Icon June 2007

Voice Mail is the second solo album by the English rock musician John Wetton. Initially released on 17 June 1994 in Japan only, it was re-released internationally as Battle Lines with the same musical content but different artwork. John Wetton was an English singer, bassist, and songwriter. He rose to fame with bands Mogul Thrash, Family, King Crimson, Roxy Music and Uriah Heep. Following his period in Uriah Heep, Wetton formed U.K., and later — after a brief stint in Wishbone Ash — he was the frontman and principal songwriter of the supergroup Asia, which proved to be his biggest commercial success.

"This is the story of a dying woman. It is written as such. This is what it tells. During the performance, this woman dies before your eyes, in what is practically a live event. There is no way to conjure the fact away. The main subject of this opera is death and there is no way to avoid that. Death with love. Love with death. One and the other, one in the other." (Peter Mussbach)

When Rick James died of a heart attack on August 6, 2004 at the relatively young age of 56, some of his admirers were surprised that the funk/soul icon lived as long as he did. Saying that James, who spent a considerable amount of time in the fastest stretches of the fast lane, subjected his body to extensive abuse over the years would be an understatement. Regardless, James was a major talent – some of the most talented musicians are also among the most self-destructive – and his die-hard fans never quit hoping that he would eventually recapture the commercial and creative success he enjoyed during his late-'70s/early-'80s heyday. Recorded in 2003 and 2004 and released posthumously in May 2007, Deeper Still ended up being James' swan song.