John Wetton (King Crimson, U.K., Asia): The Complete Boffomundo Interview
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- Опубліковано 2 чер 2016
- The incomparable singer, master bass player and composer, Mr. Wetton visited us on Tuesday, 11/13/79. We discussed the live U.K. album, "Night After Night", his history with the Mighty Crim and exactly why Bill Bruford and Alan Holdsworth left U.K. after it's exquisite debut album.
A talented musician, unique vocalist, and all-around class act. RIP, John Wetton. You have left us wanting more.
is still one of the most beautiful song ever written...
for prog nerds, this interview answers so so many questions. probably one of the best Boffomundo interviews I've seen. Thank you guys, so much.
Great interview. In my opinion, John came up with the finest rock song of all time: “Starless”. What a generation of musicians.
In my opinion Wetton had the most approachable vocal style out of all the 70s prog groups.
I agree but Jon Anderson was right there too.
To me, add Greg Lake, Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Ian Anderson, Annie Haslam.
I wonder if Fripp decided to reform Crimson in 1981 when the world didn't end like "Well damn, we're still here...might as well get a new Crimson together!"
@Holiday True, but actually Fripp was initially going to be part of a new band with Eddie Jobson, John Wetton, and Bill Bruford in 1978. When Fripp opted out of that situation, Allan Holdsworth was brought in and the band became UK. It was only after that aborted project as far as Fripp was concerned, that he decided to form a new band that would begin the 1980's for him. That group, initially called Discipline, ultimately became the new version of King Crimson in 1981 as you mentioned.
@@vbassone so in essence UK was almost like a Fripp-less King Crimson?
@@zachhoward9099 Almost.
The band wasn't initially called King Crimson. He wanted to call it Discipline which not everyone loved and he only got the idea to bring back the King Crimson moniker in rehearsals. So he may have had the impulse to start a new band but not a new version of King Crimson specifically.
'and now you find yourself in '82"......lol
Very interesting in-depth interview because John Wetton spoke in an eloquent tone. RIP
Wetton pointed out that Bruford was not a good jazz drummer. Something I always thought as well, but was afraid to say. RIP John Wetton. Thanks for the great music.
John pulls no punches, love it. So much great information, telling BB he is out of UK because "remember that conversation"..so good. Thx @boffomundo for this piece of music history. rip JW
The UK albums are amazing. So glad i discovered them as a teenager
News of John's death put me in a funk for a week or two...and I found myself going back listening to a lot of his material over the years (and a lot of rarity stuff I'd never seen on YTube). John's always been in my top 5 favorite vocalists (especially on some of the lesser-known Asia tracks). Greatly missed.
SilentKnight43 I did the same thing. And Greg Lake and Keith Emerson got swept up in all that grief too. I’m still listening to all of it like I did as a teenager. Prog forever!
What are these lesser-known Asia tracks I wonder?
Imagine that Ian MacDonald, Robert Fripp, Bill Bruford, and John Wetton. . . that would have been the ultimate Crismo lineup.
V A SANTIAGO Have you seen the I Talk to the Wind version with Hackett, Wetton, Buford, MacDonald? Sublime.
Well, they did play together in the studio on the song Starless from the album Red :)
Maybe squeeze Levin and Belew in there, represent the Anglo American years.
@@bent2 McDonald also was on One More Red Nightmare too!
Add to that David Cross too...
His work with Family, especially on the album "Fearless" was so very good. An excellent match when he joined.
Thank you so much for interviewing these Crimso guys, you made great choices there. Be safe and be Well. R.I.P John Wetton.
Fantastic interview. So much info about King Crimson, Holdsworth and Bruford. Everybody has to understand that Wetton's musical aims were different from Bill and Allan's. Different musical languages. Both great. No sense in comparing! It would have been great though if that last Red lineup + Ian would have recorded another Crimson album. But who knows... Met John here twice in Buenos Aires. Great guy, so humble and honest. We miss you John.
An extremely candid interview. I did see UK on the Danger Money tour. I was saddened the original lineup fell apart and this clears it up.
This is a man going up like a rocket! What a genious and great person, we all now know the results... Love JW!
Great interview R.I.P John
What a gentleman ! great interview ..!
Fantastic interview!!! Many thanks for sharing! RIP John
How refreshing to hear John being honest about his band mates and soon too be ex band mates. To his credit he gives understandable reasons for deciding to let BB and AH go.
Masterclass player and vocalist⚡️
John Wetton superstar of King Crimson their best, my favourite incarnation with Fripp and Bruford... etc Larks, Bible and Red
Now I know why Crimson broke up in 1975! Fripp didn't want the band to turn into a dinosaur and the world is going to end in 1981 anyways! Great interview Boffo !
Such a contradictory position to me that Fripp had regarding all that, but he has never been a simple man to understand
I consider uk to be the greatest rock band of all time
I loved his voice, he will be missed, I loved all of the stuff he did with Asia!
This is amazing. So relaxed and candid. On Thanksgiving’s Eve of that year they played at the Coliseo Roberto Clemente in Puerto Rico. I was there as a very impressionable 13-year-old. The next day I decided to ditched sports and went on to become a musician. Fast forward to the 2010’s. Living in New York City, I had the opportunity to see them again many times during those reunion years. Thank you for posting.
I enjoyed this show I learn a lot I didn't know why UK and Bruford part ways and Robert Fripp weird end of the world trip very interesting listening to John Wetton master bassist now deceased RIP!
That was fascinating. Thank you for posting this.
Oh, I so wish U.K had lasted longer, mk2 that is, in particular. R.I.P John Wetton
RIP.
Damn, was he thin. I guess that we all were 38 years ago!
I love John, he was so key in my fave period of Crimson, but did he actually say that Bill is not a good jazz drummer?! That's madness.
Absolutely. I don't see those albums too horribly different from one another either.
He comes across as a pompous ass in this a lot of the times.... Great voice and bassist though
I think that they didn't end up in very Good terms
He is not Billy Cobham thou. Too british for Jazz, to Jazzy for rock. There is a reason why Soft Machine never achived success in Jazz while bands Like Mahavishnu Orchestra became legends
No, I have to agree. Bruford plays right on the beat, whereas the best jazz drummers have a more elastic sense of time. Someone like Elvin Jones or Jack DeJohnette will play behind or even ahead of the beat to bring everyone together. It's not good or bad, just a stylistic difference.
Wow, another album I must hear (UK). It's good that there's so much the great guys have left behind for those of us that need to hear anything other than what the radio now pokes at us.
There are 2 UK Studio albums, So there are 2 albums you must hear, UK and Danger Money, both very good if you have not listened to either they are a must.
Very interesting and articulate discussion with John Whetton. I always had the impression that Bob Fripp was a difficult person to work with and this ‘end of the world ‘ rubbish therefore Crimson don’t tour, shows him up to be unreliable. Fripp for all his talent comes across as a smug man
GREAT interview. Thanks for posting.
Never In A Million Years ! RIP J.W. !
Great interview, insightful answers to smart questions. I loved his description of Allan Holdsworth as a Great Book, with a lock on it. I also did not know Bruford was surprised about being let go from U.K. - that must have been difficult on Bruford and Wetton's relationship. Because it wasn't necessarily a business decision. Bill "chose" what direction he was going, and that's not where Wetton wanted to go. After their experience with King Crimson, being "let go", I wonder if their relationship suffered for it. Cuz by all rights, Bruford & Wetton compliment eachother greatly. I wouldn't say as greatly as Bruford & Chris Squire, which is a completely different kettle of fish. That's two musicians at odds in personality, but in musical conversation with eachother they are communicative and open. Bruford & Wetton is different, but they seem a more "logical" pairing.
25:00 what he says about Bach influencing his bass lines. Yes.
great vid! how the hell havent i seen this in all the years of lurking for any progrock bits that i havent seen in 50 years. as far as i'm concerned, court, was the first real progrock album. there were others who dabbled, but fripp brought that no f's given attitude. and greg lake. nuff said...
by the way the album wetton is plugging, is massive...
As a long term follower of Soft Machine I totally understand what John Whetton says that Alan Holdsworth never stuck around in any band . This is what happened with Soft Machine , Holdsworth jumped ship very quickly.
yes, but one thing i like about soft machine, was how they sounded different on each album. highly underrated band...
Big SF fan here.... Bundles was great, but their best was 3 and 4.... and their live recordings (mostly bootlegs at the time).
Good stuff
Theme song of this show sounds like John wailing on bass actually.
The theme song is by the Italian prog-jazz-rock band, Arti & Mestieri.
I thought it was some UK piece lol
@@robbieclark7828 love it!
@@caryheuchert Thanks Cary!
@@caryheuchert Which apparently John would have hated.
Funny, nobody mentions John Wetton was Uriah Heep's bassist in '75 and '76 appearing on Return To Fantasy and High and Mighty. Admittedly not their best albums, to be sure but they had a few great tracks.
He also worked on Wishbone Ash's 1981 Number the Brave. And that's it
at 17 minutes he refers to playing in the dark and then taking steps backwards as he solos - I met Wetton and Jobson the day after a UK concert in Cincinnati, Ohio at a Peaches record store - I was (as a guitarist) FLOORED by Alan and I said to Mr. Wetton - why was the stage backed out on Holdswoth? I mean there were literally NO lights on him - I asked if something had gone wrong - he replied "No, it's in his contract that there are no lights on him because he's thinking about his solos I guess" - I instantly had more respect for Holdsworth, eschewing the spotlight - literally - for his best musical contribution he could make. They each seemed quite unhappy about the subject and also that no one showed up to this meet and greet but an employee and her boyfriend - me. But they were both very nice and serious about their band, and you can see that is WAS their band. [ BTW, I designed the first Zon bass headstock logo - there's some more history for you. Recently Joe Zon asked me if I wanted to buy the company! I wish I had told John about the logo, but I was starstruck over speaking to a former Crim. Oh well. Fly away, JW.
During King Crimson's Double Trio mid 90's tour, Robert Fripp insisted that there be no spotlight on him as well, even though he was sitting in the middle at the rear of the stage. So throughout the show he would either be virtually invisible or only a backlit silhouette. Very unusual effect.
Kind of ironic the thing that broke up the first lineup of U.K. is the mix that I liked about it and makes me nostalgic for it.
Thanks for uploading great interview very smart man and great musician ; I’m still gonna smoke a huge amount of pot to all king krimson records though!!!
He was primarily concerned with achieving mainstream success, which he did for a while with Asia…he got the money, fame, all the way trappings of excess, and I think that after Fripp pulled the tether on Crimson, he was determined not to surround himself with anyone who wasn’t ready to make it big alongside him.
Allan!!
Now I understand why he looked so uncomfortable on that "Return To Fantasy" video he made when he was in Uriah Heep. He must have been rolling his eyes at all the lyrical gassiness around him.
Heep had some good tunes. Return to Fantasy rocks steady in places, even though it was a half hearted shot at recapturing Demons and Wizards success and fantasy style lyrics. I recommend the Wetton era UH tune One Way or Another. He sings the verses (Hensley sings chorus) and lays down a fat bass line. I certainly agree that UH fit the definition of self indulgent stoner rock, but couldn't King Crimson fit that definition also? KC definitely had a more refined, professional sound compared to the noisy, distorted, drug fuelled, banality of UH, but both used their share of abstract, mystical lyrics. I also agree that Wetton was less than inspired in Uriah Heep, he was merely a hired gun seeking a paycheck with a brand name act and he was just killing time between KC and UK. John was a round peg jammed in a square hole, Heep was in disarray when he joined due to the dismissal and eventual death of previous bassist Gary Thain, singer David Byron was out of control with booze, Ken Hensley was hoovering up mounds of cocaine, and the rest of the band were growing apart from both of them. John Lawton replaced Byron after the two Wetton albums, Trevor Bolder replaced Wetton, the band continued on with Hensley and a more commercial sound for three Lawton albums (Innocent Victim the best) and the bloody abortion called Conquer with overmatched eye candy named John Sloman trying to sing. I enjoy both classic Heep (70-76) and all things Wetton though. I just think somebody like Roger Glover or Glenn Hughes would have been a better match for Heep than Wetton (especially Hughes and his then voracious appetite for cocaine and his vocal range, hell he could have capably replaced Byron on vocals and played bass had he not been going off the tracks with Deep Purple followed by 15 years of snorting coke and bouncing around inconsistent stints with Pat Thrall, Gary Moore, Black Sabbath, and Phenomena, turning in top notch studio work with all four while simultaneously being too high and out of shape to tour much with any of them). In summary, diverse, progressive artists like Wetton don't belong in noisy proto metal bands such as Uriah Heep.
@@markrago5024 Yeah, love the Heep album High & Mighty!
Miss ya john. Your vocals were always very comforting and rustic. ...even if your opinion on bruford was questionable haha
What song is this at the end?
Didn't know that while Wetton is right handed (and plays like that) he writes with right hand!
He was naturally left handed but played right handed.
?! What ?! Wetton was left-handed? (Watch him autograph the album cover @ the end.) Considering his right-hand technique was so spectacular before he switched to a pick, I'm gobsmacked! Also regarding his not-so-favorable comments about Bruford's solo albums, UK still performed several songs from both of the good doctor's albums.
I had read somewhere Sir that many left handed people become ambidextrous over time and at a much higher rate then right handed people, can’t remember the reasoning behind the numbers though
@@zachhoward9099 @Zach Howard as a (partial) left-hander myself, I think it has a lot to do with societal pressure and the stigma from being different from the majority. I got my first guitar at 12 years old. I instinctively grabbed the neck with my right hand, but the guy who was giving me rudimentary lessons told me because the right handed guitar I needed to play it right-handed. I had never seen a picture of Hendrix at that time and didn't realize you could simply turn it over and restring it so I learned how to play right handed it has been that way ever since! I don't know how it happened, but I write, eat and use a mouse left handed, but I do literally everything else right handed. I'm not ambidextrous, it's just either one or the other.
I write left handed and play guitar right handed…I believe that Robert Fripp does the same.
Was this show a Public Access show? PBS?
UK had the potential to be one of the great bands. But all those egos couldn't play well together. I still listen to both their albums though they're almost like two different bands.
This was a great interview. Enjoyed getting Wetton's viewpoint instead of just books and articles by authors who weren't involved.
Would you sign my album? I love it!
Sundown dazzling day
Gold through my eyes✨
What song is this in the intro?
This was before ASIA, but a lot of people probably know that already. The title makes it so you have to know about John's ASIA before even hearing this and if they are looking here for ASIA material, there is none. Not everyone likes or even connects him to ASIA. Just being honest from an ASIA fan. I would have just said John Wetton (King Crimson, UK) Since that is what the subjects are and of those time-frames. Just a small comment...nothing unfriendly.
Lol...great interview,,,but he got it wrong about Bruford,,,he proved after was an excellent jazz drummer and artist ,,,R.I.P JW
He was even more wrong about Allan Holdsworth!!!!!
Remember, this was made in 1980
Bruford evolved over the years with Earthworks and many other ensembles
I'm glad Holdsworth didn't do any cheesy rock moves on stage.
Hell, Welton should have been used to Allan's reticence. He played with a man that made Allan look like Pete Townsend on stage by comparison for nearly three years...
What is the theme music?
I know right?!
Arti & Mestieri - Nove Lune Dopo
Wetton was so wrong about people knowing about Holdsworth haha. Great interview nonetheless
Exactly. What ignorant comments he makes here. Impossible to keep a TRUE GENIUS like Holdsworth from becoming known........
If more "shredder" guitarists went back through the chain of influences like blues enthusiasts did you'd see a lot more people playing Holdsworth, Fripp, Howe, DiMeola, and Hackett riffs on your IG feed.
Well, Wetton was around 30-years-old here - still young, and very much in that mindset of what "he" wanted to do and liked. He wasn't into Holdsworth or jazz in general at that time, it seemed to me... at least in as far as it wasn't what he wanted to do or be part of, and being a "progressive" musician meant he was getting lumped in with that camp (even to this day, I know a lot of people who don't realize the difference between jazz fusion and progressive rock).
Yes, he sounds quite a bit pompous here (most things do when you're a young artist and really serious about yourself), but as he said about Fripp, "Now I've got my way, and he's got his." I'm sure that's ultimately his attitude towards Holdsworth and Bruford... the collaboration was good for what it was, but they all clearly wanted different things, and they all achieved them on their own terms, regardless of how they all felt about each other at that time.
Bill Bruford was a superb jazz drummer.
A dollar. Now it's $300 to see a band like Genesis.
So, Bruford and Holdsworth were "fusion dandruff" to be brushed off of UK's shoulders? Well, time will tell which players and bands will be remembered, and why.
“wasted talent” - John on Allan. Well, both of my idols died too early, for sure. I would like to think that 40 or so years after this interview, Allan made a mark on the jazz fusion community. He did on me.
OF COURSE Allan made a mark, that's putting it very mildly. Allan was one of the greatest geniuses ever in music let alone the guitar.....If Wetton wanted a rock star guitarist then he should have hired a rock star guitarist. To hire one of the greatest improvisers of all time, and demand that he NOT improvise is fucking RIDICULOUS.
@@vbassone agreed!
Dude, Holdsworth was hugely influential on the 80s generation of shredders.
People like Steve Vai were definitely influenced and inspired by people like Holdsworth and Fripp. They were bigger names back then.
We don't see them mentioned much these days because you don't hear them on classic rock radio, but guitarists knew about these unique players in the day.
@@shawnmcvey7789 Not only did Alex Lifeson, Steve Vai, Eddie Van Halen, and Eric Johnson know about Holdsworth, through Holdsworth's influence on them, ROCK guitar, along with Jazz-Rock guitar, and Jazz guitar were ALL LARGELY reshaped.
@@vbassone Holdsworth, Beck, DiMeola, McLaughlin, Benson, all had amazingly unique and influential lead playing during the time when fusion came around.
I'd say there's an argument for putting Larry Carlton up there too.
The only thing that miffs me about a lot of fusion guitarists is they never seem to play "rhythm".
The jazzier side of the spectrum does, but the more rock flavored ones never seem to focus on it much, which is why I also gravitate towards players like Al McKay, Carlos Alomar, and session guys like Larry Carlton for my rhythm chops in a fusion situation.
Ian MacDonald, Robert Fripp, Bill Bruford, and John Wetton, doing a follow up to Red would have been a historic prog rock event. Eddie Jobson might have been invited along as well!. Sigh.
crimsons heavy riffs are very sabbath
Wetton's comments here about there not being any memorable melodies in a dramatic sense on Bill Bruford's solo records, Feels Good To Me and the forthcoming at the time of this interview anyway, One of a Kind, are completely inaccurate and ignorant. There are beautiful and "dramatic" melodies on Goodbye to the Past(Adios a la Pasada) from Feels Good to Me and The Sahara of Snow from One of a Kind just to name two.
I definitely agree, but I can kinda see where he might get that idea.
I love those albums, but they are pretty odd ducks in the 70s jazz fusion world.
Earthworks was a lot closer to jazz than rock, especially compared to Bruford. I'd bet by the 90s Wetton had softened or changed his opinion.
I agree and I really love Feels Good to Me and One of a Kind but I can certainly see what John means. In comparison to the other prominent fusion bands at the time (Weather Report, Return to Forever), Bruford was kind of odd, mostly because of his drumming and Holdsworth’s playing. Still fantastic though, great melodies come to mind from Sample and Hold, Seems like a Lifetime Ago, Sahara of Snow, Beelzebub, One of a Kind, and the Abingdon Chasp
I would hope that he would have changed or softened his opinion later in life, yes.@@shawnmcvey7789
Arti e Mestieri nove lune dopo
Notice Weiners jaw..some good coke lol
IT WAS YOUR PRIVILEGE MR. WETTON TO HAVE HAD ALLAN HOLDSWORTH IN UK. CASE CLOSED, IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS.
love that! Agreed.
at 23:22; "Do you enjoy his albums (Bruford's)?" Wettons' response; "no, not really." etc Really Mr. Wetton??? Feels Good To Me and One of a Kind are both WAY BEYOND ANYTHING YOU EVER DID IN YOUR ENTIRE CAREER! Yes, that' includes UK and the Wetton version of Crimson... This guy, and Eddie Jobson, should have been thanking GOD ABOVE that Holdsworth was in their band.
Keep in mind they were all equals in U.K. and the band dissolved because they all had different ideas for the music.
We get to hear all this great music without bias, they probably took years to overcome the difficulties of being in such a talented band.
Having a whole band of killer, creative players brings in a whole new set of difficulties🤣
@@shawnmcvey7789 It was Jobson and Wetton's band. You cannot hire creative improvisational geniuses like Allan Holdsworth and then tell him you want him to play the same solo that he played on the record night after night on tour, which is exactly what the final falling out with Holdsworth was about. Ironically, it is the iconic and completely innovative solos Holdsworth plays all throughout the UK debut record in 1978 such as In The Dead of Night, that has had the most lasting effect on fans of that album over 40 years after it was recorded, so Wetton looks completely foolish in hindsight watching this video as his comments about Holdsworth couldn't be more foolish.
You're really mad at a guy who died like 4 years ago. Chill out.
@@jassie138 You chill out wise guy. EVERYTHING i said is accurate. Got it?
@@vbassone Oh grow the fuck up. You're mad about a fucking grudge that happened 40 years ago and that you weren't even involved in. If you seriously give this much of a fuck about it, go see a doctor while you still can. Therapy does wonders.
They're all incredible musicians. All of them made their mark on music history.
You didn't deserve Allan.
No "progressive" band would ever like the progressive label. Never heard any of these bands accepting the definition. Genesis hated it (quite rghtly so, they were much more complete). Yes didn't like it and often diverted from "prog". ELP felt they were much better than that. King Crimson? They tried anything but "prog"... only minor bands felt they liked that label.
YOU DO NOT HIRE A GENIUS LIKE ALLAN HOLDSWORTH AND NOT LET HIM DO WHAT HE DOES AS A SOLOIST. IF YOU WANTED SOMETHING ELSE OTHER THAN WHAT HE DOES THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE HIRED A GUITARIST THAT DOES WHAT YOU WANT FROM THE BEGINNING. PERIOD.
Sure you can. And when he doesn't comply you show him the door, like a boss.
@@toddlee2571 Listen you moron, it's Allan Holdsworth. Yes, you can make that TERRIBLE decision to NOT let him be and play like the genius he was but that isn't advisable. I'll say it again so you understand; UK IS LUCKY to have had Allan Holdsworth in that band. What part of that don't you understand?
@@toddlee2571 No idiot, then hire a DIFFERENT Guitarist in the FIRST Place. Got it?
@@toddlee2571 Showed him the door to their GREAT LOSS, and trust me Allan couldn't wait to leave that band so the feeling was mutual.
@@vbassone I don't agree that it was their great loss, at least not in Wetton's case as he went on to big time fame with Asia. You might not like but millions did. But boy did Bruford cheese off Wetton by sticking up for Holdsworth. I disagree with Wetton that Bruford wasn't a great jazz drummer, lacked melody didn't have complete ideas. I don't know how anyone listens to a song like Fainting In Coils or Feels Good To Me and not hear melody or satisfying conclusion. But then again, Wetton managed to chase away Howe and Palmer too.
If you didn't want to be associated with fusion or jazz/rock Mr. Wetton, then you shouldn't have hired Bill Bruford and Allan Holdsworth because it is and was CLEARLY what they did musically even in 1977-78 that was clear. And you definitely shouldn't have expected them to suddenly want to become rock stars. YOUR mistake in hiring THEM, not the other way around.
Vincent Guarna he’s dead bro
@@bigball8468 DUHHHH, yeah I know. And your point is?????
They should have hired Peter Banks. . and Carl Palmer.
@@vasantiago3038 Possibly. Wetton was LUCKY to have Holdsworth in UK!! What he says here is a fucking joke and a shame. It is also completely disrespectful in many ways to one of the greatest electric guitarists that has ever lived.
@@bigball8468 Well, so is Allan Holdsworth.