John Wetton's Official Website

January 11th 2012--- Steve Hackett will be joining John on stage at his Trading Boundaries show tomorrow night! This makes John's first solo show in 8 year even more special.

December 21st, 2011--- John will be performing with U.K. at the first announced tour date at The Gesu Amphitheatre in Montreal on May 11th 2012.

December 15th, 2011--- John would like to share the designs for his Raised in Captivity Tour merchandise:

December 8th, 2011--- Due to reasons beyond our control, we regret to inform fans that the Leamington Spa show of 13th January is now cancelled. Please contact the venue for ticket refunds.

John's calendar looks very busy for 2012, but we hope to find another opportunity to reschedule the date in the future.
We will keep you informed of any developments.

November 26th, 2011--- John would like to share another picture from his recent guest appearance with Steve Hackett, he's given this shot the title "on the bench":

November 18th, 2011--- John would like to share a picture from his recent guest appearance with Steve Hackett, this particular shot shows him with Amanda Lehmann:

November 16th, 2011--- Tonight there will be a gala performance of West End hit musical ROCK OF AGES, featuring “Heat of the Moment”, in aid of the BBC charity CHILDREN IN NEED - http://www.bbc.co.uk/pudsey/. This will be a normal performance with full cast but features Pudsey Bear (the mascot for the charity). However, 100% of face value of tickets for this event are donated by ROA to Children in Need, less VAT and booking fee or commission for tickets purchased through an agent. Artists have agreed to waive all royalties.

November 14th, 2011--- John is proud to be supporting 'Movember' by growing a moustache. 'Movember' helps raise funds for Prostate and Testicular Cancer charities and you can support John through this link:

November 3rd, 2011--- John is pleased to announce he will joining Steve Hackett on stage at two of his forthcoming solo shows to perform Firth of Fifth:

October 26th, 2011--- John is pleased to announce another UK date in support of Raised in Captivity. This show will feature a special appearance by Roger Dean, who will be exhibiting original paintings and prints of artwork connected with John's career, as well as announcing John as he comes on stage.

October 5th, 2011--- John is pleased to announce the below UK date in support of Raised in Captivity:

September 25th, 2011--- John is pleased to announce the below Japanese dates in support of Raised in Captivity:

September 23rd, 2011--- John has often guested with Excalibur: The Celtic Rock Opera and we are pleased to announce the first two albums and an archive live album have been released as a special box set in France:

September 23rd, 2011--- Following a recent discussion about Dr Who on John's guestbook, the below archive picture has re-surfaced:

August 24th, 2011--- Raised in Captivity is released in Japan on King Records today. The album comes with two bonus tracks 'Face To Face' and 'After All', the latter being included in aid of the Japanese Tsumani Relief Fund. Ahead of an announcement of Japanese dates later this year, John has provided his insights into these two tracks:

Face to Face:
If you'd asked my tech, the Admiral Ricky Nelson, about this piece, he would tell you he'd heard it at soundchecks the world over when I might doodle on Geoff's rig during our ritual Asia tonprobe. When I brought it into the studio, I had every intention of recording it as I had imagined--- with a Fender-Rhodes sound on the close harmony keyboard, and an intimate, breathy vocal. First of all, Billy reminded me that the keyboard chord sequence (in its present voicing) was reminiscent of a Santana song ('I'm Winning", I think)---then Billy's wife (from outside the studio) thought is was a Journey song . It all boiled down to a movement in the chord, which started in 'C' , then moved to the relative minor (A),where the chord became a minor 9th,
a very distinctive little monkey indeed, but not a Capital Offense. I changed the chord so we could all sleep soundly in our beds, without fear of the Copyright Stasi, but it lost some of its beauty and closeness in the process. So, the song trudged down a 'rocky' road-----the vocal harmonies are nice, but possibly too strident, and the barbershop answering phrases on the last verse sound contrived. This sounds like a critique, which it is--but I still think that the tune holds up, and the sentiment is delivered, but it's over-produced---to my mind, anyway. That's no-one's fault, but all I'm saying is I'll probably have another shot at it someday. It's a bonus track, and as such, I hope you enjoy it---not only in South East Asia Pacific Rim, but wherever you might hear it.

After All:
My visit to Japan earlier this year left me overwhelmed with a myriad of incredibly powerful feelings for a country that has not only played a significant part in my journey, but has become integral to the woven fabric of my life. When John Young and I wrote After All for 'Arkangel' in 1997, I had in mind an old friend who had a serious, life-threatening illness. Unfortunately, my friend didn't beat the disease, but he died with dignity, and he spent the last months of his life setting up a foundation for research that others may not have the same fate--------to give hope to others. 'Hope' is the operative word here ------the Japanese spirit is renowned for its stoic resilience ---there is even a word for this anima---'Ganbaro'. And 'After All' is a Ganbaro track from which all proceeds (thankyou John Young) will go to the Japanese Tsunami Relief Fund. It was always a stage favourite at my past solo shows, and will certainly feature in the JW Japanese shows later this year. I hope those who have never heard it before will enjoy it in the spirit of today, and for those who already know the song, please enjoy the song, and allow the message to sink in. God bless you. P & x, John.

August 22nd, 2011--- John has provided a track by track breakdown of Raised in Captivity:

Lost for Words:
A Cyrano de Bergerac situation. Most people tell me that I have verbal dysentery when it comes to lyrics---- so, they say, how could I have a song called 'Lost for Words'. Well the truth is, I wasn't always as verbose as I am now. This track owes more to UK than to any other influence, but the lyric harks back to a time when I would visit the 'lexicon magician' from verse 3. This is Pete Brown (who wrote lots of fabulous lyrics, including Cream's "Sunshine of your Love") . Pete lived in Portman Square, in London's West End, and lived in the penthouse overlooking the upper-crust citadel. Watching first-hand how he constructed a lyric helped me no end. Not in constructing lyrics, but having confidence to 'just do it'. 'Black stretch limo' is Pete's 'Politician'. The whole track has energy, edge, rock, and a blistering solo from Deep Purple's Steve Morse. The song is unusual in that it has two choruses, i.e. the pre-chorus is like another chorus.

Raised in Captivity:
The subject matter here is growing up in post-war midlands of England, with austere rationing, Draconian schools, and Victorian morality hanging over our head like the sword of Damocles---everyone smoking and drinking like it was compulsory---something had to give. Well, it did, and we got the '60s. All change for the oblivion express---free love, sex, drugs and rock'n'roll, no-holds-barred. Did we know what to do with it? I suppose so. But from what we had in the '50s, it was too much, too soon. It's a concept I'd held back from 1992, in California---and should have been the title track of 'Battle Lines'---my friend Richard Starkey certainly thought so---but better late than never.Billy's aggressive guitars on the track perfectly foil Robert Fripp's Soundscape bookends. I wish I had taken the pre-chorus bridges to the major, I keep singing that in the car, and it would have been killer.

Goodbye Elsinore:
As has already been stated---this song was conceived on the Sea Ferry between Denmark and Sweden. I was on my way to a classical concert by Vilde Frang, the Norwegian violinist, in the little town of Helsingborg, Sweden. Helsingor is where I was sailing from, and the journey takes about one hour. During that time, the tune, chords and most of the lyric came to me for part one of the song . I had to bark into my cell phone atop The 'Hamlet', as my ferry was so aptly named.

It was a beautiful, clear afternoon, with a blue sky, and the sun shining, winter cold, but fresh, and inspiring. The lyric is about freedom, but in this instance, the singer has something to hide as he escapes to freedom. He doesn't tell us what the 'crime' involves, but it must be something serious. A great solo from Steve Hackett, typically him----I saw him recently, and he's also pleased with his contribution, and likes the song a lot. The choral canon at the end is my penance, obeisance to Brian Wilson. I usually will put one rather large nod to the Beach Boys on each solo album, because without them, there would be no musical me.

The Last Night of my Life:
You'll see the motif 'Live each day as if 'twere your last' all over this album. It all started with Steffi's Ring, but it sums up how I live my life today. It's Carpe Diem, Kairos, and One Day at a Time all rolled into one. To make the most of every day, every moment, because we won't get the time back---this is no rehearsal, this is real life---yesterday we can not re-create, tomorrow hasn't happened yet, so now is all we have, let's enjoy it. Alex Machacek does a fabulous modal solo on this , he doffs his cap to Allan Holdsworth, but Alex makes it his own . The lyrics are upbeat, a 'from darkness to light' sentiment like a lot of my stuff that's autobiographical. You can sing the old song 'Tequila' over the intro. I only discovered that as I was driving along in Mexico City last May. At the same time, I discovered a static harmony which I wish I'd put into the block. Too late, ah.

We Stay Together:
A bonus track for the non-Pacific Rim territories, it's a Billy Sherwood idea (which he already had a title for, but I wrote the lyric, and re-titled it). When I put the harmonies on the chorus, we kind of knew this would work. I noticed that this one
took stick for being 'cliched' . That's a laugh coming from a melodic metal magazine. It is what it is, and I like it more the more I get used to the album. It's a song about commitment, that we're in for the long haul, not just a one-nighter.

The Human Condition :
All of the lyrics on this bluesy little monkey read like a diary of our three weeks in California making the record. There was a 'Lockdown' by the LAPD, sirens, choppers, escaped cop-killer. The '5 cool million in Nigeria' is a reference to the bogus business deals that bombard us hourly from spurious Nigerian moguls. The 'holy pardon carried by a Seraphim' is the license to record a non-melodic rocker (ie a blues, albeit Def Leppard/ Mutt Lang-ish white boy blues)for this album which was given a 'hard rock priority or no deal' brief by our President, Serafino.

Steffi's Ring :
My ex (Dylan's Mother) and I went on a 'cultural' trip to Shanghai in 2007---long after we had split--we're still friends, and we still have Dylan in common, so we remain civil. She flies for a European National airline, and the destination was my choice. I had recently seen 'Mission Impossible', and was fascinated by the outrageously hi-tech architecture juxtaposed with the centuries-old Imperial culture. We spent a weekend in Shanghai (it had far more allure for me than Beijing), and the overall resulting impression was disappointing. The buildings are incredible, and the city is breathtaking, but there is no room for sentimentality---the air in Shanghai is caustic, pollution pours into rivers, piracy is everywhere, as is filth, and basic manners are non-existent. One of our 'tasks' for the weekend was to buy a specific "Lovers' knot" ring for a mutual friend . We went to the appropriate market, and after much searching---and haggling---a ring was found. But not before I'd seen one with an inscription on the inside--which said ''Vive Omnes Dies Sicut Ultima' ---'Live every day as if it were your last'. This became my mantra for the album. I had to do the trick with my cellfone again, and in the middle of the Jade Temple I was muttering into my mobile, and 'Steffi's Ring' was born. Some of the lyrics refer inevitably to the new owner of the ring, and if you have the required imagination, you can make your own landscape of verse two, but the song came out extremely well, my good mate Geoff 'Bob'Downes plays a fabulous solo, and the song is over way too early. I could have gone to town on the lyrics, doubled the length,and turned it into an epic, but I kinda like it short and sweet.

The Devil and the Opera House:
The story of the conception of this song is well-documented on the CD sleeve notes---A concept by myself and Richard Palmer-James in our home town of Bournemouth. Eddie Jobson cast as the Devil, it's a song that my friend Peter Viney (musicologist and historian) says would have been a huge hit 20 years ago. That's as maybe, but it's still a really good song, spectacular lyrics from RP-J, great soloing from EJobson, and a Henley Homage vocal, complete with Aquiline harmonies.

New Star Rising:
This song was born in Criteria studios, Miami , 31 years ago. It was one of a batch of songs (Heat of the Moment, Ride Easy, Here Comes The Feeling)that I wrote on the old Bosendorfer Grand in the studio after everyone had left for the evening.
It never found a home until now. Originally titled 'Now or Never', it even went through 2 more title changes during recording in California. 'Big Star Falling' was one, but I'm glad I settled on 'NSR'. Billy Sherwood did a lot of work on this track, as it didn't seem to want to format. Billy kept changing the arrangement until it fit, and I'm grateful to him for that. Mickey Box does the honours with a truly rockin' solo, and there are Beach Boys nods everywhere(BS is also a fan).

Don't Misunderstand Me:
A very misunderstood song, I think. Someone on this site said they didn't comment on this song because it was something they expected from me. I find that strange, because this is my natural inclination--left to my own devices, most of my songs would be like this one---good chord sequence, nice sentiment, retro production, and skillfully engineered so that the top note is my top note (the 'A' at the top of the chorus is my top , most powerful note in full voice---Celine Dion would have eked this out for about 15 seconds!). It was written just before the collapse of a six-month relationship with a Scottish girl,someone I cared for a lot, and made me wonder what I was looking for in a woman,also what my motives are----- and it taught me that honesty is of prime importance in affairs of the heart. I wrote the song on piano (it was one that was presented for 'Omega', but got shot down in flames by Mike Paxman before it was really aired)and played all of the keyboards (piano, mellotron, synth) except the Hammond Organ. The best bit for me (apart from the faux Rachmaninov chord sequence) is the vocal block behind the second verse, where the voices form the 'pad'. It's a device that Abba used brilliantly, and Asia's Alpha's The Smile has Left Your Eyes employs it (also in the second verse). I love the mellotrons in the chorus, and I wish we'd done a banjo solo instead of the chorus after the bridge, a half step key-change after that taking the choruses out would have been spectacular. As you may have noticed, this is my fave track at the moment. The mellotrons, lead vocal and piano were recorded by Steve Rispin at Liscombe.

Mighty Rivers :
If ever anyone deserved the title 'brother', it is Jeff Fayman. He is one of my best friends, and we have similar values, musical tastes, and experiences. He is someone I trust implicitly, and would definitely call on him if ever I needed a pal. He lives the Hollywood dream. He has a successful production company, and deals with orchestras, choirs, and film companies on a daily basis. However, he is a regular guy, and above all, a King Crimson fan. Through an introduction by mutual friend Robert Fripp, we met, worked together, and produced some pretty good stuff (a lot of which you haven't heard yet, some of which you have---'Orchard of Mines' from Phoenix, and now 'Mighty Rivers'). Jeff had me sing with Anneke van Giersbergen on 'Mighty Rivers' some years ago, and I fell in love with Anneke's voice. We went on to record 'To Catch a Thief' on iCon II, and the same song, as an acoustic duet, on Anneke's solo album. We have still not met.

July 27th, 2011--- Raised in Captivity has also charted in the US Heatseeker chart, coincidentally at #79, the same position it reached in the US National chart.

July 21st, 2011--- Raised in Captivity is holding its own in the charts, remaining in the Canadian Amazon 'Bestsellers in Music' Top 40 since its release.

July 18th, 2011--- Raised in Captivity continues to receive chart success, having enjoyed positions of #53 in the UK Amazon Rock Chart and #79 US National Top New Releases Chart.

July 18th, 2011--- Here's a pic of John with Jordan Rudess and Mike Mangini from Dream Theater at Sonisphere Festival, Madrid on Saturday. Speacial note should be taken of John's T-shirt:

July 15th, 2011--- Raised in Captivity peaked at #15 in the Canadian Amazon Canada Top 100 Chart and #9 Top Seller Of This Week for New Releases on CD Universe.

July 12th, 2011--- Raised in Captivity is released in America today, fans in the US can purchase the album here.

July 4th, 2011--- John is proud to announce the release of his new studio album, RAISED IN CAPTIVITY, which is OUT NOW ! Fans throughout Europe will be able to buy the CD this week and fans in America will be able to be able to purchase from next week (12th July). Fans in the UK can purchase the album here.

June 30th, 2011--- For those who have enjoyed listening to John's appearance on BBC Radio with Sue Marchant, here are two behind the scenes photographs:

June 28th, 2011--- John appeared on BBC Radio last night to discuss Raised in Captivity and life in general. Click Here to listen.

May 30th, 2011--- John would like to share the front cover image for Raised in Captivity:

May 25th, 2011--- John recently gave an interview to Spanish language newspaper Las Ultimas Noticias. Click Here to View.

May 25th, 2011--- The Japanese release date for Raised in Captivity is 24th August 2011 on King Records

PROLIFIC BRITISH MUSICIAN JOHN WETTON TO RELEASE
NEW SOLO ALBUM IN JULY VIA FRONTIERS RECORDS;
“RAISED IN CAPTIVITY” FEATURES GUEST SPOTS BY
IMPRESSIVE ARRAY OF MUSICAL PARTNERS

Frontiers Records is proud to announce the release of the sixth solo album by esteemed British singer/songwriter John Wetton; RAISED IN CAPTIVITY is due out on July 1st in Europe and the 12th in North America. The album was recorded in Los Angeles during a brief break between touring commitments and is produced and mixed by multi-instrumentalist Billy Sherwood (Yes, World Trade, Yoso). The new offering finds Wetton teaming up with current and former musical partners, including some of the biggest names from the British music scene over the past four decades: Genesis’ Steve Hackett, King Crimson’s Robert Fripp, Deep Purple’s Steve Morse and many more. Please see below for a full track listing.

“Raised In Captivity” celebrates yet another milestone in an extraordinary life, a stunning collection of songs reinforcing a career of over 40 years during which John Wetton has created a legacy as one of the greatest singers, musicians and songwriters ever. Respected worldwide by fans and musical peers alike, Wetton’s career included a significant period of time in the early eighties when he was the biggest selling singer in the world. Once again characterised by the emotional impact of the material, a necessary component in all Wetton’s creativity, “Raised In Captivity” continues an unrivalled career which has brought inspiration to millions worldwide.

Of the new album and choice of producer, Wetton commented, “The decision to record in Los Angeles with Billy Sherwood was entirely mine. I wanted the chaotic urban inspiration, edge and energy to juxtapose the natural beauty that California provides. I also knew that Billy Sherwood would provide the musical and technical ability to record quickly, with ultra high energy and superb production quality.” The material was written in a variety of ways, such as “Goodbye Elsinore” was written on the Denmark-Sweden sea ferry en route to a Vilde Frang concert and “The Devil and the Opera House” is co-written with King Crimson collaborator Richard Palmer-James. The album’s finale is “Mighty Rivers”, featuring the enigmatic Dutch soprano Anneke Van Giersbergen and the Seattle Symphony Orchestra.

John Wetton has been a member of several prominent British bands. After two albums with Family he joined King Crimson from 1972 to 1974, before working with Roxy Music and Uriah Heep. In 1977, with former Crimson band mate and drummer Bill Bruford, he co-founded U.K., which also featured guitarist Allan Holdsworth and keyboardist/violinist Eddie Jobson. After U.K.’s demise, Wetton turned his attentions to a solo career.

In 1982, Wetton became part of the supergroup Asia, together with Steve Howe, Carl Palmer and Geoff Downes. This “fab four” of progressive pop would rule radio and record sales, with their debut album becoming the biggest selling album of the year and yielding the worldwide hit “Heat of the Moment.” Wetton remained prolific with more solo studio albums and several collaborative efforts over the years.

In 2002 at a John Wetton fan convention held in Allentown, PA, he started working with Geoff Downes again. This collaboration ultimately resulted a series of iCon studio and live albums and the in the highly-anticipated reunion of Asia’s original lineup, bringing about two successful new studio albums: PHOENIX in 2008 and OMEGA in 2010.

“Lost For Words” can be streamed in full on the Frontiers Records web radio
www.frontiers.it/webradio

Asia hangs with Original VJ Martha Quinn
John Wetton and Geoff Downes from ASIA stop by the 80s studio to talk with Martha Quinn. Their reunion tour, new album, crazy days in the decade of excess...kids, super-models, and much more in the Martha Quinn interview!

Premiere: Thur. 5/26, 12Noon EST
Duration: 1 hr.

Rebroadcasts:
Thurs. 5/26, 7pm EST
Fri. 5/27, 2am, 9am & 3pm EST
Sat. 5/28, 5pm EST

By popular demand, ASIA has announced its 2011 Meet & Greet VIP packages available at most dates on the band's upcoming tour.

This year there will be two packages available:

ASIA $299 GOLD VIP PACKAGE

ALL VIP PACKAGES MUST BE PURCHASED AT LEAST ONE WEEK PRIOR TO SHOW. HURRY, SPACE IS VERY LIMITED!

TO PURCHASE YOUR VIP PACKAGE please visit: www.originalasiastore.com

May 10th, 2011---John Wetton, Jordan Rudess and Marco Minnemann in New York City:

April 30th, 2011---Annie Haslam of Renaissance was in the audience for ASIA's Keswick Theatre show. The below picture shows Annie with John Wetton and Geoff Downes:

April 16, 2011---The following dates have been added to the ASIA 2011 Omega world tour:

Jun 06 - Millenaris Theatre, Budapest, Hungary
Jun 07 - KC Semilasso, Brno, Czech Republic
Jun 08 - KD Serikova, Pilsen, Czech Republic
Jun 09 - Colos-Saal, Aschaffenburg, Germany
Jun 11 - Het Parrd, Den Haag, Holland
Jun 13 - Bikini, AV / Diagonal, Barcelona, Spain
Jun 14 - La Riviera, Madrid, Spain
Jun 16 - Coliseum, Coruna, Spain
Jun 17 - Aula Magna, Lisbon, Portugal
Jun 18 - PARIS 15, Malaga, Spain

April 15, 2011---John will give a Masterclass at School of Rock, Philadelphia, on the 26th April 2011

April 2, 2011--- ASIA Shows in Central and South America have been announced. The 2011 Omega dates confirmed so far include:

North America - 2011

Apr 28 - The State Theatre, Easton, PA
Apr 29 - Keswick Theatre, Glenside, PA
Apr 30 - Tarrytown Music Hall, Tarrytown, NY
May 01 - Birchmere, Alexandria, VA
May 03 - Rams Head Tavern, Annapolis, MD
May 04 - Rams Head Tavern, Annapolis, MD
May 05 - Community Theatre at Mayo Center, Morristown, NJ
May 06 - The Turning Stone Casino and Resort, Verona, NY
May 07 - Casino Rama, Rama, ON, Canada
May 09 - Metropolis, Montreal, Canada
May 10 - Infinity Hall, Norfolk, CT
May 12 - Leelanau Sands Casino, Peshawbestown, MI
May 13 - House of Blues, Chicago, IL
May 14 - Pabst Theatre, Milwaukee, WI

Central/South America - 2011

May 20 - Teatro La Cuplula, Santiago, Chile
May 21 - Teatro Colegiales, Buenos Aires, Argentina
May 22 - HSBC Arena, Sao Paulo, Brazil
May 24 - Teatro Metropol, Bogota, Colombia
May 26 - Anfiteatro Sambil, Chacao, Caracas

April 2, 2011---UK (featuring Eddie Jobson and John Wetton) is pleased to confirm the below dates are proceeding:

April 8: Boston - Regent Theater (Arlington
April 11: New York - Highline Ballroom
April 15: Tokyo - Club Citta
April 16: Tokyo - Club Citta
April 18: Tokyo - Club Citta
April 23: San Francisco - Regency Ballroom

February 8, 2011---ASIA is pleased to announce, by popular demand, they will be playing a second night at the Rams Head Tavern, Annapolis on the 4th May.

February 7, 2011---"Countdown To Zero" was played Sunday night at the SuperBowl during the interview with Charles Woodson (Green Bay Packers).

January 26, 2011---ASIA will be playing May 09 at the Metropolis, Montreal, Canada

January 20, 2011--- Another date has been added to the ASIA 2011 - May 06 - The Turning Stone Casino and Resort, Verona, NY

January 16, 2011--- ASIA's May 03, Annapolis, MD show is sold out! Thank you for the support! Also, details of VIP packages will be made available shortly.

December 20, 2010--- Details of Asia's 2011 touring schedule have started to firm up. Confirmed North American to date are shown are below.

Apr 28 - The State Theatre, Easton, PA
Apr 29 - Keswick Theatre, Glenside, PA
Apr 30 - Tarrytown Music Hall, Tarrytown, NY
May 01 - Birchmere, Alexandria, VA
May 03 - Rams Head Tavern, Annapolis, MD
May 05 - The Mayo Center for the Performing Arts, Morristown, NJ
May 07 - Casino Rama, Rama, ON, Canada
May 12 - Leelanau Sands Casino, Peshawbestown, MI
May 13 - House of Blues, Chicago, IL
May 14 - Pabst Theatre, Milwaukee, WI

December 16, 2010---Once again ASIA have teamed up with instant music specialists Concert Live to produce three limited edition CD sets from their year's Omega Tour. The three specially selected shows are:

December 15, 2010---It is with great regret that the band much announce that the Falmouth show tonight is canceled due to an injury to Steve Howe. Ticket holders should contact their point of purchase for a full refund.

December 12, 2010---Due to an illness to Steve Howe, the band will be unable to perform at Birmingham and Holmfirth. The band is expecting to continue the tour in London.

November 26, 2010---John will be interviewed for a special hour long programme on BBC Radio Cambridge by Sue Marchant. Tune in to hear this 8:30pm on Monday 29th November 2010.

October 30, 2010--- John will join Steve Hackett on stage at the Shepperd's Bush Empire (London) on the 30th November for a special guest appearance. The concert will be filmed for a DVD release.

October 27, 2010---ASIA has agreed to play a show in St. Petersburg, Russia on the 7th December 2010 at the Oktiaborski Hall.

October 23, 2010---Fans have been requesting a track by track breakdown of Omega, which John has put together below:

Finger on the Trigger: As we all know, a song originally appearing on Rubicon iCon II, became our Frontiers record company boss Serafino's favourite, and because of this , was re-recorded for Omega. It's more rocky than it's progenitor, but (because of that very fact), for my money, lacks the finesse of the original. John Mitchell, Steve Christey, and Hugh McDowell did a tremendous job on the iCon version, and it was superbly engineered by Rob Aubrey.It's an overtly sexual reference involving plenty phallic and vulvar symbolism.

Through My Veins and Light The Way: Mr.Howe's original songs, completely rearranged, and lyrically re-addressed. If Steve ever puts out a 'Homebrew' with the demo of TMV and LTW, you'll see how they changed. My idea for TMV was a more persistent, U2-type 8th note pulse,with a key-change, and strong harmonies for the chorus. There is also a sequenced keyboard from GD, but it's quite low in the final mix, but it provided the 'glue' for the preliminary overdubs.

Holy War: Geoff's title, my lyric. I'm a big student of medieval warfare---one of the best authors to read for factual as well as fictional material is Bernard Cornwell--his detail is staggering, and his descriptions of Crusades battles are second-to-none. My lyrics will always give a positive slant, and at the end of the song, just as in another of our anti-war songs, 'Wildest Dreams', the whole message turns on its head,and with the introduction of 'we want no more Holy War', it becomes a pacifist mantra. I got an email from a professor at Cambridge saying what a pleasure it was to see the word 'Trebuchet' in a rock song. The Trebuchet was an original 'WMD', a massive catapult capable of unbelievable destruction and carnage.

Ever Yours: No Asia album would be complete without at least one blatant love song, a no-holds-barred churning bucket of sentimental lurve, with more than a hint at the Universal Power for the Positive--whatever form that takes for you, be it Lady Luck, a Guardian Angel,or your god.

Listen Children: This refers to an event which actually took place, in a village near Grasse, in Provence, southern France, in the summer of 1992. It was a little festival, with children having the time of their lives. With no limitations, curfew, or much parental supervision, an innocent twilight perfect evening, with a band, eating, drinking, and much pleasure, in a balmy , warm, joyful summer village fete. The mood of the lyric is drawn from 'Uncle John's Band' by the Grateful Dead, and the vocal chorus from 'Carry On Wayward Son' by Kansas, but of course, the final result is nothing like either--- these are just some of the reference points in my head.There was an opening for putting 'La Marseillaise' quintone very quietly under 'Ecoutez', it was never done, but I always sing it when I hear the track . It's essentially Geoff's track, with my melody and lyric, some have called it overly sentimental, but I love it.

End of the World: Always one of my favourite from the whole record, it was written towards the end of the recording, when GD and I were very focussed.For me, it's very Asia, from the bombastic intro to the melodic pop chorus. If you don't know what Auto-da-Fe is, it's being damned if you don't, and damned if you do. I love the way the chord sequences dovetail, it's a real Wetton/Downes stereotype---love it. The lyric, of course, is autobiographical--all of my stuff is, just some is more than others. One of the lines that I started the chorus with, but ditched, was 'I don't wanna spend the rest of my days in an alcohol haze'. I preferred 'I believe that God is Love', but it's strange how songs and lyrics start their lives, and how they magically transform into the final version.

There Was A Time: This was a something that came out of one of our (JW/GD)writing sessions at my house, on the 'magic piano'. We developed it further at Geoff's studio in Wales, and lyrically is very much a retrospective look back at a time with a specific person----the woman in question is a spouse/partner---where did it go wrong? What could I have done?As the writer wishes her only the best, it ends with an optimistic 'There will come a time for you' over a brilliant shuffle that Carl does so well, and a superb solo from Mr. Howe.

I'm Still The Same: A tune that I had, a rock-based shuffle which is actually the 'other half' of a ballad, which starts with the same C to Fm modulation. I first mentioned the coupling to Mike Paxman very early on in the recording process, that it would be great to have two songs----one ballad, and one rock--- on the same record, with a chordal, melodic correlation and lyrical continuity. Initially he was excited about the prospect, but when we played the rough sketches on piano, he said 'nice chords, but....." I don't think Mike understood fully what we were capable of at that time. I believe that if we were to present again, he would understand. The finished article (ISTS) doesn't quite hit the spot as far as I'm concerned--it's not rocky enough---the guitar is very jazz, and the drums aren't heavy enough. That's no fault of Steve Howe, or Carl Palmer, it's my fault for not being there at the time. What's also my fault is the fact that the song has no bridge ---there is a 'C' section which was never recorded, and it fits perfectly with the ballad which forms the 'other half' of the piece. Hopefully, you'll hear that in the next year or so. This song has a lovely chorus, but possibly would have benefitted from being an iCon song, with iCon treatment---you never know, that might just happen. The lyric is about a man totally mystified by his partner's about face behaviour, about his partner's head being turned by another, when it is obvious to him that it will never work. We do the strangest things in the name of love, no question that we are considered to be' insane' when in love. Big Brian Wilson influence on vocal harmonies, as usual.

Drop a Stone: Written in Kansas City, at one of our road-writing afternoons in a hotel room on a day off. It is not really the way I had intended, it was meant (in my head) to be more Floydian, spacey, with a huge vocal and massive synthesizers. It is now a blues tune, hence it is a bonus track. Steve does incredibly well on this song, if anything it's turned into a country tinged blues song. The vocal is in-your-face, up close and personal---not the way I had intended, but that's what happens .I suppose, because it was written in Kansas City, it was destined to have a blues flavour. It's about having faith, helping someone else, and about letting go ---sometimes when we think we need to hang on with all our might, the best thing we can do is let go.

Emily: The 'other' bonus track. In my opinion, neither track is a 'bonus' that's just a marketing device, and has nothing to do with what I'm writing about here. Emily--as has been well-documented in my guestbook--was someone I met on the eastern seaboard of the US a couple of years ago. I was genuinely taken by this woman, but on further investigation, discovered she was gay. That is fine, but the moment I was told of her sexual preference, that first verse came to me instantly. When Geoff and I were going through material late one morning, Geoff said 'you got anything else, m8? I pulled out Emily, not thinking that she would fly, but--on the contrary--she also went down extremely well with our producer. I'm really pleased at how she turned out. Numerologically very satisfying-- 'Emily', and 'KAZ 53513' are both '1' combos. It's Britpop in the tradition of the four moptops, the Kinks, XTC, 10cc , et al----a kind of legacy for English musos.

I Believe: One of the last songs written for Omega. On a rainy afternoon in the Welsh Valleys, after a lunch of chicken and Nando's incendiary hot chilli sauce, I pulled out a tune that had been in my head since crossing the Severn Bridge that morning (this bridge links England and Wales, is spectacular, and very very inspiring. Sometimes I just want to stop, and sit for a while--but you're not allowed to --for the mile or so of bridge, you must keep moving).Geoff instantly added the verse, and there we had it. Thankyou, Nando.

Don't Wanna Lose You Now: I just wrote the verse part of the song on 12-string acoustic guitar, and the words fell out of my mouth simultaneously. There was the first verse. I didn't know what it was about (I thought it was a straightforward love song) but it dawned on me that all of these word were saying 'thankyou'--it was a debt of thanks to someone, and it occurred to me that I may be talking to the audience the person listening to the record, or the ticket-holder at a concert. So the rest of the song (including Geoff's beautifully crafted bridges) fell into place. It's about being grateful, not taking anything for granted, and enjoying the moment.

September 24, 2010---Tickets for the ASIA December 2010 HMV Picture House, HMV Institute and HMV Forum shows are now on sale, and can be purchased online.

September 14, 2010---John recently enjoyed the hospitality of his favourite football club, Derby, asking for this photo to be shared.

September 13, 2010---Many thanks to the legions of Asia fans who attended the 28-date American leg of the Omega tour. This was the 5th US tour of the reunion, and the longest yet! We hope to see you again in 2011.

And with the UK tour in December, we will soon be announcing a VIP program for these upcoming shows. Options will include a meet-and-greet with band members, attending sound check, offers for premium ticket purchases and the ultimate experience - sitting on the actual stage within feet of the band! Details are coming soon, so please keep an eye on this news area. VIP programs will be available in the ASIA Gift Shop when they are posted.

September 12, 2010---Details are emerging of a John Wetton solo concert in Rome, Italy on the 6th November 2010:

September 6, 2010---ASIA ROLL INTO RENO Quote From Rob Brooks, entertainment manager at Nugget Casinos, as the band take the stage tonight for an annual outdoor rock event sponsored by the Reno Nugget."We've been doing this event for 17 years and never known anything like this.""There is a crowd which looks like a sea of sand stretching as far as you can see". Box office coordinator Doug Kuehn added "I think it was when people realised it was the original Asia that the excitement really took off."
Rob Brooks added;- "50,000 to 60,000 people are here for the show and you can quote me on that."

September 3, 2010---Frontiers Records is pleased to announce the release of ASIA's brand new live CD / DVD "Spirit Of The Night – Live in Cambridge 2009" on October 15th 2010. A proper US release will follow in early 2011.

This Live CD / DVD captures Asia in their original line-up, featuring John Wetton on vocals, Steve Howe on guitar, Geoffrey Downes on keyboards and Carl Palmer on drums, performing to an enthusiastic crowd. The masters come from the band’s own archive and this is a show they have personally selected to be filmed and released. It’s a raw and honest view of the musicians and the perspiration on their brows, as they play to a receptive audience. It is truly a compelling viewing and a "must have" for all Asia fans.

The DVD shows the band playing tightly together in harmony with each other and the audience in an energetic and energizing rock concert. The filming is "fly on the wall" placing the viewer seemingly in the audience rather than in a cinema. All of the band supports this type of filming and are looking forward to a DVD which allows the fans almost to join them on stage.

The set list features songs from their reunion album "Phoenix" along with a selection of the classics that all the fans would expect. The recording is a historical document of where the band was at the time and a snapshot of their musicianship, camaraderie and passion. This live CD / DVD is an irreplaceable companion to the studio album. "Spirit of the Night" shows the band at the top of their game.

"Spirit of the Night" will be released in CD and DVD separate editions and in a limited edition in digipak including both items.

The DVD will be released in NTSC Region free format and shall include have Screen options 4:3 and 16:9, with stereo mix in 2.0 and 5.1.

“Heat Of The Moment” and “Never Again” can exclusively be listened to in full by streaming on the Frontiers Web Radio from September 3rd.

Tune in at: www.frontiers.it/webradio

August 21, 2010---Steven Lee & Gaby Dershin's club remix of "Heat" (a.k.a. "Heat of the Moment") has entered the Billboard Hot Club Dance Play chart at #47.

August 15, 2010---A big thank you to fans taking the time to post their tour reviews on the guestbook. John is enjoying the tour which also gave him the chance to see former webmaster, Kim Dancha, at the Pittsburgh show.

August 12, 2010---For the record, the band's forthcoming show in Alpine, CA on August 26 will mark the 200th show of the reunion.

August 12, 2010---The feedback to date on the ASIA VIP program has been wonderful, especially from those who have purchased "Gold Level" access. This opportunity, for only four fans per night, gives them the opportunity to sit at the side of the stage and experience an Asia concert from the most intimate vantage point possible, watching the band at close quarters and admiring the professionalism of the technical crew as they supervise yet another extraordinary Asia show. The band and crew look forward to meeting many more of you in the coming weeks!

August 10, 2010---By popular demand, two new UK dates have been added in December.

August 3, 2010---We have received official promoter confirmation that Saturday's attendance at the Rosenheim was not 5000 as expected, but in fact 6500 ASIA fans showed up. Thanks to all for the support!

July 31, 2010---The band are pleased to announce three tour dates for the UK in December:

Friday, December 10 - Edinburgh Picturehouse
Satursday, December 11 - Birmingham Institute
Tuesday, December 14 London Forum

July 31, 2010---Following Asia's acclaimed performance in front of 8000 at London's High Voltage, the band is in the middle of 3 German festivals. Last night a capacity 1500 rocked to the Omega set, featuring 5 new songs from Omega and new versions from Alpha and Astra. Tonight it is onto Rosenheim where 5000 are expected for Asia's headlining performance at the BR radltour event, sponsored by Bavaria's biggest radio station, Bavarian Radio.

And then the band will move to New England, the 29 date USA tour starting in Boston on August 2nd. Please send your reviews and youtubes to originalasia.com as previously requested.

July 16, 2010---ASIA was featured in a story that appeared in the July 16th USA TODAY about classic rock acts that have returned in 2010 with new albums and tours. Over 6 million readers had access to the story.

June 23, 2010---John is pleased to announce his return to the Celtic world of Excalibur, the incredible albums from producer, Alan Simon.

John will be singing on two songs, "The Vision" and "The Lost Season" along with other guest musicians. "The Vision" has already been recorded and "The Lost Season" will be recorded on the 28th June.

June 11, 2010---Asia is sad to report the death this morning of long time friend and agent Barbara Skydel.

As a partner in Premier Talent, Barbara booked Asia from the start, and prior to Asia she was also responsible for King Crimson, Yes and ELP from their first US tours.

Having merged Premier with William Morris Agency in 2002, Barbara became senior VP and her expertise was instrumental in the successful reunion of Asia in 2006.

The music business has changed in many ways since Barbara started her voyage in the 1960s, but Barbara always maintained her good humour, wisdom and integrity, and her passing is a loss, not only for the multitudes who knew her and knew of her, but also for the music industry as a whole.

29th July 2010 - Wieden Tentfestival
30th July 2010 - Bad Krozingen
31st July 2010 - Rosenhiem Bavarian Radio Show

May 27, 2010---ASIA's critically acclaimed single "An Extraordinary Life” Chosen To Promote Hit NBC show America's Got Talent

ASIA's critically acclaimed rock track "An Extraordinary Life," was chosen as the soundtrack for promotional spots announcing the 2010 season of AMERICA'S GOT TALENT. This show is among the most popular entertainment reality shows of all time. Last season the show peaked at the #1 position in overall viewership.

AMERICA’S GOT TALENT producers specifically sought out the rights to use the famed ASIA song, which was written by members John Wetton and Geoff Downes. The track was recorded shortly after Wetton survived open heart surgery, in 2007. The song celebrates "carpe diem": each person's ability to seize each day, living life to the fullest. The promotional spots for America’s Got Talent featuring “An Extraordinary Life,” begin airing on NBC in prime time, Wednesday, May 26th.

English band ASIA recently released OMEGA, their fifth album since 1982's multi-platinum world best-selling debut, and the third release since reuniting in 2006. The band will launch a new North American tour in August, 2010. The already well-received album OMEGA is distributed by Frontiers Records (www.frontiers.it). EMI released ASIA’s best-selling album Phoenix [under license from Frontiers Record], containing the hit “An Extraordinary Life”. Both albums are available at www.amazon.com and other fine retailers.

The original members of ASIA are rock n’ roll superstars Geoff Downes (keyboards), Steve Howe (guitars), Carl Palmer (drums) and John Wetton (lead vocals and bass). More about the band can be found at www.originalasia.com .

Bruce Pilato Director of Marketing & Public Relations for ASIA Brucetune@aol.com (585) 454-2756

May 25, 2010---The continued success of Omega appears to have had a wonderful side effect -- the Audio Fidelity reissue of the band's debut, "Asia," has appeared at the #1 position on CD Universe's "New Releases" chart.

May 21, 2010---Asia's new studio CD has reached #1 on the internet-based CD Universe's bestseller chart, and is still in the top 75 on both the US and Canadian Amazon sales charts.

May 13, 2010---Asia is considering creating its own youtube page. We invite any audience members to submit youtube selections of Asia which will be uploaded to our new pages subject to approval.

The band ask all of you to be reasonable, please, and take into account the comfort and enjoyment of your fellow audience members when taking your films. The band does not want to see whole concerts filmed, nor TV or bulky cameras spoiling the view of your neighbours. We extend this invitation to those of you who record to your phone or Ipod the occasional short segment of your favourite track.

If the band believes that concert goers are being disturbed by over enthusiastic youtubers, the youtube pages will be withdrawn and we will return to our previous position. Submission details will be provided shortly, so please check back.

May 13, 2010---A new Omega review from Classic Rock magazine is now online as well as an advertisement for the CD.

May 13, 2010---Omega was #22 on the Amazon.ca charts for the week of May 3-9, and has been in the top 100 for over 32 days.

May 10, 2010---As quickly as it had begun, the first leg of the Omega tour has come to an end. Despite the unfortunate volcano induced cancellation of dates in Finland and Russia, fans of the band in Italy, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Austria, France, Netherlands and Germany welcomed Asia with open arms. The rejuvenated set list was a big hit, with the new material from Omega fitting seamlessly into the show, along with a couple of additional surprises for the fans. The band are now off to Japan for five shows beginning on May 13.

May 9, 2010---A nice advertisement for Omega and the Japanese tour is now available. Click the thumbnail to see the full-size image.

2nd August 2010 - Zeiterion Performing Arts Centre, New Bedford MA
3rd August 2010 - Birchmere, Alexandria VA
5th August 2010 - Penn's Peak, Jim Thorpe PA
6th August 2010 - North Fork Theatre, Westbury NY
7th August 2010 - Showboat. Atlantic City NJ
8th August 2010 - Ridgefield Playhouse, Ridgefield CT
10th August 2010 - Bergen PAC, Englewood NJ
12th August 2010 - Market Block Party, Syracuse NY
13th August 2010 - House of Blues, Cleveland OH
14th August 2010 - Armory, Rochester NY
15th August 2010 - Carnegie Hall of Homestead, Pittsburgh, PA
17th August 2010 - Memorial Auditorium, Raleigh NC
18th August 2010 - Variety Playhouse, Atlanta GA
20th August 2010 - House of Blues, Dallas
21st August 2010 - House of Blues, Houston
22nd August 2010 - Paramount Theatre, Austin
23rd August 2010 - Majestic Theatre, San Antonio, TX
25th August 2010 - Celebrity Theatre, Phoenix AZ
26th August 2010 - Viejas Casino @ Dreamcatcher, (San Diego), Alpine CA
27th August 2010 - Club Nokia, Los Angeles
28th August 2010 - The Grove, Anaheim
29th August 2010 - The Uptown, Napa
1st September 2010 - CSU Chico/Laxsun Auditorium, Chico CA
2nd September 2010 - Fox Theatre, Bakersfield CA
3rd September 2010 - Ovation @ Green Valley Resort & Spa, Vegas NV (Henderson)
4th September 2010 - Peppermill Casino (SLC Market), Wendover NV
5th September 2010 - Nugget Casino (Reno Market) Sparks NV
7th September 2010 - Aladdin Theatre, Portland OR
8th September 2010 - Moore Theatre, Seattle WA

May 5, 2010---Omega has entered the Swedish charts at number 47. A big "thank you" goes out to all the fans who continue to support the band!

May 4, 2010---Some exciting news for fans in Switzerland and around the world. Tonight's concert in Basel is being recorded by an 18 x HD camera crew for TV, to be networked worldwide. Presently, the working title is "Asia's Omega Tour Live in Switzerland".

May 4, 2010---Omega entered the UK Top 40 Indie album charts this week at #13. We can also confirm that the album has entered the Top 60 in Switzerland!

May 3, 2010---Following Omega’s entry into the national charts of Norway and France over the weekend, we are pleased to report that Asia’s new CD has entered the German top 100 at number 56.

May 3, 2010---With the 2010 tour underway and the release of Asia's new studio CD "Omega" we'd like to get your reviews!

If you would like your review considered for posting, please limit it to 200 words or less. We reserve the right to edit submissions, and we cannot guarantee that all submissions will be published. Please do not send any live photos to this address.

May 2, 2010---The band performed to a sold-out audience in the beautiful German town of Asschaffenburg tonight - the first of the German dates. The crowd took the lead vocals for the first verse of the evening's second song, "Only Time Will Tell", and joined in the mixture of new and old Asia. Once again, the band delighted the audience with 4 new songs in the first 5, "I Believe", "Holy War" and "Through my Veins" from Omega, and "Never Again" from Phoenix.

Here is the setlist from the Asschaffenburg show: Finger on the Trigger, Only Time Will Tell, Holy War, Never Again, Through My Veins, Don’t Cry, Steve Howe solo, Smile Has Left Your Eyes (parts 1 and 2), Open Your Eyes, I Believe, Time Again, An Extraordinary Life, The Heat Goes On, End of the World, Here Comes the Feeling, Sole Survivor, Go, and Heat of the Moment. Other European dates have had similiar sets, with slight modifications.

May 1, 2010---To answer a question about the Omega Tour we're being asked: Is that John Wetton's iconic Fender Precision, the white one? To which the answer is yes, JW has brought his Zon and his treasured white Precision on tour (you'll see it on many of the milestone photos through the years)!

April 30, 2010---Opening week, Omega entered at No.8 on the foreign album sales chart. Omega entered at No.29 on the album sales chart (all domestic and foreign albums) in Japan. We're hearing reports of likely chart entries around Europe.

April 30, 2010---After the volcano affected cancellations of Helsinki and Moscow, Asia's tour started in Rome, then moved to Prague, Switzerland and Austria. A day off and then comes Paris, followed by a drive to Holland and then the first of several shows in Germany.

The set has been changed significantly. Five songs from Omega are included [three of the first five in the first set]. No heritage songs from the seventies on this tour, the band is now playing Asia throughout the set. Without giving the game away, there is a song from Astra for the first time ever, and a new extended version of one of the major hits.

For this tour the band has dispensed with the live video screens and, with the help of pre-eminent lighting designer Marc Brickman [Pink Floyd, Roger Waters, Cirque du Soleil], will be utilising a new lighting design to complement the energy and excitement, the light and shade of Asia's music. Once again, Asia is pushing the boundaries.

There is a new range of merchandise, once again drawn from Roger Dean's new "Asian Tiger" designs, paying homage to this year's Chinese Year of the Tiger.

Incidently, 1982 was the Year of the Dog, 1983 the Year of the Boar, 2006 was the Dog, 2008 the Boar, 2008 the Rat and 2009 the Ox. Moving on, 2011 will be the Year of the Rat and 2012 will be the Year of the DRAGON.

February 26, 2010---OMEGA releases April 23rd in Europe (except Finland : April 16th), May 4th in the USA and 21st April in Japan.. Release dates in other territories will be available shortly.

February 25, 2010---Just in are images for the new ASIA OMEGA album, along with the artwork for inside the booklet and an image of the Omega Tour poster:

21st April 2010 - Helsinki, Finland (House of Culture)
22nd April 2010 - Moscow, Russia (B1 Club)
24th April 2010 - Rome, Italy (Auditorium)
26th April 2010 - Prague, Czech Republic (Lidovy dum Kbely)
27th April 2010 - Winterthur, Switzerland (Salzhaus)
28th April 2010 - Graz, Austria (Orpheum)
30th April 2010 - Paris, France (Casino De Paris)
1st May 2010 - Uden, Netherlands (De Pul)
3rd May 2010 - Nuremburg, Germany (Hirsch)
4th May 2010 - Pratteln, Switzerland (Z7)
6th May 2010 - Reichenbach, Germany (Die Halle)
7th May 2010 - Bochum, Germany (Zeche)
8th May 2010 - Osnabruck, Germany (Rosenhof)
9th May 2010 - Bonn, Germany (Bruckenforum)

13th May 2010 – Tokyo, Japan (Shibuya C. C. Lemon Hall)
14th May 2010 – Tokyo, Japan (Shibuya C. C. Lemon Hall)
15th May 2010 – Yokohama, Japan (Kanagawa Kenmin Hall)
17th May 2010 – Osaka, Japan (Grancube)
18th May 2010 – Nagoya, Japan (Nagoya Shi Kokaido)

February 9, 2010---John Wetton will be appearing live with It Bites at the Carnegie Hall, Workington, Cumbria on the 26th February to help raise funds for the Flood Relief.

February 8, 2010---To all...I'd like to take a moment to introduce myself as the new webmaster of John Wetton's Official Website. I'd also like to thank everyone who have sent kind welcome messages, since the handover from Kim Dancha, who has done a wonderful job in building the site up to what it is today. I'd also like to thank John Wetton for his support and I look forward to adding news of what should be a very busy and exciting year for everyone! Many thanks, Daniel Earnshaw (Liscombe Park, Buckinghamshire, UK).

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!

May 13 -- Tokyo, Japan
May 14 -- Tokyo, Japan
May 15 -- Yokohama, Japan
May 17 -- Osaka, Japan
May 18 -- Nagoya, Japan

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.

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.

"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

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:

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."

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.

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 Wetton 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.

June 25, 2009---John Wetton to be among members of Asia and Yes joining Roger Dean for special event in San Francisco!

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.

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.

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: