by KC.
 

 

 


John Wetton also did stints with Family, UK and Roxy Music, but in 1980, joined Wishbone Ash. Many of the songs Wetton wrote for Wishbone Ash were initially rejected, and Wetton's compositions would resurface when he joined Asia in 1982. (Wetton also played on a Wishbone Ash tribute album that featured original WA bassist Martin Turner and keyboardist Geoff Downes.) Ironically, after leaving Wishbone Ash in 1982, Wetton was replaced by Trevor Bolder, who also replaced him in Uriah Heep!
This song, That's That, was the only track Wetton composed as a Wishbone Ash member.

 

 

 

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I saw John Wetton play bass for UK with Eddie Jobson on keys and violin and Terry Bozio on drums. Fantastic trio, under-rated.

I saw him again with Asia. They should have been way better than they were but I just didn't get into them at all. 

Carl Palmer stole that show. John sang well but the songs did nothing for me. So it goes. 

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It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
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On 9/6/2022 at 11:26 PM, KuruPrionz said:

I saw John Wetton play bass for UK with Eddie Jobson on keys and violin and Terry Bozio on drums. Fantastic trio, under-rated.

I saw him again with Asia. They should have been way better than they were but I just didn't get into them at all. 

Carl Palmer stole that show. John sang well but the songs did nothing for me.

 

Interestingly, I saw both tours…and fully agree with everything you said.

 

dB

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:snax:

 

:keys:==> David Bryce Music • Funky Young Monks <==:rawk:

 

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One of my first mega-heroes on the instrument, long before I picked it up as my primary ax.

 

Not to mention, a great singing voice. I think I still like his KC period the best overall though.

 

The interesting thing about Wetton is that he was so adaptable, and yet he was always original.

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