John Wetton, the lead singer and bassist for progressive rock supergroup Asia, has died aged 67.
The musician’s long-time bandmate and friend Geoff Downes confirmed Wetton died after a “long and tenacious battle” with cancer as he led the tributes following his death on Tuesday.
Wetton died three weeks after he announced he was pulling out of Asia’s forthcoming US tour due to having to undergo a round of chemotherapy.
In a post shared online, Geoff wrote: “It is with great sadness and a heavy heart, that I have to report we have lost my dearest friend, brother, bandmate and long-term musical collaborator, John Wetton, who has passed away after a long and tenacious battle with cancer.
“He will be remembered as one of the world’s finest musical talents, and I for one of many was wholly blessed by his influence.
“It was a massive privilege for me to have worked with this genius so closely on our numerous projects together over the years. His bass playing was revolutionary. His voice was from the gods.
A sad day indeed. #rip #johnwetton pic.twitter.com/KlQWPduX4O
— Geoffrey Downes (@asiageoff) January 31, 2017
Dear All, I am sorry to be the bearer of the very sad news that my dearest friend, bandmate and co-writer, John Wetton has passed away.
— Geoffrey Downes (@asiageoff) January 31, 2017
“His compositions – out of this world. His sense of melody and harmony – unreal. He was literally a ‘special one’.”Geoff, who met Wetton in 1981, described him as a “fiercely loyal, loving and generous” person and wrote that “his heart was always in the music”. He also said they were planning another album but that Wetton was “not well enough to complete it”.
With the passing of my good friend and musical collaborator, John Wetton, the world loses yet another musical giant. [...] pic.twitter.com/YYyz4SXufV
— Carl Palmer (@ELP_carl) January 31, 2017
Geoff said: “To say I will miss him greatly is beyond understatement. He was such an inspiration to me.“Life will not be the same without him. And words are not really enough to describe the loss I feel right now, and the many friends and fans all over the world will also be feeling. It is the end of an era for all of us.“But we will soldier on – the music of John Wetton needs to be heard loud and clear from the rooftops.”
Musician and Asia bandmember Carl Palmer said: “With the passing of my good friend and musical collaborator, John Wetton, the world loses yet another musical giant.“John was a gentle person who created some of the most lasting melodies and lyrics in modern popular music. As a musician, he was both brave and innovative, with a voice that took the music of Asia to the top of the charts around the world.“His ability to triumph over alcohol abuse made him an inspiration to many who have also fought that battle. For those of us who knew him and worked with him, his valiant struggle against cancer was a further inspiration. I will miss his talent, his sense of humour and his infectious smile. May you ride easy, my old friend.”
King Crimson’s Jakko Jakszyk wrote on Twitter: “Bollocks!! Truly and genuinely saddened by the news that John Wetton has passed. I was honoured to call him a pal. Love to you JW.”Wetton was best known for appearing in a number of bands in the 1970s and 1980s, including Uriah Heep, Roxy Music and King Crimson.In 1981, he and Geoff – who was a member of new wave band The Buggles and rock band Yes – joined forces with Carl of Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Steve Howe of Yes to form supergroup Asia.
As the frontman of Asia, Wetton acted as the lead songwriter, bassist and vocalist and enjoyed success with the group’s debut eponymous album in 1982 and singles including Heat Of The Moment and Only Time Will Tell.Asia’s success waned in the 1990s and Wetton and Geoff formed a duo called Icon while he also embarked on a solo career and frequently collaborated with other musicians.Asia reunited in 2006 with the original line-up, recording a new album and going on a major tour, and they continued to produce new music until 2014 when Wetton was diagnosed with cancer.
