John Wetton Reviews

Also see: ProgFest '97 ~ Genesis ~ Asia ~ UK ~ King Crimson

From: Dan J. Schulte
Wetton/Battle Lines: This is a Wetton solo but you can barely tell the other guys are missing (unlike Crossfire & Arkangel). There's nice sweeping keyboards by Bob Mariette/Claude Gaudette and some very nice guitar by Michael Landau/Steve Lukather & even Fripp makes a nice little appearance. If you long for Wetton Asia which is long gone...buy this album. You won't be disappointed. This is the best album Wetton has done in a long time.

From: "Rob McMonigal" <>
>I also enjoy Anderson's unique vocals. My other favorite vocalist isJohn Wetton Where is Wetton now?
Wetton just finished a stint with Hackett which produced the excellent Tokyo Tapes. He did a solo CD, is rumoured to be playing at a Prog Fest in San Francisco, and is currently working on a UK album, last I heard. Anyone got more info/corrections?

From: John Battema <>
John Wetton is working an a new UK album 'Legacy' as well as two new live albums and a collaborative album with Richard Palmer-James. There's actually a nice bonus track on the UK version of Wetton's last solo album "Arkangel" done by RPJ and himself called 'Magazine' that's very nice.  He (or rather his wife) just had a child too.   Official site: http://www.geocities.com/Paris/8099/wetton.html

From: "George Khouroshvili" <>
Seems like John Wetton decided to prove to all his fans that he still belongs to prog vein. Anyway, I didn't suspect such a great live work from this musician (of course, I loved his collaboration with Hackett, but his "Chasing the Dragon. Live" was a disappointing experience). Believe me or not but the new album sounds much better than most of the newest prog bands (and btw, there is no Asia material, except Sole Survivor). Now I'm happy all this Asia reunion didn't work out, 'cause JW is better solo. And I never thought Martin Orford (IQ) is such a good keyboardist. I listened to IQ's The Wake & Are you Sitting Comfortably and was more than disappointed. I know that their Subterranea is better but I still don't believe it worth my hard-earned money. I believe "Nomansland" is a must have for any King Crimson fan (the versions of Book Of Saturday, Easy Money, Starless & The Night Watch though not as good as the King Crimson's but sound damn good).

From: Peter Abusamra <>
I'm glad that you like his Nomansland but what I would to see is all new material, whether it's from the studio or live doesn't matter much to me. I lose interest in groups that stay alive by redoing their old material instead of inventing some new stuff. Example: The Moody Blues

From: Andrew Rozsa <>
>I read on the John Wetton's site that there is a live record from After Crying, featuring him performing Starless. Was it released already or just planned? Sounds very interesting.
From http://pons.sote.hu/~bauvikt/before.html we learn that: A new double live album "Struggle for Life" will be released in the beginning of 2000. It contains more than 130 minute live material including the immortal King Crimson masterpiece "Starless". After Crying will go on tour in the Spring of 2000.  Check for dates in February. * * *  John Wetton and After Crying performing "Starless" together!

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