John Wetton


John Wetton (12 June 1949 - 31 January 2017)

In the aftermath of King Crimson’s implosion in 1974, John Wetton admitted that he didn’t quite know what to do with himself. “I had to completely change tack. I just thought I’d tread water for a couple of years. I think Bill did exactly the same thing. He went to Genesis and I went to Roxy Music ... it had thrown my plan into disarray.”

In 1978, he co-founded UK with Bill Bruford, Eddie Jobson and Allan Holdsworth, their eponymous debut album selling 250,000 copies. After Bruford and Holdsworth were ousted due to musical differences, UK recruited former Frank Zappa drummer Terry Bozzio to release Danger Money and the live album Night After Night in 1979 however the band soon dissolved thereafter. John's next band project was Asia with Carl Palmer, Geoff Downes and Steve Howe. The global success of the group caught everyone in the band by surprise. Wetton recalls that executives at Geffen Records were decidedly underwhelmed. “I was in Los Angeles and they were looking at the record. They didn’t like the cover, hated the logo and said they couldn’t hear anything commercial on the thing. Of course, it took off and sold somewhere in the nine million ballpark. I remember Heat Of The Moment was on a compilation album that sold four million in Germany alone!” The success came with a price tag, though, and Wetton’s drinking soon got the better of him. Speaking to Classic Rock Revisited in 2012, Wetton talked about his battle with alcoholism and how it had marred his career and his time with Asia. “I’m a dyed-in-the-wool alcoholic, but I don’t drink these days. All I can tell you is that people would say ‘Oh it was the pressure’, but no it wasn’t, it was just the course of that particular illness." The love and support of a good woman, his soulmate American musician Lisa Nojaim, meant his later years were productive and filled with a giddy happiness, despite the fact he needed emergency heart surgery in 2007 – about which he wrote An Extraordinary Life from Asia’s aptly named Phoenix, released in 2008. In 2014, Wetton was diagnosed with cancer and, after a period that included contracting sepsis, he died on 31 January 2017, just a few days after marrying Lisa. On the news of John’s passing, Robert Fripp said: “During the past decade, JW became a hero of mine, courageous and exemplary in dealing and speaking frankly of his alcoholism. Visiting John during not-so-good times, and then good times, we became closer than in the three previous decades; John’s conversation was wonderfully clear, honest, positive, encouraging. And then Lisa. Hooray! to whom thank you for making my friend a happy man.” John left behind a solo career that saw over 20 albums released under his name and numerous collaborations that included stints with Phil Manzanera, Steve Hackett, Wishbone Ash and Icon, his project with Geoff Downes. John Wetton with King Crimson Larks' Tongues In Aspic Starless And Bible Black Red Larks' Tongues In Aspic (The Complete Recordings) Starless The Road To Red

Just For You
ARTICLES

Red Elemental Mixes

David Singleton's alternative look at the Red album now avai...

MORE

Happy Birthday David Cross

King Crimson's violinist from the 1972-74 lineup turned 76 o...

MORE

Creating the Larks print.

Here’s a look behind the scenes at the making of the Larks’...

MORE

Exploring Asbury Park.

Asbury Park is a town on the Jersey Shore an hour’s drive fr...

MORE

Larks’ Tongues silkscreen print.

The famous artwork from the sleeve of Larks’ Tongues in Aspi...

MORE

Stormy breaks down Fracture

This month Mr Stormy has gone back to the multi-track tapes...

MORE

Larks Elemental Mixes

In celebration of the release of Larks' Tongues in Aspic 52...

MORE

A Tribute to Jamie Muir from Bill Bruford

Jamie Muir died today 17.02.2025 in Cornwall, UK, with his b...

MORE

Jamie Muir 1942-2025

Jamie Muir, percussionist extraordinaire with King Crimson’s...

MORE

Larks' FraKctal in full

30-minute improv DL

MORE

Elemental mix unveiled

David’s guide to LTIA 50

MORE

Good Evening, San Diego

new 1973 download

MORE

Good evening, Milwaukee

Download archive gig

MORE

Good evening, Boston

KC archive gig

MORE

Wetton's Larks Bass

Stormy Selection

MORE

Good Evening, Saarbrücken!

1973 archive download

MORE

Good Evening,Williamstown!

KC 73 gig to download

MORE

Good Evening, New York!

KC 73 gig for download

MORE

Good Evening, West Palm Beach

1973 Florida gig for download

MORE

Happy Birthday, David

David Cross celebrates his 74th

MORE
DIARIES

DGM SoundWorld I On this

11.48

DGM SoundWorld I.

On this day, 19 years ag...

MORE
DOWNLOADS

Vienna Museumsquartier

King Crimson
Museumsquartier
30 Nov 2016

MORE

Civic Auditorium Santa Monica

King Crimson
Civic Auditorium
15 Oct 1973

MORE

John Wetton - Larks' Part One 4/4 section Take 16

King Crimson
Command Studios
21 Jan 1973

MORE

Academy Of Music

King Crimson
Academy Of Music
28 Apr 1973

MORE

KC 50 20 Fracture

King Crimson
DGMHQ Soundworld 1
24 May 2019

MORE

Auditorium Cavea

King Crimson
Auditorium Cavea
23 Jul 2018

MORE

Miller High Life Theatre

King Crimson
Miller High Life Theatre
31 Aug 2021

MORE

Le Capitole Theatre

King Crimson
Le Capitole Theatre
20 Sep 1973

MORE

The Night Watch

King Crimson
Concertgebouw
23 Nov 1973

MORE

Performing Arts Centre Milwaukee United States

King Crimson
Performing Arts Centre
22 Jun 1974

MORE

Live In Vienna

King Crimson
Museumsquartier
6 Apr 2018

MORE

Greens Playhouse

King Crimson
Greens Playhouse
16 Mar 1973

MORE

The Rainbow London

King Crimson
Rainbow
26 Oct 1973

MORE

Curtis Hickson Auditorium

King Crimson
Curtis Hickson Auditorium
19 Apr 1974

MORE

The Night Watch

King Crimson
DGM Sound World I
1 Oct 1997

MORE

KC 50 6 Larks' Tongues in Aspic Part 1 David and Jamie

King Crimson
DGMHQ Soundworld 1
15 Feb 2019

MORE

The Fox

King Crimson
The Fox
27 Jul 2021

MORE

Orpheum

King Crimson
Orpheum
23 Sep 1973

MORE

Center Stage

King Crimson
Center Stage
23 Oct 2017

MORE

Starless

King Crimson
DGM Sound World I
14 Oct 2014

MORE
ARTISTS

John Wetton

MORE

Bill Bruford

MORE

Jamie Muir

MORE

David Cross

MORE

Mark Charig

MORE