.gif)
Asia (band)
Encyclopedia
Asia are an English
rock
group formed in 1981. The band was labelled a supergroup
as it included former members of several veteran progressive rock
bands, namely John Wetton
(formerly in King Crimson
, Uriah Heep
, U.K.
, Roxy Music
and Wishbone Ash
), Geoff Downes
(formerly in Yes
and The Buggles
), Steve Howe
(formerly in Yes
) and Carl Palmer
(formerly in The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Atomic Rooster
, and Emerson, Lake & Palmer
).
The band has been through multiple line-up changes in its history, but the current line-up is a reunion of that original line-up. A second band, called Asia Featuring John Payne
, exists in parallel as a continuation of a pre-2006 Asia line-up.
and Emerson, Lake & Palmer
, two of the flagship bands of British progressive rock
. After the break-up of King Crimson
in 1974, various plans for a super group involving bassist John Wetton
had been mooted, including the abortive British Bulldog project with Bill Bruford
and Rick Wakeman
in 1976. Wakeman left this project at the urging of management, according to Bill Bruford. In 1977, Bruford and Wetton were reunited in UK
, augmented by guitarist Allan Holdsworth
and keyboardist/violinist Eddie Jobson
. Their eponymous debut was released in 1978. By January 1980, UK had folded after one lineup change and three recordings. A new supergroup project was then suggested involving Wetton, Wakeman, drummer Carl Palmer
and (then little known) guitarist Trevor Rabin
, but Wakeman left this project, too, shortly before they were due to sign to Geffen and before they had played together. Wetton's Caught in the Crossfire
solo album (1980) did not fare very well in England.
In early 1981, Wetton and former Yes guitarist Steve Howe
were brought together by A&R
man John Kalodner
and Geffen Records
to start writing material for a new album. By this point, progressive rock bands such as Yes and Emerson, Lake and Palmer had folded, so many qualified musicians were available for this proposed group. They were eventually joined by drummer Carl Palmer
, and finally by Howe's recent Yes cohort, keyboardist Geoff Downes
. Two other players auditioned and considered during the band's formation were former The Move
and ELO
founder Roy Wood
and South African guitarist/singer Trevor Rabin
, who would go on to be part of a reformed Yes
in 1983. Rabin, in a filmed 1984 interview included in the DVD
9012Live, said that his involvement with Asia never went anywhere because "there was no chemistry" among the participants.
The band's first recordings, under the auspices of Geffen record label head David Geffen
and Kalodner, were considered disappointing by music critics and fans of traditional progressive rock, who found the music closer to radio-friendly Album-oriented rock
. However, Asia clicked with fans of popular arena acts such as Journey
, Boston
and Styx
. Indeed, Kalodner had once introduced Wetton to Journey's short-lived frontman Robert Fleischman
, who had penned such Journey classics "Anytime" and "Wheel in the Sky," with a view to Fleischman becoming Asia's lead-singer. Fleischman was already known to bandmember Carl Palmer
. However, as they worked on material together, Fleischman was impressed by Wetton's singing and felt the voice best suited to the new material was Wetton's own. Leaving Asia amicably, Fleischman returned to America eventually to work on several projects with ex-KISS
guitarist Vinnie Vincent
.
Rolling Stone gave Asia an indifferent review, while still acknowledging the band's musicianship was a cut above the usual AOR expectations.
, released in March 1982, received considerable commercial success, spending nine weeks at number one in the U.S. album chart and selling over 4 million copies in the US alone. The album sold over 10 million worldwide. The singles "Only Time Will Tell" (#17) and "Heat of the Moment
" (#4) became huge Top 40 hits, with the latter cracking the Top Five, and the former remaining a stadium favourite at U.S. sporting events. "Sole Survivor" also received heavy air play on rock stations across the US, as did "Wildest Dreams". The band's best performing single, and perhaps their most recognised and popular hit song, "Heat of the Moment", climbed to #4 on the American Top 40 charts, having debuted on the AT40 on May 1, 1982, and spent a total of 12 weeks in there.
In the US, the band did extremely well, selling out every date on their debut tour, which began at The University of Akron's EJ Thomas Concert Hall and continued in small theatres but quickly expanded into arenas because of high ticket demand. Asia would go on to receive a Grammy nomination as Best New Artist of the Year. MTV
also played Asia videos on heavy rotation—as many as 5 times a day. Billboard named the Asia debut as album of the year. Asia's logo and cover art were handled by illustrator
Roger Dean of Yes and Uriah Heep fame.
However, neither the second album (Alpha, released in August 1983) nor any following Asia album repeated the chart success of the first. "Don't Cry" was a Top Ten single in the summer of 1983 and the video received considerable play on MTV, while "The Smile Has Left Your Eyes", a fan favourite for John Wetton's vocal performance, charted inside of Billboard's Top 40. The video for "Smile" also scored heavy MTV play. But Rolling Stone panned Alpha as an over-produced commercial album, while others lamented that Howe and Palmer were effectively reduced to session musicians. The tracks "Eye to Eye" and "My Own Time" became huge fan favourites. "Open Your Eyes", "Midnight Sun" (featuring a strong vocal performance by Wetton), and "The Heat Goes On" became concert staples. Alpha received indifferent reviews from various critics, while still attaining platinum
status. Alpha reached #6 on the USA Billboard album chart.
In October 1983, Wetton was forced out of the group on the heels of the comparatively disappointing sales of Alpha. The band stated that Wetton quit and there is no universally agreed upon version of what happened. Wetton later revealed one factor may have been his alcohol dependency. In any event, the next leg of their 1983 US tour (which had begun in the summer but shut down suddenly on September 10 after a performance at Pine Knob
in Detroit), scheduled for the fall, was abruptly cancelled, reportedly because of low ticket sales. Ex-King Crimson
and ELP front man Greg Lake
replaced Wetton for the highly publicised "Asia in Asia" concert at the Nippon Budokan
Hall in Tokyo, Japan on Dec. 6, 1983, which was the first concert broadcast over satellite to MTV in the US and later made into a home video
. Some of the songs had to be played in a lower key to suit Lake's voice and he read most of the lyrics from a teleprompter. The Japanese dates were successful financially but not musically. Lake left in early 1984 and Asia reunited with Wetton that same year to start work on their next album. But Howe soon left to be replaced by Krokus
guitarist Mandy Meyer
. Howe then enjoyed brief success with GTR
, another supergroup, formed with Steve Hackett
of Genesis
and produced by Downes
.
, released in November 1985, was not as commercially successful as the first two. The record label canceled the projected tour because of lack of interest. Howe's replacement, Mandy Meyer
of Krokus
, provided more of a hard-rock approach. The band enjoyed a modest charting single, "Go," (#46) with Meyer's guitar heroics center stage. The music video was another hit with MTV. In 1986 this Asia line-up folded, bringing the group to an end for the time being. Singer/bassist/songwriter Wetton is quoted as saying "It [Astra] did really well in Sweden ... but Swedish sales aren't that large."
Wetton resurfaced with a 1987 album with guitarist Phil Manzanera
, Wetton-Manzanera, based on material that had been originally intended for Asia. Also in 1987, Wetton played with Phenomena
on their Dream Runner album and landed a number one hit in South America with the Phenomena
single "Did it All for Love", also appearing in the related music video. Asia were also credited with contributing the Giorgio Moroder
produced track "Gypsy Soul" to the Sylvester Stallone
film soundtrack to Over the Top, although Wetton was the only original band member involved. Wetton and Downes' attempt to restart the group in 1987 with guitarist Scott Gorham
(formerly of Thin Lizzy
) and drummer Michael Sturgis
(ex-a-ha
) fizzled when they were unable to land a worldwide recording deal. Wetton and Palmer were more successful in reuniting the band for a few tours of Europe in 1989. Downes (who was working on a project with Greg Lake) was not available at this time, so keys were played by John Young
. Guitars on this tour were handled by Alan Darby (who was replaced shortly after by German guitarist Holger Larish) and Zoe Nicholas and Susie Webb were brought aboard to provide back-up vocals. Unlike Wetton's later anger at Asia continuing without him in the 1990s, this lineup was viewed favorably by other Asia band members.
Asia returned to the studio in 1990 with Toto
guitarist Steve Lukather
and other musicians (see discography below), and released Then & Now, a best-of with four new tracks. "Days Like These" from the disc received substantial airplay during the summer of 1990 on AOR
radio stations, and re-sparked some interest in the band. Pat Thrall
joined Downes, Palmer, and Wetton on tour and they performed classic material, including King Crimson
and UK
songs. The band toured the Soviet Union
in November 1990 to play in front of 20,000 fans on two sold out nights. "Days Like These" charted at #64 in 1990 and climbed all the way to #2 on the Album Rock Tracks chart. A video was planned but was scrapped because various problems hampered the single's chance at the Top 40. Asia received the RIAA Gold album award for Then and Now many years later, but the initial response was modest as the album failed to dent the Top 100. The decision not to tour the US for this album did not help any. A DVD and CD can be bought of the Asia concert in the USSR. Wetton left in 1991 after a South American tour, discouraged by Asia's lack of success in the States.
joined the band and, together with Downes, enlisted new musicians and led Asia through to 2006. The first album with this line-up was Aqua, released in 1992. In addition to Downes and Payne, the album featured Howe, Palmer, and Al Pitrelli
(of Danger Danger
, Megadeth
, and Alice Cooper
). Howe returned during the sessions having just left Yes again, but Palmer would leave soon, committing to an ELP reunion, and was able to play on just three songs. Session men then completed the drumming. Downes' environmentalist single "Who Will Stop The Rain?" (originally written for Max Bacon
and the aborted Rain project, later appearing on Bacon's album From the Banks of the River Irwell) attracted some radio attention. The Aqua club tour featured Howe (whose presence was heavily promoted), who took the stage after the fifth song. The tour was successful enough to warrant the band's continuation. The 1992-93 tour featured Downes, Howe, Payne, guitarist Vinny Burns
and drummer Trevor Thornton. Before a European festival tour in late 1993, Howe and Burns left and were replaced by guitarist Keith More. Payne acquitted himself on the tour, but many fans refused to support an Asia lineup without Wetton.
The group released Aria in May 1994, which featured lead guitarist Al Pitrelli
once again, who would leave Asia during the short Aria tour. This illustrates how the keyboard-driven band often faced trouble keeping a regular guitarist. Aria did not fare well commercially and the ensuing tour was limited to four concerts. Ex-Simply Red
guitarist Aziz Ibrahim
took over during the tour. Aria also introduced new drummer Michael Sturgis
, who had been involved during the band's aborted 1987 reunion and had appeared on some of the sessions for Aqua. Aria was not released in the United States until 1995.
Over New Year's Eve 1996, a broken pipe inundated the control room in Downes and Payne's recording studio, Electric Palace, in London. Amid the lost equipment, a vault containing unreleased material was found intact. The band decided to release the double-disc Archiva, a collection of unreleased tracks recorded during the first three Downes/Payne albums. Next, Arena
, released in February 1996, featured Downes, Payne, Sturgis, Ibrahim and guest guitarist Elliott Randall
(ex-Steely Dan
, Randy Crawford
). The album featured Asia's longest track ever in "The Day Before the War". The album was released on Resurgence Records but there was no tour because of lack of interest. The group's lone promotional performance in conjunction with the album occurred on April 19, 1996, when Downes and Payne appeared with guitarist Elliott Randall on the Virgin FM radio programme Alive in London to play the song "Never".
An all acoustic album, Live at the Town & Country Club, was recorded by the group in September 1997 (and released in 1999) that featured a lineup of Downes, Payne, Ibrahim, and Bob Richards on drums.
In 1999, there was talk of a reunion of the original lineup (minus Howe). The original proposition included Dave Kilminster on guitar, who had previously toured and recorded with Wetton. While Howe was interested in participating, he was unable because of his busy schedule with Yes
. This reunion did not take place and John Payne continued to carry on Asia with Downes uninterrupted. Wetton and Palmer did, however, get together to form Qango
, which included Kilminster and John Young, although the band was short-lived. Kilminster went on to work with Keith Emerson
, The Nice
and Roger Waters
. In 2000, Geffen/Universal released a best-of entitled The Very Best of Asia: Heat of the Moment (1982–1990) which also included three rare B-sides from the early days.
2001's Aura
featured three different session guitarists, including Ian Crichton (of Canadian progressive rock band Saga
) who'd briefly joined Asia in 1998-1999. Aura took a more progressive rock
form, but still did not recapture the commercial success of the first album. Former members Howe, Thrall, Sturgis and Elliott Randall also made guest appearances. The single "Ready To Go Home" was barely distributed. Asia then signed with Recognition. 2001 did see the band with a stable lineup, achieved during the Aura sessions featuring Downes, Payne, guitarist Guthrie Govan
and ex-Manfred Mann's Earth Band
/The Firm/Uriah Heep
/Gary Numan
/AC/DC
drummer Chris Slade
(who had first joined Asia in 1999, briefly). Asia would tour for the first time since 1994, including the first US dates since 1993. A live album and DVD "Asia: Live in the USA" was released in 2003, recorded at the Classic Rock Festival in Trenton, NJ in October 2002 which they co-headlined with Uriah Heep.
In the summer of 2003, Downes and Payne did the "Asia Across America Tour" which got some national media attention. Performing "unplugged", the duo would reportedly play anywhere in the US that fans requested, provided there was a venue and the fans put up $3,000 to cover costs. From New Jersey to Alaska gigs took place and the fans were treated to "meet and greet" sessions after each show.
Marking a departure from convention, for the first time, a studio release was not titled as a single word starting and ending with the letter A (excepting the partial compilation / partial new album Then And Now
). Released on Asia's newly signed label SPV/Inside Out Records, 2004's Silent Nation
(name influenced by the Howard Stern
vs. FCC incident) picked up some unexpected exposure on the Internet.
In 2004, an acoustic Asia toured featuring only Downes and Payne. In 2005, the full band toured in Europe and the Americas playing settings ranging from small clubs to medium-sized theatres. Again, in the US, attendance was poor at best. Meanwhile, Wetton and Downes released some archival Asia material under the name Wetton/Downes and they then reunited to record a full-length album (Icon, released in 2005), and an accompanying EP and DVD. Two additional Icon projects have since followed: Icon II - Rubicon(2006) and Icon 3(2009).
In August 2005, Slade left the group to be replaced by Jay Schellen
. The new band started work on an album, tentatively entitled Architect of Time, which was originally planned for release in 2006, though later developments would cause this project to be shelved for the time being.
.
When Downes split in 2006, Payne owned a significant portion of the rights to the band name 'Asia'. On the 9th of May 2006, John Payne, Geoff Downes, John Wetton, Carl Palmer and Steve Howe contractually agreed that John Payne could continue his 14 year period with Asia as Asia Featuring John Payne
. Asia Featuring John Payne debuted in 2007 with Payne on vocals/bass, Guthrie Govan on guitar, Erik Norlander on keyboards and Jay Schellen on drums.
The official websites of each band reflect a split between the shared history of Payne's tenure with the band, as the reunited Asia acknowledge only pre- and post-Payne albums, whereas Asia featuring John Payne claim Payne-era albums Aqua through Silent Nation as part of their own discography. Although Asia's live set lists reflect this, Asia featuring John Payne perform songs from the entire history of Asia.
The tour began on August 29, 2006 in Rochester, New York
. "The Definitive Collection" was released by Geffen/Universal to tie into the tour in September and peaked at #183 on the US album charts--—the first time Asia had made the charts since 1990. A limited edition release available only at Best Buy stores also included a DVD of all the band's music videos.
The reunion tour continued into 2007 with venue size based on the success of the 2006 shows where the band was mainly playing in clubs and theatres. Many of which sold out, including all seven dates in Japan. Also in 2007, the band released Fantasia: Live In Tokyo on CD and DVD through Eagle Records, commemorating the 25th Anniversary and documenting the success of the 2006-2007 tour.
In mid-2007, all four original members (Wetton, Downes, Howe and Palmer) went into the studio to record a new album, marking the first recorded material from all four original members since 1983's Alpha. The band continued to tour until major heart surgery for Wetton in the second half of the year saw remaining tour dates rescheduled for 2008. The new studio album, entitled Phoenix
, was released on Frontiers Records
on 14 April 2008 (via EMI/Capitol
on April 15 in North America), along with a world tour to promote . The 12-track album includes "An Extraordinary Life", based on Wetton's experience of ill health; rockers such "Never Again" and "Nothing's Forever"; and power ballads such as "Heroine" and "I Will Remember You". The world tour features a couple of the new songs. The album cover
features Dean's illustration
and design
. The Phoenix album did well in both the American and European/Japanese markets. It debuted at #73 American Billboard 200; the band had not charted with a studio album since 1985.
As a special finale to the US Phoenix tour, the band performed, for the first time ever, the entire first Asia album from beginning to end at their San Francisco concert at The Regency Center on May 5. The album comprised the entire 2nd set of the evening's concert.
In summer 2009, Asia toured the USA with Yes. Asia opened with a 55-minute show, while Yes closed with a 1 hour and 50 minute set. Asia's set included only "An Extraordinary Life" from Phoenix, the rest of the songs coming from the first two albums plus one cover each from The Buggles ("Video Killed the Radio Star" with Wetton on lead vocals and Downes on vocoder), King Crimson ("The Court of the Crimson King", which was actually never performed live by King Crimson while Wetton was a member of the band) and Emerson, Lake & Palmer
("Fanfare for the Common Man"). Yes songs were omitted from this tour's setlist, though Asia also covered "Roundabout" on earlier legs of the "Four Original Members" tour. Contrary to some early expectations, Downes did not perform with Yes, although their setlist included two songs from the 1980 album Drama, which featured Downes on keys. A series of shows late in the tour featured a special appearance by Ian McDonald
(flute and vocals on "The Court Of The Crimson King" which he co-wrote and backing vocals on "Heat Of The Moment").
In late 2009, the band began working on their follow-up CD to Phoenix. According to Wetton's website in late November 2009: "Good news is that the new album is starting to leap, rather than creep (or sleep) in terms of progress. This week I have two completed lead vocals, with complete harmony/chorus voxes on three. It's just me, Geoff [Downes], Steve R[ispin], and Mike Paxman
in the studio--- Carl [Palmer] is pretty much all done, Steve H[owe] is half done, and returns to the fold after Yes tour. It sounds absolutely wonderful".
The follow-up, titled Omega
, was released in the UK on April 26 and in the US on May 4.
Current members of Asia are the following founding members:
Former band members of Asia are:
Certain musicians have joined and left after a short time without recording any studio material with the group. The most notable collaboration of this kind was the participation of Greg Lake
in the "Asia in Asia" concert on bass guitar and lead vocals. Yet more musicians have played as session musicians or have guested with the band without formally joining. Some of these artists include: Robert Fleischman
, Vinnie Colaiuta
, Francis Dunnery
, Ant Glynne, Scott Gorham
, Tomoyasu Hotei
, Luis Jardim
, Ron Komie, Tony Levin
, Steve Lukather
, Thomas Lang
, Kim Nielsen-Parsons
, Simon Phillips
, and Alex Thomas.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
group formed in 1981. The band was labelled a supergroup
Supergroup (music)
In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
as it included former members of several veteran progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
bands, namely John Wetton
John Wetton
John Kenneth Wetton is an English bassist, guitarist, keyboardist, singer and songwriter. He was born in Willington, Derbyshire, and grew up in Bournemouth. He has been a professional musician since the late 1960s...
(formerly in King Crimson
King Crimson
King Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...
, Uriah Heep
Uriah Heep (band)
Uriah Heep are an English rock band formed in London in 1969 and regarded as a seminal classic hard rock act of the 1970s. Uriah Heep's progressive/art rock/heavy metal fusion's distinctive features have always been massive keyboards sound, strong vocal harmonies and David Byron's operatic vocals...
, U.K.
UK (band)
U.K. were a short-lived British progressive rock supergroup active from 1977 until 1980.The band was composed of Singer/Bassist John Wetton, formerly of King Crimson, Bryan Ferry's band and Uriah Heep, Keyboardist/Electric Violinist Eddie Jobson, formerly of Curved Air, Roxy Music and Frank Zappa's...
, Roxy Music
Roxy Music
Roxy Music was a British art rock band formed in 1971 by Bryan Ferry, who became the group's lead vocalist and chief songwriter, and bassist Graham Simpson. The other members are Phil Manzanera , Andy Mackay and Paul Thompson . Former members include Brian Eno , and Eddie Jobson...
and Wishbone Ash
Wishbone Ash
Wishbone Ash are a British rock band who achieved success in the early and mid-1970s. Their popular records included Wishbone Ash , Argus , There's the Rub , and New England...
), Geoff Downes
Geoff Downes
Geoffrey "Geoff" Downes is an English rock keyboard player, songwriter, best known as the keyboardist for the bands The Buggles, Yes and Asia, of which he is the only consistent member. When he was a keyboardist for The Buggles, he played multiple keyboards to achieve a New Wave technopop sound...
(formerly in Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
and The Buggles
The Buggles
The Buggles were an English New Wave band consisting of Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes . They are remembered chiefly for their 1979 debut single "Video Killed the Radio Star" that was #1 on the singles chart in 16 countries. Its music video was the first to be shown on MTV in the U.S...
), Steve Howe
Steve Howe (guitarist)
Stephen James "Steve" Howe is an English guitarist, known for his work with the progressive rock group Yes...
(formerly in Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
) and Carl Palmer
Carl Palmer
Carl Frederick Kendall Palmer is an English drummer and percussionist. He is credited as one of the most respected rock drummers to emerge from the 1960s...
(formerly in The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Atomic Rooster
Atomic Rooster
Atomic Rooster were an English progressive rock band, composed of former members of the The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. Throughout their history, keyboardist Vincent Crane was the only constant member, and wrote the majority of their material. Their history is defined by two periods, in the early...
, and Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Emerson, Lake & Palmer, also known as ELP, are an English progressive rock supergroup. They found success in the 1970s and sold over forty million albums and headlined large stadium concerts. The band consists of Keith Emerson , Greg Lake and Carl Palmer...
).
The band has been through multiple line-up changes in its history, but the current line-up is a reunion of that original line-up. A second band, called Asia Featuring John Payne
Asia Featuring John Payne
Asia Featuring John Payne are a rock group formed in 2007 following a schism in the then line-up of Asia. The band is based around singer and bassist John Payne, who was a member of Asia from 1992–2006, and the band tours playing material by Asia...
, exists in parallel as a continuation of a pre-2006 Asia line-up.
Formation
Asia began with the apparent demise of YesYes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
and Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Emerson, Lake & Palmer, also known as ELP, are an English progressive rock supergroup. They found success in the 1970s and sold over forty million albums and headlined large stadium concerts. The band consists of Keith Emerson , Greg Lake and Carl Palmer...
, two of the flagship bands of British progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
. After the break-up of King Crimson
King Crimson
King Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...
in 1974, various plans for a super group involving bassist John Wetton
John Wetton
John Kenneth Wetton is an English bassist, guitarist, keyboardist, singer and songwriter. He was born in Willington, Derbyshire, and grew up in Bournemouth. He has been a professional musician since the late 1960s...
had been mooted, including the abortive British Bulldog project with Bill Bruford
Bill Bruford
William Scott "Bill" Bruford is an English drummer, percussionist, composer, producer, and record label owner. He was the original drummer for the progressive rock group Yes, from 1968-1972. Bruford has performed for numerous popular acts since the early 1970s, including a stint as touring...
and Rick Wakeman
Rick Wakeman
Richard Christopher Wakeman is an English keyboard player, composer and songwriter best known for being the former keyboardist in the progressive rock band Yes...
in 1976. Wakeman left this project at the urging of management, according to Bill Bruford. In 1977, Bruford and Wetton were reunited in UK
UK (band)
U.K. were a short-lived British progressive rock supergroup active from 1977 until 1980.The band was composed of Singer/Bassist John Wetton, formerly of King Crimson, Bryan Ferry's band and Uriah Heep, Keyboardist/Electric Violinist Eddie Jobson, formerly of Curved Air, Roxy Music and Frank Zappa's...
, augmented by guitarist Allan Holdsworth
Allan Holdsworth
Allan Holdsworth is an English guitarist and composer. He has released twelve studio albums as a solo artist and played many different styles of music over a period of four decades, but first drew attention for his work in jazz fusion...
and keyboardist/violinist Eddie Jobson
Eddie Jobson
Edwin "Eddie" Jobson is an English keyboardist and violinist noted for his use of synthesizers. He has been a member of several progressive rock bands, including Curved Air, Roxy Music, U.K., and Jethro Tull. He was also part of Frank Zappa's band in 1976-77...
. Their eponymous debut was released in 1978. By January 1980, UK had folded after one lineup change and three recordings. A new supergroup project was then suggested involving Wetton, Wakeman, drummer Carl Palmer
Carl Palmer
Carl Frederick Kendall Palmer is an English drummer and percussionist. He is credited as one of the most respected rock drummers to emerge from the 1960s...
and (then little known) guitarist Trevor Rabin
Trevor Rabin
Trevor Charles Rabin is a South African born musician, best known as a guitarist, vocalist and songwriter for the British progressive rock band Yes from 1983–1994, and since then, as a film composer.- Early years :...
, but Wakeman left this project, too, shortly before they were due to sign to Geffen and before they had played together. Wetton's Caught in the Crossfire
Caught in the Crossfire
Caught in the Crossfire is 2010 American crime drama film directed by Brian A Miller. It stars Chris Klein, Adam Rodriguez, and 50 Cent. The film was released direct-to-DVD on July 20, 2010....
solo album (1980) did not fare very well in England.
In early 1981, Wetton and former Yes guitarist Steve Howe
Steve Howe (guitarist)
Stephen James "Steve" Howe is an English guitarist, known for his work with the progressive rock group Yes...
were brought together by A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
man John Kalodner
John Kalodner
John David Kalodner is a retired American A&R executive. His achievements included signing Foreigner, AC/DC, Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins to Atlantic Records in the seventies....
and Geffen Records
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
to start writing material for a new album. By this point, progressive rock bands such as Yes and Emerson, Lake and Palmer had folded, so many qualified musicians were available for this proposed group. They were eventually joined by drummer Carl Palmer
Carl Palmer
Carl Frederick Kendall Palmer is an English drummer and percussionist. He is credited as one of the most respected rock drummers to emerge from the 1960s...
, and finally by Howe's recent Yes cohort, keyboardist Geoff Downes
Geoff Downes
Geoffrey "Geoff" Downes is an English rock keyboard player, songwriter, best known as the keyboardist for the bands The Buggles, Yes and Asia, of which he is the only consistent member. When he was a keyboardist for The Buggles, he played multiple keyboards to achieve a New Wave technopop sound...
. Two other players auditioned and considered during the band's formation were former The Move
The Move
The Move, from Birmingham, England, were one of the leading British rock bands of the 1960s. They scored nine Top 20 UK singles in five years, but were among the most popular British bands not to find any success in the United States....
and ELO
ELO
- Music :* Electric Light Orchestra, a British rock music group** The Electric Light Orchestra , the group's debut album** ELO 2, the group's second album* ELO Part II, an offshoot band of Electric Light Orchestra- Sports and games :...
founder Roy Wood
Roy Wood
Roy Adrian Wood is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He was particularly successful in the 1960s and 1970s as member and co-founder of the bands The Move, Electric Light Orchestra, and Wizzard. As a songwriter, he contributed a number of hits to the repertoire of these bands.-Career:Wood...
and South African guitarist/singer Trevor Rabin
Trevor Rabin
Trevor Charles Rabin is a South African born musician, best known as a guitarist, vocalist and songwriter for the British progressive rock band Yes from 1983–1994, and since then, as a film composer.- Early years :...
, who would go on to be part of a reformed Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
in 1983. Rabin, in a filmed 1984 interview included in the DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
9012Live, said that his involvement with Asia never went anywhere because "there was no chemistry" among the participants.
The band's first recordings, under the auspices of Geffen record label head David Geffen
David Geffen
David Geffen is an American record executive, film producer, theatrical producer and philanthropist. Geffen is noted for creating Asylum Records in 1970, Geffen Records in 1980, and DGC Records in 1990...
and Kalodner, were considered disappointing by music critics and fans of traditional progressive rock, who found the music closer to radio-friendly Album-oriented rock
Album-oriented rock
Album-oriented rock is an American FM radio format focusing on album tracks by rock artists.-Music played:Most radio formats are based on a select, tight rotation of hit singles...
. However, Asia clicked with fans of popular arena acts such as Journey
Journey (band)
Journey is an American rock band formed in 1973 in San Francisco by former members of Santana. The band has gone through several phases; its strongest commercial success occurred between the 1978 and 1987, after which it temporarily disbanded...
, Boston
Boston (band)
Boston is an American rock band from Boston, Massachusetts that achieved its most notable successes during the 1970s and 1980s. Centered on guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter, and producer Tom Scholz, the band is a staple of classic rock radio playlists...
and Styx
Styx (band)
Styx is an American rock band that became famous for its albums from the late 1970s and early 1980s. The Chicago band is known for melding the style of prog-rock with the power of hard rock guitar, strong ballads, and elements of American musical theater....
. Indeed, Kalodner had once introduced Wetton to Journey's short-lived frontman Robert Fleischman
Robert Fleischman
Robert Fleischman is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer.Fleischman is perhaps best known as the short-lived lead singer for the rock group Journey in 1977 between the group's albums, Next and Infinity...
, who had penned such Journey classics "Anytime" and "Wheel in the Sky," with a view to Fleischman becoming Asia's lead-singer. Fleischman was already known to bandmember Carl Palmer
Carl Palmer
Carl Frederick Kendall Palmer is an English drummer and percussionist. He is credited as one of the most respected rock drummers to emerge from the 1960s...
. However, as they worked on material together, Fleischman was impressed by Wetton's singing and felt the voice best suited to the new material was Wetton's own. Leaving Asia amicably, Fleischman returned to America eventually to work on several projects with ex-KISS
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
guitarist Vinnie Vincent
Vinnie Vincent
Vincent John Cusano, better known as Vinnie Vincent, is an American guitarist from Bridgeport, Connecticut and songwriter known for his brief membership in the band Kiss.-Replacing Ace Frehley in Kiss:...
.
Rolling Stone gave Asia an indifferent review, while still acknowledging the band's musicianship was a cut above the usual AOR expectations.
Early years
Asia's eponymous debut albumAsia (album)
Asia is the debut album by the English rock supergroup Asia, released in 1982.The album reached #1 in the U.S. on the Billboard album charts, and according to Billboard was the best-selling album in the United States for the year 1982...
, released in March 1982, received considerable commercial success, spending nine weeks at number one in the U.S. album chart and selling over 4 million copies in the US alone. The album sold over 10 million worldwide. The singles "Only Time Will Tell" (#17) and "Heat of the Moment
Heat of the Moment
UK 7" single-Chart performance:-Popular culture:* "Heat of the Moment" was repopularized in 2005 when it was featured in the motion pictures The 40-Year-Old Virgin and The Matador....
" (#4) became huge Top 40 hits, with the latter cracking the Top Five, and the former remaining a stadium favourite at U.S. sporting events. "Sole Survivor" also received heavy air play on rock stations across the US, as did "Wildest Dreams". The band's best performing single, and perhaps their most recognised and popular hit song, "Heat of the Moment", climbed to #4 on the American Top 40 charts, having debuted on the AT40 on May 1, 1982, and spent a total of 12 weeks in there.
In the US, the band did extremely well, selling out every date on their debut tour, which began at The University of Akron's EJ Thomas Concert Hall and continued in small theatres but quickly expanded into arenas because of high ticket demand. Asia would go on to receive a Grammy nomination as Best New Artist of the Year. MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
also played Asia videos on heavy rotation—as many as 5 times a day. Billboard named the Asia debut as album of the year. Asia's logo and cover art were handled by illustrator
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
Roger Dean of Yes and Uriah Heep fame.
However, neither the second album (Alpha, released in August 1983) nor any following Asia album repeated the chart success of the first. "Don't Cry" was a Top Ten single in the summer of 1983 and the video received considerable play on MTV, while "The Smile Has Left Your Eyes", a fan favourite for John Wetton's vocal performance, charted inside of Billboard's Top 40. The video for "Smile" also scored heavy MTV play. But Rolling Stone panned Alpha as an over-produced commercial album, while others lamented that Howe and Palmer were effectively reduced to session musicians. The tracks "Eye to Eye" and "My Own Time" became huge fan favourites. "Open Your Eyes", "Midnight Sun" (featuring a strong vocal performance by Wetton), and "The Heat Goes On" became concert staples. Alpha received indifferent reviews from various critics, while still attaining platinum
Platinum
Platinum is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Pt and an atomic number of 78. Its name is derived from the Spanish term platina del Pinto, which is literally translated into "little silver of the Pinto River." It is a dense, malleable, ductile, precious, gray-white transition metal...
status. Alpha reached #6 on the USA Billboard album chart.
In October 1983, Wetton was forced out of the group on the heels of the comparatively disappointing sales of Alpha. The band stated that Wetton quit and there is no universally agreed upon version of what happened. Wetton later revealed one factor may have been his alcohol dependency. In any event, the next leg of their 1983 US tour (which had begun in the summer but shut down suddenly on September 10 after a performance at Pine Knob
DTE Energy Music Theatre
Originally built by the Nederlander Organization in the early 1970s, the DTE Energy Music Theatre is a 15,274-seat amphitheater located in Clarkston, Michigan. It was originally known as the Pine Knob Music Theatre, due to its proximity to the nearby Pine Knob ski area and golf course...
in Detroit), scheduled for the fall, was abruptly cancelled, reportedly because of low ticket sales. Ex-King Crimson
King Crimson
King Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...
and ELP front man Greg Lake
Greg Lake
Gregory Stuart "Greg" Lake is an English musician, songwriter and producer, best known as a vocalist and bassist of King Crimson, and the bassist, guitarist, vocalist, and lyricist of Emerson, Lake & Palmer.-1960s: King Crimson:...
replaced Wetton for the highly publicised "Asia in Asia" concert at the Nippon Budokan
Nippon Budokan
The , often shortened to simply Budokan, is an indoor arena in central Tokyo, Japan.This is the location where many "Live at the Budokan" albums were recorded...
Hall in Tokyo, Japan on Dec. 6, 1983, which was the first concert broadcast over satellite to MTV in the US and later made into a home video
Home video
Home video is a blanket term used for pre-recorded media that is either sold or rented/hired for home cinema entertainment. The term originates from the VHS/Betamax era but has carried over into current optical disc formats like DVD and Blu-ray Disc and, to a lesser extent, into methods of digital...
. Some of the songs had to be played in a lower key to suit Lake's voice and he read most of the lyrics from a teleprompter. The Japanese dates were successful financially but not musically. Lake left in early 1984 and Asia reunited with Wetton that same year to start work on their next album. But Howe soon left to be replaced by Krokus
Krokus (band)
Krokus is a hard rock/heavy metal band from Switzerland. They enjoyed moderate success in North America during the 1980s.Krokus was founded in Solothurn in 1974 by bassist Chris von Rohr and guitarist Tommy Kiefer...
guitarist Mandy Meyer
Mandy Meyer
Armand Mandy Meyer is a Swiss guitar player best known for being a member of the hard rock band Gotthard, the progressive rock band Asia and the heavy metal band Krokus. Meyer has also worked with Cobra, Stealin' Horses and Katmandu. He was born August 29, 1960 in the town of Balcarres,...
. Howe then enjoyed brief success with GTR
GTR (band)
GTR were a rock band founded in 1985 by former Yes and Asia guitarist Steve Howe and former Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett. In comparison to the two leaders' earlier work within progressive rock, GTR's work followed more of an Adult Oriented Rock format. The band was short-lived, lasting for two...
, another supergroup, formed with Steve Hackett
Steve Hackett
Stephen Richard Hackett is a British singer-songwriter and guitarist. He gained prominence as a member of the British progressive rock group Genesis, which he joined in 1970 and left in 1977 to pursue a solo career...
of Genesis
Genesis (band)
Genesis are an English rock band that formed in 1967. The band currently comprises the longest-tenured members Tony Banks , Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins . Past members Peter Gabriel , Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips , also played major roles in the band in its early years...
and produced by Downes
Geoff Downes
Geoffrey "Geoff" Downes is an English rock keyboard player, songwriter, best known as the keyboardist for the bands The Buggles, Yes and Asia, of which he is the only consistent member. When he was a keyboardist for The Buggles, he played multiple keyboards to achieve a New Wave technopop sound...
.
Astra to the USSR
The third Asia album, AstraAstra (album)
-Credits:* Mastered by Bob Ludwig & Greg Fulginiti at Masterdisk* John Kalodner : John Kalodner...
, released in November 1985, was not as commercially successful as the first two. The record label canceled the projected tour because of lack of interest. Howe's replacement, Mandy Meyer
Mandy Meyer
Armand Mandy Meyer is a Swiss guitar player best known for being a member of the hard rock band Gotthard, the progressive rock band Asia and the heavy metal band Krokus. Meyer has also worked with Cobra, Stealin' Horses and Katmandu. He was born August 29, 1960 in the town of Balcarres,...
of Krokus
Krokus (band)
Krokus is a hard rock/heavy metal band from Switzerland. They enjoyed moderate success in North America during the 1980s.Krokus was founded in Solothurn in 1974 by bassist Chris von Rohr and guitarist Tommy Kiefer...
, provided more of a hard-rock approach. The band enjoyed a modest charting single, "Go," (#46) with Meyer's guitar heroics center stage. The music video was another hit with MTV. In 1986 this Asia line-up folded, bringing the group to an end for the time being. Singer/bassist/songwriter Wetton is quoted as saying "It [Astra] did really well in Sweden ... but Swedish sales aren't that large."
Wetton resurfaced with a 1987 album with guitarist Phil Manzanera
Phil Manzanera
Phil Manzanera is a musician and record producer. He is the lead guitarist with Roxy Music. In 2006 Manzanera co-produced David Gilmour's album On An Island and played in Gilmour's band for tours in Europe and North America...
, Wetton-Manzanera, based on material that had been originally intended for Asia. Also in 1987, Wetton played with Phenomena
Phenomena (band)
Phenomena is a rock concept around a supergroup formed by record producer Tom Galley, Metalhammer magazine founder Wilfried Rimensberger and Tom's brother, Whitesnake guitarist Mel Galley. Contributors were leading rock musicians such as Glenn Hughes, Brian May, Tony Martin and John Wetton amongst...
on their Dream Runner album and landed a number one hit in South America with the Phenomena
Phenomena (band)
Phenomena is a rock concept around a supergroup formed by record producer Tom Galley, Metalhammer magazine founder Wilfried Rimensberger and Tom's brother, Whitesnake guitarist Mel Galley. Contributors were leading rock musicians such as Glenn Hughes, Brian May, Tony Martin and John Wetton amongst...
single "Did it All for Love", also appearing in the related music video. Asia were also credited with contributing the Giorgio Moroder
Giorgio Moroder
Hansjörg "Giorgio" Moroder is an Italian record producer, songwriter and performer based in Los Angeles. When in Munich in the 1970s, he started his own record label called Oasis Records, which several years later became a subdivision of Casablanca Records...
produced track "Gypsy Soul" to the Sylvester Stallone
Sylvester Stallone
Michael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone , commonly known as Sylvester Stallone, and nicknamed Sly Stallone, is an American actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, film director and occasional painter. Stallone is known for his machismo and Hollywood action roles. Two of the notable characters he has portrayed...
film soundtrack to Over the Top, although Wetton was the only original band member involved. Wetton and Downes' attempt to restart the group in 1987 with guitarist Scott Gorham
Scott Gorham
Scott Gorham is an American guitarist and songwriter who rose to international recognition as one of the "twin lead guitarists" of the Irish-formed rock band, Thin Lizzy...
(formerly of Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy are an Irish hard rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. Two of the founding members, drummer Brian Downey and bass guitarist/vocalist Phil Lynott met while still in school. Lynott assumed the role of frontman and led them throughout their recording career of thirteen studio albums...
) and drummer Michael Sturgis
Mike Sturgis
Mike Sturgis is an American drummer, having played for the band 21 Guns and later with Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith in Psycho Motel, where he played on both State of Mind and Welcome to the World albums...
(ex-a-ha
A-ha
A-ha were a Norwegian pop band formed in Oslo in 1982. The band was founded by Morten Harket , Magne Furuholmen , and Pål Waaktaar...
) fizzled when they were unable to land a worldwide recording deal. Wetton and Palmer were more successful in reuniting the band for a few tours of Europe in 1989. Downes (who was working on a project with Greg Lake) was not available at this time, so keys were played by John Young
John Young (musician)
John Young is a British progressive rock keyboardist and singer from Liverpool.-Biography:Young spent his early years at the Liverpool Cathedral where he was classically trained on the keyboard and voice. His first bands were mainly semi-pro jazz rock bands, and he played in these into the mid 1980s...
. Guitars on this tour were handled by Alan Darby (who was replaced shortly after by German guitarist Holger Larish) and Zoe Nicholas and Susie Webb were brought aboard to provide back-up vocals. Unlike Wetton's later anger at Asia continuing without him in the 1990s, this lineup was viewed favorably by other Asia band members.
Asia returned to the studio in 1990 with Toto
Toto (band)
Toto is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1977. The group currently consists of Joseph Williams , David Paich , Steve Porcaro , Steve Lukather , Mike Porcaro , and Simon Phillips . Toto is known for a musical style that combines elements of pop, rock, soul, funk, progressive rock, hard...
guitarist Steve Lukather
Steve Lukather
Steve "Luke" Lukather is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, arranger, and record producer best known for his work with the rock band Toto. Lukather has played with many artists, released several solo albums, and worked as a composer, arranger, and session guitarist on more than 1,500 albums...
and other musicians (see discography below), and released Then & Now, a best-of with four new tracks. "Days Like These" from the disc received substantial airplay during the summer of 1990 on AOR
Album-oriented rock
Album-oriented rock is an American FM radio format focusing on album tracks by rock artists.-Music played:Most radio formats are based on a select, tight rotation of hit singles...
radio stations, and re-sparked some interest in the band. Pat Thrall
Pat Thrall
Pat Thrall is an American rock guitarist. Thrall is a native of the San Francisco area, and began his recording career in 1972. He played guiatar,vocals and percussion with the group Cookin Mama album: new day , that also had this brother Preston Thrall on percussion.Thrall has worked with former...
joined Downes, Palmer, and Wetton on tour and they performed classic material, including King Crimson
King Crimson
King Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...
and UK
UK (band)
U.K. were a short-lived British progressive rock supergroup active from 1977 until 1980.The band was composed of Singer/Bassist John Wetton, formerly of King Crimson, Bryan Ferry's band and Uriah Heep, Keyboardist/Electric Violinist Eddie Jobson, formerly of Curved Air, Roxy Music and Frank Zappa's...
songs. The band toured the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
in November 1990 to play in front of 20,000 fans on two sold out nights. "Days Like These" charted at #64 in 1990 and climbed all the way to #2 on the Album Rock Tracks chart. A video was planned but was scrapped because various problems hampered the single's chance at the Top 40. Asia received the RIAA Gold album award for Then and Now many years later, but the initial response was modest as the album failed to dent the Top 100. The decision not to tour the US for this album did not help any. A DVD and CD can be bought of the Asia concert in the USSR. Wetton left in 1991 after a South American tour, discouraged by Asia's lack of success in the States.
Payne Era
In 1991 vocalist/bassist John PayneJohn Payne (singer)
John Payne is a British musician, best known as the lead singer and bassist of Asia from 1992 to 2006 and from June 2007 with ASIA Featuring John Payne....
joined the band and, together with Downes, enlisted new musicians and led Asia through to 2006. The first album with this line-up was Aqua, released in 1992. In addition to Downes and Payne, the album featured Howe, Palmer, and Al Pitrelli
Al Pitrelli
Al Pitrelli is a guitarist, best known for his work with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Megadeth, Alice Cooper, Joe Lynn Turner, Asia and Savatage.-Early career :...
(of Danger Danger
Danger Danger
Danger Danger is an American glam metal band, formed in 1987 in Queens, New York. Despite enjoying moderate success in the U.S. with their debut album Danger Danger, the band vanished from the radar due to legal problems and changes in its line-up....
, Megadeth
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
, and Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
). Howe returned during the sessions having just left Yes again, but Palmer would leave soon, committing to an ELP reunion, and was able to play on just three songs. Session men then completed the drumming. Downes' environmentalist single "Who Will Stop The Rain?" (originally written for Max Bacon
Max Bacon
Max Bacon is the former lead singer for 1980s arena rock supergroup GTR as well as the frontman for lesser known bands like Moby Dick, Nightwing, Phenomena, and Bronz....
and the aborted Rain project, later appearing on Bacon's album From the Banks of the River Irwell) attracted some radio attention. The Aqua club tour featured Howe (whose presence was heavily promoted), who took the stage after the fifth song. The tour was successful enough to warrant the band's continuation. The 1992-93 tour featured Downes, Howe, Payne, guitarist Vinny Burns
Vinny Burns
Vinny Burns is an English hard rock guitarist best known for his work in the bands Dare and Ten. He has also been a member of Asia, Ultravox, Bob Catley, Hugo, FM, The Ladder, Phoenix Down, and on his own project with Sam Blue, Burns Blue.-External links:**...
and drummer Trevor Thornton. Before a European festival tour in late 1993, Howe and Burns left and were replaced by guitarist Keith More. Payne acquitted himself on the tour, but many fans refused to support an Asia lineup without Wetton.
The group released Aria in May 1994, which featured lead guitarist Al Pitrelli
Al Pitrelli
Al Pitrelli is a guitarist, best known for his work with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Megadeth, Alice Cooper, Joe Lynn Turner, Asia and Savatage.-Early career :...
once again, who would leave Asia during the short Aria tour. This illustrates how the keyboard-driven band often faced trouble keeping a regular guitarist. Aria did not fare well commercially and the ensuing tour was limited to four concerts. Ex-Simply Red
Simply Red
Simply Red were a British soul band that sold more than 50 million albums over a 25-year career. Their style drew influences from blue-eyed soul, new romantic, rock, reggae and jazz...
guitarist Aziz Ibrahim
Aziz Ibrahim
Aziz Ibrahim is a British musician. He was born in Longsight, Manchester to Pakistani parents. He is best known for his work as guitarist with Simply Red, The Stone Roses and their former vocalist Ian Brown in whose support band he regularly performs – both in the studio and live...
took over during the tour. Aria also introduced new drummer Michael Sturgis
Mike Sturgis
Mike Sturgis is an American drummer, having played for the band 21 Guns and later with Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith in Psycho Motel, where he played on both State of Mind and Welcome to the World albums...
, who had been involved during the band's aborted 1987 reunion and had appeared on some of the sessions for Aqua. Aria was not released in the United States until 1995.
Over New Year's Eve 1996, a broken pipe inundated the control room in Downes and Payne's recording studio, Electric Palace, in London. Amid the lost equipment, a vault containing unreleased material was found intact. The band decided to release the double-disc Archiva, a collection of unreleased tracks recorded during the first three Downes/Payne albums. Next, Arena
Arena (Asia album)
Arena is the sixth album by rock group Asia, released in 1996. The lineup on the disc is Geoffrey Downes, John Payne, Michael Sturgis, Elliott Randall and Aziz Ibrahim.-Track listing:...
, released in February 1996, featured Downes, Payne, Sturgis, Ibrahim and guest guitarist Elliott Randall
Elliott Randall
Elliott Randall is an American guitarist, most known for being a session musician with popular artists. Randall has played the well-known guitar solos from Steely Dan's hit "Reelin' in the Years" and Fame. Legendary Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page has reputedly said that Randall's solo on...
(ex-Steely Dan
Steely Dan
Steely Dan is an American rock band; its core members are Donald Fagen and Walter Becker. The band's popularity peaked in the late 1970s, with the release of seven albums blending elements of jazz, rock, funk, R&B, and pop...
, Randy Crawford
Randy Crawford
Randy Crawford is an American jazz and R&B singer. She has been more successful in Europe than in the United States, where she has not entered the Billboard Hot 100 as a solo artist...
). The album featured Asia's longest track ever in "The Day Before the War". The album was released on Resurgence Records but there was no tour because of lack of interest. The group's lone promotional performance in conjunction with the album occurred on April 19, 1996, when Downes and Payne appeared with guitarist Elliott Randall on the Virgin FM radio programme Alive in London to play the song "Never".
An all acoustic album, Live at the Town & Country Club, was recorded by the group in September 1997 (and released in 1999) that featured a lineup of Downes, Payne, Ibrahim, and Bob Richards on drums.
In 1999, there was talk of a reunion of the original lineup (minus Howe). The original proposition included Dave Kilminster on guitar, who had previously toured and recorded with Wetton. While Howe was interested in participating, he was unable because of his busy schedule with Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
. This reunion did not take place and John Payne continued to carry on Asia with Downes uninterrupted. Wetton and Palmer did, however, get together to form Qango
Qango (band)
Qango were a short-lived progressive rock band, a spin-off from Asia. In 1999, an attempt was made at a partial reunion of the progressive rock supergroup Asia involving John Wetton , Carl Palmer and Geoff Downes , with David Kilminster to be on guitar. However, Downes withdrew from plans,...
, which included Kilminster and John Young, although the band was short-lived. Kilminster went on to work with Keith Emerson
Keith Emerson
Keith Noel Emerson is an English keyboard player and composer. Formerly a member of the Keith Emerson Trio, John Brown's Bodies, The T-Bones, V.I.P.s, P.P. Arnold's backing band, and The Nice , he was a founder of Emerson, Lake & Palmer , one of the early supergroups, in 1970...
, The Nice
The Nice
The Nice were an English progressive rock band from the 1960s, known for their blend of rock, jazz and classical music. Their debut album, The Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack was released in 1967 to immediate acclaim. It is often considered the first progressive rock album...
and Roger Waters
Roger Waters
George Roger Waters is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. He was a founding member of the progressive rock band Pink Floyd, serving as bassist and co-lead vocalist. Following the departure of bandmate Syd Barrett in 1968, Waters became the band's lyricist, principal songwriter...
. In 2000, Geffen/Universal released a best-of entitled The Very Best of Asia: Heat of the Moment (1982–1990) which also included three rare B-sides from the early days.
2001's Aura
Aura (Asia album)
Aura is an album by the progressive rock band Asia, recorded in 2000 and first released in 2001. Roger Dean created the cover art for this album...
featured three different session guitarists, including Ian Crichton (of Canadian progressive rock band Saga
Saga (band)
Saga is a progressive rock quintet, formed in Oakville, Ontario, Canada. Jim Crichton and Welsh-born vocalist Michael Sadler have been the principal songwriters for Saga. Ian Crichton is the band's guitarist; apart from his work with Saga, he has recorded several solo albums as well as sessions...
) who'd briefly joined Asia in 1998-1999. Aura took a more progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
form, but still did not recapture the commercial success of the first album. Former members Howe, Thrall, Sturgis and Elliott Randall also made guest appearances. The single "Ready To Go Home" was barely distributed. Asia then signed with Recognition. 2001 did see the band with a stable lineup, achieved during the Aura sessions featuring Downes, Payne, guitarist Guthrie Govan
Guthrie Govan
Guthrie Govan is a guitarist known for his work with the bands Asia , GPS, The Young Punx and The Fellowship as well as Erotic Cakes...
and ex-Manfred Mann's Earth Band
Manfred Mann's Earth Band
Manfred Mann's Earth Band is a British progressive rock group formed in 1971 by Manfred Mann.-Formation:Having started in the 1960s with a British band that had such hits as "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" and "The Mighty Quinn", then moving on to Jazz Fusion with Manfred Mann's Chapter Three, Manfred's third...
/The Firm/Uriah Heep
Uriah Heep (band)
Uriah Heep are an English rock band formed in London in 1969 and regarded as a seminal classic hard rock act of the 1970s. Uriah Heep's progressive/art rock/heavy metal fusion's distinctive features have always been massive keyboards sound, strong vocal harmonies and David Byron's operatic vocals...
/Gary Numan
Gary Numan
Gary Numan is an English singer, composer, and musician, most widely known for his chart-topping 1979 hits "Are 'Friends' Electric?" and "Cars". His signature sound consisted of heavy synthesizer hooks fed through guitar effects pedals.Numan is considered a pioneer of commercial electronic music...
/AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
drummer Chris Slade
Chris Slade
Chris Slade is a Welsh rock drummer.-Career:Slade has worked with Gary Numan, Tom Jones, Olivia Newton-John , and Uriah Heep. He was a member of Manfred Mann's Earth Band from 1972 to 1978...
(who had first joined Asia in 1999, briefly). Asia would tour for the first time since 1994, including the first US dates since 1993. A live album and DVD "Asia: Live in the USA" was released in 2003, recorded at the Classic Rock Festival in Trenton, NJ in October 2002 which they co-headlined with Uriah Heep.
In the summer of 2003, Downes and Payne did the "Asia Across America Tour" which got some national media attention. Performing "unplugged", the duo would reportedly play anywhere in the US that fans requested, provided there was a venue and the fans put up $3,000 to cover costs. From New Jersey to Alaska gigs took place and the fans were treated to "meet and greet" sessions after each show.
Marking a departure from convention, for the first time, a studio release was not titled as a single word starting and ending with the letter A (excepting the partial compilation / partial new album Then And Now
Then & Now (Asia album)
-External links:*...
). Released on Asia's newly signed label SPV/Inside Out Records, 2004's Silent Nation
Silent Nation (album)
Silent Nation is an album by the progressive rock band Asia. Two tracks on the album were co-written by former Yes member Billy Sherwood. It is the last studio release with John Payne and Geoffrey Downes together...
(name influenced by the Howard Stern
Howard Stern
Howard Allan Stern is an American radio personality, television host, author, and actor best known for his radio show, which was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2005. He gained wide recognition in the 1990s where he was labeled a "shock jock" for his outspoken and sometimes controversial style...
vs. FCC incident) picked up some unexpected exposure on the Internet.
In 2004, an acoustic Asia toured featuring only Downes and Payne. In 2005, the full band toured in Europe and the Americas playing settings ranging from small clubs to medium-sized theatres. Again, in the US, attendance was poor at best. Meanwhile, Wetton and Downes released some archival Asia material under the name Wetton/Downes and they then reunited to record a full-length album (Icon, released in 2005), and an accompanying EP and DVD. Two additional Icon projects have since followed: Icon II - Rubicon(2006) and Icon 3(2009).
In August 2005, Slade left the group to be replaced by Jay Schellen
Jay Schellen
Jay Schellen is a U.S. drummer who is best known as a member of the hard-rock band Hurricane. Schellen has also worked and currently working with a number of other heavy rock and progressive rock bands, including with Asia World Trade, CIRCA:, Unruly Child and several members of Yes.-Career:in...
. The new band started work on an album, tentatively entitled Architect of Time, which was originally planned for release in 2006, though later developments would cause this project to be shelved for the time being.
Two bands
In early 2006, the partnership between Downes and Payne was dissolved when Downes left for a reunion of the original band line-up under the Asia name, a breakup that Payne described as "painful". The existing line-up (minus Downes) continued for a short while before morphing into GPSGPS (band)
GPS is a progressive rock group formed in 2006 by John Payne , Guthrie Govan and Jay Schellen...
.
When Downes split in 2006, Payne owned a significant portion of the rights to the band name 'Asia'. On the 9th of May 2006, John Payne, Geoff Downes, John Wetton, Carl Palmer and Steve Howe contractually agreed that John Payne could continue his 14 year period with Asia as Asia Featuring John Payne
Asia Featuring John Payne
Asia Featuring John Payne are a rock group formed in 2007 following a schism in the then line-up of Asia. The band is based around singer and bassist John Payne, who was a member of Asia from 1992–2006, and the band tours playing material by Asia...
. Asia Featuring John Payne debuted in 2007 with Payne on vocals/bass, Guthrie Govan on guitar, Erik Norlander on keyboards and Jay Schellen on drums.
The official websites of each band reflect a split between the shared history of Payne's tenure with the band, as the reunited Asia acknowledge only pre- and post-Payne albums, whereas Asia featuring John Payne claim Payne-era albums Aqua through Silent Nation as part of their own discography. Although Asia's live set lists reflect this, Asia featuring John Payne perform songs from the entire history of Asia.
Four original members of Asia
Downes and the other three original members (Wetton, Palmer, and Howe) convened a group meeting in England in early 2006 in anticipation of formally reforming for work that year. And after a slew of rumours, they announced that this original line-up of Asia were planning a CD, DVD and world tour to celebrate the band's 25th anniversary. The band appeared in October 2006 on U.S. cable channel VH-1 Classic and began a world tour largely focused on the U.S. The band secured ownership of the Asia name and toured under the description of the Four Original Members of Asia. The setlist featured most of the first album as well as a couple of songs from the second, along with one selection each from Yes, ELP, King Crimson and the Buggles to acknowledge the history of each member of the band. In a 2006 interview, guitarist Steve Howe states, "This is the real Asia. There have been other incarnations of the band, but this is the one that the public truly embraced".Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
. "The Definitive Collection" was released by Geffen/Universal to tie into the tour in September and peaked at #183 on the US album charts--—the first time Asia had made the charts since 1990. A limited edition release available only at Best Buy stores also included a DVD of all the band's music videos.
The reunion tour continued into 2007 with venue size based on the success of the 2006 shows where the band was mainly playing in clubs and theatres. Many of which sold out, including all seven dates in Japan. Also in 2007, the band released Fantasia: Live In Tokyo on CD and DVD through Eagle Records, commemorating the 25th Anniversary and documenting the success of the 2006-2007 tour.
In mid-2007, all four original members (Wetton, Downes, Howe and Palmer) went into the studio to record a new album, marking the first recorded material from all four original members since 1983's Alpha. The band continued to tour until major heart surgery for Wetton in the second half of the year saw remaining tour dates rescheduled for 2008. The new studio album, entitled Phoenix
Phoenix (Asia album)
Phoenix is a studio album by rock band Asia. It is the first to feature all four original members since 1983's Alpha. The band played songs from the album on their 2008 world tour and are continuing to play some of the new tracks on their current tour with Yes...
, was released on Frontiers Records
Frontiers Records
Frontiers Records is an Italian record label, predominantly producing melodic rock. It was formed in 1996 by Serafino Perugino and is based in Naples, Italy.-History:...
on 14 April 2008 (via EMI/Capitol
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
on April 15 in North America), along with a world tour to promote . The 12-track album includes "An Extraordinary Life", based on Wetton's experience of ill health; rockers such "Never Again" and "Nothing's Forever"; and power ballads such as "Heroine" and "I Will Remember You". The world tour features a couple of the new songs. The album cover
Album cover
An album cover is the front of the packaging of a commercially released audio recording product, or album. The term can refer to either the printed cardboard covers typically used to package sets of 10" and 12" 78 rpm records, single and sets of 12" LPs, sets of 45 rpm records , or the front-facing...
features Dean's illustration
Illustration
An illustration is a displayed visualization form presented as a drawing, painting, photograph or other work of art that is created to elucidate or dictate sensual information by providing a visual representation graphically.- Early history :The earliest forms of illustration were prehistoric...
and design
Graphic design
Graphic design is a creative process – most often involving a client and a designer and usually completed in conjunction with producers of form – undertaken in order to convey a specific message to a targeted audience...
. The Phoenix album did well in both the American and European/Japanese markets. It debuted at #73 American Billboard 200; the band had not charted with a studio album since 1985.
As a special finale to the US Phoenix tour, the band performed, for the first time ever, the entire first Asia album from beginning to end at their San Francisco concert at The Regency Center on May 5. The album comprised the entire 2nd set of the evening's concert.
In summer 2009, Asia toured the USA with Yes. Asia opened with a 55-minute show, while Yes closed with a 1 hour and 50 minute set. Asia's set included only "An Extraordinary Life" from Phoenix, the rest of the songs coming from the first two albums plus one cover each from The Buggles ("Video Killed the Radio Star" with Wetton on lead vocals and Downes on vocoder), King Crimson ("The Court of the Crimson King", which was actually never performed live by King Crimson while Wetton was a member of the band) and Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Emerson, Lake & Palmer, also known as ELP, are an English progressive rock supergroup. They found success in the 1970s and sold over forty million albums and headlined large stadium concerts. The band consists of Keith Emerson , Greg Lake and Carl Palmer...
("Fanfare for the Common Man"). Yes songs were omitted from this tour's setlist, though Asia also covered "Roundabout" on earlier legs of the "Four Original Members" tour. Contrary to some early expectations, Downes did not perform with Yes, although their setlist included two songs from the 1980 album Drama, which featured Downes on keys. A series of shows late in the tour featured a special appearance by Ian McDonald
Ian McDonald (musician)
Ian McDonald is an English multi-instrumental musician, best known as a founding member of progressive rock group King Crimson, formed in 1969, and of the hard rock band Foreigner in 1976. He is well-known as a rock session musician, predominantly as a saxophonist...
(flute and vocals on "The Court Of The Crimson King" which he co-wrote and backing vocals on "Heat Of The Moment").
In late 2009, the band began working on their follow-up CD to Phoenix. According to Wetton's website in late November 2009: "Good news is that the new album is starting to leap, rather than creep (or sleep) in terms of progress. This week I have two completed lead vocals, with complete harmony/chorus voxes on three. It's just me, Geoff [Downes], Steve R[ispin], and Mike Paxman
Mike Paxman
Mike Paxman is a multi-instrumentalist and record producer, best known for his work with Judie Tzuke, Nick Kamen, Uriah Heep and Status Quo.Paxman grew up in Wiltshire and went to Bishop Wordsworth's School in Salisbury...
in the studio--- Carl [Palmer] is pretty much all done, Steve H[owe] is half done, and returns to the fold after Yes tour. It sounds absolutely wonderful".
The follow-up, titled Omega
Omega (album)
Omega is the fourth studio album from the original lineup of the English rock band Asia, originally released 23 April 2010, and the second studio album after the reunion of all four original members in 2006."Finger on the Trigger" was previously recorded by Wetton and Downes's side band Icon on...
, was released in the UK on April 26 and in the US on May 4.
Personnel
Through the years, Geoff Downes and John Payne were the two most consistent members of the band, which experienced a revolving roster of noted musicians, particularly in the 1990s. The lineup has been as follows:Current members of Asia are the following founding members:
- Geoff DownesGeoff DownesGeoffrey "Geoff" Downes is an English rock keyboard player, songwriter, best known as the keyboardist for the bands The Buggles, Yes and Asia, of which he is the only consistent member. When he was a keyboardist for The Buggles, he played multiple keyboards to achieve a New Wave technopop sound...
- keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
and backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
. (also a member of YesYes (band)Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
and a former member of The BugglesThe BugglesThe Buggles were an English New Wave band consisting of Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes . They are remembered chiefly for their 1979 debut single "Video Killed the Radio Star" that was #1 on the singles chart in 16 countries. Its music video was the first to be shown on MTV in the U.S...
). - John WettonJohn WettonJohn Kenneth Wetton is an English bassist, guitarist, keyboardist, singer and songwriter. He was born in Willington, Derbyshire, and grew up in Bournemouth. He has been a professional musician since the late 1960s...
- lead vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
ist, and guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist. (former member of King CrimsonKing CrimsonKing Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...
, UKUK (band)U.K. were a short-lived British progressive rock supergroup active from 1977 until 1980.The band was composed of Singer/Bassist John Wetton, formerly of King Crimson, Bryan Ferry's band and Uriah Heep, Keyboardist/Electric Violinist Eddie Jobson, formerly of Curved Air, Roxy Music and Frank Zappa's...
, Uriah HeepUriah Heep (band)Uriah Heep are an English rock band formed in London in 1969 and regarded as a seminal classic hard rock act of the 1970s. Uriah Heep's progressive/art rock/heavy metal fusion's distinctive features have always been massive keyboards sound, strong vocal harmonies and David Byron's operatic vocals...
, Roxy MusicRoxy MusicRoxy Music was a British art rock band formed in 1971 by Bryan Ferry, who became the group's lead vocalist and chief songwriter, and bassist Graham Simpson. The other members are Phil Manzanera , Andy Mackay and Paul Thompson . Former members include Brian Eno , and Eddie Jobson...
and FamilyFamily (band)Family were an English rock band that formed in late 1966 and disbanded in October 1973. Their style has been characterised as progressive rock, although their sound often explored other genres, incorporating elements of styles like as folk, psychedelia, acid, jazz fusion and rock and roll...
). - Steve HoweSteve Howe (guitarist)Stephen James "Steve" Howe is an English guitarist, known for his work with the progressive rock group Yes...
- guitar, mandolinMandolinA mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, backing vocals (also a member of YesYes (band)Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
and a former a member of GTRGTR (band)GTR were a rock band founded in 1985 by former Yes and Asia guitarist Steve Howe and former Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett. In comparison to the two leaders' earlier work within progressive rock, GTR's work followed more of an Adult Oriented Rock format. The band was short-lived, lasting for two...
and TomorrowTomorrow (band)Tomorrow were a 1960s psychedelic rock band. Despite critical acclaim and support from DJ John Peel who featured them on his "Perfumed Garden" radio show, the band was not a great success in commercial terms. They were among the first psychedelic bands in England along with Pink Floyd and Soft...
). - Carl PalmerCarl PalmerCarl Frederick Kendall Palmer is an English drummer and percussionist. He is credited as one of the most respected rock drummers to emerge from the 1960s...
- drummerDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
and percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
ist (also a member of Emerson, Lake & PalmerEmerson, Lake & PalmerEmerson, Lake & Palmer, also known as ELP, are an English progressive rock supergroup. They found success in the 1970s and sold over forty million albums and headlined large stadium concerts. The band consists of Keith Emerson , Greg Lake and Carl Palmer...
and a former member of Atomic RoosterAtomic RoosterAtomic Rooster were an English progressive rock band, composed of former members of the The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. Throughout their history, keyboardist Vincent Crane was the only constant member, and wrote the majority of their material. Their history is defined by two periods, in the early...
).
Former band members of Asia are:
- John PayneJohn Payne (singer)John Payne is a British musician, best known as the lead singer and bassist of Asia from 1992 to 2006 and from June 2007 with ASIA Featuring John Payne....
- lead vocals, bass, guitar (now in Asia Featuring John PayneAsia Featuring John PayneAsia Featuring John Payne are a rock group formed in 2007 following a schism in the then line-up of Asia. The band is based around singer and bassist John Payne, who was a member of Asia from 1992–2006, and the band tours playing material by Asia...
; also in GPSGPS (band)GPS is a progressive rock group formed in 2006 by John Payne , Guthrie Govan and Jay Schellen...
) - Jay SchellenJay SchellenJay Schellen is a U.S. drummer who is best known as a member of the hard-rock band Hurricane. Schellen has also worked and currently working with a number of other heavy rock and progressive rock bands, including with Asia World Trade, CIRCA:, Unruly Child and several members of Yes.-Career:in...
- drums and percussion (now in Asia Featuring John Payne; also in GPSGPS (band)GPS is a progressive rock group formed in 2006 by John Payne , Guthrie Govan and Jay Schellen...
) - Vinny BurnsVinny BurnsVinny Burns is an English hard rock guitarist best known for his work in the bands Dare and Ten. He has also been a member of Asia, Ultravox, Bob Catley, Hugo, FM, The Ladder, Phoenix Down, and on his own project with Sam Blue, Burns Blue.-External links:**...
- guitar, backing vocals - Ian Crichton - guitar (member of SagaSaga (band)Saga is a progressive rock quintet, formed in Oakville, Ontario, Canada. Jim Crichton and Welsh-born vocalist Michael Sadler have been the principal songwriters for Saga. Ian Crichton is the band's guitarist; apart from his work with Saga, he has recorded several solo albums as well as sessions...
) - Alan Darby - guitar
- Guthrie GovanGuthrie GovanGuthrie Govan is a guitarist known for his work with the bands Asia , GPS, The Young Punx and The Fellowship as well as Erotic Cakes...
- guitar , backing vocals (now in GPSGPS (band)GPS is a progressive rock group formed in 2006 by John Payne , Guthrie Govan and Jay Schellen...
and formerly of Asia Featuring John Payne) - Holger Larish - guitar
- Aziz IbrahimAziz IbrahimAziz Ibrahim is a British musician. He was born in Longsight, Manchester to Pakistani parents. He is best known for his work as guitarist with Simply Red, The Stone Roses and their former vocalist Ian Brown in whose support band he regularly performs – both in the studio and live...
- guitar, backing vocals - Greg LakeGreg LakeGregory Stuart "Greg" Lake is an English musician, songwriter and producer, best known as a vocalist and bassist of King Crimson, and the bassist, guitarist, vocalist, and lyricist of Emerson, Lake & Palmer.-1960s: King Crimson:...
- lead vocals, bass (former member of King CrimsonKing CrimsonKing Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...
and Emerson, Lake & PalmerEmerson, Lake & PalmerEmerson, Lake & Palmer, also known as ELP, are an English progressive rock supergroup. They found success in the 1970s and sold over forty million albums and headlined large stadium concerts. The band consists of Keith Emerson , Greg Lake and Carl Palmer...
). Heard on Asia in Asia and "Heat of the Moment" (live) is on Lake's From the Underground... the Official Bootleg album (1998). - Mandy MeyerMandy MeyerArmand Mandy Meyer is a Swiss guitar player best known for being a member of the hard rock band Gotthard, the progressive rock band Asia and the heavy metal band Krokus. Meyer has also worked with Cobra, Stealin' Horses and Katmandu. He was born August 29, 1960 in the town of Balcarres,...
- guitar, backing vocals (former member of KrokusKrokus (band)Krokus is a hard rock/heavy metal band from Switzerland. They enjoyed moderate success in North America during the 1980s.Krokus was founded in Solothurn in 1974 by bassist Chris von Rohr and guitarist Tommy Kiefer...
) - Keith More - guitar, backing vocals (former member of ArenaArena (band)Arena are a British neo-progressive rock band founded in 1995 by Clive Nolan and Mick Pointer. Most of the band's lyrics are written by Nolan, though Pointer contributed lyrics to Sirens and other tracks on the first two albums....
) - Zoe Nicholas - backing vocals
- Al PitrelliAl PitrelliAl Pitrelli is a guitarist, best known for his work with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Megadeth, Alice Cooper, Joe Lynn Turner, Asia and Savatage.-Early career :...
- guitar (former member of Danger DangerDanger DangerDanger Danger is an American glam metal band, formed in 1987 in Queens, New York. Despite enjoying moderate success in the U.S. with their debut album Danger Danger, the band vanished from the radar due to legal problems and changes in its line-up....
, Hotshot, SavatageSavatageSavatage is an American heavy metal band founded by the brothers Jon and Criss Oliva in 1978 at Astro Skate in Tarpon Springs, Florida.-Early days :...
and MegadethMegadethMegadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
and current member of Trans-Siberian OrchestraTrans-Siberian OrchestraTrans-Siberian Orchestra is an American progressive metal band founded in 1993 by producer, composer, and lyricist Paul O'Neill, who brought together Jon Oliva and Al Pitrelli and keyboardist and co-producer Robert Kinkel to form the core of the creative team. Since then, TSO sold nearly 8...
) - Elliott RandallElliott RandallElliott Randall is an American guitarist, most known for being a session musician with popular artists. Randall has played the well-known guitar solos from Steely Dan's hit "Reelin' in the Years" and Fame. Legendary Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page has reputedly said that Randall's solo on...
- guitar - Bob Richards - drums (more recently member of ManMan (band)Man are a rock band from South Wales whose style is a mixture of West Coast psychedelia, progressive rock, blues and country-rock. Formed in 1968 as a reincarnation of Welsh rock harmony group ‘’The Bystanders’’, Man are renowned for the extended jams in their live performances, and having had...
) - Jay SchellenJay SchellenJay Schellen is a U.S. drummer who is best known as a member of the hard-rock band Hurricane. Schellen has also worked and currently working with a number of other heavy rock and progressive rock bands, including with Asia World Trade, CIRCA:, Unruly Child and several members of Yes.-Career:in...
- drums, percussion (former member of Hurricane, World TradeWorld Trade (band)World Trade was a U.S. progressive rock band that featured Billy Sherwood on bass and vocals and Bruce Gowdy on guitar. Yes's Chris Squire performed on their second album, Euphoria.-History:...
and ConspiracyConspiracy (band)Conspiracy was a progressive rock band founded by Billy Sherwood and Chris Squire . The band released two albums: Conspiracy and The Unknown , and a live DVD...
, now in GPSGPS (band)GPS is a progressive rock group formed in 2006 by John Payne , Guthrie Govan and Jay Schellen...
and "Asia Featuring John Payne") - Chris SladeChris SladeChris Slade is a Welsh rock drummer.-Career:Slade has worked with Gary Numan, Tom Jones, Olivia Newton-John , and Uriah Heep. He was a member of Manfred Mann's Earth Band from 1972 to 1978...
- drums, percussion (former member of AC/DCAC/DCAC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
, Uriah HeepUriah Heep (band)Uriah Heep are an English rock band formed in London in 1969 and regarded as a seminal classic hard rock act of the 1970s. Uriah Heep's progressive/art rock/heavy metal fusion's distinctive features have always been massive keyboards sound, strong vocal harmonies and David Byron's operatic vocals...
, and The Firm) - Mike SturgisMike SturgisMike Sturgis is an American drummer, having played for the band 21 Guns and later with Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith in Psycho Motel, where he played on both State of Mind and Welcome to the World albums...
- drums, percussion (former member of 21 Guns, later a member of Wishbone AshWishbone AshWishbone Ash are a British rock band who achieved success in the early and mid-1970s. Their popular records included Wishbone Ash , Argus , There's the Rub , and New England...
, The Untouchables and Psycho MotelPsycho MotelPsycho Motel was a British hard rock band, formed by Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith.-History:The band was formed in 1995 by Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith after he left Maiden in 1990. Smith briefly experimented with a project called ASAP before seemingly retiring from the music industry...
) - Pat ThrallPat ThrallPat Thrall is an American rock guitarist. Thrall is a native of the San Francisco area, and began his recording career in 1972. He played guiatar,vocals and percussion with the group Cookin Mama album: new day , that also had this brother Preston Thrall on percussion.Thrall has worked with former...
- guitar, backing vocals - Trevor Thornton - drums
- Susie Webb - backing vocals
- John YoungJohn Young (musician)John Young is a British progressive rock keyboardist and singer from Liverpool.-Biography:Young spent his early years at the Liverpool Cathedral where he was classically trained on the keyboard and voice. His first bands were mainly semi-pro jazz rock bands, and he played in these into the mid 1980s...
- keyboards, backing vocals
Certain musicians have joined and left after a short time without recording any studio material with the group. The most notable collaboration of this kind was the participation of Greg Lake
Greg Lake
Gregory Stuart "Greg" Lake is an English musician, songwriter and producer, best known as a vocalist and bassist of King Crimson, and the bassist, guitarist, vocalist, and lyricist of Emerson, Lake & Palmer.-1960s: King Crimson:...
in the "Asia in Asia" concert on bass guitar and lead vocals. Yet more musicians have played as session musicians or have guested with the band without formally joining. Some of these artists include: Robert Fleischman
Robert Fleischman
Robert Fleischman is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer.Fleischman is perhaps best known as the short-lived lead singer for the rock group Journey in 1977 between the group's albums, Next and Infinity...
, Vinnie Colaiuta
Vinnie Colaiuta
Vincent Colaiuta is an American drummer based in Los Angeles. Originally from Republic, Pennsylvania, he began playing drums as a child and received his first full drum kit from his parents at the age of 14...
, Francis Dunnery
Francis Dunnery
Francis Dunnery is an English musician, singer-songwriter, record producer and record label owner. He is best known as a solo performer , and for fronting the original lineup of the band It Bites between 1982 and 1990 .Dunnery served as a sideman and...
, Ant Glynne, Scott Gorham
Scott Gorham
Scott Gorham is an American guitarist and songwriter who rose to international recognition as one of the "twin lead guitarists" of the Irish-formed rock band, Thin Lizzy...
, Tomoyasu Hotei
Tomoyasu Hotei
is a Japanese musician, guitarist and actor. In 2003, HMV Japan ranked Hotei at number 70 on their list of the 100 most important Japanese pop acts.- Life and career :...
, Luis Jardim
Luís Jardim
Luís Alberto Figueira Gonçalves Jardim is a Portuguese percussionist, born in the Madeira Island, best known for his work with producer Trevor Horn.-Family:Jardim is a cousin of Alberto João Jardim...
, Ron Komie, Tony Levin
Tony Levin
Tony Levin is an American progressive rock musician, specializing in bass guitar, Chapman stick and upright bass ....
, Steve Lukather
Steve Lukather
Steve "Luke" Lukather is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, arranger, and record producer best known for his work with the rock band Toto. Lukather has played with many artists, released several solo albums, and worked as a composer, arranger, and session guitarist on more than 1,500 albums...
, Thomas Lang
Thomas Lang
Thomas Lang is an Austrian drummer, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and record producer. He is the founding member of the Los Angeles-based progressive/avant garde metal trio, stOrk.Lang took up drumming at the age of 5...
, Kim Nielsen-Parsons
Kim Nielsen-Parsons
Kim Nielsen-Parsons is an American hard rock bassist known for being a member of the all-female band Phantom Blue.-Biography:Kim Nielsen first picked up the bass guitar at the age of 12. In the years to come, she played with local bands in Los Angeles, California, while taking lessons from Racer X...
, Simon Phillips
Simon Phillips
Simon Phillips is an English jazz, pop and rock drummer.-Career:Phillips began to play professionally at the age of twelve in his father's Dixieland band for four years. He was then offered the chance to play in the musical Jesus Christ Superstar...
, and Alex Thomas.
Discography
- AsiaAsia (album)Asia is the debut album by the English rock supergroup Asia, released in 1982.The album reached #1 in the U.S. on the Billboard album charts, and according to Billboard was the best-selling album in the United States for the year 1982...
(1982) - Alpha (1983)
- AstraAstra (album)-Credits:* Mastered by Bob Ludwig & Greg Fulginiti at Masterdisk* John Kalodner : John Kalodner...
(1985) - Then & NowThen & Now (Asia album)-External links:*...
(1990) - Aqua (1992)
- Aria (1994)
- ArenaArena (Asia album)Arena is the sixth album by rock group Asia, released in 1996. The lineup on the disc is Geoffrey Downes, John Payne, Michael Sturgis, Elliott Randall and Aziz Ibrahim.-Track listing:...
(1996) - Archiva Vol. 1Archiva Vol. 1Archiva Vol. 1 is a collection of outtakes and previously unreleased tracks by progressive rock band Asia.The band had previously completed work on the album Arena in 1995. When they returned to their studio in 1996 they found that a pipe had burst and had ruined thousands of pounds worth of...
(1996) - Archiva Vol. 2Archiva Vol. 2Archiva Vol. 2 is the second part of a collection of outtakes and previously unreleased tracks by progressive rock band Asia...
(1996) - RareRare (Asia album)Rare is an instrumental album by the progressive rock band Asia.Tracks 1 to 16 were recorded in 1997 for the documentary "Salmon - Against The Tides" and 17 to 22 for an unreleased Sega video game...
(1999) - AuraAura (Asia album)Aura is an album by the progressive rock band Asia, recorded in 2000 and first released in 2001. Roger Dean created the cover art for this album...
(2001) - Silent NationSilent Nation (album)Silent Nation is an album by the progressive rock band Asia. Two tracks on the album were co-written by former Yes member Billy Sherwood. It is the last studio release with John Payne and Geoffrey Downes together...
(2004) - PhoenixPhoenix (Asia album)Phoenix is a studio album by rock band Asia. It is the first to feature all four original members since 1983's Alpha. The band played songs from the album on their 2008 world tour and are continuing to play some of the new tracks on their current tour with Yes...
(2008) - OmegaOmega (album)Omega is the fourth studio album from the original lineup of the English rock band Asia, originally released 23 April 2010, and the second studio album after the reunion of all four original members in 2006."Finger on the Trigger" was previously recorded by Wetton and Downes's side band Icon on...
(2010)
Remixes
- In 2005, DJ ManianDJ ManianDJ Manian is a German producer, DJ, owner of Zooland Records label and a member of the award-winning music dance trio Cascada, alongside fellow DJ Yanou and Natalie Horler...
's dance remix of "Heat of the Moment" was released to nightclubs.
Soundtracks and other uses
- In an episode of the animated TV series South ParkSouth ParkSouth Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
, Eric CartmanEric CartmanEric Theodore Cartman is a fictional character in the American animated television series South Park. One of four main characters, along with Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, and Kenny McCormick, he is generally referred to within the series by his last name...
and the United States Congress sing "Heat of the MomentHeat of the MomentUK 7" single-Chart performance:-Popular culture:* "Heat of the Moment" was repopularized in 2005 when it was featured in the motion pictures The 40-Year-Old Virgin and The Matador....
" a cappellaA cappellaA cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
. - "Heat of the Moment" is featured in the film The MatadorThe MatadorThe Matador is a 2005 American dark comedy film written and directed by Richard Shepard and starring Pierce Brosnan and Greg Kinnear.As of February 12, 2006, the film grossed a total of $10.5 million in the American box office...
in the scene in which Pierce Brosnan's character must commit an assassination at a horse race. - A cover of the song "Heat of the Moment" is playable in the PlayStation 2 game Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80sGuitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80sGuitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s is a music video game and the third installment in the popular Guitar Hero series...
. - In the film The 40-Year-Old VirginThe 40-Year-Old VirginThe 40-Year-Old Virgin is a 2005 American buddy comedy film about a middle-aged man's journey to finally have sex. The film was written and directed by Judd Apatow and co-written by its lead star, Steve Carell, though the film itself features a great deal of improvised dialogue...
, main character Andy Stitzer is mocked for having a framed Asia poster in his apartment. Also, Heat of the MomentHeat of the MomentUK 7" single-Chart performance:-Popular culture:* "Heat of the Moment" was repopularized in 2005 when it was featured in the motion pictures The 40-Year-Old Virgin and The Matador....
is played during the scene in which Andy chases Trish's car after she leaves his home. - In the Mexican Soap Opera Alcanzar una estrella IIAlcanzar una estrella IIAlcanzar Una Estrella II is a telenovela produced by Televisa in 1991. It is the sequel to Alcanzar Una Estrella.-Plot:...
(1991) starring singers Ricky MartinRicky MartinEnrique "Ricky" Martín Morales , better known as Ricky Martin, is a Puerto Rican and Spanish pop singer and actor who achieved prominence, first as a member of the Latin boy band Menudo, then as a solo artist since 1991.During his career he has sold more than 60 million album copies worldwide...
and SashaSasha SokolSasha Sökol is a Mexican singer, composer, actress, and TV host. She has sold more than 5 million albums worldwide.-Biography:...
the intros of all four new songs from the album Then and Now were used at the closing of each scene before a commercial break. - The song "Lay Down Your Arms" was used by the animated film Freddie the Frog (1992) starring Ben KingsleyBen KingsleySir Ben Kingsley, CBE is a British actor. He has won an Oscar, BAFTA, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards in his career. He is known for starring as Mohandas Gandhi in the film Gandhi in 1982, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor...
, Jenny AgutterJenny AgutterJennifer Ann "Jenny" Agutter is an English film and television actress. She began her career as a child actress in the mid 1960s, starring in the BBC television series The Railway Children and the film adaptation of the same book, before moving on to adult roles and relocating to Hollywood.She...
and Brian BlessedBrian BlessedBrian Blessed is an English actor, known for his sonorous voice and "hearty, king-sized portrayals".-Early life:The son of William Blessed, a socialist miner, and Hilda Wall, Blessed was born in the town of Goldthorpe, West Riding of Yorkshire, England...
. On May 21, 2007, AOL.com claimed that this film is the lowest grossing animated movie of all time. ($1.19 million). - In the Season 3 episode 11 Mystery Spot of the TV series SupernaturalSupernaturalThe supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...
, Sam WinchesterSam WinchesterSamuel "Sam" Winchester is a fictional character and one of the two main protagonists of The CW Television Network's Supernatural along with his older brother Dean. He is portrayed by Jared Padalecki.-Background:...
relives the same day over and over again; the time loop always begins with the song Heat of the MomentHeat of the MomentUK 7" single-Chart performance:-Popular culture:* "Heat of the Moment" was repopularized in 2005 when it was featured in the motion pictures The 40-Year-Old Virgin and The Matador....
playing on the motel alarm clock. - "Only Time Will Tell" was featured in the Family GuyFamily GuyFamily Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
episode, "The Splendid SourceThe Splendid Source"The Splendid Source" is the nineteenth episode of the eighth season of the animated comedy series Family Guy. Directed by Brian Iles and written by Mark Hentemann, the episode originally aired on Fox in the United States on May 16, 2010. The episode follows Peter, Joe and Quagmire as they set out...
".
See also
- Progressive rockProgressive rockProgressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
- QangoQango (band)Qango were a short-lived progressive rock band, a spin-off from Asia. In 1999, an attempt was made at a partial reunion of the progressive rock supergroup Asia involving John Wetton , Carl Palmer and Geoff Downes , with David Kilminster to be on guitar. However, Downes withdrew from plans,...
—spin-off band - GPSGPS (band)GPS is a progressive rock group formed in 2006 by John Payne , Guthrie Govan and Jay Schellen...
—spin-off band - Roger Dean—graphic artist, responsible for most of the Asia and Yes album covers.
- Rodney MatthewsRodney MatthewsRodney Matthews is a fantasy artist and illustrator.In 1978, he published Yendor: The Journey of a Junior Adventurer, a hard-back picture book featuring his distinctive paintings of "The Wild Country", a fantasy world seen through the eyes of young Yendor, named after his son...
—fantasy artist responsible for some of the album covers during the 1990s.
External links
- Asia Reunion - Official site