LATEST NEWS
January 13, 2010---To all...I'd like to take a moment to announce my
retirement from the webmastering duties of this website. It is said that
all good things must come to an end, and my work here is no exception. Since taking
over the helm (in either '98 or '99.....I can't even remember), I've had the pleasure of delivering you the news about John, his music, his concert
dates, and sometimes even his vacation photos! It's been a joy. The website has also given me a public forum for launching several special events
ranging from charity auctions (including phone calls from John to fans) to the
fan convention in 2002. But there comes a time when family must come first,
and that's what's happening now. I've thought about my decision for several weeks and am sure this is the time to say goodbye. I'll
be leaving you in the very capable hands of Daniel Earnshaw, who is part of our UK-based staff. He'll
take over the webmastering duties within
the next few days.
I'd like to publicly thank John for keeping me on board as part of the
team for so many years. I've enjoyed every single minute, and I'll hopefully see
you on the road. I must also thank Martin Darvill (& Patzi), Dave Gallant
and Rick Nelson for their efforts in always making sure I had the latest news
and info for the website, and for always providing support, advice, and plenty of
laughs!
It's been a wonderful ride. Thank you all!
January 13, 2010---Japan tour dates for Asia!
May 13 -- Tokyo, Japan May 14 -- Tokyo, Japan May 15 -- Yokohama, Japan May 17 -- Osaka, Japan May 18 -- Nagoya, Japan
Venue info to follow.
January 7, 2010---PLEASE NOTE that the Cybershop will
be temporarily closed for improvements....all in an effort to serve you better
in the future!
December 12, 2009---Good news for fans who have been anxiously awaiting word
of how and when to purchase a limited edition "Urban Psalm" DVD. It has now been added to our Cybershop! Of course, "Urban Psalm" is the
tremendous new iCon DVD recorded last February at St. Mary-le-Bow church in London. On that evening, John and Geoff were joined by Dave
Kilminster, Pete Riley, Anne-Marie Helder, and Hugh McDowell for a setlist of rare musical gems
such as "Countdown to Zero," "The Die is
Cast," "Paradox/Let Me Go," "Rock and Roll Dream," "Voice of America," "To Catch a Thief" and "Elstree," just to name a few. The price of the
autographed limited edition DVD is $45 (postage included). As a special bonus, we're
also offering a DVD/download bundle that includes the "Urban Psalm" DVD plus a
link to download songs from a rare, live Wetton-Downes performance from the 2006 iCon tour in Japan. The price of the bundle is $55.
Order now! The DVDs are strictly limited!
December 11, 2009---We are pleased to bring you the
first confirmed Asia tour date of 2010. The band has been added to the
incredible line-up of the UK's High Voltage festival in July. Click
here to visit the
official festival website for complete information.
December 1, 2009---The auction is over, and Joe Kennedy is the winner of a personal phone call from John. Many, many thanks to
all of you who entered bids and sent donations. Your support of this website is
great appreciated.
November 30, 2009---Several things this evening. First,
bidding is open for just four more hours for the personal phone call from John.
The winner will be announced tomorrow morning. The high bid remains $825.
Second, Asia is pleased to announce that they are currently recording their
second reunion studio album and the follow-up to 2008's acclaimed "Phoenix" album. The legendary Roger Dean is onboard to design the cover
artwork, while the renowned Mike Paxman is in the producer's chair. The album is due for completion in mid-February, so stay tuned for future
details.
Also this evening, John is set to lend his talents to aid flooding victims
in Cumbria, UK. He has been approached and has agreed to assist this worthy cause, which is being organized by members of It Bites. The
musicians plan to record a new version of their classic hit "Calling All The
Heroes," and release it as both an EP and video. John and his management have offered
the use of their Liscombe Park studios for the recording of this truly deserving charitable effort.
November 29, 2009---AUCTION UPDATE: The current high
bid is $825. You may e-mail a bid to
bakerloo2@aol.com until 11PM (US Eastern) November 30.
November 28, 2009---We've been very
pleased indeed to have been able finally to [postal strikes notwithstanding!) ship the Urban Psalm DVD, the hand signed limited edition
performance video from the special St Mary-le-bow performance in February 2009.
Each shipment was registered and contains a specific and
traceable shipping code, so please contact us on the email below if your DVD has
not been received.
We are very pleased with these limited edition DVDs --
they are truly limited. We are pleased with the broadcast quality of the
performances, and the class of both the artwork and the
sleeve notes by Nick Shilton. In addition, everyone who provided
their email address at the performance will get a special link this coming
week to download songs from a rare, live Wetton-Downes performance from the
2006 iCon tour in Japan...
You will surely enjoy reliving that wonderful evening
in London when
the band and audience enjoyed an intimate and flawlessly unique performance of
wonderful songs, many of which are only rarely, if
ever, performed. It was intended to be, and indeed proceeded to be a very
special evening for those of us able to witness it. In addition, you will
certainly enjoy the songs from the Japan tour.
If you have any questions about this or if your email
address has changed, please email icondvd@aol.com..Please allow ten
days to ensure that everyone has received his or her emailed download link.
November 20, 2009---AUCTION UPDATE: The current high
bid is $660. You may e-mail a bid to
bakerloo2@aol.com through November 30th.
In addition, shipping of iCon's "Urban Psalm" DVDs will begin on Monday. If
you attended last February's concert at St. Mary-le-Bow church in London, you
should receive your DVD within the next week to ten days. Many thanks from the
staff, as well as John and Geoff, for your patience during the production of
this DVD.
If you did not attend the concert, please keep an eye on this site for info
on how to order one of the DVDs.
November 13, 2009---AUCTION UPDATE: The current
high bid is $510. You may e-mail a bid to
bakerloo2@aol.com through November 30th.
November 6, 2009---AUCTION UPDATE: The current
high bid is $325. You may e-mail a bid to
bakerloo2@aol.com through November 30th.
November 2, 2009---Urban Psalm is in the
house!
We have taken delivery of the limited edition Urban
Psalm DVD at iCon headquarters, and we anticipate needing a week or so for John and Geoff to sign each copy. After this,
we will be posting the copies internationally to all of you who attended the fabulously exclusive February 21, 2009
show in London.
Of course, you'll recall word of this amazing performance featuring John,
Geoff, Dave Kilminster, Pete Riley, Anne-Marie Helder, and Hugh McDowell....all in the intimate confines of the
historic St. Mary-le-Bow Church. The group thrilled the audience with an incredibly rare setlist that included
such gems as "Voice of America," "Days Like These," "My Own Time," "Starless," "Elstree," and recent iCon classics
like "Rubicon" and "To Catch a Thief."
A small number of additional Urban Psalm DVDs (personally autographed by
John and Geoff) will be offered for sale via the Cybershop in the near
future. The cost of each DVD will be $45. Please keep an eye on this site for
word about the official start of the sale.
October 27, 2009---Want to get a phone call from John??
Read on!
"Hello, this is John...."
How would you like to pick up the phone and hear those words? It
could happen!
We are going to make the holiday season merrier for one lucky John
Wetton fan by auctioning off a
phone call from John.
Get the scoop on the new Asia album, discuss your favorite song lyrics,
ask about his holiday shopping....anything! It's your call, literally!
John has graciously agreed to this truly "grand" prize because
inflation has hit our website. Costs are up, especially for the
guestbook,
but we certainly don't want to cut back on any of the services provided
to John's fans. So we've decided to offer up an auction every few
months to help cover the costs. There will be rare memorabilia, more
phone calls, and who knows what else we'll come up with!
We hope you will help by joining the fun of the auction. We'll begin
to accept bids at 8AM on Monday, November 2nd, with the final bids
accepted by 11PM on Monday, November 30th. All times are US Eastern. The
call will be made during the second week of December,
with the exact date and time to be decided between John and the winner.
To take part in the auction, e-mail your name and your bid to
bakerloo2@aol.com. We will start the bidding at
$150.00. I will update the
bids on November 6th, 13th, 20th and 29th, posting the highest bid at
that time on the "news" page of the website, the guestbook, and via
the JW IINFOLeTTeR. All bid updates will be anonymous. Only the name of
the winner will be announced. (NOTE: any bid submitted
before the official start of the auction will be eliminated) The winning
bid must be paid in full (via PayPal, US money order, or international
money order) by December 12th.
Good luck to all, and thank you very much for helping to keep the
Official John Wetton Website in operation!
PLEASE NOTE: Anyone not interested in placing a bid may still make
a donation to the website. Simply send
a note to bakerloo2@aol.com and
we'll take care of it.
October 9, 2009---Here is a photo from the recent King
Crimson mini-reunion in London. The musicians gathered at Air Studios
for a playback of recently remastered KC albums, including the
quintessential Crimson album "Red."
From left: Michael Giles, Pete Sinfield, Bill Bruford, David Cross, Robert
Fripp, John Wetton, and Mel Collins
Credit to "Classic Rock Presents Prog" for Photo
October 5, 2009---Here's a look at an advertisement for
the upcoming Wetton/Jobson shows in Poland:

September 28, 2009---John Wetton will join Eddie Jobson
on stage for three shows in Poland as follows:
November 3rd--Krakow, Studio Club
November 4th--Warsaw, Palladium
November 5th--Bydgoszcz, Philharmonic Hall
This is part of Eddie's U-Z Project tour. Also on stage will be Greg Howe,
Tony Levin and Marco Minnemann.
September 25, 2009---We're pleased to announce that
iCon fans fortunate enough to be in attendance at last February's fabulous St.
Mary-le-Bow concert will receive their copies of the "Urban Psalm" DVD in late
October/early November. The DVD promises to capture the full magic of the event, which also featured the immense talents of Dave Kilminster, Pete Riley, Hugh
McDowell, and Anne-Marie Helder. Fans were thrilled by the incredible setlist which included iCon favorites such as "Rubicon" and "To Catch a
Thief," heritage tunes from both Wetton and Downes, plus rarely performed Asia tracks including "Countdown to Zero," "Days Like These," and "My Own
Time."
Please
note that there will be no commercial release of this DVD until 2010, but do
keep an eye on this website for future details of how you may purchase a
strictly limited edition "Urban Psalm" DVD signed by John and Geoff.
September 8, 2009---Important news regarding the
Cybershop. Our sales staff will be out of the office from September 12th through
October 27th. No orders will be processed during that time.
August 30, 2009---The
final edits, mixes and running order for the "Urban Psalm" iCon live DVD,
recorded on February 21 at St Mary-Le-Bow Church in London, have been completed, and the DVD is
ready for final production. Once the artwork is finished, the limited edition
DVD will be manufactured and distributed to those who attended the show.
A short while after, the balance of the limited edition DVDs will be sold on the
member websites.
August 14, 2009---John will be featured in an interview
tonight on Majic 100.3FM in Ottawa, Canada. The interview will be part of That
80s Show with Codi Jeffreys, airing from 6 to 10PM (Eastern time), with bits of the interview broadcast
throughout the four hours. If you're in the Ottawa area, you can simply tune
into 100.3FM. Fans in other parts of the world can listen via the
Internet at
www.majic100.fm.
August 13, 2009---Due to the overwhelming response to
our offer of autographed iCon3 CDs via our Cybershop earlier this year, I am
very proud to announce the addition of autographed iCon1 and iCon2 CDs for sale. The CDs will be
signed by both John and Geoff, and will be priced at $35 each. Please visit the Cybershop to place your order today!
August 2, 2009---Radio Caroline is one of the partners
of the Cambridge Rock Festival. They are broadcasting parts of the festival
live,
including Asia's set. For more information, see Radio Caroline's website ....
http://www.radiocaroline.co.uk/#crf_schedule.html
Again, a special note for fans attending the Cambridge festival: Asia will be
recording the show in HD 5.1 for future use.
August 1, 2009---With only two shows remaining
in the US tour, the members of Asia are looking forward to their August concerts
in Cambridge, UK
and Hamm, Germany. A special note for fans attending the Cambridge festival -
Asia will be recording the show in HD 5.1 for future use.
July 15, 2009---Due to circumstances beyond our
control, Asia will not be playing the "Memories of Woodstock" festival in
Shrewsbury.
July 11, 2009---
1. The Japanese TV NHK will air the ASIA's Live at Tokyo in 2007 on its
hi-vision channel tomorrow, July 12th.
http://www.nhk.or.jp/wplive/
2. iCon has withdrawn from the Shrewsbury festival in the UK in August. There is
no further info at this time.
3. There is an update on the progress of the iCon DVD from the London concert
earlier this year:
"URBAN PSALM" is the new Wetton Downes' iCon DVD, recorded at St Mary-Le-Bow
Church in the city of London, on the
evening of February 21, 2009. The DVD is currently being edited and will be
mixed in August, after the Asia U.S.A.
tour.
A special limited edition of the DVD, signed by John and Geoff, will be sent to
each member of the audience who
attended the concert--many from around the globe---on that special winter's
night.
Joining Messrs Weton and Downes on the chequer board stage were David
Kilminster, Pete Riley, Hugh McDowell and
Anne-Marie Helder, and the ensemble explored iCon present as well as legacy
songs from John and Geoff's careers dating
back over 30 years.
We are printing 1000 only of the limited edition, each one being numbered and
signed, featuring a special booklet,
liner notes and a one-off bonus CD of icon in Japan. Commercially, the "Urban
Psalm" CD will be available at a
date to be confirmed later, and the DVD will be generally available some months
after that.
June 25, 2009---John Wetton to be among members of Asia
and Yes joining Roger Dean for special event in San Francisco!
Two of the most famous and
successful rock bands of all time, Yes and Asia, will be in San Francisco to
play a concert together at the Warfield Theatre on July 2.
To celebrate this historic San Francisco concert, members of the two groups
will appear in person at the San Francisco Art Exchange, America's premier
gallery
of the original art of Rock and Roll, during a major exhibition of the art
of Roger Dean, who will also be personally on-hand to meet with fans and
collectors of the
gallery. Roger Dean is the revered artist who has painted nearly all of the
two groups' album covers over a period of nearly 40 years. Blockbuster
original paintings
will be on display including the original painting of Yes' Relayer album.
Also included is a seminal Dean study for Asia's Alpha album. More than 30
original works
of art by Roger Dean will be on display in the gallery during the event.
The exhibition will be held on two consecutive days: Wednesday, July1st from
5PM to 8 PM and Thursday July 2nd from 1:30PM to 3:30 PM. Members of the
groups
have agreed to attend either or both events as their schedules permit.
Admission by RSVP only: Please call 415-441-8840 or email
info@sfae.com
to reserve your space
or for further information.
The San Francisco Art Exchange is located at 458
Geary Street in San Francisco (between Mason and Taylor).
June 19, 2009---With response to John's holiday photos
so great, John has suggested we also share the following. This is a ticket to
his VERY FIRST live show!

June 17, 2009---Just in...great photos of John and
Dylan (and friends) on a much deserved holiday!


June 16, 2009---With regards to the Asia VIP
Experience, please reference the order site which explains that all VIP guests
will be notified 48 to 72 hours prior to performance with regards to time/location. At this point, only the show venues have been
established. Organizers don't yet know what times the bands will set up. That
will happen much closer to the show date. Rest assured that one of the top companies in
the business is handling the VIP Experience which, as usual, is how Asia and its
management operate. And it is an incredible value for the fans. To compare, KISS is
charging nearly $1000 for a similar experience.
Also, I'd like to add that if anyone has a question/problem with a VIP
order, please contact Dave Gallant or myself via our websites. It's a better way
to get a quick and accurate response. Guestbook posts aren't read daily by the webmasters.
Also, inaccurate remarks about the VIP Experience on a public forum can diminish
business for the band.
June 8, 2009---A message about Asia's summer tour itinerary from manager
Martin Darvill:
In response to
disappointment from certain areas in the fan base, Asia has no boundaries as to where it will visit to play.
The band has a proven record of travelling
all round the world in order to bring their music to those of you who provide
the demand. We fully appreciate the passion and commitment of Asia's fanbase, there is a unique bond between
you and the band.
The only limits
are imposed by promoters who decide whether or not they are sufficiently financially comfortable to offer a deal to Asia's
agents.
Asia
employs one of the world's largest agencies, messrs William Morris, to negotiate
with promoters. The band is travelling many thousands of miles
from home to the
venues, and between venues, and it is a precondition that promoters are
financially robust, have status, and are capable of delivering upon commitments to
enable us to bring an Asia production from the UK to USA, Europe, Japan, South America
or anywhere else in the world.
We are sorry
that some territories have been omitted from the forthcoming Yes Asia tour.
This is because promoters have been unable to reach agreement with our
agents, or because the timing was unfortunate regarding availability of venues,
or feasibility of routing.
On the other
hand, we're pleased to be visiting new regions and look forward to meeting those
of you who will be supporting the shows.
We also confirm
that the band is already planning international activity for 2010, so if you
wish to lobby your local promoters, please go ahead.
Once again, the
band thanks all of you for your continued interest in Asia..
June 8, 2009---We are proud to present an amazing opportunity for Asia fans.
For only $99, you can have exclusive access at a concert of your choice on the band's forthcoming US tour. For all of the
details, please click
here. VIP availability is limited, so place your order today! PLEASE NOTE that a concert ticket is not included in the cost of
this package.
May 20, 2009---John is now a Classic Rock Society
patron along with Rick Wakeman, Carl Palmer, Fish, Dave Greenslade, Rod Argent, and Steve Hackett. For more information about the Society and its
activities, visit
http://theclassicrocksociety.blogspot.com/
May 14, 2009---Two new concert dates have been
announced for Asia. First, Asia with Yes will be performing at the House of
Blues in Anaheim, CA on July 5th. In addition, Asia will be playing a free, open air concert (Hammer Sommer) in Hamm,
Germany on August 29th. Also appearing on the same bill will be Mia. Please note
the Germany date is not part of the Asia/Yes tour.
May 1, 2009---Here's a look at a Japanese ad for iCon3:

April 21, 2009---We want to make fans aware of an
unauthorized John Wetton box set scheduled for release in late May. The
release in question features three CDs (Agenda/Amorata/Amata) from Metal Mind Productions. The package is
NOT authorized by John nor John's management, and
action is being taken to prevent the release. As always, if you hear of a John Wetton product that is
not mentioned on this site, it is wise to avoid it.
April 17, 2009---Get Ready to Rock, the website for
classic, metal & progressive rock, will air an exclusive interview with John on
Sunday, April 19th at 8PM (GMT). To listen, click
here. In addition, Asia received some high
profile promotion today with a photo and article in Britain's second biggest national daily newspaper, the Daily Mirror:

April 16, 2009---MAJOR TOUR ANNOUNCEMENT, AS ASIA
REVEALS PLANS FOR SUMMER 2009 IN THE U.S. !
Asia has announced plans for a coast-to-coast American tour with Yes.
Click
here for the complete press release. Dates are as follows:
June 26: Indio, CA (Fantasy Springs Casino)
June 27: Las Vegas, NV (Thomas & Mack Center)
June 30: Snoqualmie, WA (Snoqualmie Casino)
July 2: San Francisco, CA (Warfield)
July 3: Saratoga, CA (The Mountain Winery)
July 7: Los Angeles, CA (Gibson Amphitheatre at City Walk)
July 8: San Diego, CA (Humphrey's)
July 9: Phoenix, AZ (Dodge)
July 12: Denver, CO (Paramount Theatre)
July 14: Kansas City, MO (Uptown Theater)
July 15: Ft. Worth, TX (Bass Music Center)
July 16: Muskegee, OK (Civic Center)
July 18: Walker, MN (Moondance Jam)
July 20: Detroit, MI (DTE Energy Music Theatre)
July 21: Pittsburgh, PA (Chevrolet Amphitheatre)
July 22: Glen Allen, VA (Insbrook Pavilion)
July 23: National Harbour, MD (Sunset Concerts)
July 25: Cohassett, MA (South Shore Music Circus)
July 26: Jackson, NJ (Great Adventure Amphitheatre)
July 28: Philadelphia, PA (Tower Theatre)
July 29: Montclair, NJ (Wellmont Theatre)
July 31: Westbury, NY (Theatre at Westbury)
August 1: Jamestown, NY (Savings Bank Arena)
August 2: Bethlehem, PA (Musikfest)
April 15, 2009---Please check out the Images page for
some fantastic photos of Asia in Moscow (scroll down to see most recent).
November 2, 2006---A
glowing review of the Asia show in Chicago can be found at
http://www.areuonsomething.com/reviews_asia.html.

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