Asia - what's so great about them?

[Nicky007]

I've noticed that a lot of Roomies listen to Asia. I have the first two of their albums. I would characterise these two as quite standard 80's rock with excellent musicianship and terribly banal lyrics. I listened to them a few times, but I couldn't find anything exciting about them. Asia seemed to me to be a forum where excellent musicians like Steve Howe could make some easy money that they were not making with creative groups like Yes.

Now, when I read the Amazon reviews looking for clues, the message seems to be that Asia were in fact at their best at their beginnings. So that leaves me utterly clueless as to how people who cherish Arena's highly intelligent and searching music can seriously listen to Asia.

Can anybody help me out of my bewilderment?

Nicky.

[maddox]

I lost track of Asia after Astra which in my opinion was their best. Only know the songs sung by John Wetton. The other singer is oblivious to me. Like you, i really liked the first albums but what they recorded after that...

I don't know. So in other words: i'm not very useful here. 

[bellanova]

I liked both eras of Asia bt i agree the first two albums were the best. Now the original guys are back together again and touring and they have had great reviews especially in the US. But i went to see them in december and i have to say it was the worst gig i attended last year. They didnt play together. Steve Howe was appalling, and Geoff made too many mistakes. Plus the drums drowned nearly everything out.
I can only think that the people giving them great reviews have never heard Arena or Kino etc live because they knock your socks off with their sheer brilliance and professionalism.
I dont mind John W >:(etton with his solo band cos i love his voice and he does have the amazing Mr Mitchell to back him up too but Asia need to move over. They are past it! I'll probably get slated for this but its my opinion!

[PH]

I'm sorry, but if I'm not mistaken, Nicky just said that he didn't like the first two albums.
He doesn't like Asia at all.

And I must say that I heard the first album by Asia, and I don't think it's that special either.
I've heard Silent Nation (2004) and I think that's quite good actually.

Don't think it's prog at all.
Just clever pop-rock.
Bit like Kino, but Kino is more Prog-Poprock.


Funny world.

[Teunis]

I like both the John Wetton and the John Payne era equally. I regret the reunion of the band, I think that they wanted to cash a lot of money by touring with the original band. The new band of John Payne, GPS, is great too imo. Have to say that I have never seen Asia perform live, but the Asia in America DVD I own is marvellous.

[Nicky007]

> I'm sorry, but if I'm not mistaken, Nicky just said that he didn't like the first two albums. He doesn't like Asia at all.

Well, I wouldn't say, not at all, I'd rather listen to Asia than to James Blunt, but with groups like Arena and Dream Theater around, it seems senseless to play Asia. Give all the guys in Arena a lobotomy, and they'd still sound better than Asia.

Nicky.

[bellanova]

Nice one Nicky. your lobotomy comment made me laugh!

I dont think Asia are prog either. If they had to be i think John Paynes stuff was more prog orientated. But i never refer to them as a prog band anyway!

[Appelmoes??]

I've listened to an album once (I think it was called Arena) but I sure didn't like it.

[maddox]

Asia to me is definitely not prog. I think it's plain old rock but with a little prog-flavour. Like i said, i liked the three first albums but everything after that is a blur to me. 

[Assignment]

I have their last one "Silent Nation" - must say that its a nice one - Aqua is good and Arena (not the band  ) There is some prog in their music but not to much - very good composers... Does anyone knows GPS (is also somekind of Asia thingy - there is also s Spocks Beard member) - really good album - its called Window to the soul 

[Crownie]

Apart from the 1st album, my favourite Asia album is Aura.  Whilst John Payne's voice is perhaps not as distinctive as John Wetton's, Mr Payne is technically a better vocalist.  He certainly doesn't have to strain to hit the notes!  GPS is John Payne's band after Geoff Downes decided to get back with the original Asia line up.  For a first attempt, Window to the Soul is not at all bad.

[bellanova]

I liked John Payne as a singer with Asia and hes a good writer too. Also a very nice, genuine guy. My favourite Asia/Payne album is Aria but i bever saw him as real Asia. However having seen the original 4 back together, i was very disappointed. They just dont have the tightness they had back in 1982!

[JJ II]

I love the first era of Asia as a great pop-band. Catchy songs that stick in your head. Wetton is a great singer (one of my favorites).,

[bellanova]

Oh yeah i should have added that i love John Wetton too. I love the first era of Asia. Im one of the few that likes both Wetton and Payne. I just think that now John ws solo stuff does more for me than him trying to re create what was a top rock band!

[intruder]

Well I have Asia's first 2 albums and I can honestly say they are not really prog albums at all. The only thing of any progness is the musicians in the line up, and I think a lot peeps were expecting something really proggy once learning who the members of band were who made it up. The band was made by Steve Howe & Geoff Downes, who had at the time, came from the disbanded Yes. The other 2 members who made it up were John Wetton & Carl Palmer from King Crimson & E.L.P respectively. So out of the 4 guys who made it up we have 3 former prog players and a pop player being Geoff Downes of Buggles fame. Most of the material for the first 2 albums was wriiten by Downes, hence the real reason the music is more of the pop rock sound, rather than prog. But I must admit that they made some good songs, and the first album to me was quite a solid album, I dont believe there is a bad track on there. But what I do tend to find, is that the recordings are rather tinny, especially on the 2nd album, which does rather put one off playing them to much, and the music is also written in a catchy way, that one instantly likes, and after a month or so of hearing it, it gets stuck in the dust gathering collection, and comes out once in a blue moon.

I did also purchase the video Asia in Asia Live. Now this concert I really do like. The sound of the video in HiFi stereo is far better than the recordings of their first 2 albums. Incidently Greg Lake is on bass and vocals on this concert, as John Wetton was ill at the time of them performing it. And he does a superb job at singing the songs. I have not looked to see if this concert as been released on DVD. But I for one would buy it if it was, as my video tape is rather worn now. 

[Nicky007]

Ha, another Brummie. I was born in Birmingham and lived there for the first five years (not that I remember much of that). My dad worked at B University for eight years. For both my parents, the years in B were the best of their lives (after war and before quarrels).

Intruder, what you forgot to mention about Asia was that their lyrics, in any case on the early albums, were "terribly banal" (an expression I used earlier). When I was younger, I could take that, but nowadays, I'm very picky about lyrics (good lyrics make me chipper, Appelmoes). That's one of the main reasons why I can't listen to pop.

In fact, I would venture to say that lyrics are one of the pillars of prog, where the only exceptions we should make are non-English groups like e.g. Riverside.

Nicky.

[Deenfan]

I can't believe I didn't see this earlier. You wanna know what's so great about Asia?

I'll tell you:

John Payne
Aqua
Aria
Arena
Aura
Silent Nation

Six things that are great about Asia.

[PH]

Silent Nation

I've heard Silent Nation and I thought it was a very nice album.
Reminds me to put it on my shopping list.

-Paco