As in-depth as this 10-disc is – full band performances, acoustic sets, back-of-hall recordings – there’s still the promise of two more box sets to come celebrating his life and times of John Wetton, who passed away nearly eight years ago.
And what a life it was. While his musical CV reads like the contents page of Prog magazine – stints in UK, King Crimson, Asia, Roxy Music, Wishbone Ash – the tracklisting for this collection, however, is a little more granular.
It features seven of Wetton’s original live albums, from the mid-90s to the early 00s, including 1996’s Akustika: Live In America, as well as Live In Osaka and Live In Argentina, both from 2003, remastered and brimming with a charged energy.
Whether as a solo performer or part of a band, Wetton’s remarkable playing and strident yet emotive voice remains a remarkable legacy. The stripped-down, rearranged versions of Only Time Will Tell and Heat Of The Moment from the Akustika set is a masterclass in deconstructing and somehow managing to match, if not edge, your own songs.
That said, there are only so many times you can listen to yet another take on Battle Lines, Rendezvous 6:02 or Book Of Saturday, as wonderful as they all are; or any of the remarkable songs that made up the first two Asia albums, whether it’s an acoustic reworking or a full blown electric affair – and there are plenty of both.
No doubt real Wetton fans’ eyes will look to the unreleased material that’s captured across the three discs titled ADAMA and Akusticha/Progfest 1997. The former two-disc set ticks all the expected boxes: a lingering take on Thirty Years, former IQ man Martin Orford’s stirring rendition of Quilmes, and a bruising romp through Heat Of The Moment. But especially good, too, is the band’s soundcheck take on All Along The Watchtower. It’s absolutely sublime; if only there was more from those unexpected moments.
Even in the practice room, he sings like there’s a thousand eyes staring back at him
The latter single set offers up a vibrant version of King Crimson’s Starless, two very different takes on Battle Lines, a lingering acoustic reworking of Don’t Cry – with Wetton’s impeccable vocal making it all the more special – and a blistering In The Dead Of Night.
More interesting still are the rehearsal tapes of songs like Lament, You’re Not The Only One and Book Of Saturday, among others. Even in the practice room, Wetton sings like there’s a thousand pairs of eyes staring back at him. His unique magic still echoes down the years.
Concentus: The John Wetton Live Collection, Volume One is on sale now via Spirit Of Unicorn Music.
