Died On This Date (January 31, 2017) John Wetton / King Crimson; Asia
themusicsover John Wetton
June 12, 1949 – January 31, 2017
John Wetton was an English bassist and singer who is best remembered for his time with King Crimson and for fronting his own popular prog-rock band, Asia. After several years of playing and singing in local bands, Wetton was invited by Robert Fripp to join King Crimson as bassist and lead singer. The year was 1972, and over the next two-plus years, he performed on the band’s critically acclaimed Larks’ Tongues in Aspic, Starless and Bible Black, and Red. Following the release of Red, King Crimson went on hiatus, s0 Wetton worked with several other groups, including Roxy Music, Wishbone Ash, and Uriah Heap. In 1980, he formed Asia, a super group with Geoff Downes, Steve Howe, and Carl Palmer. The band’s self-titled debut of 1982 reached #1 on the US and UK charts and went on to sell over 8 million copies worldwide. In later years, Wetton released several solo albums while collaborating with the likes of Steve Hackett and Renaissance. In 2006, he reunited with the original members of Asia to release Phoenix, their first since 1983. They went on to release a handful of new studio albums over the next several years. John Wetton died of colon cancer on January 31, 2017. He was 67.
What You Should Own
Philip Lithman, or as he was known professionally, Snakefinger was an English multi-instrumentalist who is best known for his collaborations with the Residents. Although he came out of the British blues scene, Lithman’s guitar fret work had more in common with Robert Fripp than John Mayall. In 1971, Lithman moved to San Francisco where he hooked up with avant-garde art rockers, the Residents to perform in their live band. Over the next few years would move back to the UK and then back to California where he shopped around a light rock album and eventually hooked back up with the Residents. In 1982, Lithman put together his own backing band called the Vestal Virgins. It was with this band that Lithman was performing in Austria on July 1, 1987. Midway during the show, Lithman died of a heart attack.
Hector Zazou was a much respected French composer and producer who has collaborated with Bjork, Mark Isham, Siousxie Sioux, David Sylvian, Suzanne Vega, Robert Fripp, Peter Buck and many more. He was celebrated for his ability to fuse classical influences with electronic music. Hector Zazou, age 60, passed away after after falling ill earlier in the year. Cause of death was not immediately released.