Greg Lake or John Wetton
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Topic: Greg Lake or John Wetton
Posted By: fr0zt
Subject: Greg Lake or John Wetton
Date Posted: November 03 2009 at 20:27
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Both of these fine gentlemen have been a big influence on both the vocal and bass side of prog rock. I find it very interesting that they have a very similar tone to their voice, yet people are so opinionated on who the better one is. Which do you prefer when comparing their overall bass and vocal work ? |
Replies:
Posted By: SaltyJon
Date Posted: November 03 2009 at 20:31
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Wetton for sure.
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Salty_Jon" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: PROGMONSTER2008
Date Posted: November 03 2009 at 20:36
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I prefer Lake in his early years.
In the court(debut KC)
In the wake(2nd KC)
Emerson lake and palmer(debut elp)
His voice sounded best from about 1969-1971 imo. After that he sung with more of an accent. I'm not crazy about Wettons voice during his KC era. Has that husky struggle to it. I like his voice more in UK. He seemed to have more range ------------- Jazz/Classical Rock(70's style prog/fusion). Lots of prog keys and melodies(all original ideas) http://www.myspace.com/vigilante2008" rel="nofollow - http://www.myspace.com/vigilante2008 |
Posted By: Epignosis
Date Posted: November 03 2009 at 20:44
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I prefer Lake, but with King Crimson, it's Wetton, no doubt.
------------- https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays" rel="nofollow - https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays |
Posted By: King Crimson776
Date Posted: November 03 2009 at 21:22
| Even with just vocals, John Wetton, but with bass too, Wetton hands down. |
Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: November 03 2009 at 21:24
| There already was a poll comparing Lake, Wetton, and in that one Adrian Belew too, and Wetton was winning by a margin. But my opinion remains the same, I like Lake's singing much better, Epitaph is about the best singing I can think of, while I have always found Wetton's voice rather... just not to my taste (well, in Asia he sang OK, even if the songs were not really that great, but I guess it was because of the studio recordings, since his singing Live with Asia is also a pain in my ears). I guess even into the 90's recordings of Lake I've heard I like better his singing, even if he had certainly lost that beauty in his voice, I don't find it totally lost, just different. As far as bass playing is concerned, well, I haven't payed that much attension, but I guess Wetton bass playing is more powerful and interesting. Still, I prefer Lake in a group over Wetton. |
Posted By: b_olariu
Date Posted: November 04 2009 at 00:33
| John Wetton , his work with Uriah Heep and UK is excellent |
Posted By: snobb
Date Posted: November 04 2009 at 02:04
| I voted for Lake. Speaking about KC, I think generally Wetton time was better. But Lake has more specific (progressive) voice, and his work with ELP is perfect in part as well. Wetton participated in some KC best albums, his work in UK was important. Not sure about Uriah Heep, and even less - about his solo works. |
Posted By: WalterDigsTunes
Date Posted: November 04 2009 at 02:29
| Wetton! His bass and vocals easily overtake Lake's. |
Posted By: The Sleepwalker
Date Posted: November 04 2009 at 02:48
| Wetton without a doubt. |
Posted By: someone_else
Date Posted: November 04 2009 at 02:51
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I voted for Greg Lake, although I hardly prefer him. But he has a good voice.
Nevertheless, John Wetton's performance with UK is equally good. ------------- 
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Posted By: Roj
Date Posted: November 04 2009 at 03:03
| Greg Lake on both counts. |
Posted By: terryl
Date Posted: November 04 2009 at 03:33
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+1 for Wetton
------------- And who are we to justify the right in all we do Until we seek, until we find Ammonia Avenue http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrmJ39j58W0 |
Posted By: Sckxyss
Date Posted: November 04 2009 at 04:29
| Considering just vocals, it's close. With bass playing in mind, there's no competition; Wetton for sure. |
Posted By: progkidjoel
Date Posted: November 04 2009 at 04:36
This exactly! Although I still voted for Lake, because he's still fantastic at bass and a far better vocalist. ------------- 
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Sckxyss wrote:Posted By: Moogtron III
Date Posted: November 04 2009 at 05:03
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My two favorite singers!! Both stand on 15 votes while I write this and now I must decide  ? I can't choose! And you know what? I won't choose  They are both excellent singers, and they both wrote excellent melodies, excellent lyrics and they both know how to play their instrument well. Hurrah for John and Greg 
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Posted By: The Runaway
Date Posted: November 04 2009 at 05:30
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Used to be Greg Lake until I listened to Lark's Tongues in Aspic. ------------- http://www.formspring.me/Aragorn224" rel="nofollow - Trendsetter win! The search for nonexistent perfection. |
Posted By: Ah_Kin
Date Posted: November 04 2009 at 06:01
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50%!!
------------- Peace |
Posted By: markosherrera
Date Posted: November 04 2009 at 06:32
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I prefer the voice of Lake in songs like cest la vie etc
------------- Hi progmaniacs of all the world |
Posted By: ExittheLemming
Date Posted: November 04 2009 at 06:44
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Probably the only thing they have in common is that classic 'tenor sings rock' vocal range that makes the output of both ELP and King Crimson so separately distinctive. Wetton clearly relished the improvisational opportunities afforded by the version of Crimson he joined, whereas Lake loathed to improvise (despite the best efforts of Emerson and Palmer to encourage this) Lake's basslines are carefully considered and composed right down the last detail and timbre employed (usually a very 'pure' bass tone which he likened to that of trying to imitate the bottom notes on a piano) Wetton's playing, by way of contrast, sounds much more spontaneous and enjoys a much more intimate dialogue with Bruford's drums. His tone is habitually guttural, visceral and borderline distorted in places. They both clearly have very differing approaches to how they see the role of bass in the music they contributed to. When push comes to shove, I prefer Wetton's voice and his bass playing strikes me as being perhaps more integral to the Crimson compositions than that of Lake's with ELP ? BTW I think Greg Lake is a much better electric guitar player than he is generally given credit for (an avenue of his talent that had precious few opportunities to be revealed with ELP) ------------- 
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Posted By: TGM: Orb
Date Posted: November 04 2009 at 06:49
Analysis dead on, though I'd go for Lake's vocals almost any day... I can't imagine Wetton really pulling off a song like Moonchild vocally (too much grit). Can't decide for the purposes of the poll. |
Posted By: O666
Date Posted: November 04 2009 at 06:54
| I love ELP and KC. but i think KC is a unique band for all times. I dont listen BAD album from KC. I vote wetton. |
Posted By: Ah_Kin
Date Posted: November 04 2009 at 07:20
Ditto. The first guy ever who launched the progressive rock world for me is Pete Sinfield. I was hesitating between him and Greg Lake, but I made up my mind. Greg Lake has got more importance in prog rock than Wetton does in the beginning, but I think Wetton did quite a better sound and anthology songs, compared to how boring became Greg Lake once he quit King Crimson. Go Greg Lake though, the myth before the myth. ------------- Peace |
Posted By: Mellotron Storm
Date Posted: November 04 2009 at 12:58
I like both of their vocals but Wetton can be a monster on bass.Check out some of the live KING CRIMSON albums. ------------- "The wind is slowly tearing her apart" "Sad Rain" ANEKDOTEN |
Posted By: Progosopher
Date Posted: November 04 2009 at 13:26
 ------------- The world of sound is certainly capable of infinite variety and, were our sense developed, of infinite extensions. -- George Santayana, "The Sense of Beauty" |
Posted By: Progosopher
Date Posted: November 04 2009 at 13:28
Okay, it does say bass and vox. It makes this poll better than some of the others. Short - term memory loss here.  ------------- The world of sound is certainly capable of infinite variety and, were our sense developed, of infinite extensions. -- George Santayana, "The Sense of Beauty" |
Posted By: Hercules
Date Posted: November 04 2009 at 13:50
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Wetton for bass playing, Lake for vocals. ------------- A TVR is not a car. It's a way of life. |
Posted By: mark kraken
Date Posted: November 04 2009 at 14:55
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for me greg lake bass 10 vocals 10 greg lake beats john wetton hands down john wetton bass 8 vocals 6
artist and drummer mark kraken
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Posted By: J-Man
Date Posted: November 04 2009 at 14:57
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I vote Wetton.
------------- 
Check out my YouTube channel! http://www.youtube.com/user/demiseoftime" rel="nofollow - http://www.youtube.com/user/demiseoftime |
Posted By: Alberto Muñoz
Date Posted: November 04 2009 at 20:25
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Lake for me -------------  |
Posted By: ghost_of_morphy
Date Posted: November 04 2009 at 20:31
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Since you said overall, I'll go with Lake. ------------- 
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Posted By: Gentlegiantprog
Date Posted: November 05 2009 at 08:30
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Just in King Crimson, I'd go for Wetton. But in general, Lake. ------------- Let the maps of war be drawn ! 
http://kingcrimsonprog.wordpress.com/ |
Posted By: elpprogster
Date Posted: November 05 2009 at 10:10
Posted By: elpprogster
Date Posted: November 05 2009 at 10:11
Lake and Wetton 
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Posted By: elpprogster
Date Posted: November 05 2009 at 10:12
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Lake & Wetton
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Posted By: mark kraken
Date Posted: November 05 2009 at 11:55
| greg lake always vocals john wetton is not in the same league as greg you cant compare them |
Posted By: questionsneverknown
Date Posted: November 05 2009 at 13:19
| Overall, Lake is probably the better singer, especially based on the first KC album and the first set of ELP's. I mean, that is one beautiful tenor, real English schoolboy stuff, with a touch of terror in the mix. Terror tenor, yeah. (Though, judged by recent performances, his voice has definitely seen better days.) Wetton's voice is certainly rougher, but it's also a real stunner. Aside from his singing on the KC albums I really like his voice on the first UK album, which I've been listening to a lot again after a long absence. Wetton, though, is without question (for me, at least) a much, much better bass player. Bringing it all together, I choose Wetton, but not a simple choice. |
Posted By: The Quiet One
Date Posted: November 05 2009 at 14:39
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Very close poll, two vocalist/bass players that I like almost equally and Lemming's description fits perfectly for what I think of both. I'll go with Wetton since his bass playing and vocals grab me more than Lake's overall. |
Posted By: mohaveman
Date Posted: November 05 2009 at 15:00
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I vote Mr Wetton by a nose |
Posted By: mark kraken
Date Posted: November 06 2009 at 10:45
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spider
greg the best no question
greg lake has a great voice even now he can beat wetton anytime a true grand singer. who compared these two at the beginning must have bad hearing , also compare them musically and not the bands they have been in.result -not in the same league as greg.
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Posted By: DAVE M
Date Posted: November 10 2009 at 02:33
| I don't mean this as a criticism, I've always felt continuity was lacking with John Wetton - too many different bands, too many different styles required of him - probably a sign of his great professionalism and ability to adapt. I've probably missed one or two bands but Family, Roxy Music, King Crimson, Uriah Heep, Wishbone Ash, UK, Asia...and never the twain shall meat. Saw the Greg Lake Band relatively recently in Llandudno of all places -the best of King Crimson and ELP in 2 hours!! |
Posted By: andrewbarrel
Date Posted: February 05 2010 at 18:21
| John Wetton!!! |
Posted By: geddyx12112
Date Posted: February 05 2010 at 19:03
| It's really difficult to say, because I find they were both fantastic in king crimson and had some other good projects (Most of ELP and UK), but what it really comes down to for me is whether Love Beach or Heat of the Moment is a greater crime... I'm gonna vote for wetton simply because at least Asia only made my ears hurt, whereas the love beach art music combination practically blinded me. |
Posted By: himtroy
Date Posted: February 06 2010 at 00:23
| I like Greg Lakes voice more, but in KC I like Wetton more. Though I do like ITCOTKC a lot still |
Posted By: Raff
Date Posted: February 06 2010 at 07:39
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Not going to vote, because I feel Greg is better as a vocalist, and John as a bassist (one of the best in prog for sure). However, Wetton's voice has stood the test of time better, in spite of all the abuse he heaped on himself. We saw him live with Asia last summer, and his voice was nothing short of stunning. He is one of those rare singers who grew better and better with time - his performance on LTiA was rather weak overall, but on Starless and Bible Black he had already become a force to be reckoned with. BTW, I also agree with my friend ExitTheLemming's statement about Lake's skills as a guitarist. I've always had a thing for his solo in "Battlefield" (Tarkus). |
Posted By: thellama73
Date Posted: February 06 2010 at 08:06
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I like Lake's voice better, but Wetton is a much better bassist, so he gets my vote.
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Posted By: BlindGuard
Date Posted: February 06 2010 at 08:11
| Wetton by far. |
Posted By: Astrapto
Date Posted: February 09 2010 at 08:13
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Good idea- but John Wetton was in Asia, and Greg Lake wasn't. That means I vote for Greg Lake. ------------- Jesus is real, God and man. GENERATION 41i: The first time you see this, copy it into your sig on any forum and subtract 1 from the generation. Social experiment. |
Posted By: Raff
Date Posted: February 09 2010 at 08:17
Actually, Lake was in Asia for a brief time, as a temporary replacement for Wetton - he toured with them in 1983  . |