The Wetton Family & Qedg Management AnnounceLine-Up Of Legends To Play Exclusive John Wetton Memorial ConcertOn August 3rd, 2023In Aid Of Charity Who Cared For JohnStreaming Tickets On Sale Now!
28th June 2023: Lisa Wetton, (wife) Dylan Wetton, (son) and QEDG Management are delighted to announce that a memorial concert will be held in memory of JOHN WETTON (King Crimson, Family, Roxy Music, Uriah Heep, Wishbone Ask, UK, Asia) on 3rd August 2023 at Trading Boundaries in East Sussex. The event will see friends and family of the late lead singer and guitarist gather together to celebrate the life of this extraordinary musician. An all-star line-up of
legends, who were friends and collaborators of Wettons, will perform songs from throughout his incredible career.
The memorial event will be hosted by Prog Magazines editor, Jerry Ewing, alongside Geoff Downes (The Buggles, Asia, YES), Steve Hackett (Genesis, GTR) and artist Roger Dean. The list of performers and special guests who wish to pay tribute to the legendary Wetton is growing by the day, but so far boasts (in alphabetical order):
Chris Braide (Downes Braide Association), Roger Chapman (Family), Mel Collins (King Crimson, Alan Parsons Project, Chris Squire, Roger Waters), Jim Cregan (Family, Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, Rod Stewart, Katie Melua), David Cross (King Crimson), Chris Difford (Squeeze), Geoff Downes, Steve Hackett, Annie Haslam (Renaissance), Dave Kilminster (John Wetton, Keith Emerson, Steven Wilson, Roger Waters), Phil Manzanera (Roxy Music), John Mitchell (John Wetton, Icon, It Bites, Fr*st), Martin Orford (John Wetton, IQ, Jadis), Guy Pratt (Pink Floyd, Roxy Music) , Jay Schellen (YES, Asia), Billy Sherwood (YES, Asia) and Rick Wakeman (YES, Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe), Laurie Wisefield (Wishbone Ash, Snakecharmer) – all of whom will be supported by The Paul Green Rock Academy.
Geoff Downes commented I am very excited to be a part of the upcoming John Wetton Tribute. As you all know, I had a very close and unique writing partnership with John, and we were dear friends, brothers and band mates for many years.
Wetton died on 31st January 2017, as a result of complications due to cancer. He spent his last days being cared for by the charity Macmillan Caring Locally, at the Macmillan Unit, Christchurch Hospital in Dorset. As a gesture of recognition towards his fans who supported Wetton right up until his death, Johns family and management have decided to allow this private event to be live streamed so that it can be enjoyed by fans across the globe. They have also identified the memorial as being the perfect opportunity to highlight the fantastic work done by Macmillan Caring Locally and to raise much-needed funds for the creation of a special hospice suite dedicated to the star.
Lin Sharp, Fundraising and Communications Director for the charity commented It was a privilege to care for John in the final days of his life and we are so grateful to his wife, Lisa, for her continued support. All monies raised will go to fund a room as a legacy to John, named The John Wetton Suite. A massive thank you to you all for making this possible.
Johns son Dylan went on to say I am delighted and humbled that so many legendary artists who worked with my Dad over the years have agreed to come together both to honour him and raise vital funds for the charity which supported him during his last days.
Tickets for the live stream can be purchased now with all proceeds going to Macmillan Caring Locally. In an effort to raise further funds, a special online auction will run alongside the evenings proceedings boasting some unique lots, including a guitar owned by Wetton himself.
This promises to be an incredible, once-in-a-life time event and it is hoped that fans will support it generously by buying live stream memorial tickets as well as bidding on the various auction lots.
Dylan Wetton went on to say I cannot think of a better way to celebrate my Dads life and the incredible musical legacy he has left behind. Its going to be an amazing night, a unique event – which is exactly what my Dad deserves. Downes agrees To honour Johns legacy in this way with so many of his former musicians, colleagues and family gathered together, shows just what an enormous amount of love, gratitude and respect so many of us held for John and his music. Its going to be a wonderful celebration spanning the whole of Johns amazing career. I am very much looking forward to it. See you all there.
Includes performances by Bryan Ferry, Frank Zappa, Robert Fripp, Simon Phillips, Terry Bozzio, Allan Holdsworth, John Wetton and Bill Bruford!
Nominated for 2019 induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for his innovative work along with Roxy Music, Eddie Jobson is considered the definitive musicians’ musician. “1971-1979 The Band Years” is the first of five planned compilation albums, one for each decade of Jobson’s outstanding career as an award-winning composer and internationally acclaimed keyboardist and electric violinist.
This first double-CD release features tracks from Jobson’s band years in the ’70s, including his work as a member of Curved Air, Roxy Music, Frank Zappa & The Mothers, and UK – the progressive-rock supergroup he co-founded with John Wetton, Allan Holdsworth and Bill Bruford. Classic tracks include Curved Air’s “Metamorphosis,” written by Jobson at the age of 17; Roxy Music’s “Out of the Blue”; and UK’s “In The Dead of Night.” All tracks have been digitally remastered for this special compilation.
Includes performances by Bryan Ferry, Frank Zappa, Robert Fripp, Simon Phillips, Terry Bozzio, Allan Holdsworth, John Wetton and Bill Bruford.
2CD and 8-page booklet with personal liner notes for all 21 tracks
DISC 1
1) Spanish Dream [live synthesizer solo from 1971 – Age 16]
2) Metamorphosis [Curved Air album “Air Cut”]
3) Armin [Curved Air album “Air Cut”]
4) On a Still Night [Eddie Jobson – early solo recording]
5) Yesterday Boulevard [Eddie Jobson – early solo recording]
6) As The World Turns [Bryan Ferry – non-album track]
7) She Sells [Roxy Music album “Siren”]
8) A Song for Europe [Roxy Music album “Stranded”]
9) Out of the Blue [Roxy Music album “Country Life”]
10) Läther [Frank Zappa – live recording]
11) In The Dead of Night [UK album “U.K.”]
12) By The Light of Day [UK album “U.K.”]
13) Presto Vivace & Reprise [UK album “U.K.”]
DISC 2
1) Alaska [UK album “U.K.”]
2) Time to Kill [UK album “U.K.”]
3) Nevermore [UK album “U.K.”]
4) Danger Money [UK album “Danger Money”]
5) The Only Thing She Needs [UK album “Danger Money”]
6) Rendezvous 6:02 [UK album “Danger Money”]
7) Caesar’s Palace Blues [UK album “Danger Money”]
8) Carrying No Cross [UK album “Danger Money”]
Classical prodigy and teen star — Award-winning film composer — “A musical genius” (Editor-in-chief of Emmy magazine) — Electronic music innovator — Nominated for 2019 induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame — World music and jazz record producer — Lecturer on The Art & Science of Music — Electric violin virtuoso — Award-winning pianist
With an international reputation as the definitive musicians’ musician, British musician Eddie Jobson has been recognized as a musical genius since childhood. As a piano and violin prodigy, he was awarded a Diploma of Distinction by London’s Royal Academy of Music at the age of 8, performing with his first professional orchestra at age 10. At 16, he was appointed as the Young Persons’ Representative to the British Government’s Arts Council and, the same year, performed his debut concert at the University of Newcastle – one of the first live concerts to feature the electronic music synthesizer. By age 17 he had acquired a worldwide record deal with Warner Bros. to record his first full album, playing violin, synthesizer and piano.
Transitioning away from classical music and still only 17, he became orchestrator for British singer Bryan Ferry, leading to Jobson becoming a full member of the influential art-rock group Roxy Music, contributing to their first number-one album as synthesist and groundbreaking electric-violinist. Eddie’s proficiency in re-sculpting and professionalizing the Roxy sound played a major role in the band’s success and their considerable influence on the likes of U2, The Talking Heads and many of the ’80s new wave rock/pop groups. Jobson’s early pioneering work as a teen, along with the other Roxy members and fellow synthesist Brian Eno, has resulted in a nomination for 2019 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Remaining in the rock and jazz world after Roxy, Eddie – still only 21 – was “discovered” by American music icon Frank Zappa and flown to Los Angeles to replace both jazz greats George Duke on keyboards and Jean-Luc Ponty on violin, in Zappa’s only four-piece lineup. Returning to England in 1978 after several albums and world concert tours with Zappa, Jobson then formed the internationally acclaimed progressive-fusion band UK with jazz-guitar legend Allan Holdsworth, King Crimson vocalist John Wetton, and original Yes drummer Bill Bruford. The UK albums, along with his other work with King Crimson, Yes, Jethro Tull and with members of Deep Purple and The Who, established Jobson not only as one of the top keyboardists in rock, but also as, arguably, the top rock violinist in the world.
In the 1980s, Eddie put rock music and concert touring aside and focused on electronic music and the innovative world of computer music. He created the first music video to feature CGI, as well as the world’s first album performed entirely on the Synclavier Music Computer. Featured in TIME magazine, this critically acclaimed album was one of the very first all-digital CD releases.
The 1990s saw Jobson move into the world of television and film scoring – an award-winning side-career that culminated in him becoming choral director for Disney on two major movies and the soundtrack composer on numerous films, TV shows and 3D theme-park experiences. Fascinated with all musical forms, he left the world of Hollywood in 2000 and formed a musicians’ label called Globe Music as a vehicle for producing a diverse array of jazz and world-music artists. This period also saw Eddie working with the Tuvan throat singers; composing for and conducting both the City of Prague Philharmonic and The Bulgarian Women’s Choir, and also functioning as the choir’s spokesperson at Harvard University and on multiple classical radio broadcasts.
An unexpected return to the concert stage in 2008, saw Jobson perform to a festival audience of more than 200,000 people in Kazan, Russia, leading to ten more years of world tours until his permanent retirement from live concerts in 2018. In 2017, Jobson received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Progressive Music Awards in London.
Five new double-CD releases are being released to commemorate Jobson’s almost fifty years as one of the world’s most respected musicians. Eddie is also currently producing six video lectures on The Art and Science of Music.
London – The John Wetton Estate and Geoffrey Downes are pleased to announce the re-release of the iCon Trilogy of albums, now remastered with bonus tracks in six-panel digipacks.
The re-releases have been personally overseen by Geoff Downes and are intended to be a return to the marketplace of individual albums for fans who may wish to purchase a definitive edition.
Of his songwriting relationship and the formation of iCon, Geoff Downes says, “Throughout my entire career, there is no doubt in my mind, that some of my proudest achievements have been the songs that I wrote with the late John Wetton. Not only were we great friends, but also blood brothers in the song-writing department. His magic rubbed off on me immensely, and outside of the hugely successful Asia template, we decided to step out together with our Icon project. It was a ‘bromance’ made in heaven because here we had the chance to expand our innermost thoughts and variety of influences, without interference. It was effectively ‘us’. We also had the luxury of working with some of the finest musicians in the world who were willing participants in the project.”
For fans of the whole iCon legacy, a box set is being planned out featuring these albums and all the other recordings of the iCon duo, including previously unreleased material.
Geoff Downes continues,“The Wetton Downes Icon catalogue spans across some 4 studio albums, this trilogy plus a prequel album called Zero and various live releases, and incorporates some of our greatest collaborations I firmly believe, and I am happy to impart the news that this entire body of work is being re-released with all of the bonus tracks and some previously unheard renditions of our classic songs. It is in fact Icon in its entirety. If you appreciate the music of John & I, then I sincerely hope you will appreciate these re-issues. Please sit back and enjoy. I know John would be equally proud to see these projects back on the market. All of these recordings mark special periods in our personal and creative lives.
“’Icon 1′ was the foundation of the Asia reunion. ‘Rubicon’ is thronged with the mysticism, symbolism, and multilayers that illuminate John’s lyrical prowess, virtually unrivaled in any era of creativity. John married events occurring in both our personal lives with Classical events in Roman History, crossing the Rubicon, the die is cast and some intensely personal reflections. His vocal performance is astounding. I look forward to discussing this amazing period in our lives at greater length in the box set planned for Christmas 2019.
“’Icon 3′ was a further milestone for us, with Dave Kilminster reuniting with John, a Japanese tour and possibly the most fulfilling DVD I have ever been involved in, Urban Psalm, filmed in St Mary Le Bow Church. I could reflect for hours and hours, take up the entire booklet, but for now…May our music live on forever.”
The albums are OUT NOW on the duo’s own Epicon Records via Cherry Red.
Los Angeles – Celebrating the 40th anniversary of UK’s critically acclaimed self-titled debut record released on Polydor in 1978, Eddie Jobson is making this seminal album available on vinyl for the first time since its original release. It will be released on April 21st, and available exclusively to Record Store Day participating retailers worldwide. The record is pressed on 180 gram vinyl, and includes an 8 page full color booklet designed exclusively for this release. The album is remastered from the original tapes located at Abbey Road Studios in London, which is the same master that was used in the now out of print “Ultimate Collector’s Edition” box set that compiled all the works of UK’s 3 albums, along with rarities, live material and 5.1 versions across 18 discs.
“I’m pleased to recognize the 40th Anniversary of this seminal album with this carefully remastered vinyl release. This is now a legacy recording, made even more significant with the recent passing of both Wetton and Holdsworth, that I hope will represent a benchmark for future musicians.” – Eddie Jobson
The Music
In October 1977 the new supergroup featuring Eddie Jobson, Bill Bruford, John Wetton and Allan Holdsworth entered the rehearsal room, each armed with a panoply of musical ideas. Each song, theme, part or riff was logged in, like a jigsaw piece, and so the organizing and arranging of the individual pieces began. External expectations were high, not just for what these four individual innovators might create together, but because Trident Studios in Soho was already booked to record the results of their highly anticipated collaboration.
The music of UK would be developed over several weeks. Wetton would reintroduce “Thirty Years,” a song first tried out with the Wakeman trio; Bruford brought in some harmonic, but mostly rhythmic ideas. Holdsworth’s contributions revolved around his distinctive chord voicings, forming the foundation of such tracks as “Nevermore” and “Mental Medication.” Meanwhile, Jobson – the more formal composer of the group – brought in pages of musical notation that included the entire “In The Dead of Night” suite, minus vocal melody lines, but including “By The Light of Day” and the Zappa-influenced “Presto Vivace,” along with a complete version of “Alaska,” the verse of “Time To Kill” and half of “Nevermore.” The myriad musical ideas were painstakingly stitched together, mainly by Bruford and Jobson, but it would be Wetton’s melodic and lyrical sense that would ultimately glue the disparate stylings into something resembling cohesive songs. Notwithstanding the considerable stylistic contributions of Holdsworth and Bruford, with a full sixty percent of the new album material emanating from Jobson’s compositions, and with the addition of Wetton’s vocal melodies and lyrics, the first UK album truly marked an auspicious beginning to the highly symbiotic Jobson-Wetton writing partnership.
Trident Studios, December 1977
The “U.K.” album was recorded over a six-week period. Holdsworth’s classic guitar solo on “In The Dead of Night” was created on the fly. Wetton’s dense harmonies were carefully overdubbed over the course of many hours. Jobson created the entire electronic section of “Nevermore” on the studio’s massive ARP 2500 modular synthesizer. An amalgam of classical, jazz, rock and electronic, the first UK album was considered truly groundbreaking; Rolling Stone magazine called it “The great white hope of progressive music.”
In 2016 Rolling Stone selected the “U.K.” album as one of the Top 30 “best progressive-rock albums of all time.” Though, in a burst of collaborative brilliance, this towering lineup recorded only one album together, the pioneering musicians known as UK have still carved their place in rock history as one of the greatest progressive-rock bands of all time, and have left this classic recording as an exemplary standard for future musicians.
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London – Alan Simon is a French folk-rock musician and composer best known for his rock operas which are performed with collaboration from other noted rock musicians. Simon is associated with Breton Celticism, and his most ambitious works are typically on themes linked to Celtic myth and history. Simon has also branched out into film-making. Alan Simon is the creator of the legendary EXCALIBUR: THE CELTIC ROCK OPERA.
This 40 TRACK collection, released on Cherry Red, features a cross-section of Alan Simon’s work from his various projects and rock operas.
“The 40 songs on the compilation are all personal selections from my rock operas and concept albums: ‘Excalibur (the quadrilogy)’, ‘Gaia’, ‘Anne de Bretagne’, ‘Tristan & Yseult’, ‘Captain Kid’ and various soundtracks…Some of these tracks fans may know already and other tracks offer a deeper insight into my work! ‘Songwriter’ a sentimental and personal collection which also includes a comic strip of my journey.” – Alan Simon
This collection features songs with guest appearances by:
Members of Supertramp
Midnight Oil
Alan Parsons
Jon Anderson
Fairport Convention
Moya Brennan
John Wetton
Justin Hayward
Maddy Prior
Billy Preston
Roberto Tiranti
Martin Barre
Les Holroyd
Mick Fleetwood
And Zucchero
This collection was previously vinyl only and is now being given its first mainstream CD release.
TRACK LISTING:
DISC ONE
1. CELTIC RING (Feat. Alan Parsons)
2. LES CAVALIERS DU VENT
3. WORLD (Feat. Brankica Vasic)
4. MORHOLT
5. THE ORIGINS PT 1 (Feat. Moya Brennan)
6. THE KINGS
7. LETTRE À YSEULT (Feat. Christian Décamps)
8. DIHUN
9. WAR
10. AD LIBITUM (Feat. Carlos Nũnez)
11. CELTIC LAND
12. BELTAINE (Feat. Fairport Convention)
13. SKYE (Feat. Skilda)
14. CASTLE ROCK (Feat. Fairport Convention)
15. DUN AENGUS (Feat. Martin Barre)
16. THE END
17. IN THE WIND OF THE CELTIC DREAM (Feat. Konan Mevel)
18. THE VISION (Feat. John Wetton)
19. ADELA (Feat. Jesse Siebenberg)
20. I’M NOT THE ONLY ONE (Feat. Jesse Siebenberg And John Helliwell)
DISC TWO
1. NO MAN’S LAND (Feat. Midnight Oil)
2. COME (Feat. Jesse Siebenberg)
3. THE ELEMENTS (Feat. Roger Hodgson & Dan Ar Braz)
4. DANCING HEART (Feat. Roberto Tiranti)
5. CIRCLE OF LIFE (Feat. Jon Anderson)
6. FAME AND GLORY (Feat. Fairport Convention)
7. PEACE ON EARTH (Feat. Heather Small & Billy Preston)
8. ANGEL’S TEARS (Feat. Jeremy Spencer)
9. WHERE IS THE WAY (Feat. Billy Preston)
10. ON THE ROAD (Feat. Justin Hayward)
11. JANGADERO (Feat. Cesaria Evora)
12. EVIL DAY (Feat. Roberto Tiranti)
13. SECRET GARDEN (Feat. Maddy Prior)
14. WORLD (Feat. Zucchero & Anggun)
15. MOTHERLAND (Feat. Jimmy O Neill)
16. SAMAN (Feat. Les Holroyd & Mick Fleetwood)
17. MARIE LA CORDELIÈRE (Feat. James Wood & Fairport Convention)
18. LUGH (Feat. John Wetton & Martin Barre)
19. DESIRE (Feat. Les Holroyd)
20. A PRAYER FOR MY LOVER (Feat. Siobhan Owen)
Forthcoming on November 3, 2017!
Alan Simon’s EXCALIBUR IV is the widely anticipated fourth NEW STUDIO ALBUM in the Celtic Rock Opera series, following on from the GOLD and PLATINUM selling original trilogy. EXCALIBUR IV was played live in its entirety to 12 ARENAS in Germany in December 2016 and will be touring again in 2018.
This new album based on the legendary story of KING ARTHUR features guest appearances from:
Alan Stivell, Michael Sadler (Saga), Jesse Sibenberg & John Helliwell (Supertramp), Martin Barre (Jethro Tull), Moya Brennan (Clannad), Roberto Tiranti (Labyrinth), Bernie Shaw (Uriah Heep), Siobham Owen, Sonja Kristina (Curved Air), John Kelly (The Kelly Family), Maite Itoiz (Elfhental)
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