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ASIA (BIOGRAFIA)

EL GRUPO SURGE EN UNA EPOCA EN LA QUE VARIAS DE LAS PRINCIPALES BANDAS DE ROCK PROGRESIVO BRITANICO, COMO YES O EMERSON, LAKE AND PALMER, SE ENCUENTRAN ESTANCADAS O ENVUELTAS EN RUMORES DE SEPARACION. TRAS LA RUPTURA DE KING CRIMSON EN 1974 COMIENZAN A SURGIR PLANES DE CREAR UNA SUPERBANDA, LO CUAL INTENTA EN UN PRIMER MOMENTO EL BAJISTA JOHN WETTON JUNTO A BILL BRUFORD Y RICK WAKEMAN EN 1976 SIN GRANDES RESULTADOS. EN 1977 BRUFORD Y WETTON SE REUNIERON CON EL GUITARRISTA ALLAN HOLDSWORTH Y EL TECLISTA/VIOLINISTA EDDIE JOBSON. ESTE PROYECTO FUNCIONO UN POCO MAS, AUNQUE EN 1980 FRACASABA NUEVAMENTE. AL TERCER INTENTO DE JOHN WETTON SURGE UN COMBO JUNTO A WAKEMAN, EL BATERISTA CARL PALMER Y EL GUITARRISTA TREVOR RABIN.
SIN EMBARGO, RAPIDAMENTE WAKEMAN DECIDIO CENTRARSE EN SUS PROYECTOS EN SOLITARIO Y NUNCA LLEGARON A TOCAR JUNTOS. EN 1981 WETTON Y EL GUITARRISTA STEVE HOWE (YES) SE CONOCEN Y COMIENZAN A PENSAR EN UN NUEVO PROYECTO. ASI ES COMO SURGE DEFINITIVAMENTE ASIA, YA QUE RAPIDAMENTE SE ENROLARON EN EL PROYECTO GEOFF DOWNES Y CARL PALMER. EL YA CITADO TREVOR RABIN FUE CONSIDERADO PARA GRABAR ALGUNAS DEMOS, PERO FINALMENTE NO SE QUEDO EN EL GRUPO. SURGIO LA POSIBILIDAD DE QUE SE INCORPORARAN CHRIS SQUIRE Y ALAN WHITE, PERO DEFINITIVAMENTE WETTON Y COMPANIA DECIDIERON PERMANECER COMO UN CUARTETO. EN LOS PRIMEROS ANIOS LA CRITICA SE ENSANIO CON ELLOS Y NO TUVIERON EL RECONOCIMIENTO QUE HOY EN DIA TIENEN. LOS FANS TRADICIONALES DEL ROCK PROGRESIVO ENCONTRARON SU MUSICA CERCANA A LA QUE SUENA EN LAS RADIO FORMULAS, POR LO QUE SE LES TACHO DE COMERCIALES.
TAL Y COMO SE HA MENCIONADO SU ALBUM DEBUT "ASIA" FUE CRITICADO POR LOS FANS MAS TRADICIONALES POR SU MUSICA EXCESIVAMENTE COMERCIAL, Y MAS A RAIZ DEL CONSIDERABLE EXITO EN VENTAS QUE TUVO. ESTUVO NUEVE SEMANAS COMO NUMERO UNO EN LA LISTA DE MAS VENDIDOS AMERICANOS, Y SINGLES COMO "ONLY TIME WILL TELL" O "HEAT OF THE MOMENT" LLEVARON A LO MAS ALTO DE LOS MAS PRESTIGIOSOS TOPS.
LAS CANCIONES DE ESTE DISCO DEBUT SIGUEN SONANDO ACTUALMENTE EN EMISORAS DE ROCK CLASICO. ESTE LP ES CONSIDERADO COMO UNO DE LOS DISCOS DE CULTO DEL ROCK. EL TOUR DE PRESENTACION DEL MISMO LLEVADO A CABO EN ESTADOS UNIDOS EN LOS ANIOS 1982 Y 1983 FUE TODO UN EXITO, Y BILLBOARD LES RECONOCIO COMO EL MEJOR GRUPO DEBUTANTE DEL ANIO.
ASIA ES TAMBIEN CONSIDERADA COMO PIONERA DE LA FASE DOS DEL ROCK PROGRESIVO. NI SU SEGUNDO DISCO NI NINGUNO DE LOS POSTERIORES HA TENIDO EL TREMENDO EXITO DEL PRIMERO. "ALPHA" VIO LA LUZ EN 1983, Y TEMAS COMO LA BALADA "DON'T CRY" TAMBIÉN GOZARON DEL MAS TREMENDO EXITO, A PESAR DE CRITICAS COMO LA DE LA REVISTA ROLLING STONE (QUE LES TACHO DE SOBRE-COMERCIALES). EL DISCO LLEGO A SER DISCO DE PLATINO, AUNQUE LAS CRITICAS PUDIERON CON WETTON Y ABANDONO EL GRUPO FUGAZMENTE SIENDO SUSTITUIDO POR GREG LAKE. EN ESTE MOMENTO SE PRODUJO EL POPULAR "ASIA IN ASIA", UN CONCIERTO DEL GRUPO EN JAPON QUE PASO A LA HISTORIA POR SER EL PRIMERO EMITIDO EN DIRECTO A TRAVES DEL SATELITE POR LA MTV. POSTERIORMENTE FUE EDITADO EN VIDEO. EN 1985 WETTON VUELVE AL GRUPO PARA COMENZAR LA GRABACION DEL DISCO, AUNQUE STEVE HOWE ABANDONA Y ES SUSTITUIDO POR EL GUITARRISTA DE KROKUS MANDY MEYER.
EL TERCER DISCO, "ASTRA", NO FUE TAN COMERCIAL COMO SUS DOS PREDECESORES. EL SUSTITUTO DE HOWE, MANDY MEYER, IMPRIMIO UN SONIDO EN LAS GUITARRAS MAS CERCANO AL HARD ROCK. EL GRUPO PRESENTABA UN MODESTO "HIT SINGLE", "GO". EN 1985 ESTE LINE-UP MUERE, Y WETTON SIGUE TRABAJANDO PARA PUBLICAR EN 1987 UN DISCO EN SOLITARIO BASADO EN MATERIAL DE ASIA. EL MUSICO ERA EL UNICO IMPLICADO EN EL GRUPO, HASTA QUE EN 1989 SE PRODUJO UN CORTO TOUR EN EL QUE LE ACOMPANIABAN DOWNES Y JOHN YOUNG A LOS TECLADOS.
EN 1989 HAY NUEVOS CAMBIOS DE FORMACION, Y LA BANDA ENTRA EN EL ESTUDIO A GRABAR "THEN & NOW" CON EL GUITARRISTA DE TOTO STEVE LUKATHER. EL TOUR INCLUYO TEMAS DE BANDAS CLASICAS COMO KING CRIMSON. COMO CONCIERTO A DESTACAR CABE EL DE 1990 EN LA UNION SOVIETICA, EN EL CUAL TOCARON ANTE 20000 FANS DURANTE DOS NOCHES SEGUIDAS COLGANDO EL CARTEL DE "NO HAY MAS TICKETS". SU ALBUM FUE DISCO DE ORO. EN 1992 WETTON ABANDONA EL PROYECTO PARA CENTRARSE EN SU CARRERA EN SOLITARIO.
EL QUE TAMPOCO GRABO EL NUEVO DISCO, "AQUA", FUE PALMER. EN EL PROCESO SE UTILIZO MATERIAL PREVIAMENTE GRABADO. HUBO MUCHA CONVULSION EN EL GRUPO, AUNQUE FINALMENTE SE RESOLVIO CON LA INCORPORACION DE JOHN PAYNE. TAMBIEN FUERON SURGIENDO MUSICOS QUE A DIA DE HOY COLABORAN DE VEZ EN CUANDO CON ASIA. EL DISCO VIO LA LUZ EN 1992, Y A PARTIR DE AQUI EN LAS PRESENTACIONES DE LA FORMACION EN DIRECTO YA NO HABIA TANTO MIEMBROS DEL GRUPO COMO INVITADOS, Y EN LA GIRA PASARON UN SINFIN DE CARAS POPULARES DE LA MUSICA BRITANICA POR EL ESCENARIO.
EN 1994 SE GRABA "ARIA", Y EN 1996 "ARENA". EL GRUPO PRESENTO AL GUITARRISTA AL PITRELLI COMO MIEMBRO FIJO, PERO ABANDONO AL POCO TIEMPO EN EL CORTO TOUR DE PRESENTACION DE ARIA. PARA LA GRABACION DE "ARENA" SE UTILIZARON A TRES GUITARRISTAS DIFERENTES. A FINALES DE LOS ANIOS 90 SE PUBLICAN "ARCHIVA 1" Y "ARCHIVA 2" (1996 AMBOS), UNA COLECCION DE TEMAS INEDITOS COMPUESTOS POR DOWNES Y PAYNE QUE QUEDARON FUERA DE LAS TRES PRIMERAS GRABACIONES.
EN 1999 SE INTENTO UNA REUNIÓN DEL LINE-UP ORIGINAL (A EXCEPCION DE HOWE), PERO FINALMENTE NO SE CONSIGUIO Y JOHN PAYNE CONTINUO LLEVANDO LAS RIENDAS DE ASIA. WETTON Y PALMER, ENTRETANTO, CREARON QANGO, PERO LA BANDA TUVO MUY CORTA VIDA. EN 2001 PUBLICAN "AURA", EN EL CUAL ASIA VUELVE AL ROCK PROGRESIVO EN ESTADO PURO, AUNQUE SIN QUERER APROVECHAR EL TIRON COMERCIAL DE LOS PRIMEROS DISCOS. NO TUVO EL MISMO EXITO.
SALIENDOSE DE LO QUE HASTA ESE MOMENTO HABIA SIDO LA DINAMICA, EN 2004 ASIA PUBLICA UN DISCO CUYO TITULO NO ES UNA UNICA PALABRA: "SILENT NATION". EL GRUPO TENIA AHORA UN LINE-UP MAS ESTABLE, CON GEOFF DOWNES, JOHN PAYNE, CHRIS SLADE Y GUTHRIE GOVAN. BILLY SHERWOOD Y JAY SCHELLEN TAMBIEN PARTICIPARON EN LAS PRIMERAS SESIONES DE GRABACION DEL DISCO, AUNQUE FINALMENTE SE FUERON.
EN 2005 DOWNES Y PAYNE LLEVAN A CABO UN TOUR ACUSTICO. A FINALES DE ESE MISMO ANIO EL GRUPO AL COMPLETO GIRO POR EUROPA, AMERICA DEL NORTE Y AMERICA DEL SUR EN SALAS DE PEQUENIO Y MEDIANO AFORO. TAMBIEN SE PRODUJO EL ABANDONO DE SLADE, QUE FUE REEMPLAZADO POR SCHELLEN. EL GRUPO COMENZO A TRABAJAR EN UN NUEVO DISCO.
EL 1 DE FEBRERO DE 2006 LA PAGINA WEB OFICIAL DE STEVE HOWE ANUNCIO QUE EL LINE-UP ORIGINAL ESTABA REUNIDO Y PLANEANDO UN CD, UN DVD Y UN TOUR MUNDIAL PARA CONMEMORAR EL 25 ANIVERSARIO DEL GRUPO. A PESAR DE QUE SE ANUNCIO A BOMBO Y PLATILLO, CARL PALMER SE MOSTRO MAS CAUTELOSO Y DIJO QUE NO ESTABA CONFIRMADO QUE GIRASEN POR TODO EL MUNDO.
EN MAYO PALMER ANUNCIA QUE EL LINE-UP ORIGINAL VA A GIRAR POR ESTADOS UNIDOS, A LA PAR QUE DA DETALLES SOBRE UN NUEVO DISCO QUE PODRIA VER LA LUZ EN 2007.
EL 14 DE MARZO DE 2007, LOS MIEMBROS ORIGINALES DE ASIA SE PRESENTARAN POR PRIMERA VEZ EN MEXICO EN EL AUDITORIO NACIONAL DE LA CIUDAD DE MEXICO.
Y A PRINCIPIOS DEL 2008 LANZAN LO QUE SERIA EL NUEVO DISCOS DE ASIA "PHOENIX" CON LA FORMACION ORIGINAL DESDE QUE EN 1983 EDITARAN "ALPHA".

DISCOGRAFIA:

1982: ASIA
1983: ALPHA
1985: ASTRA
1989: LIVE, VOL. 2
1990: THEN & NOW
1990: ASIA LIVE: 09-XI-90 MOCKBA
1992: AQUA
1994: ARIA
1996: ARENA
1996: ARCHIVA I
1996: ARCHIVA II
1999: AXIOMS
2000: RARE
2000: LIVE AT THE TOWN AND COUNTRY CLUB
2000: THE VERY BEST OF ASIA: THE HEAT OF THE MOMENT (1982-1990)
2000: PROGRESSION [CLEOPATRA]
2001: AURA
2002: 25 ANTHOLOGIA: 20TH ANNIVERSARY/GEFFEN COLLECTION 1982-1990
2003: DRAGON ATTACK
2003: THE BEST OF ASIA: THE MILLENIUM COLLECTION
2003: QUADRA
2006: THE DEFINITIVE COLLECTION
2007: FANTASIA: LIVE IN TOKYO (RELEASED ON CD AND DVD)
2007: LIVE IN ASIA (2CD)
2008: PHOENIX

FORMACION ACTUAL:

JOHN WETTON: VOCES Y BAJO
STEVE HOWE: GUITARRA
CARL PALMER: BATERIA
GEOFF DOWNES: TECLADOS

OFFICIAL WEB SITE:

www.originalasia.com

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ASIA (BIOGRAPHY)

ASIA'S DEBUT ALBUM EXPLODED ONTO THE MUSIC SCENE IN MARCH 1982 WITH SEVERAL TOP 10 SINGLES AND SALES EXCEEDING 7 MILLION COPIES. THIS "SUPERGROUP", FEATURING BASSIST/VOCALIST JOHN WETTON, DRUMMER CARL PALMER, KEYBOARDIST GEOFF DOWNES, AND GUITARIST STEVE HOWE, WAS THE LOGICAL SUCCESSOR TO THEIR COLLECTIVE BANDS OF THE 70S - YES, ELP, KING CRIMSON, AND THE BUGGLES.
THE GROUP CAME TOGETHER IN THE SPRING OF 1981. JOHN WETTON'S ACCLAIMED PROGRESSIVE ROCK BAND UK HAD COLLAPSED A FEW YEARS EARLIER. WITH THE HELP OF MANAGER BRIAN LANE, HE WANTED TO FORM A NEW GROUP WITH GUITARIST STEVE HOWE, BEST KNOWN FOR HIS WORK WITH BRITISH PROG SUPERSTARS, YES. DRUMMER CARL PALMER CAME INTO THE FOLD NEXT, HAVING JUST COMPLETED A DECADE OF PLATINUM RELEASES AND SOLD OUT TOURS WITH EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER. KEYBOARDIST GEOFF DOWNES, WHO REPLACED RICK WAKEMAN IN YES FOR THE DRAMA ALBUM, HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN HALF OF THE POP DUO THE BUGGLES. THEY STORMED THE CHARTS IN 1979 WITH THE TIMELESS CLASSIC "VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR".
LABELLED A "SUPERGROUP" BY CRITICS AND THE MEDIA FROM THE ONSET, IT WAS A TAG THEY HAD NEVER ASKED FOR. ASIA'S MUSIC DEVELOPED ORGANICALLY AND EFFORTLESSLY. THOUGH ALL FOUR MEN HAD SEEN CHART-TOPPING SUCCESS IN THEIR PREVIOUS BANDS, ASIA HAD A SPECIAL CHEMISTRY THAT FANS AND MUSIC INDUSTRY INSIDERS WERE QUICK TO RECOGNIZE.
"THE BAND SORT OF CAME TOGETHER NATURALLY," SAYS CARL PALMER. " IT WASN'T SOMETHING WHICH WAS FORCED. WE ALL WANTED TO PLAY TOGETHER. WE HAD A GREAT TIME DOING IT." THE BAND WAS SIGNED IN THE SUMMER OF 1981 BY GEFFEN RECORDS A&R WHIZ JOHN KALODNER, FRESH OUT OF A LONG AFFILIATION AT ATLANTIC RECORDS.
THE FIRST ASIA ALBUM WENT INTO PRODUCTION IN JUNE OF 1981 WITH PRODUCER MIKE STONE AT MARCUS STUDIOS AND VIRGIN TOWNHOUSE IN LONDON. STONE, WHO HAD WORKED ON HITS FOR JOURNEY AND QUEEN, ALSO KNEW THE BAND HAD AN AMAZING MUSICAL ABILITY. THE BAND SPENT FIVE MONTHS WRITING, ARRANGING, AND RECORDING NINE SONGS FOR ITS DEBUT THAT INCLUDED SUCH CLASSICS AS " HEAT OF THE MOMENT", "ONLY TIME WILL TELL", AND "SOLE SURVIVOR."
"I THINK THAT WE ALL KNEW AS SOON AS WE RECORDED THE FIRST FEW SONGS THAT IT WAS GOING SOMEWHERE SPECIAL," SAYS WETTON. "I DON'T THINK WE KNEW, HOWEVER, UNTIL WE RECORDED 'HEAT OF THE MOMENT' THAT WE HAD A MONSTER ON OUR HANDS. I THINK THAT ONCE WE HAD DONE THAT, EVERYONE KNEW THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL."
AS SOON AS THE ALBUM WAS COMPLETED, GEFFEN KNEW IT HAD A WINNER ON ITS HANDS. THE UPSTART LABEL IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TURNING THE WHEELS OF ITS ENORMOUS PROMOTIONAL MACHINE WEEKS BEFORE THE LP'S RELEASE, TO HELP PROPEL THE ALBUM TO THE TOP OF THE CHARTS. ASIA HAD ONLY WEEKS TO REHEARSE FOR A 30 CITY US TOUR THAT COMMENCED ON APRIL 22 IN POTSDAM, NY, OF ALL PLACES! BY THE TIME THE BAND REACHED THE 12TH STOP ON TOUR (ROCHESTER, NY) ON MAY 5TH, THE DEBUT ALBUM HAD ALREADY HIT #1 ON THE BILLBOARD CHARTS.
FORTUNATELY FOR THE BAND, A NEW MUSIC MEDIA OUTLET CALLED MTV PREMIERED ON CABLE CHANNELS IN 1981 THROUGHOUT THE US AND IN OVER 50 MILLION HOUSEHOLDS. (DOWNES' HIT SONG WITH THE BUGGLES "VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR" WAS THE FIRST SONG EVER PLAYED ON THE EXCITING NEW CHANNEL). ASIA, AWARE THE NETWORK'S IMPACT ON THE INDUSTRY, BEGAN SHOOTING VIDEOS AS SOON AS THE ALBUM WAS FINISHED. THE RESULT WAS A ROCK'N'ROLL MARRIAGE MADE IN HEAVEN.
ASIA BECAME ONE OF THE MOST PLAYED ACTS ON MTV IN 1982. SINCE MOST PEOPLE WERE INTRIGUED WITH THE NEW CONCEPT, VIEWERSHIP OFTEN REACHED SEVERAL HOURS A DAY. "YOU'RE LOOKING AT A PARALLEL SUCCESS HERE," SAYS WETTON. "MTV AND ASIA WERE SUCCESSFUL AT THE SAME TIME... OF COURSE, MTV WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN ASIA'S SUCCESS, BUT THEN, ASIA WAS ALSO INSTRUMENTAL IN MTV'S SUCCESS."
THROUGHOUT MOST OF '82, ASIA RULED THE RADIO AIRWAVES AND MTV; SOLD OUT EVERY DATE ON ITS TOUR; AND THE LP, ASIA, CRUSHED ALL THE COMPETITION AT RECORD STORES AROUND THE WORLD. THE MUSIC INDUSTRY HAD BEEN IN A MAJOR SLUMP THAT YEAR, AND LESS THAN 15% OF RELEASES IN 1982 MADE A PROFIT. ASIA WAS ONE OF THE YEAR'S BIG EXCEPTIONS. BY THE TIME THE BAND RELEASED ITS SECOND ALBUM, THE DEBUT ALBUM HAD SOLD OVER 6 MILLION COPIES WORLDWIDE AND WAS THE BEST SELLER OF 1982. IT HAD STAYED AT THE #1 SPOT FOR AN INCREDIBLE 9 WEEKS!
THE BAND TOURED NON-STOP AND CONTINUED TO SEE THE HUGE SUCCESS THEY HAD INITIATED GROW EVEN LARGER. THEY WON ALMOST EVERY BEST NEW ACT AWARD THE INDUSTRY HAD TO OFFER IN 1982.
THE SUCCESS, HOWEVER, WAS TOO MUCH, TOO SOON. BY THE TIME THEY ASSEMBLED TO BEGIN THEIR SECOND ALBUM IN THE WINTER OF 1983, CRACKS HAD ALREADY BEGUN TO APPEAR IN THE FOUNDATION. CREATIVE TENSIONS AND EGOS - NOT TO MENTION THE PRESSURE OF HAVING TO TOP THE BEST SELLING ALBUM OF THE PREVIOUS YEAR - MADE THE SECOND ALBUM'S RECORDING SESSIONS FAR LESS ENJOYABLE THAN THE FIRST. RECORDING THE ALBUM OUTSIDE OF THEIR NATIVE ENGLAND (IN MORIN HEIGHTS, QUEBEC) ADDED TO THE DIFFICULTIES.
THE SECOND ALBUM, ALPHA, DID SHIP PLATINUM AND CONTAINED THE HITS "DON'T CRY" AND "THE SMILE HAS LEFT YOUR EYES", BUT GEFFEN'S HANDS-ON PRESSURE TO SCORE UNDENIABLE RADIO POP HITS WAS STARTING TO SHOW. "WE HAD A PRECIOUS SUCCESS," REMEMBERS WETTON. "WE CAME IN AT THE TOP, BUT IT WAS AN ILLUSION TO THINK WE'D STAY THERE. THE BAND WAS STILL FINDING ITS FEET AS A MUSICAL ENTITY."
PERSONAL CONFLICTS ON THE ALPHA TOUR BEGAN PULLING THE BAND APART. IN OCTOBER, AN ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE OF A HUGE MTV AND WESTWOOD ONE RADIO NETWORK SIMULCAST OF THE BAND'S SOLD OUT DECEMBER SHOW AT TOKYO'S BUDOKAN ARENA. INSTEAD OF A SENSE OF EUPHORIA WITHIN THE BAND, JOHN WETTON DEPARTED ASIA IN A MOVE THAT STUNNED THE ROCK WORLD. HE WAS REPLACED AT THE LAST MOMENT FOR THE ASIA IN ASIA BROADCAST AND JAPANESE DATES BY PALMER'S EX-ELP BAND MATE, GREG LAKE. LAKE'S TIME WITH THE BAND, HOWEVER, WOULD BE SHORT.
THE BAND WAS RE-CONSTRUCTED IN 1984, WITH WETTON BACK ON BOARD. AFTER A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME WORKING ON THE NEXT ALBUM, STEVE HOWE DEPARTED TO FORM GTR WITH FORMER GENESIS GUITARIST STEVE HACKETT. MANDY MEYER OF KROKUS REPLACED HOWE, AND IN 1985 THE GROUP RELEASED ITS THIRD ALBUM, ASTRA. THE ALBUM HAD A HIT WITH "VOICE OF AMERICA," BUT COMPARED TO THE MASSIVE SUCCESS OF THE FIRST TWO ALBUMS, THE MEMBERS VIEWED ASTRA AS A DISAPPOINTMENT.
THEY NEVER TOURED FOR ASTRA, AND SOON AFTER ASIA FELL APART. ALTHOUGH NO FORMAL BREAK-UP ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE, WITHIN MONTHS THE MEMBERS WERE ALL OFF DOING DIFFERENT PROJECTS. "WE BROKE UP TOO SOON," REMEMBERED CARL PALMER DURING AN INTERVIEW IN 1990. WE WERE UNIQUE THEN, AND WE STILL ARE: ENGLISH ROCK WITH A TECHNICAL SIDE; SOPHISTICATED ROCK MIXED IN WITH MELODIES AND SINGLES. IT WAS TABOO IN THOSE DAYS, AND YOU VERY RARELY HEAR THAT TODAY EITHER."
PALMER REGROUPED IN 1987 WITH KEITH EMERSON AND UNKNOWN BASSIST NAMED ROBERT BERRY TO FORM 3. WETTON STARTED A MUSICAL PROJECT WITH HIS ROXY MUSIC BAND MATE, PHIL MANZANERA, AND DOWNES DID A MYRIAD OF PROJECTS INCLUDING WORKING WITH BOTH MIKE OLDFIELD AND GREG LAKE, AS WELL AS PRODUCING STEVE HOWE'S NEW BAND, GTR. HE ALSO RELEASED AN EXPERIMENTAL INSTRUMENTAL SOLO ALBUM CALLED THE LIGHT PROGRAMME UNDER THE MONIKER, "THE NEW DANCE ORCHESTRA".
BY 1990, WETTON, PALMER AND DOWNES WERE READY TO GIVE IT ANOTHER GO. THEY REGROUPED WITH AMERICAN GUITARIST PAT THRALL (KNOWN FOR HIS WORK WITH PAT TRAVERS AND GLENN HUGHES) AND RECORDED NEW MATERIAL. THE NEW SONGS EVENTUALLY SURFACED AS EXTRA TRACKS IN A BEST-OF COLLECTION ON GEFFEN, CALLED THEN & NOW. "WE WERE SO MUSICALLY COMPATIBLE." SAID WETTON, AT THE TIME. "WE HAD TRIED OTHER THINGS AND HAD BEEN FRUSTRATED BY THEM. (1990) SEEMED TO BE THE RIGHT TIME FOR ASIA AGAIN."
THEY WERE PLACED ON A SUMMER TOUR OF EUROPE WITH THE UNLIKELY HEADLINERS, THE BEACH BOYS, WHERE THEY PLAYED TO 25,000 SEAT OPEN ARENAS. NEEDLESS TO SAY, THE BAND WAS NERVOUS ABOUT THE AUDIENCE REACTION. HOWEVER, THEY NEED NOT HAVE WORRIED AS ASIA RECEIVED OVERWHELMING POSITIVE RESPONSE ON EVERY SHOW OF THE TOUR.
"EACH OF US HAD BEEN DOING MAINLY STUDIO WORK JUST PRIOR TO THAT TOUR," SAYS DOWNES. "WHEN IT GETS RIGHT DOWN TO IT, WE ALL MISSED PLAYING TOGETHER AND THE FEELING OF A BAND, THE EXCITEMENT OF PLAYING LIVE AND GETTING ON A BIG STAGE AGAIN."
THE REUNION LASTED NEARLY TWO YEARS, INCLUDING A MEMORABLE SHOW THAT WAS FILMED IN MOSCOW'S RED SQUARE. "WHAT I REMEMBER ABOUT THAT SHOW," JOKES PALMER, TODAY, "IS THAT WE HAD GORBACHEV'S LIMO AND WE HAD TO WAIT TWO HOURS FOR LUNCH FROM MCDONALD'S!"
SHORTLY AFTER THE SHOW IN RUSSIA, THE BAND TOOK ANOTHER BREAK. PALMER HAD THE CHANCE TO REFORM EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER AND DID SO IN LATE 1991 WITH THE BLACK MOON ALBUM. WETTON LAUNCHED HIS LONG-AWAITED SOLO CAREER, RECORDING THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED BATTLE LINES. GEOFF DOWNES DECIDED TO CARRY ON WITH ASIA, REFORMING THE BAND AROUND HIM. IN 1992, HE ENLISTED NEWCOMER JOHN PAYNE ON BASS AND VOCALS AND RECORDED THE AQUA ALBUM. THE TWO MEN WOULD RECORD TOGETHER FOR SEVERAL YEARS, WORKING WITH VARIOUS OTHER MUSICIANS.
PALMER HAD A SUCCESSFUL RUN AGAIN WITH ELP UNTIL THE FALL OF 1998, WHEN THAT BAND, TOO, WENT ON HIATUS. WITH JOHN WETTON IN-BETWEEN SOLO PROJECTS AND DOWNES WILLING TO ENTERTAIN OFFERS FOR A REUNION, SUDDENLY ALL THREE MEN WERE AVAILABLE AGAIN TO REGROUP AS ASIA. DUE TO HIS COMMITMENTS WITH THE RE-FORMED YES, STEVE HOWE WAS UNAVAILABLE. HOWEVER, THE THREE OTHER MEMBERS ALL EXCHANGED PHONE CALLS, AND BY CHRISTMAS OF 1998, A REUNION WAS LOOKING POSSIBLE.
THE BAND ANNOUNCED PLANS FOR A WORLD TOUR TO BEGIN ON JUNE 11TH, 1999. AFTER THE TOUR, THEY HAD HOPED TO RECORD A NEW ALBUM, WITH DOWNES AND WETTON ALREADY WRITING SONGS AGAIN. UNFORTUNATELY, IT WAS NEVER TO BE. ALMOST AS QUICKLY AS THE WHOLE PROJECT HAD BEGUN, IT DISSOLVED. THE EVENT WHICH SO MANY HAD HOPED FOR WOULD HAVE TO WAIT FOR ANOTHER DAY...
SHORTLY THEREAFTER, CARL PALMER AND JOHN WETTON REUNITED IN A NEW BAND CALLED QANGO. FEATURING GUITARIST DAVID KILMINSTER AND KEYBOARD PLAYER JOHN YOUNG, THE GROUP PLAYED A SERIES OF SHOWCASE DATES IN THE UK IN FEBRUARY 2000 WHICH FEATURED CLASSIC ELP, ASIA, AND KING CRIMSON MATERIAL, ALONG WITH SOME NEW MATERIAL.
THE SHOWS WERE PACKED AND WELL RECEIVED, PROMPTING THE BAND TO DO SEVERAL ENCORES EACH NIGHT. "IT WAS A WONDERFUL FEELING TO BE BACK ON STAGE PLAYING THIS MATERIAL WITH OUR NEW BAND," SAID PALMER. WETTON ADDED, "THE SHOWS WENT DOWN VERY WELL AND HAVE MADE US EXCITED ABOUT CONTINUING WITH MORE TOURS AND THE RECORDING OF NEW MATERIAL." ONCE AGAIN, HOWEVER, THIS LINEUP WAS SHORT-LIVED AND, AFTER THE TRIUMPHANT UK TOUR, QANGO WENT THEIR SEPARATE WAYS.
FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS, THE ORIGINAL MEMBERS REMAINED BUSY WITH THEIR INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS. JOHN WETTON RETURNED TO HIS SOLO CAREER; CARL PALMER ASSEMBLED HIS OWN OUTFIT, "THE CARL PALMER BAND". STEVE HOWE TOURED EXTENSIVELY WITH YES, AND GEOFF DOWNES CONTINUED ON WITH HIS OWN ASIA LINEUP.
FATE INTERVENED IN 2005 WHEN WETTON AND DOWNES FOUND TIME TO WORK TOGETHER ON NEW MATERIAL THAT WOULD EVENTUALLY BECOME THE ICON ALBUM. THE DUO TOURED ON THE HEELS OF THE RELEASE, REVISITING THE GLORY YEARS OF ASIA WITH STANDING OVATIONS EVERY NIGHT FOR THE CLASSIC TUNES.
BUT AS THE OLD SAYING GOES, PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE...
LIKE A BOLT FROM THE BLUE, THE STARS ALIGNED ONCE AGAIN IN EARLY 2006. IN APRIL, ALL FOUR ORIGINAL MEMBERS OF ASIA CONFIRMED THAT THEY WOULD BE REUNITING FOR A WORLD TOUR TO CELEBRATE THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BAND'S CREATION AND DEBUT ALBUM.
"THIS IS THE REAL ASIA," SAYS GUITARIST STEVE HOWE. "THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER VERSIONS OF THE BAND, BUT THIS ORIGINAL LINE-UP IS THE ONE THAT THE PUBLIC TRULY EMBRACED. SINCE WE ONLY TOURED FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, IT WILL BE NICE, FINALLY, TO PLAY FOR AUDIENCES ALL OVER THE WORLD, MANY OF WHOM NEVER HAD A CHANCE TO SEE THE GROUP IN CONCERT."
AN AMERICAN TOUR WAS CONFIRMED FOR AUG/SEPT, ALONG WITH A UK LEG IN NOV/DEC. MEDIA AND CONCERT PROMOTER INTEREST IS OVERWHELMING, INDICATIVE OF THE CLOUT THE FOUR MEN CARRY WITHIN THE INDUSTRY. THE 2006/2007 WORLD TOUR WILL SEE ASIA REGAIN THEIR RIGHTFUL SPOT AS A PART OF ROCK AND ROLL ROYALTY.
THE HEAT GOES ON, INDEED!

DISCOGRAPHY:

1982: ASIA
1983: ALPHA
1985: ASTRA
1989: LIVE, VOL. 2
1990: THEN & NOW
1990: ASIA LIVE: 09-XI-90 MOCKBA
1992: AQUA
1994: ARIA
1996: ARENA
1996: ARCHIVA I
1996: ARCHIVA II
1999: AXIOMS
2000: RARE
2000: LIVE AT THE TOWN AND COUNTRY CLUB
2000: THE VERY BEST OF ASIA: THE HEAT OF THE MOMENT (1982-1990)
2000: PROGRESSION [CLEOPATRA]
2001: AURA
2002: 25 ANTHOLOGIA: 20TH ANNIVERSARY/GEFFEN COLLECTION 1982-1990
2003: DRAGON ATTACK
2003: THE BEST OF ASIA: THE MILLENIUM COLLECTION
2003: QUADRA
2006: THE DEFINITIVE COLLECTION
2007: FANTASIA: LIVE IN TOKYO (RELEASED ON CD AND DVD)
2007: LIVE IN ASIA (2CD)
2008: PHOENIX

LINE UP:

JOHN WETTON: LEAD VOCAL AND BASS GUITAR
STEVE HOWE: GUITAR
CARL PALMER: DRUMS
GEOFF DOWNES: KYBOARDS

OFFICIAL WEB SITE:

www.originalasia.com