ASIA were formed in 1981 by: Steve HOWE (YES) John WETTON (KING CRIMSON, URIAH HEEP, UK ETC.) Geoff DOWNES (YES, BUGGLES, and Carl PALMER (ELP). They were of course immediately dubbed a "supergroup" (in the way as CREAM, EMERSON LAKE AND PALMER etc. were). Over the years the line up has gone through constant changes, with DOWNES being the only founding member still present (although even he has not been ever present). Greg LAKE passed though the ranks briefly in 1983 replacing WETTON, but his voice did not suite the material, and he left before recording any studio albums with the band.
WETTON's return in 1984 resurrected previous conflicts with HOWE, who left to be replaced by Mandy METER (KROKUS). ASIA effectively ceased to exist between 1985 and 1987, when DOWNES and WETTON attempted to rekindle the flame. They recorded a few tracks together, but WETTON soon moved on again, and DOWNES started working with John PAYNE on alternative projects. In 1989, WETTON and PALMER got back together forming yet another line up with John YOUNG and Alan DARBY. The line up changes continued into the 1990's, with DOWNES soon rejoining and bringing in the since long serving John PAYNE. By 1991, the band still only released three studio albums. With the release of "Aqua" in 1992, there started a relatively settled period for ASIA in as much as the band became very much a DOWNES/PAYNE project, with other musicians being brought in for recording or touring as required. A reunion of the original line up appears to have almost happened in the late 1990's, but the momentum was lost, and it never materialised.
With such well known names in the original ASIA , expectations were high that the new band would produce high quality prog rock in it's truest form. ASIA however had different ideas, and went for a far more direct and commercial sound. The quality of the musicianship was undoubted, but many fans of the source bands were left disappointed by the self titled debut album. Commercially, the venture was enormously successful, with the band enjoying both singles and album chart success. "Asia" alone has sold over nine million copies world-wide.
The output from the band has been surprisingly consistent considering all the turmoil they have experienced. They have moved through AOR/melodic rock ("Asia", "Alpha") through a more symphonic sound "Astra", towards power metal ("Aria"), verging on prog ("Arena") before arriving at "Aura", while leaning towards their lighter style, neatly ties together many of the bands former directions. The 2004 album "Silent Nation", breaks with tradition by moving away from the established practice of every album title starting and finishing with the letter A. At time of writing, it has yet to be released.
For those hearing ASIA as a new band, and those willing to put aside their preconceptions of what ASIA should be all about, there is much to enjoy on their albums. In terms of prog rock, the music is light-weight, with only occasion forays into slightly more complex song structures. The songs are generally short, but are of a very high quality, with a distinctive sound, and fine melodies.
Si o mostra cu Asia, piesa "Time again", intr-un video in care la inceput este o scurta prezentare a unuia din turneele trupei in Asia, dupa care urmeaza "Time again". Auditie placuta!
Cand in 1981 era anuntata infiintarea supergrupului rock Asia, toata lumea a crezut ca rock-ului progresiv i se acorda o noua sansa. Cei care pusesera la cale aceasta intreprindere comerciala erau patru muzicieni cu vechi state de serviciu in trupe de prima mana. Exceptie ar face poate claparul Geoff Downes, dar si acesta cunoscuse gustul succesului, mai intai cu efemerul duo synth pop The Buggles, care a cantat prima melodie difuzata vreodata pe canalul MTV, Video Kill The Radio Star, dupa care impeuna cu colegul sau de la Buggles, Trevor Horn, avea sa treaca la Yes, unde cei doi ii inlocuiau pe Anderson si Wakeman. Downes si Horn s-au descurcat foarte bine la Yes pe singurul album pe care l-au scos cu acestia, Drama. In ceea ce ii priveste pe ceilalti membrii ai grupului Asia, John Wetton a fost basist si vocalist la cateva firme mari din rock-ul progresiv si nu numai (Family, King Crimson, Roxy Music, Uriah Heep, UK), chitaristul Steve Howe se impusese in formula de aur a grupului Yes, iar tobosarul Carl Palmer reprezinta o treime din Emerson, Lake & Palmer. Existau asadar toate premisele pentru aparitia unor materiale discografice de prima mana, dar era clar ca in momentul respectiv ce patru muzicieni simteau o nevoie acuta de a castiga ceva bani, asa ca o trupa gen A.O.R. reprezenta cea mai buna solutie. Albumul de debut, autointitulat, avea sa aiba un succes peste asteptari, vanzandu-se in nu mai putin de 5 milioane de exemplare in lumea intreaga. Deasemenea single-ul Heat Of The Moment a fost un mare succes in clasamentul american. Intens solicitati pentru concerte Asia nu aveau practic in acel moment compozitii de cat pentru un show de 45 de minute. Al doilea L.P. din discografia grupului, Alpha, este de asemenea un mare succes, chiar daca nu la proportiile predecesorului sau. In aceasta perioada apar insa si primele tensiuni creative intre membrii grupului, mai exact intre Howe si Wetton, ultimul chiar parasind pentru scurt timp formatia. In locul sau este adus Greg Lake, dar dupa cateva concerte managementul grupului ajunge la concluzia ca tot Wetton ar fi mai bun pentru Asia si-l convinge sa se reintoarca. Howe se lasa pagubas si pleaca el, inlocuitorul sau fiind Mandy Meyer, provenit de la grupul elvetian de hard rock Krokus. Albumul Astra, din 1985, este o mare nereusita din toate punctele de vedere, astfel ca se renunta la toate concertele programate in acel an si formatia se dizolva.Vreme de aproape cinci ani, fostii membrii Asia isi vad de proiectele lor solo sau se reintegreaza in vechile lor trupe. Singurul care face demersuri pentru o eventuala reunire a supergrupului era Downes, care spre deosebire de ceilalti nu avea la ce alt grup sa revina. Cu toate acestea, in 1987, John Wetton a inregistrat pe cont propriu o melodie pentru coloana sonora a filmului ''Over The Top'', cu Sylvester Stallone, folosindu-se de titulatura Asia.In 1990 Downes isi vede visul cu ochii, convingandu-i pe Wetton si Palmer sa i se alature sub stindardul Asia, nu insa si pe Howe, in locul acestuia fiind adus chitaristul Pat Thrall, fost colaborator al lui Glenn Hughes si Pat Thrall. Cvartetul editeaza o compilatie, Then And Now, care includea insa si cateva compozitii noi, dupa care concerteaza in Germania, Japonia, Marea Britanie, Rusia si Brazilia. Trupa se destrama din nou dupa aceea, dar Downes nu se lasa asa usor acum, asa ca la finele lui '91 apeleaza la un mai vechi colaborator al sau, solistul vocal si basistul John Payne, un muzician necunoscut, dar foarte talentat. Cei doi, impreuna cu chitaristul Al Pitrelli si tobosarul Michael Sturgis intra in studio pentru a realiza un nou album Asia, dupa o pauza de sapte ani. Rezultatul s-a numit Aqua si a fost lansat in 1992, cu un succes moderat. Turneul care a urmat a fost sustinut de Downes si Payne, alaturi de chitaristul Vinny Burns si tobosarul Trevor Thornton, acesta din urma inlocuit mai tarziu de Keith More (ex-Arena). In septembrie '93 cvartetul a concertat si la Bucuresti, pe stadionul Dinamo, fiind cap de afis al festivalului Rock '93, impreuna cu nemtii de la Scorpions.Multumiti de felul in care a fost primit Aqua, Asia lanseaza in 1994 un alt album Aria, inregistrat din nou in formula Downes, Payne, Pitrelli si Sturgis. Cu ocazia noului turneu mondial Asia au ajuns din nou in Romania, concertand de data aceasta atat la Bucuresti, cat si la Cluj. De mentionat ca spre finalul turneului chitaristul Pitrelli a fost inlocuit de Aziz Ibrahim (fost la Simply Red).In 1996 Asia revine intr-o formula extinsa, cu trei chitaristi (Elliot Randall, Aziz Ibrahim, Tomoyasu Hotei) si doi percutionisti (Michael Sturgis si Luis Jardem), plus bineinteles Downes si Payne. Apare al saselea album de studio din discografia Asia, care are desigur un tittlu care incepe tot cu A, Arena. Dupa cinci ani in care au aparut ceva box-set-uri, antologii si editii live limitate, in vara lui 2001, Asia au revenit cu un L.P. cu material proaspat, intitulat Aura. Nucleul trupei este alcatuit tot din Downes si Payne, alaturi de care se ami afla Thrall, Randall, Sturgis si Jardem. In calitate de invitati apar cateva nume de prima marime: Steve Howe, Tony Levin, Vinnie Colaiuta si Chris Slade.
ASIA were formed in 1981 by: Steve HOWE (YES) John WETTON (KING CRIMSON, URIAH HEEP, UK ETC.) Geoff DOWNES (YES, BUGGLES, and Carl PALMER (ELP). They were of course immediately dubbed a "supergroup" (in the way as CREAM, EMERSON LAKE AND PALMER etc. were). Over the years the line up has gone through constant changes, with DOWNES being the only founding member still present (although even he has not been ever present). Greg LAKE passed though the ranks briefly in 1983 replacing WETTON, but his voice did not suite the material, and he left before recording any studio albums with the band.
