Author Topic: ASIA (Read 5744 times)

LudwigVan · « **on:** April 23, 2011, 10:01:39 PM »

Understandby, a lot of hardcore prog fans are pretty dismissive of Asia. I myself was quite disappointed when they emerged from the ashes of prog giants King Crimson, ELP and Yes to produce very unprog-like commercial pop mixed in with 80s-style keyboards. I'd always wondered at how virtuosic players in Carl Palmer, John Wetton and Steve Howe could truly be musically satisfied playing such stripped down/simplistic stuff. Ah well, I'm such a progsnob.

Maybe it's the mellowing fogey-ness in me now, or the distance of time from that 1st feeling of letdown I felt decades ago

, but I've become more receptive to Asia's music of late. Even though there's only the barest hints of prog

, the playing is still top-notch. Throughout all the lineup changes, it seems that it has become Geoff Downes' band, which is not a bad thing. His keys have been the backbone/mainstay for Asia's overall sound.

So what are some of your favorite songs/albums/lineups?

Quadrochosis · « **Reply #1 on:** April 23, 2011, 10:02:10 PM »

I fucking love Asia. They slayed live, and their new album is pretty good, although nothing will ever top the s/t

King Postwhore · « **Reply #2 on:** April 23, 2011, 10:04:39 PM »

Big fan. Of course the self titled is the best but like Quad said the new album is very good. I have a soft spot for Alpha. I love driving down the street singing the harmonies to Never in a Million Years.

Nick · « **Reply #3 on:** April 23, 2011, 10:35:44 PM »

I like some Asia now and again myself. Have seen them live twice, very good shows.

lodeus · « **Reply #4 on:** April 23, 2011, 10:45:05 PM »

One of those bands that I'm fine with just their Greatest Hits.

Always think about checking more of their stuff out, but never do though.

KevShmev · « **Reply #5 on:** April 23, 2011, 11:41:30 PM »

Asia's first album is dynamite. Dismissing it because it is prog guys playing non-proggy music is stupid.

jsem · « **Reply #6 on:** April 24, 2011, 01:57:00 AM »

Only listened to their first album... it was pretty meh

hefdaddy42 · « **Reply #7 on:** April 24, 2011, 02:10:30 AM »

Quote from: KevShmev on April 23, 2011, 11:41:30 PM

Asia's first album is dynamite. Dismissing it because it is prog guys playing non-proggy music is stupid.

Kinda this.

Zydar · « **Reply #8 on:** April 24, 2011, 02:40:41 AM »

The first album is a classic, and I really like some songs from their recent one too. Haven't listened to their other albums.

ariich · « **Reply #9 on:** April 24, 2011, 03:58:16 AM »

The first album was quite good, and then they got really boring for a while IMO but started to get really good again and had a couple of really good albums in the form of Arena and Silent Nation. Then Downes kicked that lineup out and brought back the original lineup, and I have to admit I haven't listened to anything they've done since. I'm generally more interested in what Payne and Govan are doing, and the first GPS album was really solid.

King Postwhore · « **Reply #10 on:** April 24, 2011, 06:21:55 AM »

I was lucky enough to see Asia in it's original line up in 1983 a month before John Wetton left the band. Geoff Downs was behind & above Carl Palmer with a 24 foot row of keyboards and they played everything from the first 2 albums. Great show. On a side note, the opener was Mr. Lady In Red himself, Chris De Burgh!! Well, it was before he went soft and his big hit was Don't Pay The Ferryman which was a great song.

Orbert · « **Reply #11 on:** April 24, 2011, 07:13:52 AM »

For me, it was the huge, huge disappointment. In 1982, Yes had broken up again after a ridiculous album named 90125 which was their least prog album of all time (OF ALL TIME!), U.K. had broken up, ELP had broken up, but I was in a record store and saw this awesome album cover with an updated Roger Dean style and a sticker on the cover that told me who was in the band, and I went ape-shit. I nabbed it immediately, took it home, put it on...

... and said "What the fuck?" Five five-minute songs per side. No awesome instrumentals. No prog at all. The production is fine, the playing is fine, the songs are fine, and yeah, it's better than 99% of the pop dreck that was on the radio at the time, but in the early 80's, that wasn't saying much. John Wetton's commercial streak that had been screaming to get out since the last two U.K. albums had finally found its vehicle, and Steve Howe has said that he was attracted to playing a different style of music, different from Yes or his country-flavored solo stuff. Power chords! Carl Palmer just likes to play, and started off in a Top 40 band anyway, and Geoff Downes was more a pop guy with one foot in prog than the other way around. So this band was actually exactly what it looked like, in retrospect.

So yeah, there's nothing wrong with the album, there's just nothing very interesting about it, either. We covered one of their songs, I don't even remember which one. The one that starts with a synth trumpet intro. Our lead singer played it on a real trumpet, which we thought was cool. I pull it out once in a while and listen to one or two songs, then find something else. I was never motivated to pick up anything else by them.

Zantera · « **Reply #12 on:** April 24, 2011, 08:12:28 AM »

My dad really likes Asia, but it's way too cheesy for me personally.

King Postwhore · « **Reply #13 on:** April 24, 2011, 08:31:50 AM »

Quote from: Orbert on April 24, 2011, 07:13:52 AM

... and said "What the fuck?" Five five-minute songs per side. No awesome instrumentals. No prog at all. The production is fine, the playing is fine, the songs are fine, and yeah, it's better than 99% of the pop dreck that was on the radio at the time, but in the early 80's, that wasn't saying much.

At the time the trend was short song and a lot of the proggy band(Yes, Rush, Kansas) all were doing the 5 minute songs. It was a down time for extended length songs.

yorost · « **Reply #14 on:** April 24, 2011, 10:06:01 AM »

First album is catchy and generally enjoyable, but it does get old. Aqua and Aura hold up a little better over time, although I'm not sure I've heard any album of theirs that is really stellar.

I didn't even realize Steve Howe rejoined Asia as a full member again of that they've done a couple albums in recent years, Phoenix and Omega. Anyone heard these?

PlaysLikeMyung · « **Reply #15 on:** April 24, 2011, 10:12:23 AM »

I saw them with their original lineup back on 2007. Great show.

And they played Fanfare for the Common man

Lowdz · « **Reply #16 on:** April 25, 2011, 02:13:10 PM »

Loved the first one, but the 2nd was a snoozefest by comparison. I bought the blu ray of a recent tour and it is awful, the worst I own. Old men playing with no hint of life at all, except for Carl Palmer who is the only one on show who looks even slightly iinterested. Made me really angry at the wasted money.
I quite enjoyed the john Payne era for what it was, especially Aura.

ytserush · « **Reply #17 on:** April 25, 2011, 03:06:20 PM »

Just original Asia (and Astra) for me thanks. I have the first three, the Anthology with the B-sides, Asia in Asia (with Greg Lake), Live in Moscow, Live in Nottingham. The Quadra box (which is essentially three audience recordings)

Then I've got the two reunion albums, the first reunion CD/DVD (Have not gotten the second one yet)

I had held off buying into the reunion because I mistakenly thought that the magic couldn't possibly still be there. I held off a few month before getting both reunion albums. I also had no intention of catching a reunion show until I heard/saw Live in Tokyo.

I was looking into tickets for a few shows this week, but I really can't afford to get tickets so I'm not going.

I even have an Icon live album (Wetton/Downes)

I can't believe the hooks that these guys write.

I only wish Wetton would find something else to write about sometimes...

I am not a fan of John Payne work in Asia...I think I have Aura from that period and that probably had more to do with the guest musicians than anything else.

LudwigVan · « **Reply #18 on:** April 27, 2011, 01:05:27 PM »

Quote from: ytserush on April 25, 2011, 03:06:20 PM

I can't believe the hooks that these guys write.

I only wish Wetton would find something else to write about sometimes...

This was kind of a problem for me too with Asia, as I find most of their lyrics to be banal and just plain.... fluffy. The music itself is nowhere near as dark and angular as ELP/Yes/KC, which is all well and good. But when you throw in the fluffy lyrics, I find that some of their songs make a perfect soundtrack for that Public Health commercial featuring the kid who overcame X disability/disease to compete in the olympic decathlon.

ytserush · « **Reply #19 on:** May 06, 2011, 06:46:04 PM »

Quote from: LudwigVan on April 27, 2011, 01:05:27 PM

Quote from: ytserush on April 25, 2011, 03:06:20 PM

I can't believe the hooks that these guys write.

I only wish Wetton would find something else to write about sometimes...

This was kind of a problem for me too with Asia, as I find most of their lyrics to be banal and just plain.... fluffy. The music itself is nowhere near as dark and angular as ELP/Yes/KC, which is all well and good. But when you throw in the fluffy lyrics, I find that some of their songs make a perfect soundtrack for that Public Health commercial featuring the kid who overcame X disability/disease to compete in the olympic decathlon.

I probably have a higher opinion of Wtton's lyrics than you do, but I will admit that the "Now" songs on the Then and Now hits compilation in 1990 were the low point for me.

I think he's been very inspired since the reunion. Although it's pretty obvious by now that he gets a lot of his material from relationships.

King Postwhore · « **Reply #20 on:** May 07, 2011, 02:01:41 PM »

Listening to the self titled now while the wife is planting some seeds to go into her greenhouse.

bosk1 · « **Reply #21 on:** May 09, 2011, 10:13:32 AM »

Quote from: kingshmegland on May 07, 2011, 02:01:41 PM

...wife is planting some seeds to go into her greenhouse.

Interesting description. We've thought about what to call it in our house, and opted to just not hide the ball. We just say, "we're goin' upstairs to have some sex. When you kids are older, you'll understand what that means."

Zydar · « **Reply #22 on:** May 09, 2011, 12:31:16 PM »

King Postwhore · « **Reply #23 on:** May 09, 2011, 01:26:56 PM »

Quote from: bösk1 on May 09, 2011, 10:13:32 AM

Quote from: kingshmegland on May 07, 2011, 02:01:41 PM
...wife is planting some seeds to go into her greenhouse.

Interesting description. We've thought about what to call it in our house, and opted to just not hide the ball. We just say, "we're goin' upstairs to have some sex. When you kids are older, you'll understand what that means."

She really was planting seeds bosk.

But, 1:25 in. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5L27xsOpeE

ytserush · « **Reply #24 on:** May 13, 2011, 02:39:47 PM »

I finally picked up the Spirit Of The Night live album from the Phoenix Tour in the used bin last weekend. Apparently, there is a a version that comes with a DVD (this one is not it) so I will be on the lookout for that as an upgrade.

Great production on this CD. Everything is well-defined and separated. The post-reformation songs sound even better than the studio versions and the older stuff still kicks ass.

Nice packaging too. Nice to have an electric post-reformation version of Don't Cry also.

LudwigVan · « **Reply #25 on:** May 14, 2011, 06:55:46 PM »

One thing about this band, hearing Steve Howe in such a different context makes me appreciate him even more than I did when I only listened to Yes.

ytserush · « **Reply #26 on:** May 23, 2011, 09:28:34 PM »

Quote from: LudwigVan on May 14, 2011, 06:55:46 PM

One thing about this band, hearing Steve Howe in such a different context makes me appreciate him even more than I did when I only listened to Yes.

Pick up a few of his solo albums if you want to appreciate him even more than you do now. I tried to get in on a performance he did for School of Rock in Philly, but it sold out right away and I never had a chance.

Funny thing about Steve Howe (and someone correct me if I'm wrong, because I'd really like to see a happy Steve Howe), I've noticed that he always seems a lot happier when he is playing live with Asia than when he is playing with Yes.

Am I just looking in the wrong places?

Orbert · « **Reply #27 on:** May 23, 2011, 10:12:56 PM »

Probably an oversimplification, but Steve is always very intense when playing with Yes and is concentrating very hard, whereas with Asia he's playing much simpler music that doesn't demand so much from him, so he can actually loosen up and smile.

ytserush · « **Reply #28 on:** May 23, 2011, 10:29:45 PM »

Quote from: Orbert on May 23, 2011, 10:12:56 PM

Probably an oversimplification, but Steve is always very intense when playing with Yes and is concentrating very hard, whereas with Asia he's playing much simpler music that doesn't demand so much from him, so he can actually loosen up and smile.

Works for me...

Part of it I thought was the business side of the situation bled into the artistic side (probably an oversimplfication from me as well).

Orbert · « **Reply #29 on:** May 24, 2011, 08:00:17 AM »

Possibly, but I believe Steve Howe owns a piece of Yes as well as a piece of Asia.

LudwigVan · « **Reply #30 on:** May 24, 2011, 08:17:40 AM »

Quote from: Orbert on May 23, 2011, 10:12:56 PM

Probably an oversimplification, but Steve is always very intense when playing with Yes and is concentrating very hard, whereas with Asia he's playing much simpler music that doesn't demand so much from him, so he can actually loosen up and smile.

That's a cool observation. Between Yes and Asia, it seems like the 2 bands provide completely different outlets for him.

It's such a stark contrast when he's playing those relaxed, laid back guitar lines for Only Time Will Tell versus all the intense jamming and shredding he does on something like Siberian Khatru.

lonestar · « **Reply #31 on:** May 24, 2011, 01:18:27 PM »

Never even thought about that, kind of like comparing me making a burger to making a duck confit.

King Postwhore · « **Reply #32 on:** May 24, 2011, 01:22:52 PM »

Come on lonestar. Maybe the second album, Alpha is burger but the first self titled is filet mignon!

lonestar · « **Reply #33 on:** May 24, 2011, 01:25:16 PM »

Quote from: kingshmegland on May 24, 2011, 01:22:52 PM

Come on lonestar. Maybe the second album, Alpha is burger but the first self titled is filet mignon!

Filet is easy to cook too.

Orbert · « **Reply #34 on:** May 24, 2011, 02:42:57 PM »

It's just my impression, but it's the first thing I thought of. I remember Steve saying something to the effect that he'd never played power chords in a band before Asia, and it's pretty cool. I thought about Yes and the type of music they play, and a lot of it is so intricate, so demanding, that it must be kinda cool to play in a band like Asia, with all great musicians but not nearly as technically demanding.

News: Video of online chat between fans and members of Dream Theater: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sx8cLlXnHpA&feature=youtu.be (*no chickens were harmed during the filming of this chat)

Author Topic: ASIA (Read 5744 times)