Asia (band)
Asia is a
progressive rock group. It was formed in
1982 as a
supergroup, with former members of
Yes,
King Crimson and
Emerson Lake and Palmer.
The band's early offerings were considered disappointing by music critics and fans of traditional progressive rock, who found the music closer to radio-friendly AOR pop. However, the band clicked with fans of such early-1980s arena acts as Journey, Boston, and Electric Light Orchestra. Asia's eponymous debut album enjoyed considerable commercial success. The singles "Only Time Will Tell" and "Heat of the Moment" became huge Top 40 hits.
The second album, Alpha and the singles taken from it, "Don't Cry" and "The Smile Has Left Your Eyes", did not repeat the chart success of the first. The third album, Astra, was a commercial failure. Asia's only other hit single from this period was "Go", and in 1985 the band died. Downes revived it in 1989, to a poor reception even from its fans. A 1992 club tour featuring Howe (whose presence was heavily promoted) angered even the band's most ardent supporters when a clearly indifferent, Howe only took the stage halfway through the show.
The 2001 Arena album showed a return to progressive rock form, but without recapturing the commercial success of the first album.
Personnel:
- Geoff Downes - keyboards and vocals (ex Yes and Buggles)
- John Wetton - bass and lead vocals (ex King Crimson and UK)
- Greg Lake - temporary replacement vocalist (ex Emerson Lake and Palmer)
- Steve Howe - guitar and vocals (ex Yes)
- Carl Palmer - drums (ex Emerson Lake and Palmer)
- Mandy Meyer - guitar and vocals
- Pat Thrall - guitar
- Al Pitrelli - guitar
- Michael Sturgis - drums
- John Payne - bass and lead vocals
- Aziz Ibrahim - guitar
- Ian Crichton - guitar
- Elliot Randall - guitar
- Luis Jardim - percussion
- Tomoyasu Hotei - guitar
- Guthrie Govan - guitar
- Chris Slade - drums
- Vinnie Colaiuta - drums
- Tony Levin - bass, stick
Other musicians joined and left after a short time (including Greg Lake), without recording any material with the group. Yet more played as session, guest or live artists without formally joining Asia.
Discography (studio albums only):
- 1982 Asia (Downes, Wetton, Howe, Palmer)
- 1983 Alpha (Downes, Wetton, Howe, Palmer)
- 1985 Astra (Downes, Wetton, Meyer, Palmer)
- 1992 Aqua (Downes, Payne, Howe, Pitrelli, Palmer)
- 1994 Aria (Downes, Payne, Pitrelli, Sturgis)
- 1996 Arena (Downes, Payne, Sturgis, Ibrahim, Randall, Hotei, Jardim)
- 2001 Aura (Payne, Downes, Howe, Chrichton, Randall, Thrall, Govan, Slade, Sturgis, Colaiuta, Jardim, Levin)
External links: