I'm not sure I really know what Asia sound like, though.
― AdamL :') (nordicskilla), Thursday, 10 June 2004 04:28 (nineteen years ago) link
And hey: I've never seen the Roger Dean cover that I didn't love! Cool shade of purple on that "Astra" cover.
― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Thursday, 10 June 2004 05:22 (nineteen years ago) link
― Morley Timmons (Donna Brown), Thursday, 10 June 2004 06:19 (nineteen years ago) link
― Pleasant Plains (Pleasant Plains), Thursday, 10 June 2004 06:39 (nineteen years ago) link
― John Bullabaugh (John Bullabaugh), Thursday, 10 June 2004 21:57 (nineteen years ago) link
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 10 June 2004 22:00 (nineteen years ago) link
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 10 June 2004 22:01 (nineteen years ago) link
― kyle (akmonday), Thursday, 10 June 2004 22:12 (nineteen years ago) link
look at their ridiculous white suits and naff logohttp://www.insideout.de/indexx.php?arg=AgcECgRLQVJUew
― DJ Martian (djmartian), Thursday, 10 June 2004 22:19 (nineteen years ago) link
― chuck, Thursday, 10 June 2004 22:20 (nineteen years ago) link
― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 10 June 2004 22:44 (nineteen years ago) link
How Much Money Would It Take For You To Listen To All These Asia Albums?
Elvis T and I are still anxious to pony up the cash so Dave Q can review all them albums.
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 10 June 2004 22:51 (nineteen years ago) link
― sundar subramanian (sundar), Thursday, 10 June 2004 23:04 (nineteen years ago) link
― Clarke B. (Clarke B.), Thursday, 10 June 2004 23:25 (nineteen years ago) link
'Don't give me that same ol' pack of LIIIEES...'
― Joe (Joe), Friday, 11 June 2004 00:19 (nineteen years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 11 June 2004 00:22 (nineteen years ago) link
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 11 June 2004 00:25 (nineteen years ago) link
Howe was only with them because he was planning his own solo tour and scouting out what were viable venues...he showed up about halfway through, did a solo spot, then joined the rest of the band to have a go at the old warhorses, like "Heat of the Moment", which rocked.
― Joe (Joe), Friday, 11 June 2004 00:29 (nineteen years ago) link
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 11 June 2004 00:40 (nineteen years ago) link
― Eisbär (llamasfur), Friday, 11 June 2004 01:13 (nineteen years ago) link
― Eisbär (llamasfur), Friday, 11 June 2004 01:16 (nineteen years ago) link
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 11 June 2004 01:21 (nineteen years ago) link
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 11 June 2004 01:22 (nineteen years ago) link
― Eisbär (llamasfur), Friday, 11 June 2004 01:24 (nineteen years ago) link
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 11 June 2004 01:24 (nineteen years ago) link
I played Astra until I wore out the tape, though, mostly when jumping ramps in front of my house on a skateboard or bicycle. That guitar riff in the middle of "Go" was perfect for catching air.
― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Friday, 11 June 2004 01:26 (nineteen years ago) link
― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Friday, 11 June 2004 01:44 (nineteen years ago) link
"Heat of the Moment" sorta sounds like the Buggles!! It's real good!!
except that it sorta sounds A LOT like the Buggles!!
― Eisbär (llamasfur), Friday, 11 June 2004 02:19 (nineteen years ago) link
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 11 June 2004 02:24 (nineteen years ago) link
― Joe (Joe), Friday, 11 June 2004 02:39 (nineteen years ago) link
― Joe (Joe), Friday, 11 June 2004 02:40 (nineteen years ago) link
or not at all. i have a real soft spot for the song, though.
― lauren (laurenp), Friday, 11 June 2004 03:47 (nineteen years ago) link
― amateur!st (amateurist), Friday, 11 June 2004 03:53 (nineteen years ago) link
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 11 June 2004 03:54 (nineteen years ago) link
― Eisbär (llamasfur), Friday, 11 June 2004 03:57 (nineteen years ago) link
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 11 June 2004 04:02 (nineteen years ago) link
― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Friday, 11 June 2004 10:15 (nineteen years ago) link
Looks like the guitarist of Faith No More on the right?
― Joe (Joe), Friday, 11 June 2004 10:28 (nineteen years ago) link
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 11 June 2004 15:39 (nineteen years ago) link
ha, i don't know this song (palmer really phoning it in) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQv6YblNEf8
― gershy, Sunday, 1 July 2007 05:06 (sixteen years ago) link
TS: ASIA (band) vs. EUROPE (band) vs. AMERICA (band) vs. AFRICA (song by Toto) vs. AUSTRALIA (song by Manic Street Preachers) vs. SOUTH AMERICA (continent)
― /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\||||||( *__* )||||||/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ (res), Friday, 7 January 2011 05:21 (thirteen years ago) link
I think ANTARCTICA (song by Men Without Hats) would have something to say about that.
― Stockhausen's Ekranoplan Quartet (Elvis Telecom), Friday, 7 January 2011 05:45 (thirteen years ago) link
AFRICA (song by Toto)
Number of times we heard that in actual Africa was inexcusable, oh my god.
― "Smurfette's Smurfy Adventsmurf" (Autumn Almanac), Friday, 7 January 2011 06:28 (thirteen years ago) link
'You are from the west!! Listen to this song again and again and again and again'
― "Smurfette's Smurfy Adventsmurf" (Autumn Almanac), Friday, 7 January 2011 06:29 (thirteen years ago) link
Anyway, that.
I'm not understanding what you're saying. Are you saying you heard it a lot or not enough?
― /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\||||||( *__* )||||||/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ (res), Friday, 7 January 2011 06:31 (thirteen years ago) link
All the fucking time, I mean it's not like they're devoid of western culture what with KFC and the English language and DStv and everything.
― "Smurfette's Smurfy Adventsmurf" (Autumn Almanac), Friday, 7 January 2011 06:34 (thirteen years ago) link
"Walk Like An Egyptian" was apparently a huge hit in Egypt.
― You're Twistin' My Melody Man! (Geir Hongro), Saturday, 8 January 2011 00:11 (thirteen years ago) link
Re. the Buggles/Asia similarity discussed upthread: I never realized how hard-hitting some of the drums are on the first Buggles record. Big-sounding, too.
― timellison, Saturday, 8 January 2011 03:01 (thirteen years ago) link
New studio album XXX (pronounced “Triple X”) will be released via Frontiers Records on June 29 in Europe and July 3 in North America. Produced by Mike Paxman (Uriah Heep, Status Quo), the album will be released as a CD, collector’s edition CD/DVD featuring new music videos and behind the scenes footage, and on a limited edition Europe-only vinyl pressing.
― buzza, Saturday, 19 May 2012 20:48 (eleven years ago) link
*LIKE*
― timellison, Saturday, 19 May 2012 21:45 (eleven years ago) link
Bump. This song rules!
― timellison, Monday, 21 May 2012 05:34 (eleven years ago) link
Another new song, "Al Gatto Nero" here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01jt98q/Ken_Bruce_19_06_2012/
Comes in at the 38 minute mark.
― timellison, Thursday, 21 June 2012 03:34 (eleven years ago) link
Has anyone ever noticed that Wetton (a great singer, btw) lisps through the chorus of "The Smile Has Left Your Eyes"?
― Naive Teen Idol, Friday, 22 June 2012 01:42 (eleven years ago) link
He lisped a lot in King Crimson too! But I never listened to Crimson for the singing anyways.
― Race Against Rockism (Myonga Vön Bontee), Friday, 22 June 2012 02:36 (eleven years ago) link
He did? On what? Book of Thaturday? Eathee Money? The Great Detheever? I've actually never noticed.
― Naive Teen Idol, Friday, 22 June 2012 11:34 (eleven years ago) link
thigarettes, ithe cream, figurineth
― undermikey: bidness (Autumn Almanac), Friday, 22 June 2012 12:51 (eleven years ago) link
I always used to say that Wetton sounded like his teeth were too big for his mouth
― akm, Friday, 22 June 2012 13:58 (eleven years ago) link
Sad news - youngest daughter of Geoff Downes passed away:
http://originalasia.com/message-from-geoffrey-downes/
― timellison, Tuesday, 19 February 2013 04:08 (eleven years ago) link
In defense, I saw the original lineup in a gorgeous little theater in Portland a few years ago. Great time.
― Nate Carson, Tuesday, 19 February 2013 04:12 (eleven years ago) link
A little bummed that Howe has left again, but I still haven't listened to the two albums they made prior to the latest one (which I like a lot), so I'll look forward to that.
― timellison, Wednesday, 20 February 2013 02:11 (eleven years ago) link
I actually like "Face on the Bridge"! Maybe I should give this band more of a chance.
― EveningStar (Sund4r), Wednesday, 20 February 2013 03:07 (eleven years ago) link
valkyrie!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIpmYEYC2rU#t=23
― reggie (qualmsley), Tuesday, 25 February 2014 01:43 (ten years ago) link
Gorgeous. Asia is quite possibly my favorite band.
― timellison, Tuesday, 25 February 2014 04:56 (ten years ago) link
Song about mortality. Their songwriting is the real deal.
― timellison, Thursday, 27 February 2014 05:54 (ten years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSIcKpOVm9g
― timellison, Thursday, 27 February 2014 06:04 (ten years ago) link
sort of feel like "nothing to lose" is the first asia song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPsQPd4kgm8
― reggie (qualmsley), Thursday, 27 February 2014 21:35 (ten years ago) link
Best bit of Heat of the Moment is Steve Howe's guitar solo from about 2.45 onward, where he tries to channel Neal Schon but ends up channeling Greg Ginn instead.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDpPoytXVvo
― zoom séance goes tits up (Matt #2), Tuesday, 19 May 2020 10:34 (three years ago) link
It is entirely predictable that the execrable John Kalodner put this “band” together.
― Naive Teen Idol, Tuesday, 26 May 2020 12:29 (three years ago) link
You can put band in quotes, but people did that to the Monkees, too. They apparently thought they were a real enough band to play together for six and a half years from 2006-2013
― timellison, Wednesday, 27 May 2020 05:30 (three years ago) link
They must like all those Asia live albums somewhere. Maybe Asia has adopted the band as one of their own.
― earlnash, Wednesday, 27 May 2020 11:42 (three years ago) link
xp they did so a lot more than that. They toured every year from 1986-1989, then again in 1996-1997. I have a wife who is a Monkees mega-fan and she's attended many of their concerts (as have I).
― Bougy! Bougie! Bougé! (Eliza D.), Wednesday, 27 May 2020 13:51 (three years ago) link
heat of the moment is great
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 27 May 2020 14:08 (three years ago) link
they did so a lot more than that. They toured every year from 1986-1989, then again in 1996-1997.
Sorry I was unclear. I was talking about the reunion of the original Asia four-piece, which lasted for three albums and six and a half years.
― timellison, Wednesday, 27 May 2020 22:16 (three years ago) link
I'm unclear what the criticism of Kalodner is, too. I think they wanted to do a project with Wetton.
― timellison, Wednesday, 27 May 2020 22:19 (three years ago) link
Is the Greg Ginn comparison about the rhythmic feel and phrasing in that solo?
― Feel a million filaments (Sund4r), Wednesday, 27 May 2020 22:21 (three years ago) link
I was being facetious with the Ginn comparison, but making the point that Steve Howe was poorly suited to this style of music. It needs session-man slickness. Not that it stopped him (and Steve Hackett) trying it again with the horrible GTR a few years later.
― some infected evening (Matt #2), Wednesday, 27 May 2020 23:09 (three years ago) link
So you're saying the heart really does rule the mind.
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 28 May 2020 00:10 (three years ago) link
I thought that GTR album was great at age 13. I don't think I've listened to it since then.
― justice 4 CCR (Sparkle Motion), Thursday, 28 May 2020 03:48 (three years ago) link
Ha, I was trying to hear the Ginn thing and it made the whole thing fascinating. It mostly just sounds to me like Howe was playing a more compact, restrained version of his own style there. I don't really hear it as inappropriate or less interesting than something Schon would do. I don't even think Howe's session chops are anything to sneeze at!
― Feel a million filaments (Sund4r), Thursday, 28 May 2020 04:20 (three years ago) link
― Naive Teen Idol, Thursday, 28 May 2020 04:49 (three years ago) link
I don't even think Howe's session chops are anything to sneeze at!
This! He played on everyone from Lou Reed to Propaganda records as a session musician and it's always sounded like Steve Howe - IOW excellent - within more compact boundaries than he had in YES. His Asia playing sounds like this to me as well. I don't think I've ever heard the guy try to emulate late '70s - early '80s AOR gtr dudes like Schon or Ginn or whoever. He's in a class by himself.
― SQUIRREL MEAT!! (Capitaine Jay Vee), Thursday, 28 May 2020 07:11 (three years ago) link
*everything
― SQUIRREL MEAT!! (Capitaine Jay Vee), Thursday, 28 May 2020 07:12 (three years ago) link
Few albums can transport me instantly to the summer of '82 (I was 13) like that first ASIA album. Shit is almost like a weird FM Radio Madeleine. This music was everywhere and , well, it was a perfect soundtrack at that age. Nostalgia aside, it still sounds great and *it shouldn't have worked*.
Re: Howe -- show me any other AOR rock guitarist pulling off a stylistic mishmash as gracefully as Howe's in "Here Comes The Feeling".
― SQUIRREL MEAT!! (Capitaine Jay Vee), Thursday, 28 May 2020 07:30 (three years ago) link
this guy has opinions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtjTnAyWGdA
― budo jeru, Thursday, 28 May 2020 15:14 (three years ago) link
first asia album is great for what it is; the other 256 albums of theirs are trash.
― akm, Thursday, 28 May 2020 15:44 (three years ago) link
Oh wait! Greg GINN? I was thinking KIHN lol. Wow -- doubt whether Howe listened to any SST haha.
― SQUIRREL MEAT!! (Capitaine Jay Vee), Thursday, 28 May 2020 15:55 (three years ago) link
helping these broken down prog rockers get together
Wetton was 31, Downes was 28.
the other 256 albums of theirs are trash
You've certainly heard all of them! Or maybe just some? Would the three original lineup studio albums they put out between 2008 and 2012 be among those?
― timellison, Thursday, 28 May 2020 17:18 (three years ago) link
Here's a taster from 2014's "Gravitas", kudos to the lads for getting a fire/desire rhyme in if nothing else:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIpmYEYC2rU
― some infected evening (Matt #2), Thursday, 28 May 2020 17:45 (three years ago) link
I still haven't gotten into that album - Howe had quit by that point. But I always want to hear Wetton's tunes. And that's what *the Asia question* came down to for me - how much do you accept Asia as a genuine manifestation of his artistry. If you look at the overall arc of his career, the Asia records certainly seem like important ones for him.
― timellison, Thursday, 28 May 2020 17:50 (three years ago) link
You certainly are defending the indefensible, Tim. I love Wetton’s voice and bass playing. Outside of a few pretty generic sessions (the ABWH album sounds like it could be anyone), Howe is the guitarist version of “that guy could sing names in the phone book.” And “Only Time Will Tell” is a classic for me. But really, they have four songs.
― Naive Teen Idol, Thursday, 28 May 2020 23:16 (three years ago) link
Tim's love of Asia does intrigue me, probably enough to actually listen to a whole album of theirs.
― Feel a million filaments (Sund4r), Friday, 29 May 2020 00:09 (three years ago) link
― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Thursday, June 10, 2004 12:22 AM (fifteen years ago) bookmarkflaglink
if nothing else, this otm
― budo jeru, Friday, 29 May 2020 03:51 (three years ago) link
The idea that they're indefensible is outrageous. I wonder if they hadn't had the Roger Dean covers, if they had found some way to brand themselves in a way that highlighted how down to earth, humble, and genuine they were about their music, whether such claims would be made.
Sund4r, the last album with Howe, XXX - that's an excellent album. I miss John Wetton.
― timellison, Friday, 29 May 2020 04:29 (three years ago) link
This is my favorite from XXX. It's quite beautiful how they came up with something so archetypically Asia-sounding on the last record they did together.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bYBLfM7GCs
― timellison, Friday, 29 May 2020 04:38 (three years ago) link
I got to say clips of the reunion of the original Asia lineup in 2007 in Japan (of course) are really pretty darn good.
They do...
Fanfare for the Common ManRoundabout
Both takes are pretty good. It's a slower tempo but Greg Lake plays that bass line AND is having to sing Jon Anderson's line. Different vibe, but a pretty cool cover.
Carl Palmer blitzes through Fanfare on drums.
― earlnash, Friday, 2 October 2020 05:39 (three years ago) link
Lake wasn’t in the original lineup tho
― Naive Teen Idol, Sunday, 1 November 2020 13:25 (three years ago) link