Wetton's Vocals

Dellinger wrote: I have found it very difficult to apreciate his singing. Even now I don't really enjoy his singing in King Crimson... but the songs are so good that I don't really care (and of course, I do love his bass playing). And his vocals are an important reason I wasn't able to really get into UK. On the other hand, his singing on Asia was actually good (too bad the songs aren't nearly as great as King Crimson)... until I heard Asia live... and then there's the same problems I found with him on King Crimson. However, his singing with Steve Hackett on "Tokyo Tapes" was really great. I guess my favourite performance of him is on "Watcher of the skies" (I was never able to get into that song by Genesis, but this performance is much warmer, in great part thanks to Wetton's singing, who rather fixes the original singing for me)... and also, his singing on some of Lake's originally sung songs somehow has worked fine for me (strange, since I consider Lake a much better singer).

Edited by Mirror Image - May 16 2017 at 22:20

I feel his best work was with Crimson, but I'd also like to point at "One Step Closer" from Asia as my favourite Wetton vocal.
Even if it does sound like he's had a couple before paying the vocal down. But then if you were singing like him and KC disbanded, you can see why he could be bitter!

I always imaged that God sounds like John Wetton.

Anyone ever hear Duncan Mackay's Score? Wetton produced and sang on it, including a somewhat silly but nevertheless endearing little number called Pillow Schmillow. Good stuff indeed and not out of print.

I'll go for Starless. And to think that song and piece may never have existed until Fripp changed his mind (hence the confusing Starless and Bible Black along with Starless (and Bible Black).

He sang terrifically even when in later years he was starting show signs of wear and tear live; though the last Asia studio releases sounded ok (occasional nondescript lyrics notwithstanding). It may be that occasional lyrical blandness that might hinder). Still with UK and that bands absolutely dazzling array of talent, his partnerships with Hackett (a must for me) and Manzanera he will remain a mighty singer and a rather superb bassist. I liked his taping a pick to thumb to help time and rhythm while singing and bass playing (not easy as technically they (bass / melody) go (or are supposed to go in opposite directions).

You don't get the pedigree he had without being awesome. The mighty live log in memory.

He was one of those vocalists that always seemed to give it his best.  Listening to Danger Money for the second time today and his singing is great on it.

Mr. Wetton did some really powerful vocals on In the Dead of Night. I think I'll pick this one as my fave. It's difficult to choose though. John Wetton was one of those allrounder guys, in a way that his voice would change a little to adjust to different songs.

Blood Silver Like Moonlight, duet with Annie Haslam 

He only sounded good on the slow stuff

SteveG wrote: I always imaged that God sounds like John Wetton.