Greg Lake had very little time to learn the songs. I read an interview with him saying that he rehearsed day and night to learn the songs as best as possible and that it was very nerve racking to be put on the spot like that.
John was battling inner demons at the time, and manager Brian Lane was fed up with it. The show was signed for MTV, and if they didn't appear it would have been disastrous...Lake, like Wetton, is a phenominal bassist and vocalist, and "filled in" admirably, considering they were someone else's songs and there was little time to learn them. For the complete story, check David Gallant's book "Heat Of The Moment", a must read for all ASIA fans !
@Padarack1 What's so ridiculous about it. It was a last minute replacement. And Greg was kind enough to step in at Carls request. I think he gets a 10 for doing the concert.
servant - Agreed, awesome stage. I remember thinking, when it came on MTV, that that was the best part of it. Whole thing was just a dumb idea on the management's part. At least real band is together now, set to do a big tour
@Padarack1 He didn't know the lyrics my memory, that should be taken into consideration. Not to mention that Greg Lake will always be remembered for having the better voice. No offense to Wetton who I think is really good.
Greg Lake? As in Emerson Lake & Palmer? Not that good? Wow. Palmer does a very impressive job on this tour. Watched it on MTV when it was aired and I was thoroughly impressed. Steve Howe is a favorite on mine, but this line up was very worth watching..
@scoobes11 Go listen to the Asia recordings and get back to me. Of "Only Time Will Tell" (especially), "Wildest Dreams", "Here Come The Feeling", and "Sole Survivor", and listen to the lead vocal. He . . . .couldn't . . . sing . . . the songs. That mattered, to many Asia fans. Having said that Greg is a good singer and great songwriter, but just the whole thing was a mistake
@haga936 you got to be kidding, wetton voice is not very high pitched, actually greg and john sing on almost the same key...greg sings on a high pitch on several ELP songs.
No he doesn't, not close, on the Asia songs. You need to go hear a couple of Wetton solo albums. Rock Of Faith, or Icon II: Rubicon (with Geoff Downes). Can get either one, on amazon or cduniverse for decent price. And should hear the Asia recording, "Rock and Roll Dream", from the Astra record. As I say most of the big ELP fans ... it's their hero up there (Greg), and you just don't wanna believe Wetton has the way more powerful voice. But yes Greg can sing with great expression
@scoobes11 Its funny to me after watching all the talent on this stage that people could think a band like led zep is the best. It baffles me. Its just so limiting!
@scoobes11 (reply #2) >> "Not to mention that Greg Lake will always be remembered for having the better voice." Ha ha ha ha ha ha haaa! No he won't. And anyway who's on tour this year, through Europe ... and this summer all through America? .. JW. And I like them both and think they've both given a lot to music. The issue is this particular concert ... This ASIA concert
But scoobes echoes my point I've made elsewhere about how he didn't have the lyrics memorized ... Frankly it's frustrating nobody (on this page anyway) get's my point - They should not have had him do the show if in the relatively short time he couldn't have the words memorized ... and thus be able to put his all into it, when the day came. He's not Wetton, but you can't sing with full lungpower, and control over your voice when your READING the songs to the audience.
Geoff Downes' magnificent keyboard solo almost saved it, too! Steve Howe looked dorky and his stage moves were dorky but he sure could play. Greg shows up and reads us the concert, off a teleprompter. Ridiculous. You prog-head/ELP fans do you not understand it was ridiculous? (to what it could have been) .. Yeah Greg, though a baritone, could have sung the songs with more 'oomph' if he had had the lyrics memorized, I do believe
@Padarack1 Things have a way of working out...Lane is now looked upon by his former clients (Yes,Asia,GTR, and others) as almost the Devil incarnate, whilst John Wetton has come to grips with his demons and enjoys life day-by-day (the song "An Extraordinary Life"). Karma can be a bitch...
@gtrDan1963 It was disastrous. And disastrous for the reputation of the band. Some - didn't know it was Greg Lake, not John Wetton, up there sounding like shit. But it is funny to see the ELP fans and others still maintain it wasn't (disastrous). And I've read all the everything ... and though John did have a documented drinking problem, Brian Lane never liked Wetton. He liked his songs
He didn't pull it off. .. A career blunder on Greg's part; he showed the world he flat-out couldn't replace John Wetton. Time shmyme - he couldn't sing the songs, for sh*#. Was not his fault, band management at the time was to blame .. He simply underestimated Wetton, and in a way his songs ... Lake thought they were simple » they're not, entirely.
gmking - WHAT does that (that there's 2/3rds of ELP up there) have to do with how good of an Asia show this is? This was an ASIA concert, not an ELP concert, of any kind {hello} .. Wetton wrote and conceived the songs, and sings them much stronger and tighter than Greg Lake. The prblm with music fans like you is you're all ELP fans first, and Asia fans second. .. and you don't GET that this WASN'T really ASIA. Show entertaining in places, though, and Carl's awesome drum solo almost saved it
'So is Greg Lake' what? And Wetton does not *yelp*, he generally wails the high notes, quite powerfully. Yes, the Sage good. Asia on tour does "Fanfare" because Carl really jams it out ... and it's a good instrumental for Geoff and Steve to go back and forth. You cannot refute my point Wetton sings the Asia stuff better than Greg. But guess what? Greg sings "Court Of the Crimson King" better than John. Just saying back at this big show, Greg bit off a little more than he could chew ...
Not only that, but [Wetton is] harsh, distorted, strained and shrill. Really unpleasant by himself, and when added to the even more awful voices of Howe and Downes we get something even worse than the vocal train wrecks of Yes' DRAMA period. How these otherwise geniuses still couldn't hear the vocal weaknesses of their own efforts is a mystery for music historians I guess. Lake was definitely a plus for Asia. Tragic it only lasted for a few months.
@Padarack1 So is Greg Lake. Asia does Fanfare for the common man. . Wetton does not sing humm isnt that interesting they choose an instrumental. ! You need to go back and listen to stuff like the Sage. Nobody can sing with that purity and power. Wetton has a good voice but he always yelps on certain highs. So sorry Padarack.
@haga936 Ok you're a girl, you like Greg's voice better ... fine .. But he can't sing THIS SONG, beyond the low verses. His voice is nowhere close to as powerful as Wetton's. You like many on these pages have an emotional attachment to Greg, that interferes with your hearing. Wetton does not have a high voice, patricularly, it is lower, among rock singers, like Greg ... But he can SING HIGHER than Greg. John has his high end to REACH the high notes, in the songs! (That Lake didn't reach)
Greg Lake had very little time to learn the songs. I read an interview with him saying that he rehearsed day and night to learn the songs as best as possible and that it was very nerve racking to be put on the spot like that.
John was battling inner demons at the time, and manager Brian Lane was fed up with it.
The show was signed for MTV, and if they didn't appear it would have been disastrous...Lake, like Wetton, is a phenominal bassist and vocalist, and "filled in" admirably, considering they were someone else's songs and there was little time to learn them.
For the complete story, check David Gallant's book "Heat Of The Moment", a must read for all ASIA fans !
@Padarack1 What's so ridiculous about it. It was a last minute replacement. And Greg was kind enough to step in at Carls request. I think he gets a 10 for doing the concert.
Having said that .. a) "Affairs Of the Heart" is one of my top 18 all time favorite songs, b) Yes Geoff awesome on keyboards!
touring was extensive that year in light of 1st album rsuccess and release of 2nd
an early interveiw had carl saying his arms hurt!
@gmkingguitar completely agree
servant - Agreed, awesome stage. I remember thinking, when it came on MTV, that that was the best part of it. Whole thing was just a dumb idea on the management's part. At least real band is together now, set to do a big tour
@Padarack1 He didn't know the lyrics my memory, that should be taken into consideration. Not to mention that Greg Lake will always be remembered for having the better voice. No offense to Wetton who I think is really good.
Agree with you on the Led Zep point
Greg Lake? As in Emerson Lake & Palmer? Not that good? Wow. Palmer does a very impressive job on this tour. Watched it on MTV when it was aired and I was thoroughly impressed. Steve Howe is a favorite on mine, but this line up was very worth watching..
@bigbadbob58 Yeah I agree Bob, Carl was awesome!! Almost saved the show ...
@scoobes11 Go listen to the Asia recordings and get back to me. Of "Only Time Will Tell" (especially), "Wildest Dreams", "Here Come The Feeling", and "Sole Survivor", and listen to the lead vocal. He . . . .couldn't . . . sing . . . the songs. That mattered, to many Asia fans. Having said that Greg is a good singer and great songwriter, but just the whole thing was a mistake
@haga936 you got to be kidding, wetton voice is not very high pitched, actually greg and john sing on almost the same key...greg sings on a high pitch on several ELP songs.
johhhnson johnes Greg is a far better singer than John Wetton. Both great Bass players nor much between them
No he doesn't, not close, on the Asia songs. You need to go hear a couple of Wetton solo albums. Rock Of Faith, or Icon II: Rubicon (with Geoff Downes). Can get either one, on amazon or cduniverse for decent price. And should hear the Asia recording, "Rock and Roll Dream", from the Astra record. As I say most of the big ELP fans ... it's their hero up there (Greg), and you just don't wanna believe Wetton has the way more powerful voice. But yes Greg can sing with great expression
@scoobes11 Its funny to me after watching all the talent on this stage that people could think a band like led zep is the best. It baffles me. Its just so limiting!
もしこれがジョン・ウェットンさんだったら？と幾度も想像してしまう、、 加えて、もしこのままグレッグ・レイクさんエイジアが続いてたら？とも考える、、
まあどう転がってても、それぞれのエイジアを楽しんでたろうなっっ
@nickellmw Rush and Iron maiden come to mind........
@scoobes11 (reply #2) >> "Not to mention that Greg Lake will always be remembered for having the better voice." Ha ha ha ha ha ha haaa! No he won't. And anyway who's on tour this year, through Europe ... and this summer all through America? .. JW. And I like them both and think they've both given a lot to music. The issue is this particular concert ... This ASIA concert
But scoobes echoes my point I've made elsewhere about how he didn't have the lyrics memorized ... Frankly it's frustrating nobody (on this page anyway) get's my point - They should not have had him do the show if in the relatively short time he couldn't have the words memorized ... and thus be able to put his all into it, when the day came. He's not Wetton, but you can't sing with full lungpower, and control over your voice when your READING the songs to the audience.
Geoff Downes' magnificent keyboard solo almost saved it, too! Steve Howe looked dorky and his stage moves were dorky but he sure could play. Greg shows up and reads us the concert, off a teleprompter. Ridiculous. You prog-head/ELP fans do you not understand it was ridiculous? (to what it could have been) .. Yeah Greg, though a baritone, could have sung the songs with more 'oomph' if he had had the lyrics memorized, I do believe
@Padarack1 Things have a way of working out...Lane is now looked upon by his former clients (Yes,Asia,GTR, and others) as almost the Devil incarnate, whilst John Wetton has come to grips with his demons and enjoys life day-by-day (the song "An Extraordinary Life").
Karma can be a bitch...
@gtrDan1963 It was disastrous. And disastrous for the reputation of the band. Some - didn't know it was Greg Lake, not John Wetton, up there sounding like shit. But it is funny to see the ELP fans and others still maintain it wasn't (disastrous). And I've read all the everything ... and though John did have a documented drinking problem, Brian Lane never liked Wetton. He liked his songs
He didn't pull it off. .. A career blunder on Greg's part; he showed the world he flat-out couldn't replace John Wetton. Time shmyme - he couldn't sing the songs, for sh*#. Was not his fault, band management at the time was to blame .. He simply underestimated Wetton, and in a way his songs ... Lake thought they were simple » they're not, entirely.
gmking - WHAT does that (that there's 2/3rds of ELP up there) have to do with how good of an Asia show this is? This was an ASIA concert, not an ELP concert, of any kind {hello} .. Wetton wrote and conceived the songs, and sings them much stronger and tighter than Greg Lake. The prblm with music fans like you is you're all ELP fans first, and Asia fans second. .. and you don't GET that this WASN'T really ASIA. Show entertaining in places, though, and Carl's awesome drum solo almost saved it
'So is Greg Lake' what? And Wetton does not *yelp*, he generally wails the high notes, quite powerfully. Yes, the Sage good. Asia on tour does "Fanfare" because Carl really jams it out ... and it's a good instrumental for Geoff and Steve to go back and forth. You cannot refute my point Wetton sings the Asia stuff better than Greg. But guess what? Greg sings "Court Of the Crimson King" better than John. Just saying back at this big show, Greg bit off a little more than he could chew ...
Not only that, but [Wetton is] harsh, distorted, strained and shrill. Really unpleasant by himself, and when added to the even more awful voices of Howe and Downes we get something even worse than the vocal train wrecks of Yes' DRAMA period. How these otherwise geniuses still couldn't hear the vocal weaknesses of their own efforts is a mystery for music historians I guess.
Lake was definitely a plus for Asia. Tragic it only lasted for a few months.
@Padarack1 So is Greg Lake. Asia does Fanfare for the common man. . Wetton does not sing humm isnt that interesting they choose an instrumental. ! You need to go back and listen to stuff like the Sage. Nobody can sing with that purity and power. Wetton has a good voice but he always yelps on certain highs. So sorry Padarack.
@haga936 Ok you're a girl, you like Greg's voice better ... fine .. But he can't sing THIS SONG, beyond the low verses. His voice is nowhere close to as powerful as Wetton's. You like many on these pages have an emotional attachment to Greg, that interferes with your hearing. Wetton does not have a high voice, patricularly, it is lower, among rock singers, like Greg ... But he can SING HIGHER than Greg. John has his high end to REACH the high notes, in the songs! (That Lake didn't reach)