John Wetton, bassist and singer for bands such as King Crimson and Asia, died in his sleep on January 31, 2017 after a long battle with colon cancer. He was 67.

The British-born Wetton remains best known for his achievements within the progressive rock circles, notably with his stint in the 1970s in the second incarnation of King Crimson, the adventurously complex yet searing and grooving hard rock ensemble. During Wetton’s tenure, the band produced such classic offerings as Lark’s Tongue in Aspic, Starless and Bible Black, and especially Red, in which the trio of guitarist Robert Fripp, ex-Yes drummer Bill Bruford, and the muscular, soaring vocals and heavy yet perfect bottom end of Wetton took the group to untold heights, especially on mesmerizing tracks such as the gripping “One More Red Nightmare” and the haunting magnum opus “Starless.”

The supergroup Asia has announced that they have split with Steve Howe, the legendary guitar player whose work with Yes made him and that band one of progressive rock’s finest ensembles.

In a press release distributed today, the remaining members of Asia, — ex-King Crimson vocalist and bass player John Wetton, ex-Yes and Buggles keyboardist Geoff Downes, and backbeat drum prince Carl Palmer — talked about the split and moving forward to the next phase of the band with a new guitarist.

As part of Amazon’s monthly $5 MP3 album deals for January 2013, Asia‘s Asia is on sale for only $5.

If you would like a physical copy of Asia, the CD is available for only $4.99.

Asia, released in 1982, was the self-titled debut album from the British supergroup comprised of members from well-known progressive rock bands Yes, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Uriah Heep, Roxy Music, and King Crimson, among others. The album peaked at #1 in the US and spent nine weeks on the Billboard 200 chart. The song “The Heat of the Moment” reached #4 in the US on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and is Asia’s signature song and biggest hit to date. Also on the album are such recognizable tracks as “Only Time Will Tell” and “Sole Survivor.”

Browse all 2,000 albums on sale this month for only $5 each.

As part of Amazon’s monthly $5 MP3 album deals for September 2012, Asia‘s Asia is on sale for only $5.

If you would like a physical copy of Asia, the CD is available for only $4.99

Asia, released in 1982, was the self-titled debut album from the British supergroup comprised of members from well-known progressive rock bands Yes, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Uriah Heep, Roxy Music, and King Crimson, among others. The album peaked at #1 in the U.S. and spent nine weeks on the Billboard 200 chart. The song “The Heat of the Moment” reached #4 in the U.S. on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and is Asia’s signature song and biggest hit to date. Also on the album are such recognizable tracks as “Only Time Will Tell” and “Sole Survivor.”

Browse the main sale page to see the other 99 albums on sale for only $5 each in MP3 format through the end of September 2012.

With a new album and juggling tours with two bands, Geoff Downes is having a busy time of it. Tinkling the keys for British prog rock giants Yes and Asia for over 30 years, Downes is considered one of the finest of the genre, and rightly so. This summer, Asia released its superb 12th album, (a roman numerical reference celebrating the amount of years since Asia’s debut release), a scintillating mix of driving, synth-led rock, and sombre orchestral asides.

Before his prog rock legacy began, Downes was part of the British New Wave for a short time in the late 1970s and early ’80s. It was brief, but his and Trevor Horn’s duo The Buggles has incredible longevity thanks to the hit “Video Killed The Radio Star.”

I spoke with Downes about his rock bread and butter, touring with Yes and Asia, handling sudden stardom, and whatever else came up in the heat of the moment…