English musician John Wetton, who rose to fame with bands including King Crimson and fronted the progressive rock supergroup Asia, has died. He was 67.
Asia keyboardist Geoff Downes announced the death Tuesday on Twitter.
Dear All, I am sorry to be the bearer of the very sad news that my dearest friend, bandmate and co-writer, John Wetton has passed away.
— Geoffrey Downes (@asiageoff) January 31, 2017
Wetton died in his sleep of cancer, according to Downes and band representatives.
In a statement released on Facebook, Downes described Wetton as his "dearest friend, brother, bandmate and long term musical collaborator." The pair met in early 1981 and immediately clicked over their similar upbringings in rural England.
Wetten was born on June 12, 1949 in Derbyshire, England and spent his childhood in Bournemouth. He joined and formed multiple bands over his career, including Mogul Thrash, Uriah Heep and Wishbone Ash.
"His bass playing was revolutionary," Downes said. "His voice was from the gods. His compositions - out of this world. His sense of melody and harmony - unreal. He was literally a 'special one.'"
Downes described Wetton as a darkly funny, fiercely loyal man who was dedicated to his music and had a tendency to polarize.
"There were some who couldn't read his brilliant mind and complex personality," Downes said. "Some found him charming, others infuriating. But however you found John, there was no denying his rare talent as a musician and songwriter was second to none."
In a statement after Wetton's death, Asia drummer Carl Palmer lamented the loss of "yet another musical giant."
"John was a gentle person who created some of the most lasting melodies and lyrics in modern popular music," he said. "His ability to triumph over alcohol abuse made him an inspiration to many who have also fought that battle. For those of us who knew him and worked with him, his valiant struggle against cancer was a further inspiration."
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